England squad announced: Under-fire pair Harry Maguire and Raheem Sterling in for Nations League double-header

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Dan Kilpatrick @Dan_KP25 August 2020

Gareth Southgate has backed under-fire duo Harry Maguire and Raheem Sterling by naming both in his England squad for next month's Nations League matches against Iceland and Denmark.

There is also a first call-up for 20-year-old Manchester City playmaker Phil Foden.

Maguire has kept his place in Southgate's first England squad for ten months, despite the start of his trial on the Greek island of Syros on Tuesday morning.

The Manchester United captain, his brother Joe, 28, and friend Christopher Sharman, 29, were represented in court by Alexis Anagnostakis, one of Greece's top human rights lawyers, with the defence requesting a postponement to the case, claiming they did not have sufficient time to prepare.

Maguire, who was not required to be in court, has already pleaded not guilty to a string of charges following his arrest for an alleged altercation in a bar on neighbouring Mykonos in the early hours of Friday morning and his father, Alan, was present in court this morning.

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Southgate has taken a firm stance on discipline as England boss and dropped Sterling last year after the Manchester City winger clashed with England team-mate Joe Gomez.

Despite the uncertainty over the outcome of the case, the England manager kept the faith in the 27-year-old centre-half by including him for the trips to Reykjavik on September 5 and Copenhagen three days later.

Sterling, meanwhile, was also among those selected, having tested negative for Covid-19 in Jamaica after close contact with sprint legend Usain Bolt, who has since tested positive.

Late last night, Jamaica’s health minister Dr Christopher Tufton confirmed that Bolt had contracted Covid-19 following an Instagram video in which the fastest man of all time said he was self-isolating at home awaiting the results of a coronavirus test.

He said: "Just to be safe, I quarantined myself and just taking it easy."

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It comes after Sterling was one of a number of guests at a lavish party to celebrate Bolt's 34th birthday on Friday, the circumstances around which Prime Minister Andrew Holness said police would now be investigating.

Already, 1,000 people in Jamaica have been charged for breaking the Disaster Risk Management Act, while health minister Tufton said the Government would take action, if necessary, regardless of the individual.

He said: “We do not discriminate depending on the person. The rules apply to everyone and to the extent that we have information, the rules would apply in this case.”

Bolt's video called on all those who had come into contact with him, including Sterling, to self-isolate. "I'll talk to all my friends and tell them that if they have come into contact with me, just to be safe, quarantine by yourself, take it easy and let people know — be safe out there," he said.

Sterling, who is still on an extended summer break following City's participation in the Champions League, is said to feel fine and is showing no symptoms but he will be tested again before joining up with England.

Meanwhile, Leeds defensive midfielder Kalvin Phillips and Manchester United's Mason Greenwood have been brought into the squad for the first time after impressing for the Sky Bet Championship winners.

Danny Ings' fine form for Southampton has seen him called up for the first time since making his debut in 2015, while Kyle Walker has been recalled having not played for England since the Nations League finals last June.

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