Euro 2016: England to start Harry Kane and Daniel Sturridge but bench Jamie Vardy against Iceland
Leicester City striker will make way for Kane, who only appeared as a second-half substitute against Slovakia
Harry Kane is set to reclaim his starting position for England’s Euro 2016 clash against Iceland, with Roy Hodgson ready to drop Jamie Vardy for the second round tie in Nice.
Kane, last season’s 25-goal Premier League top scorer, was relegated to the substitutes’ bench by Hodgson for the Group B encounter with Slovakia last Monday after failing to score against Russia and Wales in England’s previous two group games.
Despite the Tottenham forward’s inability to break the deadlock in the 0-0 stalemate against Slovakia after entering the fray midway through the second-half, Hodgson is keen to restore Kane’s height and presence to England’s front line against the well-organised defensive unit of Iceland, who qualified as runners-up in Group F with a dramatic stoppage time victory against Austria on Wednesday.
Vardy, who scored in the 2-1 win against Wales after being used as a second-half substitute, will make way against Iceland, with Hodgson preparing to hand Daniel Sturridge a further opportunity up front.
Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana, who has started all three of England’s games so far in France, is set to retain his place, despite suffering a knock to his right ankle in training in Chantilly on Friday.
Lallana returned to the team hotel with an ice-pack on his ankle, but the injury is understood to be no troubling than a knock.
However, should Lallana’s problem be exacerbated over the weekend, Hodgson will choose between Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson or James Milner to take his place.
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