‘Ref has to control Panama’
Gehad Grisha MARK CLATTENBURG has warned Egyptian referee Ghead Grisha to keep a close watch on Panama’s physicality against England this afternoon.
Roberto Martinez’s Belgium side complained that they were kicked from pillar to post by the Panamanians in their 3-0 victory last Monday.
And Gareth Southgate’s England know they will be in for a tough fight when the two nations meet in Nizhny Novgorod today.
Clattenburg said: “I watched Panama in the first game against Belgium and they were very physical – it was a very physical game.
“The referee will know how important this game is for both England and Panama, but he needs to be wary of the physical challenges
“He must clamp down on them, because he needs to protect the players at all costs.
“He’ll have been watching every game at the World Cup and he will be looking at each country’s tactics.
“Since being given the game he will have been watching videos of Panama and will have seen how they are playing.”