Why isn’t Harry Kane starting for England tonight?

HARRY KANE has been on fire for the Three Lions of late, scoring a brace against Finland last time out.

But the England captain and talisman will not be starting against Greece when the match kicks off at 7.45 pm on October 10 — here we take a look at why.

Why isn't Harry Kane starting against Greece?

Harry Kane will not be starting the match as a precaution because of a minor knock he picked up while playing in the Bundesliga.

He sustained the injury during Bayern Munich's 3-3 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday, October 6, 2024.

The Three Lions' skipper needed 72nd-minute treatment and was replaced by Mathys Tel — just days ahead of two Nations League ties.

This came came after Kane hurt his ankle late in a 1-1 home draw with Bayern Leverkusen the week before.

The injury prevented him from training with Lee Carsley's England squad in the run-up to the Greece game, leading to his exclusion from the starting lineup for the Nations League match.

The exact nature of the injury has not been reported.

What Lee Carsley said about Kane

Interim England manager Lee Carsley is taking a cautious approach with Kane's fitness.

He also confirmed Kane was doing individual training sessions on the Tuesday and Wednesday before the match.

Carsley said: "Harry's nursing an injury, a small knock. Something that we won't take a chance with."

"We're not ruling him out yet of the game, but he won't start the game.

"Hopefully he'll be in contention then for Sunday (against Finland) but, again, time will tell.

"It's not something I think we should be rushing."

So while Kane won't be starting the match, he hasn't been ruled out completely.

I think it's important that we put them [the players] first rather than ourselves

Lee Carsley

There's still a possibility he could be available as a substitute, though this remains uncertain.

The team is hopeful that Kane may be able to play against Finland on October 13.

Importance of caution

This careful management of Kane's injury is particularly important given his history of injuries.

Over the years, Kane has dealt with various issues, including ankle, knee and hamstring problems.

The team's cautious approach aims to protect his long-term fitness and ensure he's available for crucial matches in the future.

What else do we know about the squad?

Carsley confirmed that John Stones will step in to captain England for the first time as he picks up his 82nd cap.

He also mentioned that Tino Livramento and Curtis Jones have been moved up from the under-21s and will be in the squad.

The FA gave an update on Kane, and also Jack Grealish: "Harry Kane continued his individualised programme at St George’s Park on Wednesday [October 9] while Jack Grealish also sat out of training as a precaution with a minor knock."

Carsley emphasised a cautious approach with player fitness, stating: "I think it's important that we put them [the players] first rather than ourselves."

He also mentioned the abundance of options the national side is currently blessed with: “There were a lot of players who were close to this squad. With the talent we have available, it would have been possible to pick a 40-man squad and justify having them all in.

"The challenge is making sure we pick a competitive squad and a squad that can win the two games.”