England boss Gareth Southgate has praised goalkeeper Joe Hart, despite opting to leave the West Ham United goalkeeper out of his side for the friendly with Italy.
In November, Hart kept a clean sheet as England registered a goalless draw with Brazil, but the 30-year-old has spent a significant period out of the West Ham starting lineup and that has led to the stopper being relegated to the bench with the Three Lions.
However, Southgate says that Hart has continued to play an influential role within the squad, despite knowing that he would likely not play for his country during the current international fixtures.
At a press conference, the 47-year-old told reporters: "I think the circumstances were difficult and the team got more solid just after he went out of the side, with David [Moyes] coming in and working as he does.
"That's football. You have to take your opportunities. Joe's professionalism has been brilliant for us. He has worked well for us and always performed well.
"We had the best record in qualifying defensively. This week, even though he knew he wouldn't be playing in the games, he's been a fantastic influence with the rest of the players and the rest of the goalkeepers especially."
Hart has made just four outings for West Ham in all competitions since the start of 2018.
Darren Plant
