• World Cup

Upson set to retain place in England team

Harry Harris
June 25, 2010
Matthew Upson and England kept a clean sheet against Slovenia © Getty Images
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England manager Fabio Capello is set to stick with Matthew Upson in the centre of defence against Germany on Sunday.

Upson was overlooked by Capello for the first two group games of the World Cup but a one match suspension for Jamie Carragher gave the West Ham defender a chance to start England's last match against Slovenia.

England triumphed 1-0 in the must win encounter, with Upson making a last-ditch challenge in injury time to deny Slovenia an almost certain equaliser.

Carragher is available again for this weekend's clash with the Germans after serving his suspension, but Capello was impressed by Upson's no nonsense defending.

"Upson played a really good game, really focused, and this impressed Fabio," an England insider told Soccernet. "I have no doubt that Fabio will be considering keeping Upson in the defence, but I am sure he will think long and hard about it.

"There is a temptation to keep the same line up that won against Solvenia, but with Fabio you can never be sure until he has studied the opposition, detected the weaknesses and then thought about his own line up."

Centre-halves have been dropping like flies, with captain Rio Ferdinand out, Ledley King recovering from a groin strain on top of his knee problems, and Carragher suspended. Upson, Michael Dawson and John Terry were England's only available centre-backs against Slovenia.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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