Gareth Southgate once again found himself preaching calmness after coronavirus uncertainty hit England's plans for their concluding Euro 2020 Group D game against the Czech Republic.
Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell are self-isolating after interacting with their Chelsea team-mate Billy Gilmour, who featured for Scotland in last Friday's 0-0 draw at Wembley before testing positive for coronavirus.
The FA announced Mount and Chilwell had returned negative PCR and lateral flow test on Sunday and Monday respectively but, after then training with the England squad, they were advised to isolate following consultations with Public Health England.
Speaking at a pre-match news conference, where Mount had initially been slated to join him, Southgate conceded both players were major doubts for the Czech Republic clash, which England need to win to top the group.
He will wait until Tuesday morning before making a final decision on his starting XI, by which point further advice on Mount and Chilwell's case is likely to be forthcoming.
But, as he did in the immediate aftermath of a disappointing performance against Scotland, Southgate again urged composure under pressure – citing Spain midfielder Sergio Busquets testing positive for COVID-19 and Christian Eriksen's shocking cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark as examples of the unexpected difficulties that can arise during tournaments.
"Spain had a similar situation, they've ended up drawing their two games. Denmark have obviously had a tragic situation," he said.
"This is tournaments, you have to adapt, you have to respond. It's why the depth of the squad is so important and calmness around whatever's going on at any given time is critical.
"We don't have all the information so we're going to take our time to see exactly where we stand in the morning."
Southgate also pointed out there was a wider context to be acknowledged when it came to football players being ruled out of matches against the backdrop of a global health crisis.
"It's obviously a massive disappointment for players to miss any matches but we are in the same situation as everybody else in the country," he said.
"Other people, their working lives and ability to earn money have been affected. In a more serious sense, the deaths we've had.
"Of course, at this moment in time, ours is a high-profile situation and it's not ideal. But, in context, it's just one we have to adjust to."
Two players who will be available are Manchester United centre-back Harry Maguire and Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson, with their recoveries from respective ankle and groin injuries having restricted them to watching briefs so far.
Southgate praised their influence on the squad over recent weeks and the return of two experienced heads could come as a timely boost.
"Both are training very well and both will be involved tomorrow," he said.
"We're happy with their progress. Already, without being on the pitch they've had a massive impact around the training sessions and the squad.
"I couldn't be happier with the influence that our senior players have had. Of course, they want to get on the pitch and are hoping they can play a big part in this tournament for us."
Harry Kane's form and the omission of Jack Grealish from Southgate's starting line-ups have dominated recent discussion around the England side, although Jadon Sancho's negligible role at Euro 2020 to date is also a curiosity.
The winger, who scored 16 goals and supplied 18 assists in all competitions for Borussia Dortmund this season, was an unused substitute against Scotland after missing out on the matchday squad for the 1-0 win over Croatia, where Raheem Sterling scored the only goal.
"We just have so many good attacking players. Raheem, Phil Foden in terms of wide players who can play in those area and come inside," Southgate added.
"We have Jack Grealish, we have Marcus Rashford, we have Bukayo Saka and we have Jadon.
"If you weren't asking me about Jadon, you'd be asking me about one of the others. That's the nature of it."
Chelsea 2-0 Tottenham: Chalobah and Jackson goals dent Spurs' top-four hopes
Trevoh Chalobah and Nicolas Jackson scored as Chelsea dealt a huge blow to Tottenham's Champions League hopes, recording a 2-0 derby win over Mauricio Pochettino's old club at Stamford Bridge.
Exactly eight years on from the memorable "Battle of the Bridge" between the teams, which saw nine Spurs players booked in a fiery 2-2 draw that confirmed Leicester City as champions, Chelsea inflicted more woe upon their rivals.
Spurs paid for lacklustre set-piece defending midway through the first half as Chalobah headed Conor Gallagher's free-kick home, then Jackson pounced when Cole Palmer rattled the crossbar from another dead ball 72 minutes in.
Ange Postecoglou's side were far from their free-flowing best and have now lost three straight Premier League games. They stay fifth, seven points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa with just one game in hand.
Chelsea, meanwhile, climb above West Ham into eighth, just three points adrift of Manchester United in sixth.
The Blues went agonisingly close to a fifth-minute lead as Jackson raced through on goal to slot his effort under Guglielmo Vicario, but Micky van de Ven raced back to hook it off the line and Palmer could not sort his feet out on the rebound.
Chelsea were ahead after 24 minutes, though, as Chalobah met Gallagher's deep free-kick with a looping header into the top-right corner, the goal being confirmed by VAR following a check for a possible foul by Marc Cucurella.
Mykhailo Mudryk went close with a curling effort as Tottenham continued to toil, the visitors' best chance of the first half coming when Cristian Romero headed Pedro Porro's free-kick wide.
Ange Postecoglou cut an animated figure before half-time, and his side improved after the restart, but Chelsea could have had a second when Palmer shot over at the end of a promising break.
Chelsea did double their advantage with 18 minutes to play, the opportunistic Jackson heading into an unguarded net after Palmer's free-kick clattered off the woodwork with Vicario at full stretch.
Tottenham never looked like responding from there, and they now need a minor miracle to secure a top-four finish.
