Harry Kane was still injured for the 3-0 friendly win against Wales, but the Munich player is now set to return for Tuesday’s qualifier in Latvia—unlike Ollie Watkins, who has already left the Three Lions.
“Harry can play, he’s fit,” Thomas Tuchel said on Monday, noting that it was “the right thing” to rest Harry Kane in last Thursday’s friendly against Wales (3-0). The 32-year-old was substituted shortly before the end of FC Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga match at Eintracht Frankfurt (3-0) on October 4 after a collision with SGE goalkeeper Kaua Santos and subsequently struggled with ankle problems.
These now seem to be completely over, so the Three Lions will be able to rely on their captain again in Latvia on Tuesday (8:45 p.m.)—and even for the full 90 minutes, as Tuchel revealed. “He was great in training and is ready. I don’t see why he shouldn’t be able to play 90 minutes. I don’t see any obstacles.” On Monday, the striker took part in team training and then flew to the Baltic States with the 22-man squad.
Watkins has already left
England can secure their World Cup ticket with a win in Riga against the struggling Latvians in qualifying group K: They are already four points ahead of second-placed Albania, with one game in hand. “Of course, we are aware of the fact that we are the favorites,” said Tuchel, looking ahead to the upcoming away game, while also making it clear: “We expect a win, but we also want to see a performance that makes us happy.”
However, the German coach will have to do without striker Ollie Watkins, who was injured against Wales and has since returned to his club Aston Villa. “Unfortunately, Ollie has left the training camp because it was too painful,” Tuchel explained, adding: “He couldn’t train with us. He is being treated at his club and is trying to get fit for the weekend. Everyone else is with us and ready to play.”
This makes it all the more important that Kane is back in action, as the Munich player is also considered a guaranteed goal scorer for the national team: the now nominal sole striker in the English squad has scored an incredible 74 goals in 109 international matches.
