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.
Sky Sports News understands Sterling took offence when he walked into the players’ canteen to see a group of players – including Gomez – laughing and said to the Liverpool defender, “You think you’re the big man now”. There was further laughter, with players thinking it was “banter” but Sterling then walked up to Gomez and tried to grab him round the neck.
Gomez reacted angrily and the two players were separated by team-mates and left the canteen. Later, with Jordan Henderson mediating, Gomez and Sterling met elsewhere at St George’s Park and Sterling apologised and they agreed to put the matter behind them.
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.
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.”
It is understood Gomez had pleaded to Southgate on Sterling’s behalf, asking him not to be sent home and Southgate decided dropping him from the Montenegro game was punishment enough.
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.
Source: Sky Sports