Southgate to make late call on Kane as England look to finish on a high
England manager Gareth Southgate will decide this morning on whether striker Harry Kane is fit enough to face Belgium in the World Cup third and fourth-place decider, to potentially score the goals to secure him the Golden Boot.
Kane has looked tired towards the end of England’s knockout matches, but six goals in six games have made him the World Cup’s leading scorer, two ahead of Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku and three in front of France forward Antoine Griezmann. Both rivals can add to their tally and overtake Kane and he is desperate to play in England’s final match of the tournament this afternoon to prevent them doing so.
England camp sources believe that while Southgate will make several changes for the game, with many players struggling with injury and illness, he will give captain Kane the nod to help him finish the World Cup as the competition’s leading scorer.
Due to the quick turnaround from the semi-final defeat to Croatia on Wednesday, Southgate, who had all 23 of his squad train yesterday at their Spartak Zelenogorsk base, will make late calls on his final starting line-up.
“We need to check them all,” he said, “because we have trained a little but we need to check four or five illness and muscular [injuries]. We don’t want to give Belgium any help frankly.
“Ashley Young had a bit of illness going into the last game and the game has taken a lot of out him. Jesse Lingard – we have to check on him. Kieran Trippier is an obvious one with muscular from the other day.
“There are a couple of other minor ones 48 hours from the game and we will see how serious they are. I would like to make as few changes as possible but in some instances a fresher player will help us get to the performance level.”
Southgate has been blown away by his players’ response to their semi-final devastation as focus turns to becoming the second-best England side in World Cup history. Southgate and his players are still trying to digest Wednesday’s loss, but there is little time to wallow with England having the chance to achieve the nation’s best-ever finish at an overseas World Cup.
“In terms of mentality, it’s obviously been a really difficult couple of days for us,” the England manager said.
“We were 20 minutes from a World Cup final, and then in extra-time ten minutes from a shootout to get to a World Cup final.
“The reason for us being here was to achieve that big goal. For all of the players and all of the staff, we got back to St Petersburg at 6.30am after the game, so emotionally it has been a very difficult few days.
“But I’ve got to say the players are incredible. They’re an absolute pleasure to work with and their energy this morning, their desire to finish the tournament well ....
“We feel we owe it as much to ourselves as to our public, and our nation I think now. We’ve brought a lot of pride but we want to finish the tournament well. We’ve set a standard in how we work, a standard in the way that we play and we want to aspire to that level every time we come out and every time we train.
“We want to keep those standards right to the end and the players did that this morning in training. What we have to decide with the team is who can go again physically – it’ll be important.”
Southgate’s counterpart Roberto Martinez insists his Belgium side are also determined to wrap up their campaign with another victory.
Martinez said: “When you finish the tournament you carry the feeling of the last game.
“It has been an incredible experience and I think everybody in Belgium deserves that winning feeling at the end of the tournament.”
The two sides have already met once in the tournament and a significant number of the Belgium squad play their club football in the Premier League.
Martinez said: “It will be the same tactical game. There are no secrets between the two sides.
“England are dynamic and very quick. They have scored nine goals from dead-ball situations and that is going to be a good test for us.”
Although Lukaku is only two goals behind top scorer Kane, Martinez insists the Manchester United player will not target the Golden Boot above team success. He said: “We don’t look for individual rewards and Romelu has shown that with his play.
“Finishing third, the best finish for a Belgium national side in the World Cup, will be an achievement more than any individual award.”
“Wefeelweoweitas much to ourselves as to our public, and our nation. We’ve brought alotofpridebutwe want to finish the tournament well” GARETH SOUTHGATE