SOCCER

Why isn’t Harry Kane playing for England against Greece?

The Bayern Munich striker has been among the goals again in Bundesliga this season but is absent from the England starting XI.

KENZO TRIBOUILLARDAFP

England look to maintain their 100% start in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday when they host Greece at Wembley Stadium.

Interim head coach Lee Carsley has impressed during his brief stint in charge and looks likely to retain the position going forward. However on Thursday he needs to find an alternative source of goals with England’s all-time record scorer ruled out due to injury.

Harry Kane will not feature against Greece having suffered a leg injury in Bayern Munich’s 3-3 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend. Kane met up with the Three Lions as planned on Monday but will not be risked against Greece.

Ahead of the game Carsley explained that England “won’t take a chance” with Kane, owing to a “small knock.” In his place, Manchester City defender John Stones will wear the captain’s armband.

Will Lee Carsley become England’s head coach?

England parted ways with former head coach Gareth Southgate after the painful loss to Spain in the final of the summer’s European Championships.

Southgate had been an internal appointment when he was promoted from the Under-21s team in 2016. He went on to lead them to consecutive Euros finals and a creditable semi-final finish at a World Cup, making his tenure one of the most successful in the history of the English national team.

When Southgate decided to move on, Carsley seemed a natural replacement. The former Everton midfielder held the same role with the Under-21s that Southgate had had before making the step up to the senior team and he has previously worked with many of the players expected to form a key part of the England squad in years to come.

Carsley’s current role is specifically as ‘interim’ head coach but it would be no surprise to see him take charge of the national team on a full-time basis if all goes well in the Nations League and World Cup qualifiers. England dropped down to League B in the UEFA competition, meaning that Carsley’s England will be heavy favourites in every game under the new boss.

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