England vs Montenegro
EURO Qualification
Date: Thursday, 14 November 2019
Kick-off at 19:45 UK/ 20:45 CET
Venue: Wembley Stadium (London).
English
Gareth Southgate has confirmed Manchester City star Raheem Sterling will not be considered for the Euro qualifiers Thursday after basic training bust-up with Liverpool Defender Joe Gomez.
Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson is suspended due to accumulated bookings in qualifying for Euro 2020 and will be replaced in the midfield.
Tom Heaton pulled out of the England squad for the weekend due to injury and has been replaced by Sheffield United goalkeeper Dean Henderson.
Ross Barkley has also pulled out of the squad to improve the chances of James Maddison made his senior England debut during the international break.
Sancho Jadon form has dipped to Borussia Dortmund in recent weeks and he even dragged in the first half of their 4-0 defeat to Bayern Munich at the weekend but should begin here with Sterling ruled out.
Fabian Delph is not at full fitness after losing at the weekend with a hamstring injury and remains a doubt here. Southgate will be desperate to have the Everton midfielder available given the absence of Henderson.
Trent Alexander Arnold and Ben Chilwell is far and away the best full-backs Britain today but Southgate has been loyal to both Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose in the past.
Given the relative lack of experience in midfield on Thursday, the England manager may choose to Trippier and Rose with John Stones and Harry Maguire behind.
montenegro
Lazio defender Adam Marusic and Partizan midfielder Aleksandar Šćekic Montenegro has withdrawn from the squad for the upcoming international.
Montenegro has named a set of highly experienced international defenders for their future with people like Stefan Savic, Zarko Tomasevic and Marusic not available.
Marko Simic is the only defender named by more than 10 caps to his name and he has more than doubled the number of international appearances in five other defender combined. Dusan Lagator is a midfielder but can fall back.
Marko Vešović likely to represent at right-back for the injured Marusic but Momcilo Raspopovic could come for his senior debut.
Possible line-up
English: Pickford; Trippier, Maguire, Mings, Chilwell; Winks, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Sancho, Rashford, Kane
Out: Sterling (omitted)
Highlights: Montenegro 1-5 England
Montenegro: Mijatović; Vešović, Simic, Lagator, Radunović; Vukcevic, Hočko; Hakšabanović, Jovović, Boljević; Mugoša
Out: Jovetic (knee), Savic (muscle), Marušić (muscle), Tomašević (knee), Šćekić (knee), Savicevic (Ancle), Janković (muscle), Kosovic (groin)
Prediction
England should steamroll through an injury-ravaged side against Montenegro on Thursday.
The visitors were without three defenders they are more experienced and better, while Jovetic is still out - leaving them with advanced weapons depleted.
The hosts were great to watch on a spell in Bulgaria while they seemed to get better defensively with Tyrone Mings and Ben Chilwell come into the fold. Expect something similar to play out at Wembley in what should be a special occasion for the game in 1000 England.
Overall, it would be surprising to see nothing short of Three Lions mauling in this one.
Prediction: England 5-0 Montenegro
