Play if you’re able, says Kane

England have to win in Athens on Thursday to have any chance of being promoted, but eight players, including the likes of Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish and Bukayo Saka withdrew at the start of the week.

There have been suggestions some players have taken advantage of this being Lee Carsley’s last squad before Thomas Tuchel takes over in January, and Kane said he thought “maybe that’s been taken advantage of a little bit”.

“I think England comes before anything,” he said. “England comes before club. Gareth [Southgate] was hot on that and he wasn’t afraid to make decisions if, you know, that started to drift from certain players.”

Coote drug allegations

Football officials said they were taking new allegations against David Coote “very seriously” and Uefa said it had suspended the Premier League referee.