Thomas Tuchel has confirmed his 25-man England squad for the November international break, and Marcus Rashford is not part of it.

There had been an expectation that the Manchester United winger might return to the group, but his name was missing when the squad was announced on Friday. Rashford has featured for United since the last international window, coming off the bench for one minute in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur and then starting the 2-0 loss to Atlético Madrid. He has not been involved since.

The reason is his ongoing hip issue, which has now kept him out of United’s last four matches in all competitions. With doubts still hanging over his fitness, Tuchel has opted to go in another direction for England’s crucial Nations League fixtures against Croatia and Spain.

Rashford is understood to be stepping up his recovery, but reports indicate he will not be ready to play until after the international break. That has left England looking to alternative wide options, with Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze, Barcelona’s Anthony Gordon, Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha and Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers included instead.

England’s situation in Group 3 leaves little margin for error after the loss to Spain in the previous break. Tuchel’s side are locked in a direct battle with Croatia for second place, and a draw would be enough to secure that position. There is still a route to first as well, though it depends on England overturning Spain. The Three Lions are currently four goals better off than the world champions.

Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Jason Steele (Brighton & Hove Albion), James Trafford (Leeds United)

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Real Madrid), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Marc Guéhi (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Ezri Konsa (Arsenal), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Inter Milan), Ben White (Arsenal)

Aston Villa have moved to underline Unai Emery’s future at the club at a time when links with Manchester United continue to circulate.

Emery has been central to Villa’s rise, guiding them into the Champions League and delivering their first major trophy in 30 years last season with the Europa League. That track record makes him a natural fit for a club of Manchester United’s stature, especially given his history of success at Sevilla and Villarreal, as well as his experience at Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.

However, Villa’s position around their manager is clearly a sensitive one. The club recently threatened legal action against pundit Jamie Carragher over remarks made on the Stick to Football podcast last month. In his comments on Emery and Manchester United, Carragher suggested the Spaniard might want the chance to “manage a giant again,” while also saying, “There is a chain in football, whether you like it or not. Shut the f— up, Aston Villa fans. Aston Villa will never be Manchester United.”

After a public apology in which Carragher described his wording as “clumsy and wrong,” the matter was dropped.

Reports earlier this week stated Emery is “happy” at Aston Villa, has no release clause in his contract, and is not expected to leave. Villa have now added further weight to that view by publicising a meeting focused on “the club’s long-term strategic direction.”

One outcome from that meeting was “establishing a clear commitment beyond 2029” under Emery’s leadership. While the club stopped short of announcing a new deal, his current contract expires in 2029, and the wording strongly suggests a longer partnership is being prepared. The Athletic report that such an agreement is close.

Villa said: “The meeting brought together Nassef Sawiris, the club’s Chairman, and Unai Emery alongside President of Football Operations Roberto Olabe and Director of Football Operations Damián Vidagany.”

Carlos Baleba’s night ended early as Manchester United’s comeback over Roma unfolded without him, and the midfielder’s latest setback now hangs over the club’s schedule. What should have been another step forward in his first months at Old Trafford instead became another interruption in a move that had already been delayed by injury.

Signed from Brighton & Hove Albion in August, Baleba was presented as the final piece in United’s midfield rebuild, the player expected to provide balance. He arrived with a pre-existing ankle problem picked up during Brighton’s preseason preparations, which pushed his debut back until after the September-October international break. Once available, the Cameroon international had begun to settle and show promise in a side that had otherwise struggled.

Tuesday’s match was only his fifth start for the Red Devils, but it ended shortly after half-time when he went down clutching his hamstring. He received treatment on the pitch before being forced to withdraw and hobble off. After the 3-2 win, Michael Carrick confirmed the problem was indeed hamstring-related, though he could offer little immediate clarity.

“We’ll have to assess what that looks like but, initially, it doesn’t look great,” Carrick offered.

Further tests and scans are expected in the coming days, with the club hoping the issue proves to be minor. Even so, the first indication was not encouraging, and the range of possible outcomes for hamstring injuries means the recovery window remains uncertain until the diagnosis is complete.

At this stage, it appears likely Baleba will miss action until after the November international break. United have only one fixture before then, away to Aston Villa on Nov. 8, before the schedule pauses again. Their next match is away to Liverpool on Nov. 22, a game that may come too soon even for a light hamstring problem. International duty with Cameroon also looks unlikely.