Key Points

Watkins, who opened the scoring at Wembley on Thursday, was substituted at halftime after a heavy collision with the goalpost. England confirmed his withdrawal in a statement on Monday, saying: "The Aston Villa striker has not recovered from the knock sustained against Wales at Wembley on Thursday evening and has returned to his club."

It marks a frustrating turn for the 28-year-old forward, who had impressed in the first half before his early exit. He became the second player to leave Thomas Tuchel's squad ahead of the qualifier, after defender Jarell Quansah returned to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, "as a precautionary move" following the Wales match, in which he remained an unused substitute.

Tuchel, who handed Watkins a starting berth against Craig Bellamy's Wales, had praised his side's attacking display after goals from Watkins, Morgan Rogers, and Bukayo Saka sealed a comfortable win. However, the Aston Villa striker's night ended prematurely following the goalpost collision, after which he required treatment on the pitch and was replaced by Marcus Rashford at the start of the second half.

While Tuchel had initially described Watkins as "OK" after the game, England's medical team opted not to risk him for the upcoming trip to Riga. Watkins' absence could pave the way for captain Harry Kane's return, with the Bayern Munich forward having missed the Wales game after suffering a painful knock during club duty.

England will book their place at next year's World Cup with a win over Latvia, which would give Tuchel's side an unassailable seven-point lead over second-placed Albania in Group K with two matches remaining.

Meanwhile, Watkins' injury will also be a concern for Aston Villa boss Unai Emery ahead of their Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (October 19). It remains uncertain whether the striker will recover in time for that fixture.

- IANS