Exciting Aston Villa duo named in England U21s squad for Kenilworth Road clash

​England’s interim U21s boss Ben Futcher has named Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton and Tottenham Hotspur’s big money summer signing Archie Gray in his squad to face Austria U21s at Kenilworth Road on Monday.

Following their trip to Ballymena to play in Northern Ireland in their Euro U21 qualifier on Friday, the Young Lions then head to Bedfordshire for the first U21 international that Luton have hosted since February 1993. Wharton, who was in England’s senior squad for the Euros over the summer and Gray are two of the starring names who will be on show, with first call-ups for Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jack Hinshelwood, Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson and Ipswich Town forward Omari Hutchinson.

Aston Villa duo Jaden Philogene and Morgan Rogers have also been selected, along with Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott, although there is no place for Luton’s Teden Mengi, who won his first cap during the 7-0 victory over Luxembourg back in March. Speaking about the upcoming matches, Futcher, who has replaced Lee Carsley following his promotion to the England senior side following Gareth Southgate’s resignation, said: “Personally, it will obviously be a huge honour to lead out the MU21s for the first time.

“It's great to see Lee (Carsley) making the step-up to the senior side after being so successful with the MU21s. For me, it has been a great experience to work with the Elite League Squad over the past year, and now it's brilliant to have the opportunity to bring together a very talented group of players who can see a very direct link between all the pathway teams.

"We're not going to try and reinvent things and it will be very much a case of trying to continue the work that Lee and his staff have done with this age group. Our main job is to get the best out of a really talented group.”

Squad, Goalkeepers: James Beadle (Sheffield Wednesday, loan from Brighton and Hove Albion), Sam Tickle (Wigan Athletic), James Trafford (Burnley). Defenders: Charlie Cresswell (FC Toulouse), Callum Doyle (Norwich City, loan from Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle United), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Southampton), Jack Hinshelwood (Brighton and Hove Albion), Jarell Quansah (Liverpool), Nathan Wood (Southampton).

Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Harvey Elliott (Liverpool), Archie Gray (Tottenham Hotspur), Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough), James McAtee (Manchester City), Tyler Morton (Liverpool), Alex Scott (AFC Bournemouth), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace). Forwards: Jamie Gittens (Borussia Dortmund), Liam Delap (Ipswich Town), Sam Iling-Junior (Bologna FC, loan from Aston Villa), Omari Hutchinson (Ipswich Town), Jaden Philogene (Aston Villa), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​.