The Liverpool defender Martin Kelly has pulled out of the England Under-21 squad ahead of tomorrow's match with Italy. Kelly played the full match for Liverpool against Chelsea yesterday but sustained a knock during the game.
Stuart Pearce has now lost six defenders for the trip to Empoli, with Kieran Gibbs, Micah Richards, Chris Smalling, Kyle Walker and James Tomkins all out.
While Walker was promoted to the senior squad for Wednesday's international in Denmark, the other five have been lost to injury. The Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson, Bolton Wanderers' on-loan striker Daniel Sturridge and Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph also previously withdrew from the group.
The Leeds United captain Jonny Howson was yesterday called into the squad for the first time as a replacement, and has been joined by Chelsea's Josh McEachran, Barnsley's Kieran Tripper, the Leicester City loanee Kyle Naughton and Crystal Palace forward James Vaughan.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/feb/07/martin-kelly-england-under-21
