Tuchel drops Mainoo and Foden as Guehi and Anderson earn England Nations League call-ups

Thomas Tuchel has named his England squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain, with Kobbie Mainoo, Phil Foden, and all three senior Manchester United regulars left out of the group.

Mainoo’s absence comes despite the midfielder returning to action for United in European competition this week. Tuchel opted against rushing the 19-year-old back into international football so soon after his injury lay-off, leaving United without any representatives in the senior squad for this camp — Marcus Rashford, Luke Shaw, and Harry Maguire were also omitted.

Manchester City do have a presence in the squad, though it belongs to two players who have been building their international profiles rather than the club’s established names. Centre-back Marc Guehi retained his place in the defensive unit, continuing to hold down a regular role in Tuchel’s back line despite competition for minutes at club level. Elliot Anderson, the second City player included, has developed into a consistent selection under the German head coach.

Foden and Nico O’Reilly, both part of last month’s squad, have been replaced in this cycle. John Stones also misses out, with ongoing fitness concerns ruling the experienced centre-back out of contention and creating openings for other domestic defenders to press their claims. Rico Lewis, who has previously featured as late cover in earlier England camps, was not included in the initial selection.