England tonight head into their first World Cup 2022 knockout game against a Senegal team capable of causing an upset.
With the prospect of extra time and a dreaded penalty shootout, it’s time to weigh up who will put their hand up after 120 exhausting minutes.
Here are chief correspondent Dan Kilpatrick’s preferred penalty taker picks...
With a wealth of options to start the game and five subs available to Gareth Southgate, England’s five penalty takers will obviously depend on who is on pitch after 120 minutes.
Harry Kane and Harry Maguire are bankers and showed how it is done in last summer’s European Championship Final.
Kieran Trippier is another experienced player, who scored against Colombia in the shootout in Russia four years ago, so should step up again.
From there, it gets a little trickier.
Jack Grealish has said in no uncertain terms that he wants one — going as far as to say he “couldn’t live with myself” if he didn’t — and, as Southgate’s go-to sub in tight games, he is probably the best bet of England’s attacking players to definitely be on the pitch.
Bukayo Saka would also be a good bet. Yes, Saka missed against Italy 18 months ago, and perhaps it would be unfair to ask the 21-year-old to step up again, but he has also scored three high-pressure penalties for Arsenal since, and may welcome the chance to exorcise the ghost of the Euros once and for all.
