Rickie Lambert, Liverpool’s out-of-favour striker, is waiting to discover whether Harry Kane’s first call-up to the England squad could have repercussions for his own international career. Kane, the Tottenham Hotspur forward, has been guaranteed a place in Roy Hodgson’s squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley on Friday week and the friendly against Italy in Turin three days later. Hodgson, who names his squad on Thursday, has also been looking closely at Charlie Austin, of Queens Park Rangers, and that puts Lambert’s place under even more threat.
Hodgson’s side lead Group E by six points, with a 100% winning record from their first four matches. The manager is planning to make wholesale changes between the two games and will also have to decide whether any of the players who have been earmarked for the European Under-21 Championship this summer, including Saido Berahino and Ross Barkley, stick with the seniors for now or move down to be with Gareth Southgate’s squad for their games against Czech Republic and Germany.
