City’s star duo to return for the final push
MANCHESTER CITY pair John Stones and Raheem Sterling are pushing for England recalls as Gareth Southgate looks to seal World Cup qualification tomorrow night.
Victory over Slovenia will book England’s place at Russia 2018 and manager Southgate is ready to start the City duo in the vital clash.
Sterling did not start in England’s last match against Slovakia, having been substituted at half-time during the win in Malta three days earlier. Similarly, Stones has not begun a competitive international since March.
But Southgate will make changes to his team at Wembley with Manchester United’s Phil Jones and Tottenham’s Dele Alli unavailable. Jones has returned to United to have an ankle problem assessed while Alli serves a one-match ban for his controversial middlefinger gesture in the win over Slovakia last month.
Stones is set to replace Jones as Gary Cahill’s partner at centre back while Sterling will take Alli’s place.
Sportsmail understands Southgate is considering using Sterling — who plays wide for City — in the No 10 role.
Both Stones and Sterling have impressed in City’s blistering start to the season. Former Liverpool forward Sterling has scored six goals while Stones has started in all but one of City’s seven Premier League matches.
Their places in Southgate’s plans have been uncertain of late but the manager is now ready to give them the platform to reinforce their international credentials.
Sterling, along with Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford — who is also set to start — will be expected to supply in-form Tottenham striker Harry Kane with the chances to fire England to the World Cup.
Stones will be buoyed by his excellent defensive display in last weekend’s impressive 1-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The former Everton man believes the performance was one of the best of his career and said: ‘We started this season off well as a team at club level and it was an important match against Chelsea.
‘Defensively, on a personal level, maybe it was one of the best games we have played in.’
Stones also insisted England are not overly-reliant on Kane’s goals. The Spurs forward, who has scored 13 goals in eight games, has found the net five times in his past four England matches.
But Stones said: ‘I think Harry would say he would not want it to be the “Harry Kane team” because that is the type of guy he is — a team player.
‘He knows the jobs and roles of everybody else and knows what he can bring into the team and he is a massive part of it.
‘I definitely think he would want to be known as part of an England team that won things and played great football — whoever was in the team.’