England manager Gareth Southgate insists Hart is still his No1 despite questions being raised about his inability to keep either of Leigh Griffiths’ free-kicks out against Scotland on Saturday.
But he had already decided that Burnley’s Tom Heaton would start against France tonight, with Stoke’s Jack Butland set to come on at half-time as one of six available substitutions.
“I don’t want anyone to feel completely comfortable in position because that’s not helpful,” said Southgate. “We want competition for places. Next season we don’t know who will be playing at which club, who will be in form.
“Joe has been excellent for us. The goals on Saturday were the first he’d conceded in qualifying and we owe him for a great save me made against Slovenia. His contribution around the group has been excellent since I’ve been manager.
“But players have got to play their way into that sort of situation. I know Jack is a goalkeeper of high potential and I have huge belief that Tom wants that position as well.
“Let’s see what they do next season with their clubs and the way they perform each week. They’ve both been along the pathway at different age groups and Jack’s experience is as good as any other young goalkeeper in terms of an English goalkeeper: Olympics, U20s, U21s… a great international pathway.
“At the moment, Joe has been excellent but there’s good competition for places.”
Harry Kane will again wear the captain’s armband although Southgate insisted no significance should be read into this with regards to who will be given the more permanent responsibility ahead of, hopefully, the trip to Russia next summer.
“I’m not committing to a timescale on that,” he said. “I think it has been a good experience to develop other leaders.
“We’re seeing that not only in terms of responsibility but the way the group are prepared to contribute when we’re discussing games, when we’re reviewing games.
“There’s lots of potential leaders in different ways – some are at the forefront, speak first, lead from the front in different ways. I think it has been good to devolve the leadership.”
Tomorrow night also marks the first time a senior England team will be given the benefit of having a Video Assistant Referee sat in the stands.
It means that incidents in the build-up to goals, penalty decisions and potential red card offences can be reviewed at the referee’s request or on the opinion of the Video Assistant Referee.
France are no strangers to the technology, having been the first to use it in an international friendly against Italy in September and the England under-20 side were subject to the new system during their recent World Cup win.
But it will be a first chance for Southgate’s side to experience directly technology which FIFA plan to introduce for the 2018 World Cup finals.
