Ahead of #England's friendlies with Germany and Brazil, Gareth Southgate has revealed that he will be unable to call upon three more of his Premier League stars.

This comes as a further blow for the England boss, as his side prepares for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. On Monday, Tottenham trio Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Harry Winks all announced their withdrawal from the Three Lions' upcoming fixtures.

Now Jordan Henderson, Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling have joined the list of absentees, as England prepare for fixtures against Germany and Brazil.

Southgate's dilemma

The England squad's preparation for the upcoming World Cup is quickly turning into a nightmare. This week, The Three Lions are set to face off against two of international football's most feared sides, as Southgate was hoping to test his squad against elite teams.

Both Sterling and Delph's departures have come as a surprise to England fans. During Manchester City's 3-1 win over Arsenal on Sunday, the City duo both played a part in the match.

Sterling started the game and lasted until the 78th minute, before being substituted in what was initially thought to be a tactical decision. However, he has withdrawn after picking up a back injury during the victory.

As for Delph, the makeshift full-back managed to play the full 90 minutes and showed no signs of discomfort after the final whistle. It has been reported that the 27-year-old, who is seeking his first England cap since November 2015, picked up a minor calf injury in the final moments of Sunday's clash.

With Southgate expected to announce his much-needed replacements on Tuesday afternoon, who could he call upon? West Brom midfielder Jake Livermore has been recalled to the squad as cover for Alli, but the ex-Middlesbrough manager will still need more options.

England will also be desperate to fill the void left by England's vice-captain Henderson. The Liverpool midfielder missed out on Saturday's 4-1 win over West Ham with a thigh problem. Although the 27-yer-old was due to meet up with the squad earlier this week, he has elected to stay with Liverpool and receive treatment for his injury.

Henderson's departure also leaves Southgate without his two leading candidates to captain his side. On Monday morning, Premier League joint top scorer Kane confirmed that he will also be sidelined with a knee problem, and will be joined by club teammates Winks and Alli will also be notable absentees from England's dwindling midfield options.

Southgate will no doubt be looking to call up more players to bolster his squad, with the likes of Danny Drinkwater, James Ward-Prowse, and fit-again Jack Wilshere all available.

England's current squad

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke City), Joe Hart (West Ham - loan from Manchester City), Jordan Pickford (Everton).

Defenders: Ryan Bertrand (Southampton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Joe Gomez (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Michael Keane (Everton), Harry Maguire (Leicester), Danny Rose (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Tottenham), Kyle Walker (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Eric Dier (Tottenham), Jess Lingard (Manchester United), Jake Livermore (West Brom), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Crystal Palace - loan from Chelsea) Ashley Young (Manchester United).

Forwards: Tammy Abraham (Swansea - loan from Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Jamie Vardy (Leicester)