Martin Skrtel’s Aggression Will Be Key for Slovakia against England

England will be coming up against a familiar position in the form of Martin Skrtel when the team takes on Slovakia in a World Cup 2018 qualifying match this weekend.

England will be taking a huge step towards qualifying for the World Cup with a victory in the game, but one of the biggest challenges for Gareth Southgate’s team may come in the form of Martin Skrtel. The former Liverpool defender was not required by manager Jurgen Klopp just over 12 months ago, and this led to his departure from English football. He had been the mainstay at Liverpool for more than six years after having been brought in by former boss Rafa Benitez for around £ 6 million.

However, he comes into the game as one of the top defenders for Slovakia. Even though he has left English football, Martin Skrtel continues to play at the top level as he has joined Fenerbahce. The 32-year-old is regarded as a fan favourite at the Turkish club after having endeared to supporters with his gutsy style of football.

Once again, this will make it difficult for England coming into the game. There is also a lot of confusion with regard to the striking options for Gareth Southgate. Tottenham forward Harry Kane is likely to lead the attack despite having not scored in the Premier league in the opening few matches of the season.

“His solidity and aggression on the pitch were great, and, moreover, he is a leader. He was always prepared for a debate and able to be self-critical. He was not thinking: ‘I play for Liverpool and the others play for small clubs.’ In that time, due to playing in England, his status was very high but he never misused it. I could rely on him. When I visited him in Liverpool, we had a lot of things to discuss as the atmosphere in the team was tense,” said Slovakia’s former head coach, Jan Kocian.