Gareth Southgate has defended his decision to call up Bukayo Saka, claiming the winger is in contention to play this weekend.

Gareth Southgate named his England squad for the October international break on Thursday afternoon, with Aaron Ramsdale, Declan Rice, Eddie Nketiah, and Bukayo Saka involved.

Saka was a surprise inclusion, given his latest injury knock at the weekend.

But Southgate claims he wouldn’t risk the winger if he wasn’t fit, adding that Saka is in contention for the weekend.

“I’ve been a player and I’ve never ever taken a risk on a player’s physical well-being,” Southgate insisted. “And nor would I. I can only go via what Mikel Arteta has said about the last few games.

“He is in contention for the weekend so we’ve obviously got a very important qualifier. We look after the players as well as any country.”

“We have really good dialogue with all of their clubs, I think they pretty much all would agree that we probably give better feedback than every other nation,” Southgate continued.

“They have trust in us that we make decisions that are right for the long-term whenever we can.

“We only have ten matches a year. And there’s been times when with Bukayo, for example, we haven’t always played him.

“But there are certain key games where if it’s possible to have your best players then you do want to have them.”

With the game against Manchester City at the weekend, Arsenal fans are understandably eager for any potential injury update on Saka ahead of the match.

Southgate previously confirmed Saka was “being assessed” ahead of that game.

It would be a big boost for Arsenal if Saka has avoided injury, but he’s now been withdrawn early – and usually limping – in the team’s last three matches.

Arsenal fans likely won’t be too pleased to see the 22-year-old involved in the England squad in those circumstances, but it underlines the importance he has to his club and his country right now.