England head coach Gareth Southgate has suggested that he will offer starts to several fringe players in Friday's international friendly with Australia at Wembley.
The Three Lions welcome Graham Arnold's side to the English capital four days before a pivotal Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy, as they aim to maintain their unbeaten start in Group C.
As things stand, England hold an unassailable six-point lead over the Azzurri at the top of the section, although their advantage could be cut down to three this weekend if the reigning champions - who have a game in hand - claim an expected win over basement side Malta.
Ukraine and North Macedonia also have the opportunity to move to within touching distance of England, who have already lost Bukayo Saka to a hamstring injury ahead of October's double-header.
Raheem Sterling, Callum Wilson, Eberechi Eze, Luke Shaw, Reece James and Ben Chilwell are also among the notable absentees, but the uncapped Eddie Nketiah and Levi Colwill could both be in line for their debuts on Friday, while Aaron Ramsdale, Conor Gallagher, Jarrod Bowen, Ollie Watkins and Fikayo Tomori are also hoping for valuable minutes.
© Reuters
Speaking to reporters in Friday's press conference, Southgate has affirmed that England will take Friday's exhibition match seriously, but he stressed the need to give "opportunities" to players with less international experience.
"It's one of the great sporting rivalries and if Australia have any sniff that we're not taking the game seriously, then we will be in trouble," the 53-year-old said.
"Our mindset has got to be spot on. Equally, we've still got a bit of work to do to qualify for a European Championship. We have good players and we need to give people opportunities to show what they can do.
"Most importantly, we have got good players and we need to have them in positions on the field where they can do their best work and feel comfortable, positions they play with their clubs, so that the transfer is as smooth as possible."
One player who might benefit from some rotation at Wembley is Jack Grealish, who has failed to set the world alight with Manchester City so far this season, setting up just one goal in eight games and failing to make it off the bench in last weekend's 1-0 loss to Arsenal.
© Reuters
Southgate - who was joined by Grealish for Thursday's media duties - believes that the 28-year-old is guilty of being hyper-critical of himself, as he prepares to don the England colours after missing September's meetings with Scotland and Ukraine through injury.
"He's grown as a player. He's always been a fabulous talent. Moving to a club where he had to win every week — the pressure was on to win every week, the demands of his coach — you become a more rounded player. Those experiences are with him now," the Evening Standard quotes Southgate as saying.
"Characters like Jack, James Maddison, Trent [Alexander-Arnold] — the attacking players — we've got players who see the world differently. He's brutally honest about his performances. Sometimes I think he's too hard on himself."
England and Australia have locked horns in seven international friendlies down the years, and the Three Lions won 2-1 in the most recent encounter in 2016, where an 18-year-old Marcus Rashford became the youngest-ever player to score on his Three Lions debut.
However, the Socceroos memorably defeated Sven-Goran Eriksson's England side 3-1 at Upton Park in 2003, where Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton were among the scorers.
Ben Knapton
