Five England players left out for Lithuania game

LONDON (Reuters) – England will rest five players from the squad to face Lithuania next week following Friday’s 2-0 win over Estonia that saw their perfect record reach nine games in Euro 2016 qualifying Group D.

Goalkeeper Jack Butland will make his first competitive international start in Monday’s match in Vilnius among several changes with regular keeper Joe Hart going back to his club.

Captain Wayne Rooney, defender Gary Cahill and midfielders Michael Carrick and James Milner have also been left out with Phil Jagielka, Phil Jones and Jonjo Shelvey starting.

“We have other players I need to see in that game,” Hodgson told reporters at Wembley. “There isn’t much time for people to show what they can do.

“These are players who we think are going to be important, who we trust, and I believe we’ll still be good enough to win the game. I want to find out that these players are good enough to be in the squad.”

England are in next year’s finals in France as group winners ahead of Switzerland and victory over Lithuania will make them only the sixth nation to complete Euro qualifying with a perfect record.

Carrick and Rooney did not play at Wembley due to respective groin and ankle injuries but Hart, Cahill and Milner played as Theo Walcott and Raheem Sterling secured a ninth qualifying win.

Stoke City’s Butland, 22, has only played for England once in a 2-1 friendly win over Italy at Wembley in 2012.

(Writing by Ken Ferris; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)