Football
ESPN staff 9y

Harry Kane on bench for England vs. Lithuania; Welbeck and Rooney start

Harry Kane will have to wait for his first full England debut as the Premier League's top goal scorer starts on the bench against Lithuania in Friday night's Euro 2016 qualifier.

Kane, 21, was handed his first call-up to the senior squad by Roy Hodgson as the Tottenham striker leads the scoring charts with 19 top-flight goals, but the Three Lions boss has selected Danny Welbeck to partner Wayne Rooney in attack for the Wembley clash.

Raheem Sterling also starts for England alongside Liverpool teammate Jordan Henderson, while Michael Carrick and Phil Jones join Rooney as Manchester United's representatives.

Aston Villa's Fabian Delph is a surprise inclusion in midfield, with the likes of James Milner and Andros Townsend having to settle for a place on the bench alongside Kane.

Asked about Kane, Hodgson told Sky Sports: "It was tempting because he's done very well in training and we're very impressed with his form and we like him very much, but he's got a long career ahead of him. I'm pretty sure he'll make his debut if not tonight then on Tuesday against Italy. Time is on his side.

"We've got a way of playing ... Unless it was a one-for-one swap, if I was to play Harry it would involve a change of system and I didn't want to do that at this particular moment."

England starting XI vs. Lithuania: Hart; Clyne, Cahill, Jones, Baines; Henderson, Carrick, Delph; Sterling, Rooney, Welbeck.

England substitutes vs. Lithuania: Butland, Green, Smalling, Walcott, Jagielka, Milner, Townsend, Kane, Mason, Barkley, Gibbs, Walker.

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