Southgate in late call-up for Boro’s Gibson

CHRIS Smalling has been forced out of the England squad through injury, leading Middlesbrough defender Ben Gibson to receive his first call-up.

Gareth Southgate was already facing a defensive headache for tomorrow’s World Cup qualifier against Lithuania as Gary Cahill, the skipper in Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat in Germany, was suspended and Phil Jones withdrew through injury on the eve of the friendly.

The Manchester United defender sustained a toe injury in what appeared to be a training ground duel with team-mate Smalling, who yesterday left the squad with fitness problems of his own.

The centre-back has returned to Manchester for treatment on the unspecified issue, with Southgate turning to the uncapped Gibson.

The 24-year-old was a regular for the England Under-21s during Southgate’s reign and has been linked with a variety of clubs having impressed during Boro’s Premier League campaign.

Southgate had not been planning to call up any reinforcements for tomorrow’s game despite the absence of Cahill and Jones, but Smalling’s setback has forced his hand.

“We’ll just assess over the next 24 hours if we have picked up any other knocks,” the England boss said. “I am not aware of anything significant at the moment so if that is the case we wouldn’t.”

England trained in Hertfordshire on Friday and Gibson will take part in Saturday’s session at Tottenham’s training base, where Southgate will speak to the media.

Meanwhile, Eric Dier has warned England cannot afford to take Lithuania lightly on Sunday - and is sure the Three Lions have learned from the chastening Euro 2016 defeat to Iceland.

Such sides have long been considered minnows, and England big fish in world football, but Iceland’s stunning run last summer has indicated the gap is closing.

Looking back to the Iceland experience, Dier said: “Whenever you’re in an England squad you’re going to think about it.

“It’s a painful reminder and it’s a good lesson for the future.

“We can look back on that game and what we didn’t do, and in games like the one on Sunday try to do what we didn’t.”

He added: “It’s going to be a tough game. In all internationals now there’s no really easy games.

“Every team sets up to try to stop us, especially here at Wembley. We have to be confident going into it, try to play quick, attacking football and hopefully they won’t be able to handle that.”