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England boss Gareth Southgate set for Daniel Sturridge gamble as Scotland come to town
GARETH SOUTHGATE is gambling on Daniel Sturridge against Scotland tonight.
Daniel Sturridge is set to start for England against Scotland tonight
The interim England boss has turned to Sturridge with Harry Kane deemed not fit to start and Wayne Rooney not considered as an out and out striker.
He also had the alternatives of whizkid Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy, but has gone for Sturridge, despite the 27-year-old not having scored in the Premier League this season.
It looks a brave decision by Southgate, who is yet to be confirmed as the full time England manager, with his four-game trial coming to an end next Tuesday.
He is expected to get the gig but a bad result tonight could hurt his chances.
Daniel Sturridge is yet to score in the league for Liverpool this season
Gareth Southgate is expected to get the England job permanently
So far he has beaten Malta but drew with Slovenia in his two games.
But Scotland tonight could be the acid test and a draw or defeat would harm his chances.
Sturridge has made just eight appearances in the Premier League this campaign, half of them starts for Jurgen Klopp, and has failed to stay on for 90 minutes.
His only goals this season have come in the EFL Cup with doubles against Burton and Tottenham, also scoring for the Three Lions in the 2-0 World Cup qualifying win over Malta.
It appears Southgate did not want to risk Kane, who only returned to action after seven weeks out with an ankle injury at Arsenal on Sunday, scoring from the spot in the 1-1 draw.
It is understood there have been concerns about Kane’s match fitness following his showing in training with the Three Lions this week and a decision has been made not to make him start two high-intensity derbies in just days following his absence.
Skipper Rooney, dropped for the 0-0 in Slovenia, returns in the No.10 role flanked by Raheem Sterling and Adam Lallana, with Jordan Henderson and Eric Dier fulfilling the more defensive needs in midfield at Wembley.