Ryan Mason called up by England after Adam Lallana Injury

Mason capped at under-19 and under-20 level by England

Ryan Mason has been rewarded for his eye-catching progress at Tottenham Hotspur by following Harry Kane into the senior England squad for Friday’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania and next week’s friendly against Italy.

The Spurs midfielder, who has been capped at under-19 and under-20 level, replaces Adam Lallana who sustained a groin injury during Liverpool’s defeat to Manchester United on Sunday. Lallana’s club-mate, Daniel Sturridge, has also withdrawn after undergoing a scan on a hip injury at St George’s Park on Monday night while Fabian Delph was absent due to sickness when the squad met up. The Aston Villa player is expected to join up later in the week.

Mason made his Tottenham senior debut in a Uefa Cup tie against Nijmegen in November 2008 but his competitive involvement was then limited to loan spells at Yeovil, Doncaster, Millwall and Swindon. However, the 23-year-old impressed Mauricio Pochettino on Spurs’ tour of the United States last summer and has been a regular this season, his displays over the first half of it having earned him a new five-and-a-half-year contract at the club in January.

He joins the uncapped Kane, the full-backs Danny Rose and Kyle Walker, and the winger Andros Townsend in a healthy Spurs contingent in England’s squad for the sellout fixture against Lithuania and next Tuesday’s trip to Turin.

Sturridge’s hopes of making his first appearance for the national side since September – when he suffered a thigh injury in training which ended up ruling him out for almost five months – were dashed after he suffered damage to his hip in the defeat to United.

The 25-year-old returned to action with Liverpool at the end of January, scoring on his return against West Ham, and has managed three further goals in the 12 games since as he steadily recovers his form and full fitness. He scored the hosts’ consolation on Sunday before complaining of discomfort in the hip. He was assessed on Monday evening with a decision subsequentlythen made not to risk him in the two games.

Liverpool have not seen the scans on Sturridge’s injury and did not ask England to leave the striker out of the current squad.

The national manager has the uncapped Kane, the captain Wayne Rooney and Arsenal’s Danny Welbeck, who has scored five goals in four qualifying games this season, as alternative forward options in his party. Hodgson is not expected to call up another player to replace Sturridge.

Lallana’s groin injury flared up in the first half of the loss to United and he was withdrawn at the interval for Steven Gerrard. Another Liverpool player, Raheem Sterling, will also require monitoring as he has been suffering from a toe injury.


By Dominic Fifield / Echo