KALVIN PHILLIPS has followed Peter Crouch into Fifa’s bad books – before kicking a ball at Qatar 2022.
Ahead of the 2006 tournament in Germany, videos of Crouch’s aerial approach was used as an example of what should be penalised by referees, making the striker a marked man.
And now Phillips’ block to create the space for Harry Maguire’s early breakthrough in the 5-0 qualifying win over Albania last November was the example of play that officials should clamp down on in the World Cup.
Phillips moved back from an offside position to clear the way for Maguire to head home a Reece James free-kick at the backpost.
Refs’ chief Pierluigi Collina said: “That would be disallowed here. It would be interfering with an opponent from an offside position.”
The Three Lions’ Wembley romp was notable for Harry Kane’s “perfect hat-trick” in 27 minutes as they netted five times before the break.
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Skipper Kane was the first England man since David Platt in 1993 to score in the same game with both feet and a header.
The Tottenham striker and Maguire seem certain starters for Monday’s World Cup opener against Iran.
But Maguire’s goal supplier James has missed Qatar through injury and Phillips isn’t yet fit enough to play.
The fifth scorer against Albania, Jordan Henderson, is only likely to make the bench.
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Fifa’s singling out of a Three Lions’ goal comes as former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson advised current boss Gareth Southgate to quit – if he masterminds World Cup glory in Qatar.
The Swede believes playing the tournament in winter could help Southgate – as his players won’t be “half dead” like they are at the end of the Premier League season.
Eriksson told The Telegraph: “If England win it, my advice to Gareth Southgate is to go. It can’t get any better than that.
“It is unfair to criticise him for being too defensive because he’s done one final and one semi-final.
“It is very difficult to do much better than that.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk