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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Alex Smith

England predicted line-up for final Euro 2020 qualifier with Kosovo

Gareth Southgate will restore Raheem Sterling to the England starting XI for the Three Lions' final Euro 2020 qualifying clash with Kosovo.

Manchester City star Sterling was omitted from England's 7-0 victory over Montenegro on Thursday night after an altercation with Joe Gomez.

Sterling had a bust-up with Liverpool defender Gomez last week in the canteen which required them to be separated by teammates, while Jordan Henderson was brought in to mediate.

Despite Sterling's return, having watched from the stands at Wembley, Gomez has been forced to return to Merseyside following an injury picked up in training.

Gareth Southgate is set to bring Raheem Sterling back into the starting XI (Action Images via Reuters)

Southgate believes the incident is now closed.

"You couldn't make it up if you tried!" Southgate said. "He's absolutely fine. He had a clash of knees yesterday. We scanned it just to be certain and I think he'll be fine in a couple of days," Southgate said.

"But he wasn't able to train today so it was a simple decision. Now is a good moment for him to go home for a couple of days and clear his head.

England have already qualified for Euro 2020 (Getty Images)

"The pleasing thing for me is that we got him back on the pitch. The tweet that Raheem put out the other night was real closure on the whole incident.

"We get Raheem back on the pitch tomorrow. We won the match on Thursday and we can now just look forward.

"We actually ended up had a chuckle this morning at the ridiculousness of the way he's had to go home in the end.

"He's had a difficult week, as you say, but it's one that will make him stronger and one that he's dealt with really well."

England have already qualified for next season's tournament, where they will host three group games, and the match in Pristina will provide audition time for plenty of Euro hopefuls.

The likes of Harry Winks, Tyrone Mings and Tammy Abraham will all hope to start, but James Maddison, who made his debut last week, is a doubt with a calf strain.

England predicted XI: Pope, Trippier, Maguire, Mings, Chilwell, Rice, Winks, Hudson-Odoi, Sterling, Kane, Abraham

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