Andorra vs England. FIFA World Cup European Qualifying Group I.
Estadi Nacional d'AndorraAttendance2,285.
Follow Andorra vs England with our live blog on Sky Sports website and app on Saturday and watch free match highlights shortly after full time; kick-off 7.45pm
Saturday 9 October 2021 12:40, UK
England head to the Estadi Nacional d'Andorra on Saturday night knowing they are just eight points away from confirming their participation at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as manager Gareth Southgate celebrates five years in the job.
Southgate has now joined an illustrious group of former England managers in Walter Winterbottom, Sir Alf Ramsey, Bobby Robson and Sven-Goran Eriksson to have passed five years in the job.
It was five years ago on Friday that Southgate took charge of his first game, an inauspicious 2-0 home win over Malta, and it has been pretty much a continual line of progress since then.
"It's worth remembering the circumstances in which Southgate took over," says Sky Sports News reporter Rob Dorsett.
"England were in turmoil: Sam Allardyce had had just one game in charge before his ignominious departure and just months before that, England had been knocked out of the Euros in humiliating fashion by Iceland - one of the worst days of England's footballing history, you'd have to say.
"Since then, it's been nothing but progress. Yes, his detractors would still say he's been too defensive at times, but you can't deny that he's changed the squad.
"Only four members of the current squad played against Malta - Kyle Walker, John Stones, Jordan Henderson and Jesse Lingard - and the stats prove this has been England's most successful period since Sir Alf Ramsey, when England won the World Cup.
"And perhaps there's an answer to some of those critics in the stats: England have averaged more than two goals a game - more prolific than they were under Eriksson, Robson, Greenwood - and of course, England have reached the semi-finals of a World Cup and the final of a European Championship in the last few years.
"There's been real, real progress - and perhaps the biggest achievement is how Southgate has made this team so likeable."
Much of the pre-match talk has centered around who will start up front and how Southgate can fit the Man City trio of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling into his three-man forward line.
"Foden has been Man City's best player so far this season, plain and simple and it looks like he has fully recovered from that foot injury he had at the start of the season," said Dorsett.
"Grealish, meanwhile, has started every single one of City's seven Premier League games this season - one goal and one assist.
"Pep Guardiola has used Foden and Grealish - and Gabriel Jesus - as part of a very fluid front three and they all swap roles, with Grealish and Foden both playing as the false No 9 at times, which makes it very difficult to defend against at times.
"Do not expect Southgate to do that as he has one of the best No 9s in the world, and trying to get Foden, Grealish and Raheem Sterling all on the pitch at the same time is very, very difficult.
"Sterling has had less game time at City this season, being on the bench five times out of seven, but for England he has been outstanding - 70 caps, 18 goals, 23 assists and he is still only 26 years old."
Another of the pre-match debates centres on Harry Kane and whether the England captain will retain his place in attack after a slow start to the season with Tottenham.
"There are two ways Southgate can approach this match," Dorsett said. "Will he start with his strongest XI in the hope they will get a few goals ahead and then he can rest some of those players for the more difficult game to come at home to Hungary on Tuesday night?
"Or will he give some of the second string more of a runout, the likes of Conor Coady and Tyrone Mings?
"Kane is an interesting one as he is yet to score a Premier League goal and we know he has had these ankle problems, two injuries before, and the 3G surface here is not the best."
A serious fire has broken out pitchside at Andorra's National Stadium on Friday.
The fire occurred during a live cross to Sky Sports News' England reporter Rob Dorsett and quickly engulfed the broadcast gantry in between the two sets of benches.
Thick plumes of black smoke billowed from the fire and covered some of the apartments which are metres away from that side of the ground.
A fire crew arrived on site a handful of minutes later to put out the flames but not before damage was inevitably done to the metal structure.
Sky Sports News has contacted FIFA and UEFA for comment and to ask if tomorrow's World Cup Qualifier is in doubt.
England need just three more wins to be sure of qualification for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, starting with Saturday's clash in Andorra.
Gareth Southgate's side are currently four points clear of second-placed Albania at the top of Group I after six matches, with just four fixtures left to play.
England travel to Andorra on Saturday evening, then host fourth-placed Hungary at Wembley on Tuesday night - and they finish their qualifying campaign by entertaining Albania on November 12, before travelling to bottom-of-the-table San Marino three days later.
Victories in England's next three clashes would give them an unassailable lead at the top of the group, although should Albania drop points in either of their next two fixtures, in Budapest and at home to Poland, then Southgate's side could confirm qualification by winning their upcoming matches with Andorra and Hungary if other results also go their way.
Kieran Trippier will captain England against Andorra on Saturday night, Sky Sports News understands.
It will only be the second time the Atletico Madrid full-back has skippered his country after also leading them against Wales 12 months ago.
And that decision suggests that neither Kane nor Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson will start on Saturday.
Sky Sports News has also learned that Tammy Abraham is expected to start.
Abraham has not featured for England since a substitute appearance against Iceland 11 months ago.
England's 24-man squad got a feel for Andorra's artificial pitch on the eve of the game, and Southgate does not feel he has to protect any players like Kane - albeit Trippier's role as captain all but confirms the striker will not start.
"No, every player is available," the England boss said. "To be honest there are players with different medical issues that would be less likely to be available than Harry.
"But none of that would stop them playing a part in the game.
"We are conscious that one or two have small ongoing problems, the sort of things that changing a surface can create a problem. Changing one grass surface to another is one of the biggest injury risks you have.
"But with the artificial, it's a similar thing, it's the change from one to the other that can create a problem. But we're not concerned with Harry at all."
An all-female refereeing team will take charge of England's World Cup Qualifier in Andorra on Saturday.
Kateryna Monzul has been named as the referee, along with fellow Ukrainian assistant referees Maryna Striletska and Svitlana Grushko.
The VAR is Stephanie Frappart of France, however the fourth official and assistant VAR are both male - Denys Shurman and Viktor Matyash respectively.
The historic moment marks the first time a senior England men's game has been refereed by a woman.
In an exclusive interview, Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling reflects on his England career to date, one that has already spanned nine years after making his debut for the national team at the age of 17...
Follow Andorra vs England on Saturday, October 9 (kick-off 7.45pm) with our live blog, and watch free match highlights on the Sky Sports website and app, as well as the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel, from 11pm.
England then take on Hungary on Tuesday, October 12 (kick-off 7.45pm), with free match highlights also available from 11pm.
