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Gareth Southgate confirmed Manchester City’s quintet are available to face Malta, but the England boss is wary about the emotional impact of completing the treble and subsequent revelry. Pep Guardiola’s men became the second team in English football history to complete the treble by beating Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul on Saturday. City partied long into the night in Turkey and only halted their celebrations after Monday’s rain-soaked parade back in Manchester, with worse-for-wear Jack Grealish at the heart of things. The playmaker reported for England duty at St George’s Park on Tuesday evening along with team-mates Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Kalvin Phillips. They travelled to Malta for Friday’s Euro 2024 qualifier, but the emotional – and for some hedonistic – build-up raises questions over their availability. “The first thing is they’re not on summer holiday,” Southgate said of the squad. “They’re all available, so everybody’s fit. We’ve obviously got a lot of considerations, particularly the boys that arrived later. “They’ve not done the majority of the week’s training and coming off the back of massive emotional high. “It’s always complicated, the decisions you have to make. This is never a straightforward week when you’re talking about international football. “But the team have trained really well, the players that have been with us all week, especially, the focus has been excellent and we’re looking forward to the game now.” On the City quintet, Southgate said: “I spoke with them when they arrived, firstly to say what an incredible achievement (it is) and huge congratulations to the whole club and to Pep. He’s done an incredible job to keep the team at the level he has for the whole season. It’s an amazing achievement. “But we’re actually heading into the unknown here because there’s no way of knowing individually how they’re all going to react and respond to what they’ve been through. “Huge emotion, celebration, need to get back into training, back in with the group, so we’re just going to have to take that bit by bit and see how they all are. “They’re all available but I’ve got to decide whether that’s a good decision. We’ve also got strength in depth in a lot of those positions as well.” Southgate’s pride at his players’ success with City was clear, but he kept his cards close to his chest when asked for his thoughts about the partying. “I’m always monitoring everything the players do wherever they are, at whatever stage of the season,” he said. “We’re used to dealing with this Champions League scenario. “It was probably even more complicated for us when Tottenham played Liverpool (in 2019) because we were then into the semi-final of the Nations League about three days later. “We’ve had several difficult situations with that, but we know how to deal with it. “We’re used to dealing with it, we know our players inside out and our focus is on the team now. “I’ve said to the players, I now have to push them. They might not want to be pushed at this stage, that’s also individually we’ll find out where they are as we go through the week. “But that’s my job. I’ve got to push the players now to get the results we need and, as we said to the wider group at the start, the responsibility lies with them. “Initially this part of the week they’ve got to drive the team and get the performance we want.” Southgate’s press conference at the Ta’ Qali National Stadium was delayed due to technical difficulties upon arriving in Malta, with his 24-man squad forced to wait on the tarmac. Eberechi Eze is among the travelling side and hoping to make his debut on Friday, as is England Under-21s international Levi Colwill, who joined the group after initially being brought into train with them this week. The pair are among those that have had to pause their post-season break at the end of a mammoth season for international duty, but Kieran Trippier says the team are fully focused. “It was important obviously that the lads had a break,” the Newcastle right-back said. “Coming into the England set-up, it’s always a proud moment for all of us to get going again. “When you say it’s been a long season, but for us players there’s nothing better… (we’re) proud to represent our country. “We know what the goal is, to try and reach a Euros and we’ve had a good week training to prepare for this game. “The lads are playing really well. We know it’s going to be a challenge tomorrow, but it’s one I’m ready for.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Will Marcus Rashford make a qualifier return? – 5 talking points Andy Murray feeling ‘really positive’ over fitness as winning run continues Gareth Southgate undecided on whether to select Man City stars against Malta

