Sam Allardyce shows no fear as he names England World Cup qualifier team 48 hours before the Slovakia match
SAM ALLARDYCE showed he fears no one as England boss — by naming his first team 48 HOURS early.
Roy Hodgson was obsessively secretive about his line-ups, but Big Sam has sent out a message as new Three Lions chief.
He announced his side two days before they kick off their road to Russia 2018 with a World Cup qualifier in Slovakia.
Adam Lallana, Jordan Henderson and John Stones are named in the side — England’s first game since the humiliating 2-1 defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016.
Allardyce, who replaced Hodgson when he quit straight after that shock defeat, has made three changes from the side embarrassed in Nice.
Chris Smalling, Dele Alli and Daniel Sturridge are the men to make way for Stones, Henderson and Lallana.
The new Three Lions manager will also dump Hodgson’s 4-3-3 formation in favour of a 4-2-3-1 shape.
It will mean Liverpool star Henderson playing alongside Tottenham’s Eric Dier in the midfield engine room.
Meanwhile, skipper Wayne Rooney, who played in England’s midfield at the summer tournament in France, starts in the No 10 role behind lone frontman Harry Kane.
The striker has also failed to find the net for Tottenham so far this season, but is preferred to Jamie Vardy.
And winger Raheem Sterling’s impressive start to life under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City sees him retain his place, after suffering a barrage of criticism during England’s Euro disaster.