David De Gea on international duty for Spain

Internationals: Which Reds are in action?

Tuesday 08 October 2019 20:30

The domestic campaign is on standby for the next two weeks, with the second international break of the 2019/20 season taking centre stage.

Seven Manchester United players have been called up by their countries for the upcoming European qualifiers, while Marcos Rojo could be involved in Argentina's two friendlies.

Here's a quick round-up of who's playing where...

ARGENTINA
With our back-up goalkeeper Sergio Romero not included for his national team, Marcos Rojo is United's only representative in the Albiceleste's selection for their upcoming friendlies against Germany in Dortmund, on Wednesday, and Ecuador in Elche, Spain on Sunday. The CONMEBOL qualification stage for the 2022 FIFA World Cup gets under way in March next year and manager Lionel Scaloni is still looking for the perfect blend in order to get the best out of an extraordinary array of attacking talent. However, the likes of Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero are being rested during this international break, with younger names such as Inter's Lautaro Martinez getting the nod up front.

Marcos Rojo is United's sole representative in the Argentina squad.

ENGLAND
Harry Maguire and Marcus Rashford will be looking to help the Three Lions maintain their 100 per cent record in Euro 2020 qualifiers and all-but book their place in next summer's tournament when they travel to the Czech Republic on Friday and Bulgaria three days later. Dean Henderson, who is currently on loan at Sheffield United, has also received his first England senior call-up following the withdrawal of Tom Heaton through injury. England recorded convincing victories over both sides at Wembley and are the joint-highest scorers of the qualification campaign so far, alongside France and Belgium, even though they have played two games fewer, thanks to their involvement in the summer's UEFA Nations League finals.

SCOTLAND
Scotland's hopes of qualifying automatically for Euro 2020 took a blow in September with back-to-back defeats to Russia and Belgium. This time around, Steve Clarke's side will be hoping for revenge when they visit the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow for the return fixture against the Russians on Thursday. A defeat will end the Tartan Army's hopes of making it to next summer's tournament as one of the top two sides in Group I, although they do still have a guaranteed play-off spot courtesy of their UEFA Nations League group success. Unfortunately, Scott McTominay is suspended for the Russia match after picking up three bookings, but he will be available for the visit of group outsiders San Marino, which follows on Sunday.

Scotland face Russia and San Marino in the latest round of Euro 2020 qualifiers.

SPAIN
David De Gea is among 24 players selected by head coach Roberto Moreno for Spain's Scandinavian double-header. First, La Roja head to Norway on Saturday before making the short journey east to Sweden, where they could seal qualification for next summer's European Championship. With Spain having won six out of their six matches in Group F so far, Moreno has picked something of an experimental side: vice-captain Sergio Busquets is the only representative from Barcelona, while the uncapped Sergio Reguilon (Sevilla), Pau Torres and Gerardo Moreno (both Villarreal) have been called up after impressive starts to the season.

SWEDEN
Despite missing our visit to St James' Park on Sunday, Victor Lindelof has been selected in Sweden's squad for their two upcoming internationals. The first, on Saturday, involves a trip to Malta, before the centre-back goes up against club-mate De Gea when his country host Spain at the Friends Arena in Stockholm. The two sides currently sit pretty in Group F, with Spain top on 18 points and Sweden second on 11, but with Romania and Norway both looking to capitalise on any slip-ups, Lindelof will be hoping to get one over on his pal next Tuesday to boost his country's chances of reaching their sixth successive European Championship.

Despite missing United's most recent fixture against Newcastle United, Victor Lindelof has been called up to the Sweden squad.
WALES
Daniel James is in Ryan Giggs's squad for the Dragons' upcoming fixtures in Slovakia (10 October) and at home to Croatia (13 October). The 21-year-old winger made headlines in September with a stunning effort to clinch a friendly win over Belarus, and Wales fans will be hoping for a repeat in these two crunch games. The Euro 2016 semi-finalists currently sit fourth out of five teams in Group E, three points behind Slovakia in the second automatic qualifying spot, but have a game in hand, meaning their position will look a lot rosier if they can manage two positive results over the coming week.
After scoring a beauty for the Dragons in September, Daniel James has once again been named in the Wales squad.

THE FIXTURES

WEDNESDAY 9 OCTOBER

Germany v Argentina (19:45 BST) – Rojo

THURSDAY 10 OCTOBER

Slovakia v Wales (19:45 BST) – James
Russia v Scotland (19:45 BST) – McTominay (suspended)

FRIDAY 11 OCTOBER

Czech Republic v England (19:45 BST) – Henderson, Maguire, Rashford

SATURDAY 12 OCTOBER

Malta v Sweden (19:45 BST) – Lindelof
Norway v Spain (19:45 BST) – De Gea

SUNDAY 13 OCTOBER

Ecuador v Argentina (15:00 BST) – Rojo
Scotland
v San Marino (17:00 BST) – McTominay
Wales v Croatia (19:45 BST) – James

MONDAY 14 OCTOBER

Bulgaria v England (19:45 BST) – Henderson, Maguire, Rashford

TUESDAY 15 OCTOBER

Sweden v Spain (19:45 BST) – Lindelof, De Gea

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