Injured Welbeck to miss Brazil game

Danny Welbeck will play no part in England's friendly against Brazil on Sunday, leaving manager Roy Hodgson short of options for the showpiece match at the refitted Maracana.

Welbeck has been battling a knee problem but it had been hoped he would be fit enough to at least take a place on the bench after England lost Daniel Sturridge to injury against Ireland on Saturday.

However, Hodgson confirmed the Manchester United striker will not be ready, saying: "It's unfortunate."

He added: "We were rather hoping the injury that kept him out of the game against Ireland would heal itself or he would recover from it but unfortunately that's not the case and we just have the players who stepped off the plane.

"Fortunately they are all fit and ready to go."

Sturridge has joined Andy Carroll, Tom Cleverley and Kyle Walker in pulling out of the squad, and Hodgson would not have much room for manoeuvre if he wanted to make changes to the side which drew 1-1 with Ireland at Wembley.

"We wouldn't have minded one or two more but we're only allowed to make six substitutions so we'll have the requisite number of players on the bench to do that," he said.

"It does mean more players are going to have to take part in the game and maybe it will be a little bit harder for some of those starting as they may have to stay on for a bit longer than they might otherwise have done.

"Our possibilities for change are not that numerous to be perfectly honest. In defence we have Joleon Lescott and Leighton Baines who didn't start the other night, in midfield we have young Jack Rodwell who stepped in at the last minute and we've also got Jermain Defoe and James Milner.

"We are limited in that respect but it's good in the respect that we want players to play for longer periods rather than making substitutions every two minutes."

Source : http://www.football.co.uk/england/injured_welbeck_to_miss_brazil_game_rss4241340.shtml