FootballFanCast.com’s Fixture In Focus coverage is brought to you by 5p0rtz. Try 5p0rtz’s Beat the Streak Predictor and you could win £1million! Click here to play. In his pre-Croatia press conference, England boss Gareth Southgate expressed his satisfaction with the Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling strike partnership, hinting that they will start together once again in Rijeka. WHAT DID HE SAY? “Harry (Kane), since I’ve worked with him as a young player at times played as a number 10 and at times played as a number nine, so it has always been part of his game to drop in, to link. Of course in the summer, him and Raheem (Sterling), with Raheem’s pace it often worked that Harry was the good one to drop in deeper and link the play, or Raheem did it. “We like them to be fluid in that way and I think that can cause opposition defences problems because you’re a bit less predictable.” WHAT DID HE REALLY MEAN? Considering Southgate also mentioned that his side were there to win the game, we can garner from this that he considers Kane and Sterling to be his first choice pairing up front. After making the Tottenham man his captain in the summer, this pretty much guarantees that Kane will start despite his recent sluggishness. Towards the latter stages of the World Cup, the 25-year-old looked off the pace and he hasn’t been allowed a rest after getting straight to work with Spurs. With 19 goals in 32 international games, Kane is obviously England’s biggest goal threat and biggest talent, but his inclusion could be a worry for Tottenham fans considering their current injury list. RASHFORD SNUB Marcus Rashford could have quite reasonably expected to start in Croatia after he scored England’s only two goals in the previous international break against Spain and Switzerland, but it seems as though Southgate will stick with Sterling up front. Rashford – who Transfermarkt value at £58.5million – is still only 20 years old and clearly has a big future ahead for both Manchester United and England, but he would have reason to feel aggrieved if Sterling gets the nod once again considering the Manchester City man has only netted twice in all of his 44 caps for the Three Lions. #5P0Rtz #FixtureInFocus #ManchesterUnited
