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Hodgson: No Rodgers talk on Sturridge

Roy Hodgson is keen for Daniel Sturridge to return for England © Getty Images

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Roy Hodgson has not spoken to Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers about the fitness of striker Daniel Sturridge ahead of his England squad announcement for matches against Slovenia and Scotland.

England play Slovenia in a Euro 2016 qualifier on November 15 before facing Scotland in a friendly match three days later.

Liverpool forward Sturridge - who has been sidelined since early September with a thigh injury suffered on international duty and a calf problem before his club comeback - has travelled to Spain with his club for their Champions League clash with Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Sturridge, 25, is not expected to play, and Hodgson revealed he still has to check with Rodgers about the striker's fitness before including him in the squad.

When asked if he had spoken to Rodgers, Hodgson told Sky Sports News: "No not at the moment but I have it in mind to do so of course.

"I was waiting to see what the situation would be with [Sturridge]. It's very good news to hear that he's travelled but of course before I select him again I would check with the player and the club that we were doing the right thing."

While Sturridge's fitness is still in doubt, Arsenal welcomed back fellow England star Theo Walcott against Burnley on Saturday after a nine-month absence due to a cruciate knee ligament injury.

Walcott missed out on the World Cup in Brazil after suffering the injury in January but came off the bench to play a cameo role in Arsenal's 3-0 win over Burnley at the weekend.

Hodgson was playing his cards close to his chest ahead of the squad announcement with Wenger urging caution over selecting the forward, but admitted that any English player who is fit could come into the reckoning.

"All players who are English and who have any ability are in my thoughts," Hodgson said. "It's very rare that there would be an English player who's got any ability and is available to play for England and hasn't retired [is not] in our thoughts.

"Arsene [Wenger] has never been a problem in that regard and neither have the other managers for that matter. "I've been very fortunate in that normally when players are fit and able to come with the national team, the managers are very good at allowing them or accepting that they are going to come without any complaint.

"It's nice of course when a manager like Arsene goes out and has a player that's been out for a long, long time and says that if we want to select him we can."

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