England’s plan to celebrate their 1,000th international by qualifying for UEFI Euro 2020 in serene style against Montenegro at Wembley today has been ripped up by Gareth Southgate’s decision to drop Raheem Sterling.
The Manchester City winger was involved in a physical confrontation with Liverpool defender Joe Gomez at England’s training base on Monday as emotions spilled over from the highly anticipated Premier League clash between the two clubs on Sunday.
Sterling has been the star of a qualifying campaign dominated by off-field issues where the Three Lions have largely let their soccer do the talking.
Bar a shock defeat to the Czech Republic last month, the World Cup semi-finalists have shown why they would be among the favorites to win a first major tournament in 54 years next summer.
Sterling has scored eight of his side’s 26 goals in six games as he has blossomed into one of the world’s best players for club and country since failing to find his best form at the World Cup 18 months ago.
He has been a leading figure as England have stood up to the racist abuse suffered by a number of players in Montenegro and Bulgaria.
One of Southgate’s strengths since taking charge three years ago has been to foster a unity in the camp, far removed from the club-aligned cliques that hampered the chances of talented England sides of the past.
That now faces its biggest test as the bubbling rivalry between Liverpool and City threatens to spill over.
Southgate’s first instinct was reportedly to send Sterling home, but the intervention of senior players, principally Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, helped ease the feud and the 24-year-old has remained with the squad to train.
“I always have to find the right solution for the group and that’s a very difficult line,” Southgate said on Tuesday. “We have a very good understanding of the way that we have worked over the last couple of years, which has brought us a lot of togetherness that is still there.”
Sterling has since apologized to Gomez and the rest of the squad.
If England’s long wait to win a major tournament is to come to an end, Southgate needs to continue getting the best out of Sterling.
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