Malta vs England - Southgate keeps faith with Hart, calling him England's 'best goalkeeper'

Posted Friday, September 01, 2017 by PA

Gareth Southgate is keeping the faith with Joe Hart as England's number one, insisting he remains the best goalkeeper in the country.

Speaking ahead of Friday's World Cup qualifier against Malta, Southgate declined to offer details of his outfield selections or chosen captain but made a point of confirming Hart would retain the gloves at the Ta'Qali National Stadium.

The 30-year-old has endured a rocky start to his season-long loan at West Ham, conceding 10 goals in his first three matches, and the competition from Jack Butland, Tom Heaton and Jordan Pickford is only getting stronger.

But Southgate was clear that the status quo has yet to be overturned, with Hart's record of conceding just twice in six qualifiers counting in his favour.

"Joe will start for us. I think he's our best goalkeeper at the moment," he said.

"I wanted to see how he would respond because he has had a difficult start to the season with his club but I'm pleased he's in a good frame of mind. Joe has trained really well.

"His performances since I've been manager have been very, very good, he's only conceded two goals in Scotland in this qualifying campaign."

While Southgate was emphatic in standing up for Hart, he gave just enough hope to the challengers that it was not a lost cause before next summer's World Cup.

"We're only three matches into the start of the season, so I don't feel as though the others have had time to stake a claim to push Joe out of that position," he explained.

"But we've got three excellent goalkeepers here, there's Jordan who was with us (before withdrawing through injury), and Fraser Forster, who is very unfortunate not to be in the squad.

"I'm fascinated to see how they all get on over the next few months."

Hart is one of five players to have worn the skipper's armband during Southgate's eight games at the helm - alongside Wayne Rooney, Jordan Henderson, Gary Cahill and Harry Kane.

Rooney was the last permanent captain before losing his place in Southgate's plans and his retirement last week has reinvigorated the question about a long-term successor.

As a player Southgate led every one of his club sides but remains convinced the most pressing need is to empower the group, rather than elevate one individual.

"I'm keen to keep sharing the leadership," he said.

"We've focused too much on Wayne in particular these last few years and we've got to start building up a more resilient group of leaders to take responsibility.

"For me it's not my most important decision, more important is trying to build the group into a stronger group that reacts in the right way collectively to pressure moments in the game.

"By putting one person forward to do that I don't think we're going to build that as a team."

Portsmouth-born Sam Magri is set for a "crazy" reunion with Raheem Sterling and Nathaniel Chalobah, with the Ebbsfleet defender now lining up for Malta.

Magri represented England at under-16, under-17 and under-19 level, playing alongside Sterling and Chalobah, but while they have gone on to establish careers at the highest level he has dropped down into the semi-professional ranks of the National League.

Yet the Maltese Football Association has long been aware of his eligibility, through a grandfather, and after initially bringing him into the under-21 fold handed him a full senior debut against Slovenia in November last year.

The 23-year-old has since won three more caps but the opportunity to take on some familiar faces, less than a week after his previous outing against Gateshead, is likely to be the pinnacle.

"Obviously all the games are important but this one is even more for me because I live in England and was brought up in England," he said.

"I played for England Under-16s to under-19s with Raheem and Chalobah from the current squad, and played a number of times with them. But that's all in the past now and it's important to focus.

"Football is a crazy game, obviously (they) went the better way in terms of club football and I didn't. That's just the way it works out and you've got carry on with life."