Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
GARETH LIVES IN FEAR
GARETH SOUTHGATE fears his England stars could be casualties of a congested season.
Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson and Joe Gomez and Leicester’s James Maddison are among a string of injured Three Lions players, and head coach Southgate fears the list of casualties could get worse.
The boss, whose side play three World Cup qualifiers this month, said: “We knew a short break and condensed season was going to be challenging.
“It is not the muscle injuries so much as the more serious ones that you get as fatigue sets in.”
ASTON VILLA manager Dean Smith has revealed why he preferred a teenage rookie to Ross Barkley against Leeds at the weekend.
Barkley, on loan from Chelsea, has been limited to 14 Premier League games this season. A hamstring injury sustained five minutes into Brighton’s visit in November led to two months out and left him playing catch-up.
But Smith’s decision to drop him at Elland Road and replace him with 19-year-old Jacob Ramsey (below) raised eyebrows. Smith, who also dropped Douglas Luiz, said: “We decided to change it knowing the way Leeds played.
“I didn’t think Ross and Douglas had played to their standards in the previous game and I thought it was time for a change. But Ross is fit and in contention to start against Sheffield United on Wednesday. I said all along that he was having to get his fitness up during games. But he is getting the training minutes he needs now. He is up to speed.”
Smith says that though Barkley (left) has not yet recaptured his best form, he has still impressed teammates with his attitude.
“In terms of what I’ve found of his character, he’s as professional as I’ve come across in his work on the training ground and in the gym,” the Villa chief said. “He’s probably one of the last to leave each day and he’s got a drive to get better, which is really pleasing.”
If Barkley returns tonight, there will be an onus on him to provide a creative spark as skipper Jack Grealish is still out with a shin injury.
But Smith said Villa’s talisman could be back for the visit of Wolves on Saturday. He said: “Jack could be training by the end of the week, If he is, he will be available for selection.”