By Betsefy
England have been given a major injury boost concerning captain Harry Kane ahead of Friday’s World Cup 2022 Group B clash against USA.
The 29-year-old sustained a knock to his ankle in the 6-2 victory over Iran on Monday, but scans have shown that the striker has not suffered a serious injury and he has since trained with the first-team squad.
Kane is therefore expected to keep his place in the starting lineup, which could see Gareth Southgate name in unchanged XI at the Al Bayt Stadium.
Harry Maguire was withdrawn in the second half of Monday’s win due to illness, but the centre-back should be fit to retain his place in the back four alongside Kieran Trippier, John Stones and Luke Shaw, shielding goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Eric Dier is the most likely candidate to replace Maguire if he is deemed unfit to play.
Kyle Walker is expected to be fit for Friday’s game but it remains to be seen whether Southgate will decide to throw the defender in from the start, with the Manchester City man having not played since undergoing groin surgery at the beginning of October.
Meanwhile, James Maddison – who also missed England’s win over Iran – is yet to return to training due to a niggling knee problem and the playmaker faces a race against time to recover for the encounter with USA.
Mason Mount, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham – the latter of whom scored his first international goal against Iran – are poised to retain their places in centre-midfield, with Kalvin Phillips and Jordan Henderson providing cover on the substitutes’ bench.
Raheem Sterling and Bukayo Saka, who both found the net last time out, are expected to provide support in attack for Kane, although Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish – who also got their names on the scoresheet – as well as Phil Foden, will all be pushing for their first start of the tournament.
England possible starting lineup: Pickford; Trippier, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Rice, Bellingham; Saka, Mount, Sterling; Kane
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