Gareth Southgate has revealed Kieran Trippier is fully fit and merely suffered from ‘cramp’ during England’s 1-0 win over Serbia on Sunday.
Jude Bellingham’s 13th-minute header was enough to ensure the Three Lions continued their 100% record in major tournament openers under Southgate. However, it wasn’t a convincing performance from England, who had to withstand some heavy Serbian pressure.
One worrying sight for England fans was Kieran Trippier sitting on the pitch and calling for medical assistance in the second half.
Although the Newcastle defender was able to complete the match, it is vital he is able to continue throughout the tournament as he fills in at left-back with Luke Shaw not fully fit — an area of the pitch that has become a serious problem for Southgate.
This was the first time Trippier has completed 90 minutes in a match since Newcastle’s penalty shootout win over Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup on February 27, with the former Tottenham and Atletico Madrid full-back reecovering from a calf injury.
And thankfully, Southgate has confirmed it was merely a bout of cramp for the 33-year-old defender.
“Just a bit of cramp really,” he told talkSPORT of Trippier’s fitness after Sundays’s match in Gelsenkirchen.
“I mean, that’s his first 90 minutes in months and to play the way he did just shows what an incredible character he is for us.”
England sit top of Group C win their 1-0 victory, coupled with Denmark and Slovenia playing out a 1-1 draw earlier in the day.
The Three Lions travel to Frankfurt to face Denmark in a repeat of their Euro 2020 semi-final on Thursday afternoon knowing another win will seal their place in the knockout rounds with a game to spare.
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