England tackle France on Saturday seeking to ebook their place within the event’s semi-finals, for the second successive World Cup in a row.
Standing of their approach are the reigning world champions, and the finals standout star Kylian Mbappe, who already has 5 targets to his identify in Qatar.
Forward of the crunch recreation, Sportsmail’s Christ Sutton seems to be at three key clashes between the 2 World Cup heavyweights.
Gareth Southgate leads his England workforce towards France on Saturday with some massive clashes set to happen on the pitch
Kyle Walker v Kylian Mbappe
That is the duel we’ve been bigging up all week. How will Walker address Mbappe? It’s inconceivable to tie him down for 90 minutes.
There will probably be at the least one second when France’s celebrity makes Walker, one of many world’s quickest proper backs, look foolish. However it’s on Walker to restrict how usually that occurs. Let battle begin!
Kyle Walker has been earmarked as the person who might sustain with the star of the event
Declan Rice v Antoine Griezmann
Griezmann drifts backward and forward and finds areas between the opposition strains to obtain the ball. He then feeds France’s fast runners.
Will probably be on Rice to cease that provide line. Fortunately that’s one of many strongest elements of his recreation — his consciousness of when to intercept is outstanding.
One concern for France with Griezmann is how the 31-year-old might be lazy monitoring again. When Rice is driving ahead, don’t anticipate to see Griezmann in tow.
Declan Rice’s safety of the again 4 will probably be key in stopping France’s proficient assault
Luke Shaw v Ousmane Dembele
Everyone seems to be speaking about Walker v Mbappe. I’ve been responsible of that myself. However let’s not overlook the risk from France’s right-hand facet.
Dembele has slipped beneath the radar amid the concentrate on Mbappe when, actually, this isn’t a person to underestimate.
The 25-year-old likes to drive inside from the correct wing. Shaw must beware and so does Harry Maguire, as a result of he would be the one Dembele is driving in the direction of. This can be a massive check for England. It isn’t solely on France’s left-hand facet that this match will probably be determined.
There’s one other battle on the other flank when Luke Shaw goes towards Ousmane Dembele
