England’s World Cup prospects at a glance
Kane’s team-mate Dele Alli, Man City’s Raheem Sterling and United’s Marcus Rashford will all have their backers at longer odds, but the value could be the 7-1 available about Jamie Vardy.
The Leicester striker deserves an extended run and has the confidence and pace to trouble international sides.
(right) England Group G
BETFRED go 4-5 Belgium and 5-4 England. Tunisia are priced at 20-1 with BetVictor and outsiders Panama are 4-1 with the same firm. It probably helps the Three Lions that their final match is against Belgium, but much will depend on how they fare in their opening fixture against a Tunisia side that look technically gifted and totally committed.
Tunisia are just one point below Gareth Southgate’s side in the FIFA rankings and in Dijon’s Naim Sliti The Eagles Of Carthage have a hot striker.
England’s chances of progressing out of the group are significantly aided by the absence of Tunisia’s playmaker Youssef Msakni, but Africa’s top-rated team are still just the kind of outfit to pose plenty of questions in what may turn out to be a nervy opener.
If quotes of 1-3 about an England victory look tight, odds of 1-5 for a win over Panama look generous. It was a miracle that Panama even qualified. REALISTICALLY England should qualify from the group and then will most likely face Colombia who rate as favourites to win a weak Group H.
If England beat Los Cafeteros then expect the nation to ground to a halt on Friday July 6, when the most likely quarter-final opponents will be our old nemesis Germany.
BetVictor go 7-4 England to lose at the last-16 stage and 2-1 to go no further than the quarters.