• England

Daniel Sturridge withdrawal paves the way for Harry Kane

Daniel Sturridge has withdrawn from the England squad and will miss the upcoming games against Lithuania and Italy with a hip injury.

Sturridge picked up the injury during Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday and will now sit out Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier at Wembley and next week's friendly in Turin.

The striker was assessed by England's medical team at St George's Park on Monday afternoon before the FA released a statement confirming his withdrawal later that evening.

The FA statement read: "Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has left the England squad and returned home to his club on Monday evening.

"This follows a scan on an injury that he sustained during Liverpool's game against Manchester United on Sunday.

"The England medical team took the decision on Monday evening having assessed Daniel following the squad's arrival at St George's Park on Monday afternoon."

Sturridge had joined with the England squad for the first time since he suffered a thigh injury in national training on September 5.

He played in England's friendly with Norway at the start of the season but later broke down in training, which led to a series of rows between Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and Roy Hodgson over procedures at international level.

Several set-backs meant Sturridge was sidelined for around five months, missing the first half of Liverpool's domestic season and all of their Champions League campaign. He returned to the fold at the end of January, when he came off the bench to score in Liverpool's 2-0 victory over West Ham.

His absence means Harry Kane looks likely to step in; the Tottenham striker impressed watching England boss Hodgson by scoring a hat-trick in the victory against Leicester last Saturday.

Sturridge's Liverpool team-mate Adam Lallana had already withdrawn from the England senior squad after the midfielder limped off against Manchester United with a groin injury.

Reports also indicate that Raheem Sterling could miss the clash, with the Daily Mail claiming Liverpool are worried the attacker suffered a toe injury in the defeat to Louis van Gaal's side at Anfield.

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