England team news: Eric Dier ruled out of Montenegro Euro 2020 qualifier in fresh injury blow

Midfielder has been sent back to Tottenham after suffering an injury early in England’s 5-0 victory over the Czech Republic but Gareth Southgate has decided against calling up a replacement

England may have made the dream start to their Euro 2020 qualification campaign but it came at something of a cost as Gareth Southgate was dealt yet another injury blow.

Eric Dier was an early casualty in England’s 5-0 victory over the Czech Republic on Friday night as he was clattered into by Tomas Soucek.

Despite trying to run off the knock that initially appeared to be to his ankle, Dier was left grasping at his hip and Southgate had no option than to replace the Tottenham defender just 17 minutes into the Euro 2020 qualifier with Ross Barkley.

Southgate confirmed after the landslide victory at Wembley Stadium that Dier will return to Spurs for treatment on the injury and will not be part of the squad that will travel to Montenegro on Sunday to prepare for Monday’s qualifier at the Stadion Pod Goricom.

It raised the prospect of Southgate calling up yet another injury replacement, but the manager dismissed this idea and said that he will try to get by with the options he currently has at his disposal providing there are no further setbacks.

“No, we will have a look (to) just see everyone else in the morning and assess,” Southgate said. “The preference would be to go with the players that we have got but if we lose any more then we will review that.”

Dier has suffered an injury-hit 2019 so far, having played 90 minutes just twice since the turn of the year, and Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino will hope that the setback is not a serious one as they prepare for the Premier League top-four run-in as well as the Champions League quarter-finals against Manchester City.

With Dier absence, Southgate’s options appear to be limited to either Barkley or Declan Rice, who made his England debut on Friday night just weeks after switching allegiance from the Republic of Ireland to the Three Lions.

Eric Dier suffered injury in England's 5-0 victory over Czech Republic (EPA)

However, Southgate does look set to make changes to his side that could see him go with more experience over youth in an effort to pick up his first victory in Montenegro at the third attempt. The likes of Jadon Sancho, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Rice all saw game time in the Wembley victory, but whether they continue in their roles remains to be seen.

“I think we need to find the balance between freshness and continuity so that's been on our mind most of the week,” Southgate said.

“I need to have a look at their game from tonight to finalise what we expect, but we know, we have been there twice before and not managed to beat them so it will be an intense environment.”