GARETH SOUTHGATE is not sure whether isolating England duo Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell will be ready for tomorrow’s Euro 2020 last-16 showdown with Germany.
The Three Lions spent the weekend stepping up preparations for the mammoth meeting with Joachim Low’s side, which will be played in front of more than 40,000 fans at Wembley.
England have no fresh concerns heading into the match, but Mount and Chilwell are still having to stay away from the main group at St George’s Park and train alone.
The pair have to remain in isolation up to and including today after coming into contact with Chelsea team-mate Billy Gilmour, who tested positive for Covid-19, after England’s 0-0 group draw with Scotland.
“It’s been quite complicated,” England boss Southgate said. “In the main they’ve had to work entirely on their own. They’ve been able to work in very small, well-distanced group session but not with the full group and they haven’t been able to take part in any of the full team training sessions.
“The guidance from Public Health England has been very clear, very specific and we’ve had to follow that.”
Asked if he can realistically consider them for Tuesday, Southgate said: “Well, that’s what we’ve got to take into account, really.
“There’s not only the training part of that but the psychological part of that as well, of course.
“They’ve had to spend a lot of time in a room on their own, so very difficult situation firstly for the two boys.
“You come to a major tournament, you want to be a part of everything and they’ve had to isolate through this period, which is of course difficult for anybody. And for us, we’ve just got to make that decision as we progress.
“They come out of the full quarantine midnight the night before the game, so we’ll be able to talk to them a little bit more than we are at the moment.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here