LONDON — England manager Roy Hodgson suffered a double injury blow Monday as the Football Association confirmed Liverpool duo Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana had withdrawn from his squad for the forthcoming matches against Lithuania and Italy. Sturridge was forced to return to Liverpool after scans showed the striker wouldn't be fit to feature in Friday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley and next week's friendly against Italy in Turin. The 25-year-old was reported to have sustained a hip problem during Liverpool's 2-1 defeat against Manchester United at Anfield Sunday. With Sturridge, who scored in the United match, already having been ruled out for several months after suffering a thigh injury while training with England earlier this season, Hodgson and his medical team were understandably keen not to take any risks with the player's fitness. “Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has left the England squad and returned home to his club Monday evening,” an FA statement confirmed. Sturridge's absence could mean a first cap for in-form Tottenham striker Harry Kane, who took his goal tally for the season to 29 with a hat trick against Leicester Saturday. Kane is in the senior England squad for the first time and will be competing with Arsenal's Danny Welbeck for the job of partnering captain Wayne Rooney in Hodgson's forward line against Lithuania. To add to Hodgson's misfortune, Liverpool midfielder Lallana also withdrew from the squad after suffering a groin injury against United that forced him to come off at half-time. Lallana was replaced by Tottenham's emerging young midfielder Ryan Mason, who was called up for the first time. The 23-year-old, who has enjoyed a breakthrough season in central midfield for Tottenham, will also provide cover for Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph, who is suffering from a stomach bug. Mason was loaned to third tier club Swindon last season, but he has played 29 times for Tottenham under new boss Mauricio Pochettino this term. His last appearance in an England shirt came in 2011 when he played for the Under-20s against France. Real suspends member Real Madrid has suspended a club member and banned him from its installations pending an inquiry after three men insulted players and struck at least one of their vehicles as they were leaving the training ground Sunday. Players including Wales winger Gareth Bale and forward Jese were targeted along with coach Carlo Ancelotti after they arrived back in Madrid following their 2-1 defeat at Barcelona in the La Liga ‘Clasico'. Footage published in Spanish media showed one man striking Jese's car window and yelling insults. When Bale and Ancelotti left they were also insulted and two men tried to punch and kick Bale's vehicle as security guards looked on. Sergio Ramos, one of the club captains, briefly stopped to ask the men what they were doing before driving on. Real said on its website Monday one of the three men had been identified as a club member and had been suspended pending a disciplinary committee hearing which would decide whether or not to expel him. — Agencies
