WORLD CUP BRIEFS
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▲ Henderson happy to play where England need him Jordan Henderson is ready to take on a more advanced role at the World Cup if England manager Gareth Southgate opts for Eric Dier as his preferred midfield anchor. Henderson and Dier have played together in the engine room on many occasions but Southgate suggested this week he is keen to play with a solitary pivot alongside two more attacking central players. Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli are both more natural fits for that kind of task but Henderson has played the No 8 position in the past and would have no concerns about doing so again in Russia. “I will play wherever he wants me to play – whether that is a more protective role or a more advanced role,” said the Liverpool captain, who has yet to score a goal for his country in 39 appearances. “Obviously I have been a lot more used to the more entrenched position, but I would be pretty comfortable in either position,” he added. “Every time I play for England I try to do my best and try to give everything. It is up to the manager to decide who is in the best XI for the first game and then for the games after that but I have felt in good form for a long time.” England play their opening game against Tunisia in Group G on June 18, with Panama and Belgium their other opponents.
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Perez called up by Argentina for Lanzini
River Plate midfielder Enzo Perez will replace the injured Manuel Lanzini in Argentina’s 23-man World Cup squad, the country’s football association have confirmed. The 32-yearold Perez was called up by Argentina coach Jorge Sampaoli after Lanzini ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during training on Friday. West Ham midfielder Lanzini, 25, had been linked with a summer transfer to Liverpool, but he now faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines. His injury is a blow for Sampaoli who had counted on Lanzini for a place in his starting line-up, with Lucas Biglia and Ever Banega also carrying minor knocks. Former Valencia and Benfica midfielder Perez was part of the Argentina squad at the 2014 World Cup, starting in the final as his side lost to Germany 1-0 after extra time. Argentina were due to travel to Russia from Barcelona later yesterday ahead of their first game in Group C on June 16 against Iceland.
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Morocco look for back-up options over Dirar injury Morocco have put French-born defender Oualid El Hajjam on standby as a potential injury replacement for the World Cup as right back Nabil Dirar continues to battle with a calf problem on the eve of the finals, officials said yesterday. Dirar was ruled out of Morocco’s final warm-up against Estonia in Tallinn last night, meaning he has now missed all three friendlies played by the north Africans over the last fortnight before heading to Russia, where they have testing assignments in Group B against Iran, Portugal and Spain. Dirar, 32, who plays for Fenerbahce in Turkey, had been a regular for Morocco in their successful qualifying campaign and scored in the decisive match in the preliminaries against Ivory Coast last November.
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Iceland will ‘not be afraid of anybody’ in Russia
They may be the smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup finals but their Viking mentality means Iceland will fear no one when they take on Argentina, Nigeria and Croatia, goalkeeper Runar Alex Runarsson has said. Runarsson was a fan in the stands taking part in the famous “thunderclap” as Iceland cut a swathe through Euro 2016 in France before losing to the hosts in the quarter-finals. This summer, he will be sat in the dugout as a reserve goalkeeper. “For sure, our mentality is the biggest thing that we have, we’re not afraid of anybody,” the 23-year-old, who plays for FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark, said. “It depends a lot on the first game against Argentina how we’ll perform there, but if we get a point there or win that game then everything is possible for us.”
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Deschamps still has faith Pogba will shine for France France manager Didier Deschamps insists he has “no worries” about the form of Paul Pogba ahead of the World Cup. A lacklustre performance from midfielder Pogba in France’s warm-up friendly against Russia 2018 absentees Italy in Nice last week caused some concern. But Deschamps says he still has every faith in the Manchester United player to perform in Russia. He said of Pogba’s showing against Italy: “He knows it, I’ve spoken to him, that it wasn’t his best match, that’s for sure.” But Deschamps added: “I know that we speak about Paul a lot. Effectively he’s a midfielder, he’s not a number 10, he’s not a forward. He can score and help others to score. He’s a complete midfielder, who can do everything. But he can’t do everything, there’s a nuance.”