Henderson and Dier will fight for one spot: Southgate

Bengaluru, June 8: Liverpool skipper Jordan Henderson and Spurs midfield dynamo Eric Dier are likely to be involved in an England World Cup shootout, according to coach Gareth Southgate.

England boss Southgate, whose side are in Group G, will use only one defensive midfielder at the finals. Asked whether it was between Henderson or Dier, he replied: “We have to look at that. I think we will only want to play with one pivot.

“It is a key decision, but that’s management isn’t it?

"You either select players, or you choose your system and pick the best people to fit into it.

“They’re the tough calls. I’d be amazed if they aren’t important figures for us during the tournament.

"But there is clearly the possibility they might not both play in every match.”

Henderson, given an extended break after Liverpool’s Champions League final defeat, will win his 39th cap tonight and will try to cement his position ahead of Tottenham’s Dier, who has played 26 times for his country.

However, there is a chance that Southgate might opt for Dier ahead of Henderson as he has given the captaincy to Spurs striker Harry Kane when it was expected that Henderson, who captains Liverpool and is a natural leader, will be given the armband.

That could mean that Henderson could lose his spot to Dier, but given the experience the former has in his locker, it will be a tough decision by Southgate.

Insisting they are both versatile, Southgate added: “Henderson can play as a number eight and Dier can play as a centre-back.

"So they both have another way into the team.”

England are likely to use a 3-4-3 formation in the World Cup with Southgate deploying the same system in most games. The Three Lions looks more balanced in the system and could very well surprise many in the World Cup with expectations much lesser from them this time out compared to their recent tournaments.