Gareth Southgate insists there was no reason not to include Ivan Toney in his England squad, despite a potential ban hanging over the player’s head. The in-form Brentford striker is in Southgate’s first squad since the World Cup quarter-final exit to France in December for Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine this month. But Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling, who missed his side’s 3-1 win at Leicester at the weekend, is ruled out of the opening qualifying matches due to injury. Toney is still waiting for a Football Association verdict after being charged with 262 breaches of FA gambling rules, with a lengthy suspension possible. He scored his 17th goal of the season in Brentford’s 2-0 win at Southampton on Wednesday and Southgate said there was no reason he could not be selected.