England coach Lee Carsley has suffered his first setback as interim England coach with the news that attacking trio Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins have withdrawn from the squad for the forthcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday and Finland three days later.

Foden misses out due to illness, with the Football Association informing the trip will "continue their rehabilitation from ongoing issues."

Cole Palmer (C) of England competes during the UEFA EURO 2024 Group C qualification match between England and Malta in London, Britain on Nov. 17, 2023. (Xinhua)

Palmer's withdrawal is a surprise given that the Chelsea forward had posted a photo of himself arriving at the FA's training center at St George's Park on Tuesday with the caption "duty calls."

His absence will be a disappointment to fans after he impressed in his brief appearances in the European Championships this summer, scoring an equalizing goal in England's eventual 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final of the tournament.

Carsley has handed debut call-ups to Angel Gomes, Tino Livramento, Morgan Gibbs-White and Noni Madueke, all of who have played for him with the England Under-21 side. 

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