England all-time top scorer Harry Kane has been left out of the Three Lions’ starting side for their Nations League match in Greece.
Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins is interim manager Lee Carsley’s out-and-out forward in Athens, while Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones makes his first start.
Manchester City defender Kyle Walker captains the visitors in the absence of established skipper Kane, who is on the bench.
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England team vs Greece
Bayern Munich’s Kane is by far the most experienced name kept in reserve by Carsley. Rico Lewis starts in defence, with Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher and Chelsea’s Noni Madueke also among the surprise inclusions.
Almost a full team’s worth of players have dropped out of Carsley’s squad, with Kane publicly criticising the number of players opting not to travel.
England XI: Pickford, Walker, Konsa, Guehi, Lewis, Jones, Gallagher, Bellingham, Madueke, Gordon, Watkins
Subs: Trafford, Henderson, Gibbs-White, Angel, Kane, Hall, Livramento, Quansah, Harwood-Bellis, Rogers, Bowen, Solanke
Greece vs England
There are three changes for Greece from their starting side who won 2-0 at home to the Republic of Ireland on October 13.
Two Konstantinoses – Wolfsburg’s Koulierakis and Liverpool’s Tsimikas – come in, as does Cardiff City’s Manolis Siopis. Dimitrios Kourbelis is out through suspension, while Pantelis Chatzidiakos and Dimitris Giannoulis are on the bench.
Greece XI: Vlachodimos, Rota, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, Tsimikas, Siopis, Zaferis, Masouras, Bakasetas, Tzolis, Pavlidis
Subs: Tzolakis, Mandas, Vagiannidis, Retsos, Alexandropoulos, Ioannidis, Douvikas, Pelkas, Hatzidiakos, Konstantelias, Mantalos, Giannoulis
England vs Greece: Result vital for Three Lions
England must win to have a chance of finishing top of their group and winning automatic promotion to League A but their test is a tough one against opponents with the most victories in the competition since the Nations League began.
Greece won 2-1 at Wembley on October 10 as part of their current run of five consecutive victories, including two over the Republic of Ireland and one at home to Finland in the Nations League.
Jude Bellingham’s late equaliser for England is the only goal Greece have conceded since Ivan Jovanovic became their manager in June, but they hit back to triumph that night with Vangelis Pavlidis’ second goal of the game in the 94th minute.
