Gareth given warning over plastic pitch
PREMIER LEAGUE clubs are worried about their England stars playing on Andorra’s plastic pitch, leaving Gareth Southgate with a selection headache for Saturday’s clash. Sportsmail has learned that a number of top-flight teams are anxious about the artificial surface at Andorra’s 3,300-capacity Estadi Nacional, feeling that it poses an injury risk. Synthetic pitches are notorious for being more stressful on footballers’ joints, with experts believing the surface leaves players more vulnerable. Southgate is likely to prioritise Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Hungary at Wembley and could field a weaker team in Andorra. One of Southgate’s key decisions will be whether to start skipper Harry Kane against Andorra. The Tottenham striker has a history of ankle problems, raising concerns about his involvement — though it is understood Kane, who has yet to score in the Premier League this season, is ready to play as he tries to chase down Wayne Rooney’s all-time England goals record.
Everton manager Rafa Benitez has called on Southgate to rest Jordan Pickford against Andorra, given the No 1 goalkeeper has just recovered from a shoulder injury, describing the qualifier in Andorra as a ‘nothing’ game. Mason Mount, Phil Foden and Ollie Watkins have all recently returned from injury or have fitness concerns heading into the international games. In 2014, Gareth Bale described the Estadi Nacional surface as the worst he had ever played on after Wales visited. Team-mate Aaron Ramsey said he hoped he would never play on an artificial surface again after rolling an ankle in the same game. England arrive in Andorra tomorrow and will have the opportunity to train on the pitch on Friday. Kalvin Phillips joined Reece James in withdrawing from the squad yesterday and was replaced by James WardProwse. Declan Rice, Luke Shaw, Bukayo Saka and Watkins missed training yesterday but are expected to join in today.