Carsley 'won't take a chance' on Kane as he hands armband to Stones

Asked to clarify whether star striker will be on the bench against Greece at Wembley, Carsley said: "We're not ruling him out yet of the game, but he won't start the game"

MAN IN THE MIDDLE: England's John Stones during a training session at St George's Park, Burton-on-Trent. Picture date: Wednesday October 9, 2024. PA Photo. See PA story SOCCER England. Photo credit should read: Martin Rickett/PA Wire

Interim boss Lee Carsley says he "won't take a chance" with Harry Kane's fitness in England's Nations League clash against Greece as the skipper deals with a knock.

A month on from celebrating his 100th cap with a match-winning brace against Finland, the 31-year-old could miss Thursday's Wembley return against the Group B2 leaders.

Kane sustained a knock during Bayern Munich's Bundesliga clash with Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday and has been unable to train with the group despite getting the green light to stay with England.

The skipper did an individual training programme on both Tuesday and Wednesday, with Carsley keen to be careful with the skipper ahead of facing Greece and Finland this Sunday.

"Harry's nursing an injury, a small knock," the interim England manager said. "Something that we won't take a chance with."

Asked to clarify whether Kane will be on the bench at Wembley, he said: "We're not ruling him out yet of the game, but he won't start the game.

"Hopefully he'll be in contention then for Sunday (against Finland) but, again, time will tell. It's not something I think we should be rushing."

Kane's issue means long-serving team-mate John Stones will lead England out as captain for the first time on the night of his 82nd cap.

"It was a great conversation that I was able to have with John last night, to have that responsibility to ask him to captain the team," Carsley said.

"It's a brilliant achievement for John. Something that he deserves - the amount of caps he's got, the experience he's got, the level of professionalism that he shows within the squad, the example he is to the younger players. It was a great conversation to have."

Stones is excited for an "incredible moment" as he captains England for the first time.

"It's definitely everything that I could have dreamed of as a kid," the defender said. "For my family to be able to see me walk out as England captain is a special moment and one I can't thank Lee enough for.

"It was a great conversation we had last night and one I was a bit speechless in. An incredible moment for me, it was a bit more normal today, everything resumed as normal, the preparation, the training that we've done and our focus.

"To be walking out with the armband on is an absolute honour and a moment I will cherish forever."

PA