Before the friendly match against Brazil on Saturday, four English players, including Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka, underwent separate training sessions from the starting lineup. This week at St George’s Park, the Three Lions are gearing up for their showdown against the five-time world champions at Wembley this Saturday. Jordan Henderson, Saka, Cole Palmer, and Kane were absent from the squad on Wednesday, engaging in “individualized training regimens within the gym,” as reported by Sky Sports.
Kane’s injury during the game, where he was seen clutching his left ankle after colliding with the post, raised concerns about his availability not only for Bayern Munich’s Champions League quarterfinal against Arsenal next month but also for England’s matches against Brazil and Belgium.
Despite Palmer, Saka, and Henderson not having any specific injury concerns, Kane did not join his teammates in training. Despite taking a knock over the weekend, Kane returned to the team. Saka played the full 120 minutes in Arsenal’s final Champions League match before the international break, which ended in penalties against Porto. Palmer also completed his final match for Chelsea without any issues, scoring and aiding Chelsea in defeating Leicester City in the FA Cup quarterfinal.
On Tuesday, Kobbie Mainoo received a call-up to the senior England squad, introducing a new face to St George’s Park. The young Manchester United player was initially omitted from the squad last week due to his lack of first-team experience, according to manager Gareth Southgate. However, after an outstanding performance in the victory over Liverpool on Sunday, Mainoo was summoned to the senior squad.
Mainoo shared his excitement, stating that he received a text from Steve Holland informing him of the call-up and instructing him to meet at reception. He expressed disbelief and mentioned that it hadn’t fully sunk in yet. Mainoo also sent a text message to his family from home, and they were all thrilled about his inclusion in the senior squad.
