<
>

West Ham's Michail Antonio named in Sam Allardyce's first England squad

West Ham's Michail Antonio is the surprise inclusion in Sam Allardyce's first England squad.

Luke Shaw, Phil Jagielka, Danny Drinkwater and Theo Walcott return to the international fold after missing Euro 2016.

England captain Wayne Rooney is named among the midfielders and Joe Hart makes the cut, as expected, despite losing his status as Manchester City's first-choice goalkeeper but there is no place for Everton's Ross Barkley.

Allardyce named 23 players for the World Cup 2018 qualifier in Slovakia on Sept. 4, with the uncapped Antonio getting the nod on the same day he scored in a losing effort against Manchester City.

Barkley, who was an unused squad member at Euro 2016, has been dropped despite scoring twice in his first four matches this season.

In all there are five changes from the squad that failed in France this summer, with the retired James Milner dropping out along with Marcus Rashford, who has been named in the under-21s, and injured pair Jack Wilshere and Ryan Bertrand.

No captain has been named, with Allardyce unlikely to nominate his chosen man until after the squad get together at St George's Park on Monday evening, but the previous incumbent Wayne Rooney is listed among the midfielders.

The country's record goalscorer played in central midfield in France but his United manager Jose Mourinho has called time on that experiment and Allardyce had been expected to follow suit.

Full England squad:

Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster, Joe Hart, Tom Heaton

Defenders: Gary Cahill, Nathaniel Clyne, Phil Jagielka, Danny Rose, Luke Shaw, Chris Smalling, John Stones, Kyle Walker

Midfielders: Dele Alli, Michail Antonio, Eric Dier, Danny Drinkwater, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, Wayne Rooney, Raheem Sterling, Theo Walcott

Strikers: Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge, Jamie Vardy