Boss: A privilege to have Harry
SOUTHGATE: ENGLAND MANAGER ALSO BACKS HIS BENCH
Beating Slovakia will mean almost certain qualification.
England manager Gareth Southgate will count on Harry Kane to continue his goalscoring form against Slovakia tonight as his side close in on qualification for next year’s World Cup.
Kane belied his August goal drought with Tottenham Hotspur to score twice as England won 4-0 against Malta on Friday, taking his tally to five goals in his last three international appearances.
If England beat Slovakia they will need just two points from their last two games to secure automatic qualification and Southgate says the firepower in his squad gives him plenty of options.
“It has been brilliant to look at the bench and be able to bring on Marcus (Rashford), Danny (Welbeck), Jamie Vardy,” said the England manager, whose team lead Slovakia by two points.
“We’ve got (Jermain) Defoe and (Daniel) Sturridge on there, so we’ve got some real quality.
“The bench in the modern game is crucial because the last 15 to 20 minutes are so important.
“Harry throughout the game is always a threat and he will score goals. He’s proven that in the last few matches – five in three.
“It’s a privilege that we have got him with us.”
England were jeered by their own fans in Ta’Qali as they toiled to break down a Malta team ranked 190th in the world.
Kane broke the deadlock from Spurs team-mate Dele Alli’s pass in the 53rd minute, but it was not until the last five minutes that England ran away with the game through goals from Ryan Bertrand, Danny Welbeck and Kane’s second.
Southgate’s team selection, with Jake Livermore partnering Jordan Henderson in central midfield, suggested he saw the game more as a tune-up opportunity than a chance for England to boost their goal difference.
He is therefore likely to pick a similar starting XI at Wembley, although Marcus Rashford will hope to start after a sparkling substitute appearance that included a fine pass from deep on the right for Kane’s second goal.
Southgate defended his decision to send Rashford on at halftime in place of the ineffective Raheem Sterling.
“I think attacking players and players that dribble and are brave enough to take people on, there’s always going to be times where that isn’t going to quite work for them – Friday felt like one of those nights for Raheem,” Southgate said.
“I don’t like making a decision like that at half-time because, having played myself, you know how that feels, but I have got to make the right decision for the team. I felt that was.” –