Ollie Watkins ruled out of England’s game against Latvia with injury

By Canadian Press on October 13, 2025.

LONDON (AP) — Ollie Watkins has returned to Aston Villa after an injury ruled him out of England’s World Cup qualifying game against Latvia on Tuesday, as captain Harry Kane is set for a possible return.

Watkins scored in England’s 3-0 win over Wales in a friendly on Thursday but was substituted at halftime after colliding with the goal post.

“The Aston Villa striker has not recovered from the knock sustained against Wales at Wembley on Thursday evening and has returned to his club,” England said in a statement.

Watkins is the second player to leave the squad after defender Jarell Quansah returned to Bayer Leverkusen in what England said Saturday was a precautionary move following the Wales game, in which he was an unused substitute.

With Watkins out, one option for coach Thomas Tuchel could be a return for Kane, who missed the Wales game following a painful knock while playing for Bayern Munich the week before.

England will secure qualification for the World Cup with an away win in Latvia. That would give Tuchel’s team an unassailable seven-point lead over second-place Albania in Group K with two games remaining.

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The Associated Press