Italy v England: Roy Hodgson planning surprise selection with Wayne Rooney in midfield

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England manager Roy Hodgson had already confirmed that Tottenham striker Harry Kane will start Tuesday’s friendly with Italy, but the Guardian are now suggesting that he may be joined by a surprise option up front.

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Despite Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, and Raheem Sterling starting – and scoring – as part of a front three against Lithuania in the European Championship qualifier last week, it appears that none of them will start in attack in Turin. Both Welbeck and Sterling have returned to their clubs with injuries, and the England captain will be dropped deeper at the forward tip of a diamond formation.

That means that it will fall to Arsenal’s Theo Walcott to fill in alongside Kane. Even though the 26-year-old has featured mostly as a winger for club and country in recent times, he still has a relatively poor goals return at international level with just five goals in thirty-seven caps.

Hodgson is set to spring another surprise with Phil Jones set to replace his Manchester United teammate Michael Carrick in the holding midfielder role for the game at Juventus Stadium.

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