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Jonny Evans has insisted he wants to keep playing for Northern Ireland for as long as he remains a professional footballer. Evans is in line to captain his country against Denmark on Friday night, earning his 101st cap at the age of 35. After an injury-ravaged season which ended in the disappointment of relegation with Leicester, Evans is out of contract at the King Power this summer but the club said they were in talks over a new deal. Given the amount of time he has missed, Evans would have been forgiven for considering international retirement after reaching his century of caps in Greece last September, but the Belfast-born defender said that had never been on his mind. “No. I’ve never felt like I would separate the two (club and country),” he said. “Probably with the injuries, there maybe was a time where I thought I was just coming to that age where I feel like my body can’t handle it any more. “But I played the three games at the end of the season and I felt good in them. I want to keep playing, and that’ll be the same at club level and international football.” Evans returned from two months out to start Leicester’s final three games of the season, but admitted he was still unsure over his fitness levels after a campaign in which he managed only 14 club appearances. “It’s hard to know where I’m at,” he said. “But I think those three games I was involved in were good for me, I was just glad to get through them.” A 2-1 win over West Ham on the final day of the season was not enough to spare Leicester from the drop as Everton beat Bournemouth to survive. Evans is still dealing with the disappointment, but said coming away with Northern Ireland offered a welcome change of scenery. “International football has always been that for you,” he said. “You go back home and I always feel that when you go back home you are grounded a little bit. “There is a calmness to it and it gives you something inside. I’ve always felt that. For example, I’ve known Craig (Cathcart) since I was 10 years old and meeting up again is like getting back together. “All of the staff and Michael (O’Neill) coming back in. We have been through a lot together over the years so I always feel that and always enjoy that. It’s a nice feeling to have.” Evans also has happy memories of Copenhagen, having earned his second cap here in a 0-0 draw with Denmark in 2006. If Northern Ireland could repeat that on Friday, it would give fresh impetus to their hopes of reaching Euro 2024 after the setback of March’s 1-0 loss to Finland in Belfast. That was O’Neill’s first game back at Windsor Park since returning to the job in December. Evans said having the man who led Northern Ireland to Euro 2016 back in the dugout has given the players fresh belief. “With Michael, even when he left to go to Stoke we kept in touch,” he said. “Michael has been a constant throughout my career. We had a big long spell together in his first time in charge and I’ve always felt like we had a great relationship. “When I found out there was a chance he was getting the job we were all delighted and there was the odd text to make sure he took up that opportunity. It’s been great working with him again. “Obviously we managed to do alright the last time and with Michael’s planning and the way he approaches things, and his relationship with the players which he has always valued goes a long way.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Rickie Fowler makes fast start at US Open with early move to top leaderboard Four British women make history in reaching WTA quarter-final for first time Michael O’Neill urges Northern Ireland to embrace challenge against Denmark

England boss Gareth Southgate confirmed Manchester City’s treble winners are available to face Malta, but he is yet to decide if they will play. Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Kalvin Phillips only linked up with the squad on Tuesday after Manchester City completed the treble by beating Inter Milan 1-0 in the Champions League final on Saturday. Grealish’s celebrations have made the headlines, but Southgate is happy to consider the group for selection for Friday’s Euro 2024 qualifier. “We are going to have to take it bit by bit and see how they are,” he said. “They are all available for tomorrow but I’ve yet to decide if that’s a good decision. “I spoke to them when they arrived, firstly to say what an incredible achievement. We said we are heading into the unknown, there is no way of knowing individually how they are going to react and respond to what they’ve been through. “Everybody is fit. We have got a lot of considerations, particularly the boys who arrived later and are coming off the back of a massive emotional high with the game at the weekend. “It’s always complicated, the decisions you have to make. The team has trained really well, the focus has been excellent and we are looking forward to the game.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

