Gareth Southgate has opted not to include Raheem Sterling in his England squad, even though the Chelsea winger has been in top form for his club. Jordan Henderson and James Maddison, on the other hand, have both been included.

Despite scoring three goals in 10 of Chelsea’s 11 league matches this season, Sterling has not been chosen by Southgate for his squad since the 2022 World Cup last November. This places his spot in the European Championships next summer in jeopardy.

Although Southgate denies that his relationship with Sterling has deteriorated, he stated that the team has been performing well and they’ve chosen to stick with the same group. Reece James, Sterling’s club captain, also misses out after expressing that he’s not ready for an international return.

James Maddison, despite an ankle injury, is included in the squad for the November matches. Other notable inclusions are Jordan Henderson and Bukayo Saka, while Raheem Sterling, Eberechi Eze, and John Stones are left out.

Gareth Southgate’s squad plays Malta at Wembley on November 17 and North Macedonia on November 20. The team is aiming to win both games to secure a place in Pot 1 for the finals draw on December 2.