JARRAD BRANTHWAITE sat out training today as absentee-hit England continued preparations for the crunch Nations League trip to Greece.

Lee Carsley’s side trail the Group B2 leaders by three points heading into the interim manager’s penultimate match before handing over to new boss Thomas Tuchel.

England must win in Athens to keep their hopes of automatic promotion back to the Nations League top tier alive but have already seen hopes dented by a raft of withdrawals.

Declan Rice, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer pulled out of the initial selection on Monday, as did Jack Grealish, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill and Aaron Ramsdale.

The unavailable octet led to Morgan Rogers receiving his first senior England call-up, with Tino Livramento, Jarrod Bowen, James Trafford and Branthwaite also brought in.

The latter did not take part in team training today and instead worked indoors, meaning Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah stepped up from England Under-21s for the session.

Carsley’s 23-man squad face Greece tomorrow before ending a topsy-turvy year at home to the Republic of Ireland on Sunday.