BEN DAVIES has been included in Wales’ squad as Tottenham pray he can provide a boost to their current defensive crisis.
The Spurs defender has not played for his club since coming off at half-time in the 2-1 Premier League win at Crystal Palace on October 27 with an ankle injury.
But, with Aaron Ramsey still out injured, the Wales captain leads Robert Page’s 23-man squad for the crunch Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey this month.
Two wins for the Dragons would seal their spot at the Germany finals next summer.
Davies missed the chaotic 4-1 defeat to Chelsea on Monday night which has left Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou with a severely depleted defence ahead of the trip to Wolves on Saturday.
Cristian Romero is suspended following his first-half red card against the Blues while centre-back partner Micky Van de Ven appeared to pull his hamstring before the half-time break.
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First-choice left-back Destiny Udogie is also banned after his second half dismissal which will place more reliance on back-ups including Davies if he is fit enough to play at Molineux.
Postecoglou turned to Eric Dier and Emerson Royal against Chelsea in a bid to plug the gaps but the Aussie boss will hope Davies can provide another option at a time of need.
Davies’ Tottenham team-mate Brennan Johnson returns for Wales after missing the superb 2-1 victory over Croatia last month.
Johnson had a hamstring injury but the £47.5million summer signing looked a real threat in his first home start for Spurs before he was sacrificed by Postecoglou after 34 minutes for Dier following Romero’s red card.
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Ramsey is still not fit after the knee injury he sustained in September so Davies is expected to captain Wales once again when they travel to Yerevan on November 18 before hosting already qualified Turkey three days later at a sold-out Cardiff City Stadium.
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Joe Morrell of Portsmouth returns to the squad after his two-match suspension following his red card against Turkey back in June.
Sunderland full-back Niall Huggins, 22, is called up for the first time after a series of impressive displays in the Championship. Portsmouth’s Regan Poole has a knee injury.
Wales squad
Goalkeepers: Ward, Hennessey, King
Defenders: B Davies, Rodon, Mepham, Williams, Roberts, Lockyer, Cabango, Huggins
Midfielders: Ampadu, J James, Morrell, Sheehan, Wilson, Brooks
Forwards: D James, Cullen, Broadhead, Johnson, Moore, Bradshaw
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
