Hat-trick man Kane will not be kept back tonight
ENGLAND manager Gareth Southgate has confirmed that captain Harry Kane will start the Euro 2020 qualifier against Kosovo this evening.
Kane bagged a hat-trick in the game against Bulgaria on Saturday to move to 25 goals for his country, one ahead of 1966 World Cup winner Geoff Hurst.
The Tottenham striker is looking lean this season, having overcome injuries which dogged the build-up to Spurs’ Champions League final and the Three Lions’ Nations League finals campaign.
“In the end, in the summer, we
decided that he wasn’t ready to start, so I don’t think you can have a player that is undroppable, because that is a dangerous route for any team and it is not a healthy position for a player,” Southgate said.
“It is safe to say we won’t be dropping him (for Kosovo). His level of performance is so high that dropping him would be a rare occurrence.”
The Three Lions obliterated the Bulgarians at Wembley, but Southgate is expecting a different type of game against the surprise package of Group A.
“We are expecting a different sort of challenge to Saturday, but one we are looking forward to,” Southgate added. “It will be a very different style of game. Kosovo will be very high pressing, hard working, a more attacking threat.”
England have no fresh injuries, but Southgate could make changes.
“We might freshen the team a bit, that will be important,” he admitted.
“We don’t need to, everyone is fit and available. We need to make sure we get the balance right. We need to make sure we win the game.”
Star man Kevin de Bruyne inspired Belgium to a brutal defeat of Scotland that all but ended their hopes of reaching Euro 2020 via their qualification group.
The Manchester City man set up Romelu Lukaku, Thomas Vermaelen and Toby Alderweireld and netted the fourth himself.
Northern Ireland’s Euro 2020 qualifying hopes suffered a major setback as they lost 2-0 to Germany in a pulsating tie at Windsor Park.
Marcel Halstenberg’s half-volley early in the second half and a stoppage-time goal by Serge Gnabry gave Joachim Low’s men victory. SPORT ON TELEVISION