England’s expected XI for France showdown as Gareth Southgate targets huge World Cup win | Football | Sport
England will go up against France on Saturday looking to take another step towards World Cup glory. The Three Lions have won three of their first four matches in Qatar so far, with a draw against USA the only blotch on their record. And with the tournament going well, Gareth Southgate isn’t expected to make any changes when it comes to his starting XI.
England had gone into the World Cup with many not knowing what to expect given their dire form and relegation in the Nations League.
But they’ve been impressive so far, scoring 12 goals and overcoming the likes of Iran, Wales and Senegal to make the last eight of the competition.
With England doing so well, Southgate is expected to stick with the team that cruised past Senegal last weekend.
That will mean Jordan Pickford being picked between the sticks, with the Everton star conceding just two goals so far this tournament. One of them was a dubious penalty, too.
Kyle Walker and Luke Shaw should then occupy the full-back positions, with the Manchester City and Manchester United players key assets for Southgate.
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Harry Maguire and John Stones are likely to form a pairing at centre-back once again amid their fine form at the back.
In midfield, Southgate will likely go with a trio of Jordan Henderson, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham barring any late surprises.
Henderson isn’t the player he was but the Liverpool star brings experience and composure, while he’s also impressed during his two starts in the Middle East so far.
Bellingham, meanwhile, has been one of the stars of the tournament and is currently being linked with a possible move away from Borussia Dortmund as a result.
Liverpool are keen on the 19-year-old and considered frontrunners, but Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid are all sniffing around the teenager as well.
And, up top, England will likely deploy Harry Kane alongside Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden.
England have played France twice at major tournaments over the past 20 years – but failed to win either showdown, which doesn’t bode well.
They lost 2-1 at Euro 2004, with Zinedine Zidane bagging a brace in the closing stages to cancel out Frank Lampard’s opener.
And England drew 1-1 with France at Euro 2012, with Joleon Lescott’s header cancelled out by Samir Nasri.
Former England star Gary Neville, meanwhile, thinks the upcoming match against France is the ‘game of a lifetime’ and admitted he was excited to see how it unfolds.
“It’s a game of a lifetime on Saturday,” said the ex-Manchester United right-back. “When I think back to my own career and playing in games like that in Euro 1996 or in 2004 and 2006 against Portugal.
“These games are once or twice in a lifetime opportunities. England vs France on a Saturday night at a World Cup quarter-final, they don’t come around in your life very often.
“They are big moments. I can’t wait. “I don’t think the lads will be able to wait for it.
“This is a game we can lose we know that, they are world champions and a fantastic team. I always think you can go and enjoy games like this as there is less pressure than playing against a Senegal. As if you get knocked out there, all hell breaks loose.
“If you lose on Saturday, unless it’s a shambles, which it won’t be, you are going to come out of the tournament getting a par.
“Going out in the second round is a bogey, semi-finals are a birdie and a final is an eagle. And winning it will be an albatross.”
England made the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia four years ago.
And reaching the last four, for a second World Cup in a row, would be a huge statement of intent.
England XI in full: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Rice, Bellingham, Henderson, Saka, Kane, Foden.
