Watch highlights 15 minutes after full-time on Tuesday for free on skysports.com; Sancho expected to start in changed line-up
Last Updated: 10 / 09 / 7: (am
Harry Kane celebrates scoring for England against Bulgaria
England can put one foot in the Euro 2020 finals with victory over Kosovo on Tuesday, and seal an unbeaten decade of qualifying.
The Three Lions are unbeaten in qualifying for major tournaments since a 1-0 loss to Ukraine in their final World Cup 2010 qualifier under then-manager Fabio Capello.
Reaching tournament finals has become somewhat of a given for English sides since then – but that defeat in 2009 came only two years after one of England’s darkest moments in recent history, when they missed out on Euro 2008 altogether after a shock home defeat to Croatia in their final qualifying game at Wembley.
England:Green, Johnson, Ferdinand, Terry, Cole, Lennon (James 15), Carrick, Lampard (Milner 46), Rooney, Heskey.
Subs:Bridge
Since then, England have not lost any of their 41 qualifiers, and if they add a 33 RD win during that unbeaten period when they face Kosovo on Tuesday night at St Mary’s in Southampton, they will find themselves on the cusp of another finals tournament, six points clear of third-placed Czech Republic in qualification Group A with four games to play.
Anything but defeat will ensure England extend what is already the longest unbeaten run of qualifiers among European sides into its second decade, and well ahead of their nearest rivals Spain , who are 24 games unbeaten.
Kosovo’s recent results show that may not be a simple task, however, after they came from behind to beat Czech Republic on Saturday and have not lost any of their four qualifiers to date.
England’s unbeaten decade of qualifying
| Played | 41 |
| Won | 32 |
| Drawn | |
| Lost | |
| 111 | |
| Conceded | 18 |
The country declared independence from Serbia in 2008 but did not play its first official international match until 2014, and picked up only a single point in qualifying for World Cup 2018.
But four wins from six in their Nations League group and the goalscoring form of Fenerbache striker Vedat Muqiri and Werder Bremen midfielder Milot Rashica – the latter injured for Tuesday’s game – have rocketed the nation drawn in the same pot as Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands up to second spot in Group A.
England team news: Sancho to start
Sky Sports News understands that Jadon Sancho will start for England with Marcus Rashford dropping to the bench.
Southgate is also expected to change both full-backs – with Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Leicester’s Ben Chilwell set to come in for Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose.
6: 09Highlights from England’s Euro 2020 Qualifiers match against Bulgaria at Wembley.
Southgate said on Monday: “We might freshen the team a bit, that will be important.
” We don’t need to, everyone is fit and available. We need to make sure we get the balance right.
“We need to get the right attacking and defending profiles to make sure we win the game.”
Kane ‘can beat Rooney record’
0: 47England manager Southgate confirms Harry Kane will start against Kosovo on Tuesday, but says no player is ‘undroppable’.
Harry Kane added his 23 RD, 24 th and 25 th England goals to his tally on Saturday to become only the 13 th player in England history to score multiple hat-tricks for the Three Lions, and the first since Michael Owen took home his second match ball after a friendly against Colombia back in 2005.
Kane’s trio against Bulgaria moved him beyond England great Sir Geoff Hurst in the all-time goalscorer rankings, and although he still trails its leader Wayne Rooney by some 28 strikes , Southgate has backed his captain – fitness pend ing – to break that record in time.
“I think it will just be about fitness and avoiding lengthy injuries – things that are out of your control – but I would think everything else is there to really challenge it, “Southgate said.
” The reality of that is that there’s a reason that only Bobby Charlton , Gary Lineker and Wayne Rooney have got there, because it’s such a hard challenge to stay fit, the number-one choice, focused, motivated for the long period that you need to be able to get the games and to get those goals.
“But if anybody has that strength of mentality, for sure it’s Harry.”
Beware ‘crazy’ pressing from Kosovo
0: 56Kosovo manager Bernard Challandes unleashed a remarkable outburst as he explained his side’s tactics for Tuesday’s meeting with England.
Ahead of Tuesday’s game, Kosovo manager Bernard Challandes has issued an extraordinary warning to England over the “crazy” pressing they will face from his side.
(The) – year-old Swiss coach stunned watching reporters at his press conference on Sunday as he shouted during an explanation of Kosovo’s tactical approach
“It’s tactical pressing,” Challandes said. “In a crazy game, it’s go, return, go, go, go, go, go!
” Perhaps they lose the ball and we score, because gegenpressing is not only defense, it’s preparation for a goal for us. It’s, for me, crazy pressing. “
How it stands
| W | |||
| England | 3 | (0) | 9 |
| Kosovo | |||
| Czech Republic | 4 | 2 | (6) |
| Montenegro | 0 | 2 | |
| Bulgaria | 2 |
Coming up:September 7 –Kosovo vs Czech Republic, England vs Bulgaria; September 10 –Montenegro vs Czech Republic, England vs Kosovo
Watch England highlights for free on Sky Sports
Watch highlights from all eight of England’s Euro 2020 qualifying games for free with (Sky Sports) – including England v s Kosovo on Tuesday.
The best bits from each game will be available on SkySports.com, theSky Sportsapp and theSky Sports FootballYouTube channelfrom 15 minutes after full-time – and you won’t need a (Sky Sports) *************************************************************** (subscription to tune in.)
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