Fabian Delph out of England Squad with Hamstring Injury

England are set to be short in midfield for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Bulgaria after Everton midfielder Fabian Delph withdrew with a hamstring injury suffered during a 1-0 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor in the Premier League on Saturday.

The FA confirmed the news (h/t BBC Sport) and added, "no further replacements are planned at this moment in time."

Not supplementing depleted numbers is something of a risk given the hectic schedule facing the Three Lions. Gareth Southgate's team face the Czech Republic at the Sinobo Stadium in Prague on Friday, before travelling to Sofia to take on Bulgaria just three days later.

Southgate will have just five natural midfielders at his disposal as things stand. He will have to spread England's resources thin, particularly since Delph missing out has robbed the squad of a natural destroyer.

The 29-year-old is a tenacious ball-winner who harasses opponents all over the pitch. Delph has been bringing those qualities to bear for Everton since joining the Toffees from Manchester City this summer:

While Delph has been impressing at club level, not everybody believes he should have been included in Southgate's latest squad. Speaking to TalkSport, former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O'Hara expressed disappointment that Dele Alli had been left out:

Either way, Delph's absence will increase the onus on Declan Rice to handle the role as the anchor in midfield. The West Ham United holding player has only recently become a senior international for England, and the 20-year-old admitted he was at fault when the Three Lions beat Kosovo 5-3 at Wembley Stadium last month, per Jonathan Veal of The Independent: "In the second half, I made a mistake, and that has taken the gloss off it for me."

Rice needs to be on point because he's the lone defensive midfielder in a group otherwise defined by the attacking instincts of Leicester City No. 10 James Maddison and Tottenham playmaker Harry Winks.

England have taken 12 points from 12 in Group A of the qualifiers, but a defence in need of protection is sure to miss Delph.