England are set to play France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday night.
The Three Lions, led by manager Gareth Southgate, can replicate their success of 2018 with a win over Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus.
However, with Morocco currently leading Portugal and Croatia and Argentina sending Brazil and the Netherlands home on Friday, respectively, England may never have a better chance at lifting the prestigious tournament for the second time in their history. They’ll need to get past the French first though.
Preparing to deal with Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe and veteran striker Olivier Giroud, England will need to find a way to stop both if they’re to stand any chance of reaching the competition’s penultimate round, and Stan Collymore thinks he knows which players will be key in doing exactly that.
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“Kyle Walker and Bukayo Saka doubling up on Kylian Mbappe will be key,” Collymore said in an exclusive interview.
“And Jordan Henderson nullifying Antoine Griezmann, which would allow Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice to drive England’s midfield.
“I also think Harry Maguire will be able to deal with Olivier Giroud and we can then use our bench to put the game to bed.”
England, according to Sky Sports News, are expected to name an unchanged starting lineup from the one that cruised past Senegal in the Round of Last 16.
Should that prove to be the case, Southgate will start against France with Jordan Pickford in goal, Walker, John Stones, Maguire and Luke Shaw forming a back four. Henderson, Bellingham and Rice in a midfield three with Saka, Harry Kane and Phil Foden leading a three-man attack.