Mount and Chilwell pledge to be ready for England return

Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell were “gutted” to be missing out on England’s final Euro 2020 Group D game against the Czech Republic.

Mount and Chilwell are self-isolating for 10 days after coming into close contact with Billy Gilmour, their Chelsea team-mate who was man of the match for Scotland in their 0-0 draw with England at Wembley last Friday before testing positive for coronavirus.

The England duo have since returned negative PCR and lateral flow tests but are isolating in line with advice from Public Health England.

Gilmour has had to miss Scotland’s decisive group clash with Croatia at Hampden Park on Tuesday, but no other member of Steve Clarke’s squad has been ruled out despite their bubble being compromised, indicating none of the party have breached tournament protocols by being in sustained proximity to the 20-year-old midfielder.

Sky Sports reported that Gilmour, Chilwell and Mount spent 25 minutes in conversation in the Wembley tunnel after the match.

“I’m absolutely gutted to have to miss tonight’s game. I’ll be cheering on the boys as usual and ensuring that I’m ready to go again when called upon. Come on @England!,” Mount tweeted on Tuesday.

In a similar post, Chilwell said: “It’s a tough one to take and I’m gutted but I want to wish the boys all the best tonight in the game, I’ll be cheering you all on. I will make sure I am ready for when I can rejoin the squad. Lets go @England!”

Left-back Chilwell is yet to feature for England at Euro 2020, with Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier starting the tournament in the 1-0 win over Croatia before Manchester United’s Luke Shaw was handed the position against Scotland.

Ready for game number three. 

Let’s do this, #ThreeLions! pic.twitter.com/nAEk6xOLwU

— England (@England) June 22, 2021

Mount, by contrast, has established himself as an integral part of Gareth Southgate’s plans, starting both games in an attacking midfield role.

He has had more shots than any England player (four), with the expected goals (xG) value of his attempts (0.66) second only to captain Harry Kane in the squad.

The Athletic has reported Southgate will satisfy a huge clamour for Jack Grealish by selecting the Aston Villa playmaker in Mount’s absence, while Harry Maguire is set to make his first appearance of the tournament – replacing Tyrone Mings as John Stones’ centre-back partner.

If England beat the Czech Republic, they will top Group D and play their last-16 game at Wembley next Tuesday, the day after Chilwell and Mount’s stipulated period of self-isolation ends on June 28.

Although that would make both players’ participation in that match doubtful, they would definitely be unavailable in the event of any draw or defeat against the Czechs that leaves Southgate’s men as runners-up, as that would mean England face a knockout match at Parken Stadium in Copenhagan on Monday, June 28.

If England were to lose to the Czech Republic and a victory for either Croatia or Scotland resulted in enough of a goal-difference swing to leave Southgate’s team third, Chilwell and Mount would have to wait and see which best-third place slot their team end up with, given England’s last-16 match in that instance could take place on June 27 or June 29.