Friday 11 November 2016 20:34, UK
Will Scotland's Darren Fletcher be able to contain England's in-form Jordan Henderson on Friday? We check the stats...
England and Scotland lock horns at Wembley on Friday evening for a first competitive meeting in 17 years. The exchanges in a potentially bustling, congested midfield are likely to prove pivotal in this contest, providing either side with a platform to dictate from.
On Friday night, that will pit Liverpool's Jordan Henderson against West Brom's Darren Fletcher.
Henderson has been pulling the strings for Liverpool this season, enforcing Jurgen Klopp's high-octane philosophy in both phases of the game. He currently leads the Premier League in passes, recording 904 to date, which is already eight per cent more than the 435 other players to play this season.
Henderson's average return of 83.5 passes per 90 mins is also a Premier League high and, crucially, 134 of his passes have been into the final third, a return just two players surpass. He has become the key midfield pivot of his club side's approach, with team-mates constantly looking for combination play and quick exchanges with him as they attempt to break down opposing defences.
This focal point of the passing game is something Henderson is gradually translating to the international scene. He's been his country's leading passer in the past two qualifiers, something he only managed once through his six appearances in qualifying for Euro 2016. The more Gareth Southgate can utilise Henderson's Liverpool form and contribution in this department, the better.
As fellow England team-mate Daniel Sturridge has discovered, proficiency on the ball in now no longer enough to merit continued inclusion in the Liverpool line-up. Henderson reinforces his importance to his club side off the ball by enforcing the Reds' relentless pressing game to perfection, covering more ground than any other Premier League player this season.
He leads the English top flight in kilometres run, covering over 131km, while few surpass his average contribution per 90 minutes. This kind of industry may prove vital in what is likely to be an energetic midfield battle.
Up against Henderson, attempting to slow his distribution, will be Fletcher. The West Brom midfielder has long been the steadiest influence in the Scottish XI. Capped 76 times, Fletcher has 26-more international appearances than any other member of Gordon Strachan's current squad, and he must draw upon this wealth of experience to spoil Henderson's day.
Playing on Friday will leave Fletcher behind only Jim Leighton and Kenny Dalglish as Scotland's most capped player.
Durability has become a major attribute of the Scotland captain, with the former Manchester United man currently on a run of 64 consecutive Premier League starts - the longest run of his career, and a run only bettered by Leicester's Wes Morgan (72). That said, with such a streak of games, Gordon Strachan will perhaps be concerned his captain has the mobility to shadow Henderson's energetic bursts, especially with club manager Tony Pulis recently claiming the Baggies' captain looked tired.
While both players carry out contrasting instructions from their club managers, comparing their Premier League seasons show how much more influential Henderson has been. He has the capacity to be far more effective on and off the ball in this game, and this is something Scotland must look to negate.
Henderson and Fletcher have met eight times in their club career. Each player has won just once against the other with six of the eight matches being drawn. Both wins were by a one-goal margin and this is the kind of tightly-contested affair that may be on show on Friday.
England players seem seldom able to reproduce club form on the international stage, but if Henderson is allowed to run the game for Southgate's side, as he currently does for Liverpool, the home side will expect to win.
