Manchester United duo Danny Welbeck and Phil Jones have been left out England U21 squad for the European Championship qualification double-header against Iceland and Belgium.
The Red Devils pair have broken into Fabio Capello’s senior squad this season and their omission suggests they will be involved in the friendlies against Spain and Sweden.
Stuart Pearce's 25-man groupwill place Iceland on Thursday, November 10 in Colchester and Monday, November 14 in Mons, Belgium.
Pearce, whose side have made a 100 per cent start to the Group Eight campaign, will also be without injured West Ham midfielder Henri Lansbury.
He has called up five new faces in Crystal Palace’s Nathaniel Clyne, Brighton’s Lewis Dunk, Barnsley’s Jacob Butterfield, Tottenham’s Tom Carroll and Middlesbrough’s Alex Nimely.
Middlesbrough goalkeeper Jason Steele is included following an injury.
Pearce said: “We're fortunate that we got two tricky away games out of the way, but we have to maximise that at home and make sure there are no slip-ups.
“With only one team certain of a place in the play-offs, dropping any points in the group puts you under real pressure.”
England U21 squad: Amos (Manchester United), Butland (Birmingham), Steele (Middlesbrough), Baker (Aston Villa), Bennett (Peterborough), Briggs (Fulham), Clyne (Crystal Palace), Dawson (West Brom), Dunk (Brighton), Flanagan (Liverpool), Kelly (Liverpool), Smith (Tottenham) Barkley (Everton), Butterfield (Barnsley), Carroll (Tottenham), Gardner (Aston Villa), Henderson (Liverpool), Lowe (Blackburn), McEachran (Chelsea), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Rodwell (Everton), Delfouneso (Aston Villa), Nimely (Manchester City), Sordell (Watford), Wickham (Sunderland). Standby list: Bennett (Middlesbrough), Rudd (Norwich), Shelvey (Liverpool), Townsend (Tottenham), Gosling (Newcastle).
