Brendan Rodgers Satisfied as England Manager Roy Hodgson Agrees to Omit Injured Daniel Sturridge

England manager Roy Hodgson will leave Daniel Sturridge out of the squad for the European Championship qualifiers against San Marino and Estonia after Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers admitted the striker's absence is set to extend until beyond the upcoming international break.

Sturridge hasn't played since England's friendly win over Norway, missing the Reds' last six games including Wednesday's Champions League defeat at FC Basel, after picking up a thigh injury in training on 5 September.

Rodgers had indicated that Sturridge could return to full fitness in time for Liverpool's trip to West Bromwich Albion this weekend, but that he would refuse to allow the 25-year-old to join up with England for next week's qualifying double-header – leading to fears over a club v country row.

Fifa regulations state clubs must allow their players to be released for international matches regardless of their injury status but Hodgson is understood to have defused the situation by agreeing to omit Sturridge from his squad due to be announced on Thursday.

"I spoke to Roy," Rodgers said after Liverpool's 1-0 defeat to Basel. "I am not sure if Daniel will be fit for the weekend so I think at this moment he won't be in the squad.

"I think over the next couple of weeks Daniel has to get up to speed and hopefully after the international break he will be able to play for us, which is the priority."

While Sturridge's continued absence is a blow for England and Hodgson, who is now likely to turn to Danny Welbeck to lead the attack alongside Wayne Rooney, it means his absence is set to extend to six weeks following what at first appeared to be a routine training ground injury.

Rodgers had initially criticised England's medical staff for not adhering to Sturridge's tailored training programme following the game against Norway during which the Liverpool forward played for 89 minutes before being replaced by Rickie Lambert.

Sturridge picked up the thigh problem in a training session less than 48 hours after the game, with the lack of sufficient rest understood to have led to the injury which has damaged Liverpool's season.

The club have lost three of the six games Sturridge has missed, with the only wins coming against Champions League debutants Ludogorets Razgrad and Middlesbrough in the League Cup on penalties.