Ollie Watkins Withdraws from England Squad Ahead of Crucial Latvia Clash

Key Takeaways:

• Ollie Watkins suffered an injury during England’s recent friendly against Wales and has been withdrawn from the squad
• Anthony Gordon took over in attack following Watkins’ substitution at half-time, with Marcus Rashford coming on
• England will secure World Cup qualification with a victory over Latvia, after winning all five group matches without conceding

England’s Forward Options Reduced by Watkins Injury

Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins has been forced out of the England squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Latvia, after sustaining an injury in the friendly match versus Wales. Watkins, who had been a fixture in the starting line-up and found the net in that Wales encounter, collided with the goalpost during the match. Despite playing on until the interval, he was replaced at half-time by Marcus Rashford. Anthony Gordon led the line following the substitution.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🤕 Ollie Watkins has dropped out of the England squad after failing to overcome a knock he sustained against Wales when he collided with the post.

Harry Kane will be available for the World Cup qualifier against Latvia tomorrow night.

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— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) October 13, 2025

Kane Fitness Under Scrutiny Ahead of Pivotal Qualifier

England manager Thomas Tuchel is hopeful that Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, the national side’s leading scorer, will recover from his recent ankle problem in time for the fixture in Riga. Kane missed the outing against Wales, increasing the pressure on England’s attacking depth for the Latvia match. The upcoming encounter carries significant weight, as an English victory would guarantee qualification for next year’s World Cup with matches to spare.

Group Standings and Statistical Overview

The Three Lions have enjoyed a flawless qualifying campaign thus far, winning all five of their matches and maintaining a perfect defensive record without conceding a single goal. Latvia, meanwhile, holds the second-to-last position in the table, accumulating five points from six matches and recording one victory.