England got off to the perfect start in Group D and now Gareth Southgate will be analysing his options heading into Friday’s Euro 2020 encounter against Scotland at Wembley.
After months of debate Southgate named a 4-2-3-1 line-up for the 1-0 win over Croatia, with Raheem Sterling scoring the crucial goal to ensure England won their Euros opener for the first time ever.
Falling five days after that victory, the Scotland match will have allowed Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire more time to recover from their respective injuries, but there are also fresh concerns for Southgate going into their second group game.
Here’s the latest news on England’s injury issues:
Jack Grealish
The Aston Villa captain headed into the tournament still on the comeback trail from a shin injury which only saw him play the final four Premier League games of the campaign having missed the previous 12.
Grealish featured in both warm-up friendlies against Austria and Romania, playing the full 90 for the latter, but he was then an unused substitute in the Croatia win.
An update from the England camp confirmed the 25-year-old trained alone on Tuesday morning, casting doubt on whether he could play a part in Friday’s match against Scotland.
Southgate will be expected to address this concern and more when speaking to the media in his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
Jordan Henderson
Henderson played the second 45 minutes of the friendly against Romania but was not risked against Croatia.
The Liverpool skipper missed the final few months of the domestic campaign after undergoing surgery for a groin injury, and Southgate said the midfielder’s inclusion in the England squad was down to his leadership skills and a view to featuring further down the line in the tournament.
The Scotland game could still come too soon for Henderson to start from the off, while Kalvin Phillips’ performance against Croatia could see Southgate keep his midfield unchanged.
Harry Kane & John Stones
Both Kane and Stones started the win over Croatia but picked up knocks during the game at Wembley.
The pair were therefore minor injury concerns heading into the Scotland game, but both trained with the squad on Tuesday and will be expected to feature again on Friday unless any further issues arise.
Harry Maguire
Like Henderson, Maguire arrived at the England camp carrying an injury, and the Manchester United captain remains a doubt for the group games given he only returned to training late last week.
Southgate admitted Maguire could be a risk to play at any point of the tournament, but the England manager will probably want to call on the centre-back should they progress beyond the groups.
“We know there is always that risk [of him not being able to play at the tournament] but… he should be available, and it’s a case of when he can slot back into training with the group and how quickly we can progress him,” he said.
“But of course there is always that risk with any injury that you only have to have one minor setback, and two or three days here and there really affects those timelines.
“So I’m very realistic about that. We’ve picked a squad on the basis that if we didn’t have him, we’ve got the players to come in, and if he’s able to be fit and available, then that’s a bonus for us.”
Dean Henderson
With Nick Pope’s injury ruling him out of the Euros, Henderson was arguably the No 2 behind Jordan Pickford, but the Manchester United goalkeeper has now left the camp due to a hip problem.
Sheffield United goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who was named in the provisional 33-man squad, has been called up to take Henderson’s place.
Pickford will continue as England’s No 1 barring injury, leaving Ramsdale to compete with Sam Johnstone were the Everton goalkeeper unable to play.
More from i on Euro 2020
- Eriksen’s collapse has thrown a spotlight on football and its relentless thirst for more
- ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ showing he has perfect blend of silk and steel to be a star
- Where Schick’s strike against Scotland ranks among greatest Euros goals
- Daniel Storey’s guide to all 24 teams – from hot favourites to no hopers
- How to watch every Euro 2020 match on TV and online in the UK
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3iKJVym
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