CAN’T PICK A FIGHT
JORDAN PICKFORD has suffered a blow to his hopes of pressuring England No.1 Joe Hart.
Everton’s £30million keeper Pickford (left) withdrew from the England squad to face Malta and Slovakia with a muscle injury.
It robs him of the chance to impress Lions boss Gareth Southgate in training this week and press his claims.
Southgate has admitted that Hart is facing a genuine challenge for his shirt from rival keepers. But he has chosen not to call up a replacement, having named four goalies in his original squad last week.
Jack Butland, who Southgate is considering starting against Malta on Friday, and Tom Heaton were the two others.
Southgate said: “What we have got, in the goalkeeping area, are players who really believe they could be the No.1 and so that is, of course, a challenge for Joe.”