What do you make of players pulling out of international duty injured?

Chief football writer Phil McNulty byline banner
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BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been tackling your questions as Premier League players head off to international duty

Harry asked: How do you feel about players dropping out of the England squad through 'injury' but then suddenly being fully fit to play as soon as club football returns. Was this happening five, 10, 15 years ago?

Phil answered: Players dropping out of England squads has been happening for as long as I can remember and there has always been a lot of noise around whether injuries were genuine or not, usually from fans of rival clubs who feel others are putting club allegiances ahead of the national side's interests.

I certainly believe most of the injuries have been genuine and this weekend I do not think there can be any question these players were injured.

Trent Alexander-Arnold was forced off after 25 minutes of Liverpool's win over Aston Villa with a hamstring injury, while there is no way Arsenal duo Declan Rice or Bukayo Saka would have departed the game against Chelsea prematurely unless there was absolutely no way they could continue. Rice was already playing with a broken toe, while the Gunners are waiting to discover the extent of Saka's injury.

Jack Grealish's situation was interesting. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola clearly did not believe he was fit enough to be with England after missing club games through injury, but Lee Carsley selected him.