England, on late Monday, confirmed that Manchester City midfielder Raheem Sterling has been dropped from the squad which will face Montenegro in the UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifiers following a hostile clash between him and Liverpool defender Joe Gomez at the training ground.
“We can confirm Raheem Sterling will not be considered for England’s EURO 2020 qualifier against Montenegro as a result of a disturbance in a private team area at St. George’s Park today. He will remain with the squad,” the FA said on their official statement.
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Reportedly, the duo resorted to a physical confrontation during the training session on Monday and had to be separated by the teammates. The pair also had a heated argument in the Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester City at the Anfield.
England’s coach Gareth Southgate indicated the Liverpool-City match as the source of the players’ hostility. “One of the great challenges and strengths for us is that we’ve been able to separate club rivalries from the national team. Unfortunately, the emotions of yesterday’s game were still raw,” Southgate was quoted as saying on the official website of the FA.
“My feeling is that the right thing for the team is the action we have taken. Now that the decision has been made with the agreement of the entire squad, it’s important that we support the players and focus on Thursday night,” the coach added.
The 24-year-old midfielder has been a star in England’s qualifiers campaign. He scored eight goals in six games. The Three Lions, meanwhile, would require a draw against Montenegro at the Wembley on November 14 to qualify for next year’s continental tournament.
