Every England tournament countdown needs an injury scare story. The thing about the one which Kieran Trippier sparked on the Wednesday before last – from the other side of the world in Australia – was that he was oblivious to it.
Trippier had come off after 37 minutes of Newcastle’s post-season friendly against Tottenham in Melbourne, a fixture widely derided for the strain it placed on the players after a gruelling campaign and with Euro 2024 looming.
