England facing a wait on Alli ban

ENGLAND manager Gareth Southgate hopes “common sense prevails” as Dele Alli sweats on a potential Fifa ban.

The Three Lions sit five points clear at the top of Group F and on the brink of World Cup qualification ahead of Slovenia’s visit and the trip to Lithuania.

However, England may have to do without one of their star men for the end of qualification as the Football Association awaits the outcome of disciplinary proceedings against Alli.

The 21-year-old’s ill-judged gesture in the match against Slovakia has been poured over by Fifa, leaving the attacking midfielder potentially facing a ban for the end of qualification and even beyond.

“Our hope, obviously, is that common sense prevails and that he is available for our matches, but we have to wait and see on that,” said Southgate.

“Of course we always talk about players being role models, and in the calmness of sitting here and in the calmness of most day-to-day situations you’re able to fulfil that,” he added.

“In the middle of the pressure of a game, then everybody can react at different moments in different ways.

“Dele fully understands his responsibilities, he knows that it’s something he won’t do again.”

Nathaniel Chalobah, Adam Lallana and Danny Drinkwater’s absence saw Fabian Delph called up by Southgate for the first time, despite having not started a Premier League match for Manchester City this season.

“We think he’s a really good player,” Southgate said of Delph, who last played for England in November 2015. “He’s obviously at a club where chances have been a little but limited but he has dug in and forced himself into their side and is playing well.

Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, who has been managing a hip injury, was left out. England: Hart (West Ham), Forster (Southampton), Butland (Stoke), Pickford (Everton); Bertrand (Southampton), Cresswell (West Ham), Cahill (Chelsea), Jones (Manchester United), Maguire (Leicester), Stones (Manchester City), Keane (Everton), Smalling (Manchester United), Walker (Manchester City), Trippier (Tottenham); Dier (Tottenham), Delph (Manchester City), Livermore (West Brom), Henderson (Liverpool), Sterling (Manchester City), OxladeChamberlain (Liverpool), Lingard (Manchester United), Alli (Tottenham); Rashford (Manchester United), Kane (Tottenham), Defoe (Bournemouth), Sturridge (Liverpool).