Michael Carrick has been forced to pull out of the England squad due to injury and the 34-year-old midfielder has returned to Manchester United, the FA confirmed on Monday.
Carrick was an unused substitute during Saturday’s 6-0 European Championship qualifying victory against San Marino but had been tipped to feature against Switzerland at Wembley on Tuesday, when Wayne Rooney hopes to break Sir Bobby Charlton’s scoring
record for the Three Lions.
The injury to Carrick has been described by England coach Roy Hodgson as a "slight calf problem" which is unlikely to be "long term". However, it could provide a headache ahead of the Barclays Premier League clash with Liverpool at Old Trafford, when Louis van Gaal’s men will endeavour to bounce back from the disappointing 2-1 defeat at Swansea City that preceded the current international break.
Summer signing Matteo Darmian should feel sharp for Saturday’s match with the Merseysiders after the right-back played all 90 minutes as Italy beat Bulgaria 1-0 on Sunday. Daniele De Rossi hit the winner from the penalty spot in the sixth minute before he was sent off following a clash with Iliyan Mitsanski, who was also dismissed. Gianluigi Buffon won his 150th cap in the narrow victory.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Marouane Fellaini clocked up 64 minutes as Belgium registered a hard-earned 1-0 win in Cyprus that closed the gap on Group B leaders Wales. Chelsea’s Eden Hazard hit the decisive goal in the 86th minute in Nicosia, where Adnan Januzaj watched the action from the bench.
Daley Blind and Memphis Depay unfortunately tasted defeat as the Netherlands were comfortably beaten 3-0 in Turkey thanks to goals from Oguzhan Ozyakup, Arda Turan and Burak Yilmaz. Holland are now fourth in Group A and the result means they can only qualify for Euro 2016 via the play-offs.
Sunday’s defeat was also the Netherlands’ heaviest competitive loss since going down 4-1 to England at Euro ’96 and former Reds striker Robin van Persie admitted afterwards that they have a lot of work to do.
“This whole qualification campaign has been incredibly difficult,” the Dutchman explained. “We still have a chance, but it is no longer in our hands and that is terrible.”
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