England will travel to the Ukraine on Sunday without the injured Daniel Sturridge after the Liverpool striker was forced out of Tuesday's critical World Cup qualifier having failed to recover sufficiently from a thigh strain.
Sturridge, who had returned to the Merseyside club on Thursday to continue undergoing treatment, had hoped to prove his fitness before the game in Kiev. However, he continues to be hampered by the injury he sustained in a League Cup tie against Notts County last month and will not be risked for the trip east.
His absence, while feared by Roy Hodgson, still constitutes a blow given England will also be without the suspended Danny Welbeck on Tuesday after he accrued a harsh second yellow card of the qualification campaign in Friday's 4-0 drubbing of Moldova at Wembley.
Wayne Rooney and Andy Carroll are also both absent through injury, leaving Rickie Lambert and Jermain Defoe – who boasts only 37 minutes of Premier League football to his name this season – as the only recognised forwards in Hodgson's party.
James Milner is expected to replace the banned Welbeck at the Olympic Stadium despite his own lack of opportunities so far this season at Manchester City. Liverpool, meanwhile, will continue to monitor Sturridge's fitness before their game at Swansea next Monday.
Guardian Service
