Gareth Southgate plans on recalling Raheem Sterling for Kosovo clash

England manager says City winger will be back after one-game suspension, but admits he might not be the player's favourite person at the moment

England's Raheem Sterling, left, and Joe Gomez during training. Reuters

England's Joe Gomez. Reuters

England's Tyrone Mings. Reuters

England manager Gareth Southgate. Reuters

Left to right: England's Tyrone Mings, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez and Mason Mount. Reuters

England's Raheem Sterling and Joe Gomez. Reuters

England players during training. Reuters

The England squad at training. Reuters

England players during training. Reuters

England's Raheem Sterling and Joe Gomez. Reuters

England's Tyrone Mings, left, talking to Callum Hudson-Odoi. Reuters

England's Harry Kane. PA

England players during training. Reuters

England players during training. Reuters

England players during training. Reuters

England's Raheem Sterling, centre, and Joe Gomez, right. Reuters

Left to right: England's Joe Gomez, Callum Wilson and Danny Rose. Reuters

England's Raheem Sterling. Reuters

England manager Gareth Southgate. Reuters

England's Raheem Sterling, left, and Joe Gomez. Reuters

Gareth Southgate will recall Raheem Sterling for England's game in Kosovo despite suspecting the forward is unhappy with him after being axed for the Euro 2020 qualifier against Montenegro.

Only a point is needed against the Group A minnows to secure qualification for the finals and Thursday's encounter at Wembley will also see the Three Lions celebrate becoming the first nation to play 1,000 international matches.

Much of the talk, however, has focused on a fracas rather than football in the build-up following Sterling's exchange with Liverpool defender Joe Gomez less than 24 hours after the pair clashed towards the end of Manchester City's 3-1 loss at Anfield.

The Football Association announced late on Monday night that the 24-year-old would not be considered to face Montenegro as a result, with the forward making private and public apologies after emotions got the better of him.

While Southgate feels it may have caused a temporary rift in his relationship with Sterling, he insists he is ready to restore one of his key men in the final qualifier in Prishtina on Sunday.

"Yes," Southgate replied when asked if he would be ready to turn to Sterling in Kosovo. "Without knowing what might happen in tomorrow's game and everything else, but I can see it."

Asked if he had any hesitation in making such a decision, he said: "None, none whatsoever. As I have said, we take the decision and drew a line under everything. We move forward now, the way he's trained has been exemplary, so that's it."

Southgate attempted to clear up the matter in a hastily-organised press conference on Tuesday but was still fielding questions about Sterling on the eve of their final home Euro 2020 qualifier.

"As a player, my relationship with my managers and how I felt about them changed day to day, and there were many occasions when I had the hump with them, usually when I wasn't in the team," the 57-cap former defender said.

"So I understand that, I hope that time takes its course on those things. As a manager, you hope that you bring lots of good moments for players, there are those occasions where you give them their debut, you give them the chance to play.

"But there are inevitably occasions when you don't start them, where you have to take them off, and that will always be the landscape.

"I hope that all of my players know that, first and foremost, I care about them, that I want to be fair with them, that I want to do what's right for all of them, and that they can lean on me when they need me.

"And I also accept that, at times, they're not going to be bouncing with joy when they see my face walking through the meal room.

"So, that is part and parcel of being a manager. And if you're not up for that challenge, then [it's] better to go and do something else."

Asked if it was fair to say that Sterling is unhappy with him, Southgate said: "Well, I wouldn't imagine that he's hugely enthusiastic [about me], but I can understand that and, in the end, he's with the group, that's the most important thing.

"I don't know that [he is unhappy with me] for sure. You don't have to be an expert in human behaviour to think it was possible.

"His reaction has been brilliant. He spoke to the team really well and he's trained really well and I can't fault his reaction at all."

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When footballers fight: punch-ups on the field

A real dust-up of the 1970s, when footballers were not so worried about the consequences. An English League Division One match at the Baseball Ground. Leeds hardman Norman Hunter threw the first punch, splitting Derby player Francis Lee's lip, before Lee threw left and right hooks at his opponent. Lee and Hunter then stare at each other after the punch up. Getty

This one wouldn't have looked out of place in a cage fighting contest. Newcastle teammates Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer came to blows in 2005 during a Premier League match against Aston Villa at St James' Park. Bowyer got upset because Dyer wouldn't pass to him. It was a no-rules fight that seemed to last an eternity. Getty

Robbie Savage was the master of wind-up. He made the most of his ability on the field, and then added an extra edge by riling opponents. Playing for Birmingham in 2003 in the Second City derby against Aston Villa, Savage managed to antagonise the normally mild-mannered Dion Dublin as the match boiled over. The 'fight' was somewhat one-way – Dublin scythed through Savage and followed that up by headbutting him. Getty

The Charity Shield in England in 1974. Not really an appropriate label on this occasion. It's the season curtain-raiser, all for good causes (in theory). However, tempers boiled over and here's Liverpool's England star Kevin Keegan landing a right cross to the jaw of his Leeds opponent Billy Bremner. Both players were sent off, and both decided to tear their shirts off and throw them to the Wembley turf. They were also both banned for 11 games as a consequence. Shutterstock

A freezing night in Russia in 1995 didn't stop Blackburn Rovers pair David Batty and Graeme Le Saux from overheating. The pair collided going for the same ball, and decided that was reason enough to sort out their differences during this Champions League match against Spartak Moscow. Blackburn skipper Tim Sherwood stepped in to separate the pair, but not before Le Saux had broken his left hand in the melee. Getty

It's what the commentators like to call a "mass brawl". It's 2007 and referee Howard Webb attempts to defuse a scrap between the Arsenal and Chelsea players during the League Cup final at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. He wasn't very successful. Getty

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England defender Harry Maguire insists there are no no cliques in the England camp, despite the incident between Sterling and Gomez.

With club rivalry spilling out into international week, suggestions that splits in the camp may exist were extinguished by Maguire on the eve of the game.

"No, everybody mixes," the Manchester United defender replied when asked if there were any cliques in the current squad.

"I think you've seen how good the unity in the squad is over the last couple of years.

"It's been a good two years and the group has grown together. We continue to keep on growing and that's really important.

"No, definitely no cliques, we all share tables and share jokes and laughs together.

"I think you've seen in Raheem's statement [issued after the clash with Gomez] that he's brought out, that the emotion probably got the better of him.

"He's apologised and like I've said and like Gareth has said, we've moved on from it now, we're not looking at that.

"We've moved on since Monday and we've trained hard; fully focused on the game because it's a big game. We want to qualify for the Euros. And that's what we're aiming to do now."