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Michael O’Neill has told his young Northern Ireland players to embrace the challenge of taking on Denmark in Copenhagen on Friday night. O’Neill said this Euro 2024 qualifier was not only the hardest fixture on paper but the “hardest fixture full stop” as Northern Ireland travel to take on the top seeds in Group H at the always noisy Parken Stadium. Jamal Lewis has been added to an already lengthy injury list which has robbed O’Neill of half a dozen of his most experienced players, and with Shane Ferguson also out there is a shortage of left-sided players. O’Neill will try to get as much experience as he can into his starting 11, but there will be no option but to rely on younger players too, with Conor Bradley and Shea Charles among the contenders to start. “This is a good game for us,” O’Neill said. “It’s a young squad, we’ve got seven under-21 players with us. We’ll rely heavily on our experienced players as well. It’s a game we can only gain from really. “Obviously we were disappointed with the home game against Finland (a 1-0 defeat in March), we felt we deserved more than we got, so we’ve got to try and make up points somewhere along the line. This is a hard place to play, but we’ll go with the intention of trying to find something from the game.” The 38,000-seater Parken Stadium can become an intimidating place for visiting teams, but while it might be unlike anything Northern Ireland’s younger players have experienced before, O’Neill does not want them to shy away. The thing I've enjoyed in working with the younger players is I see their attitude to the game, it's very positive, I don't think they'll have a fear Michael O'Neill “I think they should embrace it really more than anything else,” he said. “The message will be go out and enjoy playing in a stadium like this… “The thing I’ve enjoyed in working with the younger players is I see their attitude to the game, it’s very positive, I don’t think they’ll have a fear. “There’s a lot of self-belief and abilities in the likes of Shea Charles, Isaac Price, Conor Bradley, Trai Hume, they play in games where they’ve a lot of expectancy where they’re currently playing their football. “I think we have to have that mindset that we’ve got everything to gain from Friday night and not fear the atmosphere but look forward to it.” One key challenge for Northern Ireland will be limiting Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen’s ability to dictate play from the centre of pitch. “We understand we are dealing with a top level player here,” O’Neill said. “It’s brilliant seeing him back playing international football. “The days of man marking players is more difficult now but as a team we have made the midfield players in particular very aware of the Danish midfield and Christian Eriksen is the major player in that midfield. He is a hugely experienced player at international level. “I think to deal with players at that level it’s more about what we do as a collective as opposed to possibly that designated player to deal with that situation.” Both sides come into the game nursing disappointments from the last round of fixtures in March. Denmark suffered a shock defeat to Kazakhstan, blowing a 2-0 lead as their unfancied hosts scored three in the last 20 minutes, while O’Neill’s first game back in charge at Windsor Park ended in that loss to Finland. O’Neill insisted he was not interested in making any sort of statement by claiming a big scalp on Friday, but his mind is on making up for what he sees as lost points. “It would give us six points and it would make up for the disappointment of Finland,” he said. “I don’t think it’s about sending out a statement. I think this group could be very tight. Results have demonstrated that. “If you can take anything off the number one seed in the group it is a massive achievement.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Republic boss Stephen Kenny hopes to exorcise ghost of Cristiano Ronaldo Ashes rivals unite in honour of Nottingham victims on opening day of series Ben Stokes urges his England players to become a part of Ashes folklore

Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny will hope to finally exorcise the ghost of Cristiano Ronaldo as he targets a priceless Euro 2024 qualifier victory in Greece. Kenny will send his troops into Group B battle at the OPAP Arena on Friday evening desperate to open their account at the second time of asking after they lost 1-0 to France in Dublin in their opener. He will do so still reflecting on the famous World Cup qualifier win over Portugal which was snatched from his grasp by Ronaldo’s late double in September 2021, and game in which Ireland led through John Egan’s header with just a minute of normal time left on the clock. Asked if he was encouraged by the fact that some of his team’s better performances had come away from home, Kenny replied: “You can’t look back. “Of course we have analysed all the performances and the obvious one is the game in Portugal, of course, which we lost late. “We have learned so much about the team over the last year and you can see the team improving, but this is a stern test. We have learned so much about the team over the last year and you can see the team improving, but this is a stern test Stephen Kenny “Greece are a really good team, they are at home, and it will be a brilliant atmosphere, I’m sure, and it is one that we want the players to rise to and put in a big performance.” Kenny and his players arrived in Athens after using a nine-day training camp on Antalya, Turkey to acclimatise to the heat and humidity they expect to face at the home of AEK Athens. Greece boss Gus Poyet has billed the game as must-win for both nations with the Netherlands as well as France – minnows Gibraltar complete the group – also vying for qualification, but Kenny is taking a more pragmatic view. He said: “We are looking for that historic away win, that’s our objective, that’s what we want. “Greece have a very good home record, they have been in good form over the past year – we respect that. “Nothing will be easy, we will have to fight for everything and it’s only the second game of the group, so I don’t think anything is decided so early, but it is certainly going to be an important game for both teams.” It could be a particularly big night for Ireland’s 18-year-old striker Evan Ferguson, who would dearly love to wrap up a memorable season, during which he has burst on to the Premier League scene at Brighton, made his senior international debut and scored his first Ireland goal. Asked if the challenge to the teenager was to finish the campaign in style with a telling contribution in Athens, Kenny said: “Evan has emerged quicker than we could have anticipated. He’s done brilliantly for Brighton in the Premier League. We’re delighted to have him. “He’s trained really well this week. Such a young player, you wouldn’t want to put too much on his shoulders because we’ve got five good young forwards in the squad. “But he has got terrific ability and we’d love to see that emerge over the next week.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ashes rivals unite in honour of Nottingham victims on opening day of series Ben Stokes urges his England players to become a part of Ashes folklore Kane thanks team-mates and Bellingham takes five – Thursday’s sporting social

The Premier League games you can expect to watch on Boxing Day during the 2023/24 season.