Liverpool full-back Joe Gomez's rollercoaster week, from the high of beating Manchester City last Sunday to being booed at Wembley on Thursday, ended with him missing England's final Euro 2020 qualifier in Kosovo due to a sore knee.
The 22-year-old -- whose Liverpool team-mate Jordan Henderson also misses the trip to Kosovo with a viral infection -- featured in the headlines earlier in the week after City striker Raheem Sterling confronted him at England's training centre on Monday, the day after Liverpool's 3-1 victory over City.
Gomez was booed when he came on as a substitute in the 7-0 mauling of Montenegro, while Henderson missed it due to a one-match ban.
To all the @England fans, I wanted to leave things at it was but tonight I have to speak again : it was hard for me to see my team mate get booed for something that was my fault. Joe hasn’t done anything wrong & for me to see someone who keeps his head down and work hard..
— Raheem Sterling (@sterling7) November 14, 2019
Victory assured England of a place at the finals.
Read | Sterling dropped by England after clash with Gomez
"Jordan Henderson and Joe Gomez will miss England's final UEFA EURO 2020 qualifier in Kosovo on Sunday," read a statement from the Football Association (FA).
"Henderson arrived in camp with a viral infection that has not fully cleared.
"Meanwhile, his Liverpool team-mate Gomez sustained a knock to the knee in training on Friday and has not recovered sufficiently enough to travel.
"The pair have returned to their club meaning the Three Lions will head to Pristina on Saturday with a 23-man squad."
Read | Southgate to bring Sterling back from England exile
England may have assured themselves of a place in the finals but Southgate wants a win on Sunday to ensure they are seeded in the top six.
Sterling is expected to play a role after being dropped for the Montenegro game due to the Gomez incident, for which he apologised.
Kosovo will be in the play-offs next March having progressed through the Nations League, so their dream of reaching a first major tournament finals is still alive.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Glyn Kirk
