Sunderland manager Roy Keane makes his return to Old Trafford to face his former club Manchester United this Saturday. Click here for latest match odds!

Steve McClaren has included uncapped Aston Villa forward Ashley Young in a 26-man England squad for the crucial Euro 2008 double header with Israel and Russia in September.

The Blackburn midfielder David Bentley has also been called up following the loss through injury of David Beckham.

Bentley was left out of the squad to face Germany in the recent match at Wembley, following his refusal to take part in the Under-21 European Championships in the summer.

“I thought it was the right decision,” McClaren said. “He accepted that and he paid the consequences, but this is a new squad and he is in it and deserves to be in it.”

McClaren said Young’s inclusion was reward for good performances for the Under-21s and also with Aston Villa.

“I think it is good for experience [to bring him in],” said McClaren. “He has has done well for the Under-21s and he has carried that into the beginning of the season. It is an ideal opportunity to bring in one of the Under-21s, which I’m keen to do. It is good to blood these youngsters.”

England will be looking for back-toback victories against Israel and Russia as they look to get their qualification campaign back on track.

“We are very positive that it is in our hands,” McClaren said. “We have four homes games (in all) and we have got to make it count. The players know what they have got to do. They are used to that at club level and international level. We normally win the big games and we have to do it again.”

England squad:
Robinson (Tottenham), James (Portsmouth), Carson (Aston Villa), Richards (Man City), P Neville (Everton), Ferdinand (Man Utd), Terry (Chelsea), Campbell (Portsmouth), A Cole (Chelsea), Shorey (Reading), Brown (Man Utd), Barry (Aston Villa), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Bentley (Blackburn), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Man Utd), Lampard (Chelsea), Carrick (Man Utd), Downing (Middlesbrough), J Cole (Chelsea), Owen (Newcastle), Crouch (Liverpool), Smith (Newcastle), Johnson (Everton), Defoe (Tottenham), A Young (Aston Villa).

Sunderland manager Roy Keane makes his return to Old Trafford to face his former club Manchester United this Saturday. Click here for latest match odds!