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Wales Look To Youth For Serbia Clash

Wales have an all important World Cup qualifier against Serbia this week where it is pretty much win or bust for Chris Coleman’s men. It is fair to say after the very heady heights of last summer’s European Championship there bid to get Russia has not gone quite as they would have hoped.

Wales are third in Group D after drawing against Austria, Georgia, Serbia and the Republic of Ireland and as a consequence of that they are currently four points behind both group leaders Serbia and second-placed Republic of Ireland with five qualifying games remaining.

A trip to Belgrade was never going to be considered an easy one and the prospect of earning a make or break win will be even more difficult as Gareth Bale is out through suspension after picking up a yellow card in the previous fixture against the Republic Of Ireland.

That also is the case for Aston Villa left back Neil Taylor. Taylor was sent off for reckless tackle on Everton’s Seamus Coleman and was also hit with an extension to his ban by UEFA. It means that the former Swansea defender misses the next two Wales matches.

With key men missing it has meant that manager Coleman has looked to youth in a bid to come away with maximum points as no fewer than five uncapped players are in the 23 man squad. Those being defenders Joe Walsh, Tom Lockyer, Gethin Jones as well as midfielder Lee Evans and forward Ben Woodburn are in a 23-man squad.

There is also a place in the squad for Liverpool forward Harry Wilson, he is Wales’ youngest international player and will be looking to add more minutes to an already burgeoning Wales career. Without question though this is going to be a real test for these young dragons.

Defeat would mean Serbia having an seven point gap at the top of Group D with just four matches left in the group, that would mean automatic qualification hopes all but ending for Wales with their only chance being an unlikely play off berth.

Here is the Wales squad in full

Goalkeepers: Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace), Danny Ward (Liverpool), Owain Fon Williams (Inverness Caledonian Thistle)

Defenders: Ashley Williams (Everton), Chris Gunter (Reading), James Chester (Aston Villa), Ben Davies (Tottenham Hotspur), Jazz Richards (Cardiff City), Joe Walsh (MK Dons), Tom Lockyer (Bristol Rovers), Gethin Jones (Everton)

Midfielders: Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), Joe Ledley (Crystal Palace), Emyr Huws (Cardiff City), Dave Edwards (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Joe Allen (Stoke City), Lee Evans (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Harry Wilson (Liverpool)

Forwards: Tom Lawrence (Leicester City), Hal Robson-Kanu (West Bromwich Albion), Sam Vokes (Burnley), Tom Bradshaw (Barnsley), Ben Woodburn (Liverpool)

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