Michael Carrick and Danny Welbeck Withdraw from England Friendlies

The Manchester United duo of Michael Carrick and Danny Welbeck have both been withdrawn from England's upcoming friendlies against Chile and Germany, the Football Association confirmed on Tuesday.

Welbeck is currently dealing with a knee injury that has kept him from playing since October 19 and forced him to miss Manchester United's Premier League victory over Arsenal on Sunday.

Carrick, meanwhile, played in that match at Old Trafford despite ongoing concerns about an Achilles tendon problem—but the controlling midfielder appears to have been withdrawn from England service as a precautionary measure.

In a statement confirming the withdrawals, the FA revealed that head coach Roy Hodgson would not be calling up any further players to his squad.

The news will be a particular blow to Carrick, who has long struggled to establish himself as a regular first-team player for the Three Lions. Since his debut in 2001, Carrick has earned just 31 caps at international level.

England's preparations for their two friendly matches have already been disrupted in another manner. On Tuesday, the squad met up in Watford rather than their usual base at the National Football Centre, due to concerns about a virus outbreak at the Staffordshire complex.

No players have reported any signs of illness, however, as reported by the BBC.