Is Southgate set to drop Sterling?

GARETH Southgate is considering dropping Raheem Sterling against Panama, judging by a note spotted at England training.

Preparations are under way for Sunday’s game in Nizhny Novgorod as the Three Lions look to build on their last-gasp 2-1 win against Tunisia and stride towards the World Cup knockout phase.

England began fully focusing on the Group G clash with Panama yesterday, when attention on manager Southgate after dislocating a shoulder swiftly switched to his assistant.

Steve Holland was pictured holding a note that showed the side are preparing to play in 3-5-2 formation again this Sunday, with Ruben LoftusCheek in midfield instead of the injured Dele Alli and Marcus Rashford playing in the front two alongside captain Harry Kane.

The sheet suggested Sterling would be the fall guy in attack.

The 23-year-old, without an England goal since October 2015, has had to put up with a lot in the build-up to Russia and was replaced by Rashford after 68 minutes in Volgograd.

The Football Association declined to comment on the significance, or otherwise, of the picture that comes just days after they had thicker material put around the perimeter fencing of their Spartak Zelenogorsk training ground to increase privacy.

England had also already announced plans to scrap open training on Friday in order to prepare behind closed doors, with Trent Alexander-Arnold - listed as back-up right-back to Kieran Trippier – conceding the note could potentially give Panama unwelcome insight.

“I suppose if we knew how the opposition was going to play we could plan for it,” the 19-year-old said at the team’s media centre in Repino.

“We’re just trying to focus on ourselves.”

Asked if Southgate asks players to keep the team to themselves, Alexander-Arnold said: “No, but it’s just general knowledge to do that.

“You don’t want the opposition finding out who is playing and who’s not until they’re supposed to, essentially.

“Obviously, you probably want to tell your family and friends but you try to keep it under wraps as much as you possibly can.”