Soccer

Wilshere back for Sweden friendly

Soccer: Jack Wilshere has returned to the England squad for next week’s friendly with Sweden in Stockholm

Thu Nov 08 2012 - 00:00

Soccer:Jack Wilshere has returned to the England squad for next week's friendly with Sweden in Stockholm. The Arsenal midfielder has not featured for his country since making his fifth appearance against Switzerland in June 2011.

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni will be preoccupied with his team’s friendly against Greece at the Aviva stadium next Wednesday night but he’ll certainly be interested in how things pan out in Stockholm.

Wilshere has only just returned after 16 months out through injury and Arsene Wenger had cautioned against him being propelled straight back into the international arena. However, Roy Hodgson has opted to select Wilshere anyway.

It is the stand-out pick in a squad that includes Everton’s Leon Osman for the first time, and will be skippered by Steven Gerrard, who will win his 100th cap. Also included are Liverpool duo Jonjo Shelvey and Raheem Sterling.

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Jermain Defoe, Andy Carroll and Michael Carrick have not been included but they remain part of Hodgson’s plans with the former West Brom boss simply choosing to look at other options.

Ashley Young returns from injury at the expense of Sunderland’s out-of-form winger Adam Johnson while Arsenal full-back Carl Jenkinson has missed out despite committing his future to England and training with the squad prior to the World Cup qualifier against Poland.

The squad will meet up on Sunday and train in Manchester ahead of travelling to Stockholm for the game, which is the official opening of the new Friends Arena in the Swedish capital.

England squad:

Hart (Manchester City), Ruddy (Norwich), Forster (Celtic); Baines (Everton), Bertrand (Chelsea), Cahill (Chelsea), Caulker (Tottenham), Jagielka (Everton), Johnson (Liverpool), Shawcross (Stoke), Walker (Tottenham); Cleverley (Manchester United), Gerrard (Liverpool, capt), Lennon (Tottenham), Osman (Everton), Shelvey (Liverpool), Sterling (Liverpool), Walcott (Arsenal), Wilshere (Arsenal), Young (Manchester United); Rooney (Manchester United), Sturridge (Chelsea), Welbeck (Manchester United).