The Herald (Zimbabwe)

England tipped to win the World Cup

. . . as the controvers­ial tourney roars to life in Qatar

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DOHA. — Gareth Southgate is ready to hand Phil Foden his World Cup football debut against Iran on Monday.

Manchester City forward Foden is emerging as a strong contender to start England’s opener at the Khalifa Stadium next week.

Southgate has a wealth of forward talent at his disposal - but with Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling virtually guaranteed to start there is no more than two attacking positions to fill.

Along with Foden, forwards Bukayo Saka and Mason Mount are also pushing to start against Iran. But Foden’s form at the Etihad Stadium this season is known to have deeply impressed Southgate and assistant coach Steve Holland with the City star in line to get the nod.

The 22-year-old has already scored eight goals and supplied three assists already this season and is a key player in team full of world class players.

Th ere is a sense within the England camp that had Foden been available for last year’s European Championsh­ips final against Italy, then they would have had a better opportunit­y to lift their first trophy since 1966.

Foden missed the game because of a foot injury. And Foden is set to play a key role for England here in Qatar - although the England boss won’t finalise his starting XI for Iran until tomorrow night.

Indeed, Southgate faces a dilemma over which system to use in his team’s first match of the tournament.

It is understood Southgate has told his players that using the 3-4-3 system that has served the team so well during England’s successful reign remains a lead option for his third tournament in charge of the national team.

However, playing with three centre-backs, meaning he would need to sacrifice an attacking player, against Iran could prohibit his team’s ability to break down Iran, who are expected to set-up defensivel­y on Monday. If Southgate does play three at the back, it appears likely he would select just one more attacking player alongside Kane and Sterling - a decision that could draw criticism from supporters.

Meanwhile, former England boss SvenGoran Eriksson has backed Gareth Southgate’s side to finally reach the World Cup final, 56 years after they last reached that stage of the showpiece event.

The Three Lions have enjoyed their most successful since 1966 under Southgate, reaching the semi-finals in Russia. But that final step has eluded them since Sir Alf Ramsey’s legendary side lifted the Jules Rimet trophy at Wembley.

Eriksson though, who led England to the quarter-finals in both of the World Cups he was in charge for, believes Southgate’s men stand a real chance of finally returning to the final. He insisted there was no true “favourite” this year, opening the door for the Three Lions.

“I think they have a really strong squad and I think they can do it, reaching the final maybe. But you know a little bit of luck is important, maybe they can win it,” the former England boss told Mirror Football.

“The reason I say that is because if you ask 10 or 100 experts ‘who’s going to win the World Cup’, you will have different answers. I can’t see anyone who is a great, great favourite to win it. There are many and I think England is one of them.

“France, they won the last time. Brazil I think they have a lot of important names, you have Germany always there, Spain are there of course. But England is there and I think that’s important. It will be extremely interestin­g when it starts on Sunday.”

England will start their campaign by taking on Iran on Monday at the Khalifa Internatio­nal Stadium. There has already been much debate about the line-up boss Southgate will select for the clash.

And Eriksson has now added his thoughts, with no place for Harry Maguire in the back three he would pick. But the Swede is convinced that Southgate has strong options throughout his squad.

“That’s impossible, I don’t know but I guess the goalkeeper will be Pickford I suppose. I’m not sure if they’ll play three central defenders or not. I guess Dier is one, Stones is one, Walker is one,” Eriksson added.

“Then, wing-backs, I don’t know. Maguire, I don’t know if he’s going to play or not but I think Dier, Stones and Walker if they play a three. It’s strong. Then Kane will play, then you tell me. Who’s going to play together with him?

“Is it Foden, is it Rashford, Sterling, Saka, I don’t know. Then you have the midfield. You have Bellingham, maybe, maybe not.

I like him, he’s a very good player, Phillips is good, Henderson good, Mount.

“Probably, there will be three. I think they have some training sessions, very few. And I’m sure that Southgate and his scouts saw all the games from England players last weekend, who is in good shape.” — Mailonline.

 ?? WEAPON ?? DEADLY . . . Gareth Southgate is ready to hand Phil Foden his World Cup debut against Iran on Monday
WEAPON DEADLY . . . Gareth Southgate is ready to hand Phil Foden his World Cup debut against Iran on Monday

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