Li longs to be a regular in red

London-born midfielder determined to play his way into Lippi's starting XI

Li Ke has been playing his way into Chinese fans' affections since becoming the national team's first ever naturalized star, but admits he still has some work to do to gain head coach Marcello Lippi's total trust.

The London-born Beijing Guo'an midfielder is hoping to make his fifth appearance in the red jersey when China takes on Syria in a crucial 2022 World Cup qualifier in Dubai on Thursday.