Cole Palmer’s England squad withdrawal is questioned by Alan Shearer – as ex-Three Lions captain ‘doesn’t understand’ his decision

Cole Palmer’s commitment to England has been questioned by Alan Shearer after his withdrawal from their Nations League squad.

Last week, Palmer was recalled to the Three Lions fold for this international break after being an eye-raising omission for the World Cup by head coach Thomas Tuchel.

However, on Monday, the Chelsea playmaker was one of five players to pull out of the squad due to fitness issues alongside Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice, Manchester United duo Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford as well as Newcastle defender Tino Livramento.

In Palmer’s absence, Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White has been called up for matches against World Cup winners Spain (September 26), Czechia (September 29), Croatia (October 3) and Czechia again (October 6).

And reflecting on Palmer’s withdrawal, Shearer has warned that his decision to do so is the ‘standout’ out for several reasons.

Alan Shearer: ‘I don’t understand Cole Palmer’s withdrawal’

‘I think at every opportunity you have to go and play for England,’ former Three Lions captain Shearer told Betfair.

‘You can’t just turn up for World Cups or Euros or whatever. We don’t know, and we’re speculating, but it’s a lot of players to pull out, isn’t it?

‘Rice, I guess, his withdrawal is because of the amount of football he’s played. It does look as if he’s nursing something. The others, I don’t know their situation, but that’s a lot of players to be pulling out.

‘However, what it does do is give others the opportunity to stake their claim. Someone like Morgan Gibbs-White has the chance now because Tuchel’s words were, well, there’s too many 10s. Well, one’s pulled out. Now he’s got his opportunity.

‘You can imagine if he goes in there and does well, scores, puts in a really good performance, then the manager would have to pick him for the next squad because of that and that’s the opportunity he’s now got.

‘The one I don’t understand is Cole Palmer’s withdrawal from the squad. I get that you have to manage your body, but he’s not played a lot of football and he’s not going to play a lot of football with Chelsea not being in Europe this season.

‘So, without knowing all of the reasoning, that one is the standout one for me, especially when he wasn’t at the World Cup.’

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