Young injury has Hodgson short of attacking options

Terry returns to the squad after being rested for the Italy game (Getty Images)

The Manchester United winger Ashley Young is the latest player to have to pull out of Roy Hodgson's squad for the first two World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine with a knee injury picked up last weekend.

Young, a regular for Hodgson, hurt his knee against Fulham last Saturday, an injury that necessitated his substitution in the game.

The 27-year-old had treatment again on the problem yesterday and, while it is not expected to be a long-term problem, it was felt that there would be no way he could play in the game against Moldova, in Chisinau, a week today.

There are no major surprises in Hodgson's squad for the crucial two opening World Cup qualifiers.

Wayne Rooney misses the games with injury but John Terry is back in the squad. Robert Green has been left out, with Jack Butland and John Ruddy the two reserve goalkeepers to Joe Hart.

Despite having been told that he is not needed at Liverpool by the manager Brendan Rodgers, Andy Carroll keeps his place in the squad. Of the other strikers, Danny Welbeck, Daniel Sturridge and Jermain Defoe, only Defoe can claim to be an automatic first choice for his club side at the moment and that may well change now with the arrival of the Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor on a permanent deal at Tottenham Hotspur.