Harry Kane passed a fitness test, so Gareth Southgate seems ready to put him in the starting lineup for England’s game against the United States on Friday.
Kane was sent for a scan after it looked like he rolled his ankle in the Three Lions’ first game against Iran, but the results were good and there don’t seem to be any concerns about his fitness.
When asked for one last update on Kane before the game, Southgate even hinted that the striker would be starting.
“Harry Kane is a nice guy. He passed the tests without a hitch, “Southgate told the news people. “It would take a lot of guts to not put him on the starting team.
“All teams have the same amount of time to rest. It is a little shorter than tournaments in the past. Only will help us if we get past the group stages, after which we might have more time to rest and get ready for the next round.”
The boss said this about the game: “The game tomorrow will be very different from the first one. They are a team that does a great job of pressing the ball.
“With respect, a level of player who has played in the top European leagues. Tomorrow’s game won’t be like the one before it.”
Kane’s improvement is good news for England fans, but James Maddison’s chances at this World Cup are still not looking good. The Leicester playmaker missed Three Lions practise again on Thursday. Instead, he worked on his fitness at home.
The 26-year-old has hurt his knee in the 2-0 win over West Ham United, which happened just days before Southgate surprised everyone by putting him in his 26-player party. Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips are still training with the team, but because England beat Iran so easily, they may have to sit out again.
