World Cup 2018: England vs Belgium team news, prediction and preview to decide who will top Group G
Gareth Southgate's Three Lions are already through to the knockout stages as they face their toughest opponents
THE pressure is off England and Belgium in the game which will decide who tops Group G.
Both sides are planning to make wholesale changes to rest key players and avoid suspensions.
Gareth Southgate insists he is going all-out for the win, while Roberto Martinez is not that bothered.
But by kick-off they will know if finishing first or second offers a better route in the knockout stages.
The nation expects: In both countries, expectations have gone through the roof following the opening games, with England and Belgium both smashing eight goals in wins over Tunisia and Panama.
But given the quality of the opposition, it is impossible to draw too many conclusions. This match will be the first true test of both teams.
Key battles/star men: England captain Harry Kane looks set to start and is the tournament’s top scorer with five goals.
For Belgium, Michy Batshuayi will be keen to impress in the absence of Romelu Lukaku and add to the goal he grabbed as a substitute against Tunisia.
Weakest links: England will want to test out Belgium’s rejigged defence, particularly Thomas Vermaelen who will start after recovering from a hamstring injury.
The Red Devils will also be weak at wing-back as Thomas Meunier and Yannick Carrasco are set to be rested and the forward-thinking Adnan Januzaj and Nacer Chadli likely to take their place.
Prem Tsar in the making:Leander Dendoncker could come into Belgium’s defence and make his World Cup debut.
The Anderlecht star, who can also play as a holding midfielder, has been linked with West Ham and Newcastle.
The stat that matters: England have already scored eight goals in the 2018 World Cup (level with 1954 and '90).
The only time the Three Lions ever scored more in a single edition of the competition was in 1966 (11 goals).
Best bet
We're backing Harry Kane to carry on his pursuit for the Golden Boot, with offering odds of 22/1 for the England man to be first goalscorer in a 2-1 win for the Three Lions.
Opta stats
- This will be the third meeting between England and Belgium at the World Cup, with England so far unbeaten in their encounters. They drew 4-4 in 1954 and the Three Lions won 1-0 in the second round in 1990, with a volley from David Platt.
- Belgium have won just one of their 21 meetings with England (D5 L15) – a 3-2 victory in May 1936.
- England are unbeaten in their last 11 meetings with Belgium (W7 D4) – most recently winning a friendly in June 2012 courtesy of a Danny Welbeck goal, his first for England (1-0).
- Belgium have won each of their last two World Cup matches by a margin of three goals – no team has ever won three consecutive matches at the World Cup by three or more goals.
- England have already scored eight goals in the 2018 World Cup (level with 1954 and 1990). The only time they’ve ever scored more in a single edition of the competition was in 1966 (11 goals).
- Only in 1982 have England ever won all three of their group stage games in a World Cup tournament.
- England’s Harry Kane has scored five goals in the group stages of this tournament. Before 2018, the last player to score more in the first round of a single World Cup was Russia’s Oleg Salenko in 1994 (six goals).
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- Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku has played three matches previously with England’s Jordan Pickford as the opposition goalkeeper – all in the Premier League - scoring five goals against him, including a hat-trick in September 2016 for Everton against Sunderland.
- The only player to score more Premier League goals against Pickford is Harry Kane (6).
- Romelu Lukaku has scored 23 goals in 20 appearances for Belgium under manager Roberto Martinez, scoring four goals from four shots on target at this year’s World Cup.
- Harry Kane has scored in each of his last five appearances for England. The last player to score in six games in a row for the Three Lions was Tommy Lawton back in 1939.
