Raheem Sterling dropped by England after Joe Gomez row

Raheem Sterling will not play in England’s European Qualifier against Montenegro on Thursday after a row involving Liverpool’s Joe Gomez at St George’s Park.

England manager Gareth Southgate said that „emotions were still raw“ after Sterling was involved in a clash with Gomez towards the end of Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Premier League title rivals Manchester City on Sunday.

It is understood the pair were again involved in a row in the St George’s Park canteen after meeting up for England duty on Monday, leading to Sterling’s withdrawal from selection for the game with Montenegro at Wembley.

No details of the incident were revealed, although the FA confirmed Sterling remains with the squad following the „disturbance in a private team area“.

Southgate said: „We have taken the decision to not consider Raheem for the match against Montenegro on Thursday.

„One of the great challenges and strengths for us is that we’ve been able to separate club rivalries from the national team. Unfortunately, the emotions of yesterday’s game were still raw.

„My feeling is that the right thing for the team is the action we have taken. Now that the decision has been made with the agreement of the entire squad, it’s important that we support the players and focus on Thursday night.“

In a post on his Instagram account on Tuesday, Sterling confirmed he and Gomez clashed, but admits the pair have now „figured things out and moved on“.

„First and foremost everyone knows what that game means to me,“ he said.

„Everyone knows that I am not that way inclined and more to the point, both Joe and I have had words and figured things out and moved on.

„We are in a sport where emotions run high and I am man enough to admit when emotions got the better of me. We move, this is why we play this sport because of our love for it.

„Me and Joe Gomez are good, we both understand it was a 5-10 second thing. It’s done, we move forward and not make this bigger than it is. Let’s get focus on our game on Thursday.“

England play Montenegro at Wembley on Thursday before facing Kosovo away on Sunday, knowing just a point from the two games will be enough to see them qualify for Euro 2020.

„Gareth Southgate has been firm but fair. The last thing he wants is for cliques to appear in his squad like the days when Manchester United and Liverpool players used to eat at separate tables.

„As a leader, Southgate had three options in this case. He could have downplayed it and dealt with it behind closed doors, he could have sent Raheem Sterling home or he could have dropped him from the next game.

„By choosing option three he has kept arguably his best player in his squad as well as sending a strong message that he will not tolerate club rivalries disrupting the peace and harmony at St George’s Park.

„Southgate has four Liverpool players in this squad and two from Manchester City. Apart from this one-off incident there is no issue between Joe Gomez, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jordan Henderson, and Sterling and John Stones.

„By his own admission, Sterling is an emotional character. His will to win is so great that at times on Sunday at Anfield he seemed to be trying to get Manchester City back into the game on his own.

„He knows he overstepped the mark by the way he behaved towards Gomez yesterday. He has apologised to Gomez and there is no bad blood between them now.

„Sterling’s punishment means he will have to watch as England play their 1,000th game on Thursday. Luckily, their opponents Montenegro are a side who have not won a single qualifying game in Group A.

„Against tougher opponents, Sterling would be a big miss. His absence on Thursday is unlikely to prevent England from winning comfortably. Especially because Southgate has other front players such as Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho.“

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