After the furore surrounding Raheem Sterling and Joe Gomez, England will play football.
Montenegro are the visitors, with Gareth Southgate’s men aiming to book their place at next summer’s Euro 2020.
The Three Lions won 5-1 in the reverse fixture in March and will hope to achieve the same result in their 1,000th game.
Much of the build up this week was, understandably, focused on Raheem Sterling and Joe Gomez’s altercation when the narrative should have been on the 1,000th game celebrations.
But actually it is quite fitting and in keeping with the history of the side that ahead of the 1,000th England game it has been a week filled with challenges: of how you manage a side with so much weight, so much baggage, so many questions about its identity… and so much history:
Tonight’s match is the 1000th international played by England and they are celebrating it in a number of different ways. The players will be wearing ‘legacy numbers’ and there is a special commemorative programme. Take a look:
Team news
Southgate took inspiration from his team’s line up against Spain in 2018, when he named the youngest England starting XI for decades. He said:
“The line-up against Spain was one of the youngest for decades and I think we are going to be even younger than that [against Montenegro],
“That obviously has some weaknesses, but it has some enormous strengths as well in terms of the enthusiasm, energy, motivation. And I think it’s a team that will excite people.”
Despite Southgate favouring youth he has named a strong XI that should have more than enough quality to overcome Montenegro.
England need just one point from the next two qualifiers to make it through to Euro 2020, something they’re predicted to get tonight.
Team news
Gareth Southgate has picked his starting XI and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain gets the nod over James Maddison and Declan Rice in midfield.
Elsewhere it is as expected with the comments during the week about Southgate choosing a ‘very young line up’ coming true.
England XI
Southgate on recalling Sterling
“Yes,” Southgate replied when asked if he would be ready to turn to Sterling in Kosovo. “Without knowing what might happen in tomorrow’s game and everything else, but I can see it.”
Asked if he had any hesitation in making such a decision, he added: “None, none whatsoever.
“As I have said, we take the decision and drew a line under everything. We move forward now, the way he’s trained has been exemplary, so that’s it.”
Hudson-Odoi reveals how Lampard convinced him to stay at Chelsea and snub Bayern
Callum Hudson-Odoi has revealed it only took one conversation with Frank Lampard to convince him to sign a new Chelsea deal and insists he is pleased with his decision to snub Bayern Munich.
Asked how many conversations he had with Lampard before agreeing to sign, he replied: “One.
“I can’t say exactly what he said but he just said he believes in me, he wants me to work hard and if I believe in myself then he believes in me and things will go well for me at this club.
“And he wants me to play for him. They were encouraging signs for me that you want to hear from a manager, that he believes in you and he has faith in you, that you can become a good player and achieve a lot of stuff at the club.
“I was excited. It was exciting times that a new manager was coming in and also you know that he will play at least some of the youth boys as well.
“So it’s good to know that you are going to play with some of the players from before.
“I said from the start that I made the right decision to stay at Chelsea. I’ve been there all my life. I’ve loved the club from day one.”
Is Harry Kane still England’s best striker or are injuries taking toll on Tottenham star?
Harry Kane has scored a lot of goals recently. 16 in 19 games for Tottenham Hotspur and England since the start of the season, to be precise. By any standard, let alone the high bar that Kane has set for himself since breaking through five years ago, that is a very good return.
It is in fact Kane’s best scoring start since the 2017-18 campaign, when he hit 17 goals in his first 19 games. Records tumbled that year. Many began to consider Kane as the European game’s leading No 9. Comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo were drawn. In fact, at the end of 2017, he had outscored Ronaldo by four goals over the calendar year.
A fading memory of that time no doubt led Roy Keane to say Manchester United should sign Kane a few weeks ago. “He’ll score you 30 goals a season blindfolded,” Keane claimed. Actually, Kane fell six short of that at club level last season while in full possession of his senses, but you get Roy’s point.
Oxlade-Chamberlain vs Maddison
Who will Southgate prefer?
Two thrilling attacking midfielders, with the Liverpool man’s threat from range greater.
Though the Leicester star has more craft and composure in tight spaces.
It appears as if one will earn a start tonight.
Yaya suggests Guardiola will not agree with Southgate decision
Yaya Toure has suggested Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola may not approve of Raheem Sterling’s England ban.
England boss Gareth Southgate acted decisively after Sterling became involved in an altercation with Liverpool’s Joe Gomez at St George’s Park, standing the forward down from Thursday’s Euro 2020 qualifier against Montenegro, the national side’s 1,000th match.
There has been plenty of debate about the incident – which had its origins 24 hours earlier when the players clashed during a top-of-the-table Premier League clash at Anfield – with some supporting Southgate’s action and others deeming it harsh.
Toure sides with his former City team-mate, believing the issue has been overblown.
“Pep Guardiola could be a little bit disappointed with him (Southgate),” Toure told Sky Sports News.
“Raheem is still young and learning. If my player acted like that, being angry and showing himself like this, I would be very happy. This means he wants to win and achieve – that is important. A player without this character, for me, is nonsense.
“I think people are overreacting because in training this can happen. In the game they were face to face and then straight to the international team.
“The manager does not have to be involved. It’s not good for the player’s mentality. Raheem is one of the best players in England at the moment.”
Team news and predicted line-up
Following a clash with team-mate Joe Gomez after Manchester City’s loss to Liverpool at the weekend, Raheem Sterling will not be representing his country this Thursday.
Jadon Sancho is looking likely to cover Sterling as the Man City player serves his one match ban.
Ross Barkley and Tom Heaton have been pulled out because of injury. Heaton will be replaced by uncapped goalkeeper Dean Henderson but Ross Barkley is yet to be replaced.
Predicted line-up
England: Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Maguire, Chilwell; Rice, Winks, Mount; Sancho, Rashford, Kane.
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of England vs Montenegro.
The Three Lions have a chance to book their place at Euro 2020 in what is their 1,000th match.
Raheem Sterling will be unavailable after their scuffle with teammate Joe Gomez.
Please allow a moment for the updates to load
When is it?
England vs Montenegro kicks off on Thursday 14th November at 7:45pm.
How can I watch it?
The match will be broadcast on ITV 1.
You will be able to live stream the match on laptops, smartphones and tablets on ITV Hub.
Official XI
England: Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Maguire, Chilwell, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Winks, Mount, Sancho, Kane, Rashford.
Odds
After England’s 5-1 victory over Montenegro Paddy Power is backing England to win with odds of 1/25.
If a shock defeat is predicted then Montenegro can be backed for odds of 35/1.
For a draw you can get odds of 12/1.
Prediction
The Three Lions should have little problem securing a victory in their 1000th game and celebrating qualification to Euro 2020. England have dominated Montenegro in previous meetings, securing a 5-1 victory the last time the two sides met.
England will be looking to get back amongst the goals again this time around. 4-0.
