Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)

BUTLAND’S AUDITION

- BY JOHN CROSS

JACK BUTLAND will be handed a World Cup audition tomorrow night.

Butland (left), 24, will start ahead of Joe Hart in what must be a clear hint the Stoke keeper can establish himself as No.1.

It remains to be seen who will start against Brazil on Tuesday but it is the first time Butland – who will win his seventh cap – has started back-to-back internatio­nals for England.

Hart has had a difficult start with West Ham and his performanc­es have drawn widespread criticism although England boss Gareth Southgate has backed him.

But it would appear Butland could be ready to depose Hart – a surprise considerin­g Southgate has lost a raft of senior players.

Leicester’s Jamie Vardy is set to lead the attack while Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford could be asked to start both games.

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