Gareth Southgate faces one of the biggest calls of his managerial career as England prepare to face France in the World Cup quarter-final. The Three Lions are attempting to reach back-to-back semi-finals after losing out to Croatia at Russia 2018, whilst reigning champions France are looking to retain their title.
England have looked in good form throughout the tournament having kept three clean sheets in a row, only conceding late goals against Iran in the first group game. A 3-0 win over Senegal also helped them to record their 12th goal of the tournament. However, France pose the most dangerous threat to Southgate since he took charge.
The manager has been criticised of failing to get results against the best teams, and tests don't come much bigger than Didier Deschamps' side. Les Bleus have dealt with a host of injury issues to progress to this stage, beating Poland 3-0 in the last-16. Even without Christopher Nkunku and Karim Benzema in attack, as well as N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba further back, France have one of the most damaging players in the world.
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Kylian Mbappe scored twice against Poland with stunning finishes to secure a passage into the last eight. The Paris Saint-Germain attacker already has nine World Cup goals in his career and is in devastating form.
One way to combat the 23-year-old's pace could be to switch to a back five with Kyle Walker at centre-back, but the Telegraph report that Southgate is sticking to his guns, and will pick an unchanged XI for the match. That means that Jordan Henderson will keep his place in midfield alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, with his position key in helping to defend to Mbappe alongside Walker on the right.
England changed their attack against Senegal compared to their last group match against Wales, choosing Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka either side of Harry Kane, that despite Marcus Rashford scoring twice from the start against Rob Page's men.
Elsewhere, seven of the XI that started against Iran will do so against France too. Southgate indicated earlier in the week that knew what he would choose, saying, "We decided on Monday. We’d already watched by Monday night all the games of France, we’d already reviewed our game from Senegal. So we’re very clear on the right path because then you’ve got to deliver that through the week. We’re comfortable with where we’re at.”
Expected England team (4-3-3): Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Rice, Henderson, Bellingham; Saka, Kane, Foden
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