THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LONDON — Chelsea left back Ryan Bertrand and uncapped Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey were called up by England on Monday as injury cover ahead of the World Cup qualifiers against San Marino and Poland.
Bertrand replaces Kieran Gibbs, who pulled out with a thigh injury, and will be an understudy to Chelsea teammate Ashley Cole and Leighton Baines.
And with Frank Lampard having limped off midway through Chelsea’s Premier League win over Norwich on Saturday, the 20-year-old Shelvey was promoted from England’s under-21 side and will train with the senior squad at its new training base at St. George’s Park in central England.
Shelvey was on the periphery at Liverpool last season but has become a regular pick in the club’s midfield under new manager Brendan Rodgers.
If Lampard recovers in time, he is favoured to captain England against San Marino at Wembley Stadium on Friday in the absence of the suspended Steven Gerrard.
England, which is level on four points with Montenegro and Poland after two qualifiers in Group H, takes on the Poles away on Oct. 16.