James Beattie was today dropped from England's squad to face Denmark in this weekend's friendly - even though Michael Owen has been ruled out of the game due to injury.
Sven-Goran Eriksson gave Chelsea's teenage full-back Glen Johnson his first senior call-up, while also selecting Charlton's Scott Parker and Newcastle's Jermaine Jenas in a 22-man squad.
However, while Gareth Southgate received an international reprieve due to the absences of Sol Campbell and Rio Ferdinand, Beattie finds his England future is now in serious jeopardy.
Eriksson did select Beattie for England's Euro 2004 qualifier at home to Liechtenstein, but although the Southampton striker hit the woodwork at Old Trafford, he was not even used as a substitute in the final group game in Turkey last month.
Despite his haul of Barclaycard Premiership goals last season and again at the start of this campaign, Beattie has seemingly paid the price for his lack of pace, a commodity prized above all others by Eriksson.
For while Beattie, who has won four caps, may still hope to win back his place before the Euro 2004 finals, this squad contains just three forwards and the message to him could not have been clearer.
Even in Owen's enforced absence, Eriksson believes he has enough cover in the shape of Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney and Darius Vassell, who are all relatively short of goals so far this season.
Owen was ruled out of England's final qualifier in Turkey last month and an ankle injury has now intervened once again to force Eriksson to plan without his leading scorer.
"It would be better to have Michael Owen there but, if players are injured, they can't play," reflected the Swede.
Eriksson is also without Campbell, presumably due to injury, and Ferdinand, who is unavailable for selection once again as he awaits his disciplinary hearing for failing to take a drugs test.
The 23-man England squad to face Denmark in this Sunday's friendly at Old Trafford is:
James (West Ham), Robinson (Leeds), Walker (Leicester); P Neville (Man Utd), G Neville (Man Utd), A Cole (Arsenal), Bridge (Chelsea), Mills (Leeds/Mbro), Johnson (Chelsea); Terry (Chelsea), Upson (Birmingham), Southgate (Mbro); Beckham (Real Madrid), Lampard (Chelsea), J Cole (Chelsea), Butt (Man Utd), Gerrard (Liverpool), Murphy (Liverpool), Parker (Charlton), Jenas (Newcastle); Heskey (Liverpool), Rooney (Everton), Vassell (A Villa).