Pochettino haunts former employers
Having also overseen Chelsea's memorable 4-1 win in November's return fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Pochettino completed a league double over his former employers.
He is the first coach to ever beat Spurs home and away in a single Premier League campaign having previously managed them in the competition.
The Argentine's first season at Stamford Bridge may not have gone entirely to plan, but there may just be green shoots of recovery emerging in the closing weeks of the campaign.
Having endured a run of one win in 14 home Premier League games between March and November last year (seven draws, six losses), Chelsea – who face West Ham next – have now won eight of their last 10 on their own turf (one draw, one defeat).
Set-pieces costing Spurs
Tottenham have a set-piece problem. Arsenal ruthlessly exploited some slack marking from their neighbours to score two goals from corners in Sunday's north London derby, and on Thursday, it was two free-kicks that undid Postecoglou's men.
Prior to this game, Spurs had conceded 12 goals from set-pieces, excluding penalties, in the Premier League this season. Only Manchester United (15.3) and Burnley (14.9) had allowed opponents a higher cumulative expected goals (xG) figure from such situations than their 14.3.
They did not learn their lesson, Emerson Royal and Brennan Johnson getting nowhere near Chalobah as he headed home from a routine delivery to the back post for the opener.
Those fine margins could prove incredibly costly, with Tottenham now a long way adrift of top-four rivals Aston Villa with daunting fixtures against Liverpool and Manchester City still to come.
Campana not concerned by competing with Messi for Inter Miami records
Leonardo Campana does not concern himself with competing with team-mate Lionel Messi when it comes to Inter Miami records.
Campana has netted 25 goals during his time with Miami, while Messi – who joined the club midway through 2023 after leaving Paris Saint-Germain – has scored 22 times.
Only Gonzalo Higuain (29), has scored more goals than Campana and Messi for the Herons in the club’s short history.
Campana, though, shrugged off the suggestion that he is in competition with Messi to become Miami’s record goalscorer.
"No, I don't really pay it much attention,” he said.
“I just try to enjoy it when it's my turn to play. Obviously, if I could manage it, it would be incredible, but we all know that Leo [Messi] is coming up behind me very quickly, so let's see what happens."
Asked if Messi will catch up with his own tally, Campana played the question with a straight bat, replying: "As I said, Leo is coming up fast. So, obviously, it makes me happy for him, for everything he creates for the team. But my time will come.
"As I always say, having Leo [Messi] on the pitch is a positive. It's good, when he's in the national team, we feel his presence, and when he's here with us, we feel him and when he's not, we feel that too. We know what he creates on the pitch and, obviously, when he's not there we always try our best to do a good job. But as I say, Leo is Leo and always when he's not there, it's different."
Next up for Miami – the Western Conference leaders – and Messi are the New York Red Bulls, who are four points behind the Herons in the standings.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Inter Miami – Lionel Messi
Messi has contributed to at least one goal in 10 consecutive club matches in all competitions for the seventh time in his career and the first since 2018 (12 straight). Messi has scored in six straight league matches for the first time since January-February 2021.
New York Red Bulls – Lewis Morgan
Morgan has scored seven goals this season, including one on Saturday and three against Miami in March. Last season, Omir Fernandez and Elias Manoel led the Red Bulls with six total goals all season.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
While the Opta predictor is forecasting a draw, there has never actually been a draw between these two teams, with the Red Bulls recording six wins to Miami’s three, including a 4-0 victory in New York in March. Indeed, the Red Bulls have won three of their four away games against the Herons.
Miami have scored 78 goals in 36 matches in all competitions since Messi made his debut for the club last July, 14 more than any other MLS team in that time. Saturday’s 4-1 win over the New England Red Bulls was the 15th time Miami has scored at least three goals in a match in that time.
The Red Bulls are unbeaten in six straight regular-season matches (W2 D4), though the last three matches have all ended in draws. New York have had only one longer unbeaten run in league play since 2017, an eight-match stretch in September-October 2021.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Inter Miami – 39.7%
New York Red Bulls – 31.4%
Draw – 28.9%
Lucas Hernandez to miss Euro 2024 after PSG defender sustains knee injury
France have been dealt a blow ahead of Euro 2024 following confirmation that Paris Saint-Germain's Lucas Hernandez will miss the tournament.
Hernandez sustained a knee injury and had to be taken off in the 42nd minute of PSG's Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.
And on Thursday, PSG announced Hernandez had sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and will now need surgery.
"Lucas Hernandez suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee after coming off injured during the Champions League match," a statement read.
"An MRI scan carried out today confirmed the diagnosis made by the club's doctors on Wednesday evening.
"The player will undergo surgery in the next few days."
Hernandez suffered a similar injury during the last major international tournament, the 2022 World Cup, in which France finished as runners-up to Argentina.
The 28-year-old subsequently posted on his official Instagram account.
"When I signed with PSG, I made a promise that I would give my heart and soul to this team and this is what I have done ever since. Unfortunately, during last night's match I ended up with an injury," Hernandez said.
"I pushed myself back onto the field and tried to keep on fighting for our team, but it was not possible. My comeback will be stronger than ever before."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
