England manager Gareth Southgate has ruled Harry Kane out of the Three Lions’ friendly against Brazil on Saturday due to injury.
Kane sustained an ankle injury during Bayern Munich’s 5-2 victory over Darmstadt before the international break, leaving the pitch limping after colliding with the post late in the game.
Although Kane joined the England squad this week, Southgate has confirmed that the striker is unlikely to feature in next week’s friendly against Belgium either, as his ankle issue continues to pose a concern.
Get Instantly Update By: Joining Our Whatapps and Telegram Channel
Southgate stated, “No Harry Kane, Jordan Henderson, or Cole Palmer tomorrow. I would say Cole and Hendo have a better chance for Belgium than Harry. He’d be extremely doubtful.”
With Kane absent, England’s attacking responsibilities will fall to Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa and Ivan Toney of Brentford, with at least one of them expected to earn a rare start against Brazil on Saturday.
Regarding the selection, Southgate remarked, “That’s a decision we’ll have to make. Number nine is a specialist position. They have different attributes. It will depend on injuries in other positions and players who can play in more than one role. Both are aware the opportunity is a big one. They both are in good form and have had time with us. Ollie has done well. Ivan has had the impact we expected him to.”
Despite Kane’s absence and the friendly nature of the match, Southgate emphasized the importance of making a statement against Brazil, urging his team to showcase their capabilities against the South American giants.
“There are lots of matches against big opponents we don’t have outstanding records against – but this team, we have managed to beat,” Southgate said. “It’s another chance for us to put a marker down. We’ll be tested in every aspect of our game.”