‘Point to prove’ delayed: Cole Palmer headlines 5-player England withdrawal blow

London: Cole Palmer was among five players to withdraw from the England squad on Monday because of injuries, denying the Chelsea playmaker an opportunity to prove his worth again to coach Thomas Tuchel after a World Cup snub.

Marcus Rashford, Declan Rice, Tino Livramento, and Kobbie Mainoo were also ruled out of upcoming Nations League games against world champion Spain, Croatia, and the Czech Republic due to unspecified injury issues, the national team announced.

Only two players have been called up as replacements: Everton midfielder James Garner and Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White.

Last week, Tuchel stated that Palmer would have “a point to prove” after receiving his recall, having been a high-profile absentee from the England squad that travelled to the World Cup and reached the semi-finals before losing to Argentina.

Palmer played the full game in Chelsea's last outing, a 3-0 loss at Brentford on Friday.

AP