Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott's eagerly anticipated England debut has been put on hold after he was omitted from Thomas Tuchel's matchday squad for the World Cup qualifier against Serbia at Wembley on Thursday night.
Tuchel's Selection Dilemma
Under UEFA regulations, manager Thomas Tuchel was permitted to select only 23 players from his initial 25-man squad for the double-header of qualifiers against Serbia and Albania. This difficult decision meant two players would have to miss out on the first fixture.
Scott, who received his first senior call-up just six days prior, will watch the Serbia match from the stands alongside Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. While disappointed to miss this game, Scott can expect to see some action, likely from the substitutes' bench, when England face Albania on Sunday.
Injury Concerns and Future Prospects
The situation for Marc Guehi is more concerning, as the Palace defender is currently carrying a foot injury. His condition will be assessed over the weekend, and if no improvement is seen, he will be sent back to his club rather than travel with the squad for the Albania fixture.
In more positive team news, Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers has been passed fit to be involved against Serbia. Rogers had been nursing a minor hamstring issue but has recovered in time.
Reflecting on his first call-up, Alex Scott described the experience as a dream come true. 'I'm over the moon,' Scott said. 'It is everything I dreamed for back then. Six years ago, I was playing non-league football and I wasn't even sure if I was going to make it as a football player, so to now be in the England senior team is a dream come true.'
Looking ahead, the young midfielder acknowledged the ultimate goal. 'Everyone's dream is to be in that World Cup squad,' he stated, while emphasising his focus on taking things one step at a time and impressing if given the chance to play.
