Duo out of U21 squad

Published: 29 Aug 2011 - 19:00:28

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England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce has lost Emmanuel Frimpong and Martin Kelly for the upcoming double-header Azerbaijan and Israel.

Pearce was already searching for a new captain after Phil Jones was called into the senior squad, while on Sunday Manchester United team-mate Danny Welbeck was ruled out for several weeks with a hamstring problem.

Frimpong, who missed Arsenal's 8-2 humiliation at Old Trafford through injury, has now joined Welbeck in withdrawing after receiving his maiden call-up last week.

Kelly lasted just 30 minutes of Liverpool's 3-1 win over Bolton on Saturday and was also forced to pull out of his country's European Under-21 Championship qualifier against Azerbaijan on Thursday and friendly against Israel four days later.