Two Liverpool players have withdrawn from England’s final Euro 2020 qualifier.
Jordan Henderson and Joe Gomez will miss their country’s game with Kosovo on Sunday through a combination of illness and injury respectively, it has emerged.
Henderson was due to return to Three Lions duty after being suspended for the 7-0 win over Montenegro which sealed qualification for next summer’s Finals.
But the Reds captain has struggled to shake a viral infection since joining up with his international teammates and is now set for an early return to Merseyside.
Also reporting back to Melwood will be Gomez, who is understood to have suffered a knee knock after accidentally clashing with Kieran Trippier in training.
It capped off a difficult week for the defender as he was confronted by Raheem Sterling following Liverpool’s win over Manchester City last weekend.
Gomez sustained a scratch to his face in the incident which took place a day after his side opened up a nine-point lead on City in the Premier League title race.
Gareth Southgate took the decision to stand down Sterling, who apologised to the 22-year-old, for Montenegro’s visit to Wembley for England’s 1,000th game.
However the occasion was marred by a vocal minority of home supporters booing Gomez both while he warmed up and then coming on as second-half substitute.