Bukayo Saka will miss England's World Cup qualifier against Andorra due to a minor knock. The Arsenal forward was omitted from the matchday squad submitted to UEFA, joining Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins and Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher on the sidelines for the Group K clash. Watkins had already left the camp due to a minor injury sustained prior to joining up with the national team.
England manager Thomas Tuchel revealed that Saka arrived at the camp with some discomfort from his last match against Southampton. As a result, the medical team managed Saka individually, carefully monitoring his training load. While he participated in Friday's training session, it was his first full session with the team, having only partially trained with the group the previous day.
Tuchel is approaching Saka's situation with caution. He indicated that a decision on whether to risk playing him against Andorra hasn't been made yet, but is optimistic about Saka's availability for Tuesday's friendly against Senegal. He emphasized Saka's importance to the team, stating that the player "plays a major role in our thoughts of how to build a competitive team."
Despite the setback, Tuchel expressed satisfaction with Saka's eagerness to return to the squad. He noted that Saka's comfort and familiarity within the team were immediately apparent upon his return.
England faces Andorra at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, continuing their journey towards next summer's tournament. With Andorra ranked 173rd in the world, England are heavily favored to win the match even without Saka, Watkins and Gallagher.