England's preparations for their decisive UEFA Nations League matches have been severely hampered, with eight players ruled out of contention.

The missing players include Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), and Bukayo Saka (Arsenal). While most absences are attributed to injuries, the reasons for the omissions of Foden, Palmer, and Colwill remain unclear.

England currently trails Greece by three points in Group B2, with their next game set to take place on Greek soil. A victory is essential for England to retain any chance of promotion to League A, while a draw or loss would see Greece secure top spot and leave England facing a playoff against a third-placed team from League А group.