England's rat-tat-tat sharpshooters go big game hunting for the hide of the world champions no less come Saturday night's fight to the death.
Twelve goals scored in four World Cup matches, three actually as the other ended goalless, provides an unexpected deluge of optimism as the heir apparent to the crown of the world's best player, Kylian Mbappe, prepares to lead France into an awesome head to head.
Add three successive clean sheets and a titanic collision with the holders leaves no Englishman overawed. This match is of a different level to what has gone before of course but then we are now at the business end of proceedings.
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There has to be a note of caution amid domestic euphoria however and it comes in the considerable form of Mbappe. Gareth Southgate actually believes he has the perfect man to front him up in Kyle Walker whose blistering pace suggests he will not choke on exhaust fumes.
All of which is reassuring... until I recall how Walker totally failed to shackle another Frenchman, Allan Saint-Maximin, up here when Manchester City were held 3-3. The sight of Walker running round in ever decreasing circles might have gladdened every Geordie heart then but it is not what is required now in national colours.
How fleet of foot our Usain Bolt is considering recent groin surgery is an added concern brought up by ex-England defender Martin Keown. Can Mbappe get the Maxi out of a potentially slow Walker? We have to pray not!
Maybe Southgate will double up on the French wizard or even employ a different tactical formation but whatever is tried it is hard to tie down genius for at least an hour and a half.
Former Arsenal and Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud, recalled at the age of 36 to replace Karim Benzema, complements the strengths of Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele. Indeed Alan Shearer has picked out those three plus Antoine Griezmann as the big dangers to Three Lions hopes.
No team wants to lose a Ballon d'Or winner but then Giroud has become France's top all-time scorer in Qatar. Certainly France will test England's defence. The modern day Newcastle have plundered the supposedly buried treasure in France for many a year and not just current superstars Bruno Guimaraes (Lyon) and Sven Botman (Lille).
It got so intense at its height during the Mike Ashley era that chief scout Graham Carr had a season ticket on the Eurostar.
Think if you will of the likes of Saint-Maximin (Nice), Johan Cabaye (Lille), Moussa Sissoko (Toulouse), Mathieu Debuchy (Lille), Yohan Gouffran (Girondins), Hatem Ben Arfa (Olympique Marseille), Sylvian Distin (PSG), Mapou-Yanga Mbiwa (Montpellier) and Alain Goma (PSG) as well as a host who turned out to be dismal flops.
We even signed France's World Cup winning centre-forward Stephane Guivarc'h from Auxierre and regretted it at our leisure! Back in the better days of KK and Sir Bobby it had all blossomed with the likes of David Ginola, Laurent Robert (PSG) and Olivier Bernard (Lyon).
Yes, where Scotland was once United's happy hunting ground a hop over the Channel became the preferred route for affordable imports. Right now however as we build up to the World Cup quarter-finals France are very much the enemy with Newcastle boasting three in England's Three Lions squad.
While Nick Pope will not actually take part unless there is an unforeseen crisis Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson may add to their cap collection at some point during these hostilities. Neither would let their country down.
However the constant concern United fans endure over their line leader was reflected when Wilson was the only England player to miss training earlier this week with "a minor muscle strain." Send for the cotton wool!
As usual I will be fronting pre-match entertainment come 6pm at the Market Shaker in the Bigg Market when my extra special guest will be none other than United legend Peter Beardsley who won 59 caps with England playing in Maradona's infamous Hand of God game and being Bobby Robson's "little gem" when England reached the World Cup semi-finals of Italia 90.
