John Stones Withdrawn from England Squad Due to Injury

Burton, September 5 (AP) – John Stones has been sidelined from England's World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia due to a muscle injury.

The Manchester City defender departed the national team's training camp on Friday. Head coach Thomas Tuchel stated that Stones could not be risked for the upcoming fixtures.

Stones featured in all three of City's Premier League encounters this season. However, Tuchel mentioned that he was already managing an injury upon reporting for England duties.

“He arrived with minor muscular issues in camp and hasn’t progressed as anticipated. Therefore, he left camp this morning because we are not prepared to take any chances, not against Andorra, and regrettably, not against Serbia either,” Tuchel remarked on Friday.

England is set to face Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday, followed by a match against Serbia in Belgrade on Tuesday.

Tuchel affirmed that captain Harry Kane will feature against Andorra, emphasizing the importance of securing World Cup qualification.

“It’s World Cup season. With only three camps remaining until the end of qualifying, competition is intense. We will field the team we trust and the best lineup possible for the match, and from there, we will adjust for the second game,” he explained. (AP)

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