Kalvin Phillips is out of the England squad and could be a doubt for the World Cup with a shoulder injury that may need surgery.
The midfielder missed Manchester City’s 3-0 win at Wolves and will sit out England’s Nations League matches against Italy and Germany.
Phillips, who had been named in Gareth Southgate’s 28-man squad for the two September matches, has only played 13 minutes of football in an injury-hit start to his City career.
Now he faces a race against time to prove his fitness by the time Southgate picks his 26-man part for the tournament in Qatar, which has to be named by October 21.
Phillips was ever present in England’s run to the final of Euro 2020 and Southgate has shown loyalty to players from that tournament who have served him well in the past in troubled starts to their club season.
City have five matches after the international break, beginning with a Manchester derby, for Phillips to try and prove his fitness.
England are already without fellow midfielder Jordan Henderson for the Italy and Germany games.
