Mata has scored twice as many league goals (4) as his captain from the United midfield and teenager Anthony Martial has outscored the England striker despite missing the opening four games thanks to his late transfer.
Advertisement
Roy Hodgson and Wayne Rooney feel it’s vital that England perform well against upcoming opponents Spain and France. But for me, we have better out and out strikers, with Kane an obvious option, as well as Vardy having genuine potential and several others. Previously derided as flaky and soft-centred, the current Spurs team is one of the most structurally solid and well-organised units in the top-flight, as evidenced by last weekend’s impressive display in the North London derby.
“We’ve got attacking players, we’ve got Jamie who has been on a good streak”, said Sterling.
“We are monitoring the injury and working on it, but it looks unlikely that he will be able to play (against Spain)”, said Hodgson.
“Everyone wants to feel important wherever they are and right now I feel I am a very important player within the club”.
The squad could, though, look a whole lot different come next summer given there are 14 squad regulars out injured, but you would not bet against Jamie Vardy holding onto his place.
“It could lead to being a disadvantage for one or two of the candidates going forward because they might not make the final cut, but everyone has got their chance”.
Additionally, Liverpool’s James Milner, a player Hodgson has consistently picked over the years, has pulled out of the England squad with a hamstring injury, though he should return to the worldwide fold after this pair of friendlies is out of the way.
Barkley will collect his 18th England cap if he plays on Friday evening and Hodgson believes he has gone from strength to strength since making his debut in September 2013.
The defender said to his club’s site: “There is always an ambition to play for England and if that opportunity comes up in my career then I would be honoured to do that”.
“They are both good games, both equally important, and we want to see (Rooney, Vardy and Kane), that’s the bottom line”. I remember when the Spanish team won the European championships [in 2008], before that there was a lot of criticism. Coach Roy Hodgson will have to negotiate the two heavyweight fixtures without several of the players likely to feature strongly in his plans for next summer, if fit.
Advertisement
“That’s for the very simple reason that we’re looking at various combinations and it will be good for me to see how various combinations are developing”.
