Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott has withdrawn from the England squad and faces up to two months out with a quad injury. The 23-year-old aggravated the muscle issue while playing 70 minutes in England's 7-0 Nations League win over Croatia last week, despite feeling discomfort beforehand.
Injury traced to Croatia match
Scott underwent tests on Sunday which confirmed the severity of the setback. He had played through the pain in the match, a decision that has left Bournemouth frustrated as they now lose a key player during a difficult period. The club sit 17th in the Premier League, having scored just 3 goals in their opening five games to collect only 3 points as they search for a first win. Scott will miss England's upcoming fixtures and is a major doubt for a significant portion of Bournemouth's schedule, including their next match away at Chelsea on 10 October.
Tuchel defends selection
England manager Thomas Tuchel defended his decision to select Scott, insisting no risks were taken. "It’s a strange one. I’m very sad about it," Tuchel said. "He trained in full before Croatia, did extra work after the training sessions." The head coach stated he had a clear conscience, explaining that Scott himself had indicated he was fit to play a full match. "There was zero risk taken from our side," Tuchel added. "On a human level, I feel bad that he has not the next cap tomorrow."
Scott's emotional return and Bournemouth's need
The injury compounds a difficult period for Scott, who had remained with the England squad following the recent death of his grandfather. He had described his grandfather as one of his biggest fans and made his senior England debut in the win over Czechia just days later. His burgeoning partnership with Elliot Anderson in Bournemouth's midfield, reprising their successful Under-21 link-up, will now be paused. Scott's creativity will be missed, as evidenced by his assist for Rayan Vitor Simplício Rocha in the recent 2-1 Europa League victory over Real Sociedad.
His absence leaves a considerable gap in the centre of the park for a team whose recent form reads two wins, two draws and one loss from their last five outings across all competitions. The squad depth will be tested, with supporters able to check the latest available players on the squad list. Scott is expected to return to Bournemouth's care for further assessment and rehabilitation instead of featuring for England in their next match.
The report in full is at Guardian Sport
