World Cup 2022 news LIVE: England vs Wales build-up as Gareth Southgate hints at starting 11
England and Wales will face off on Tuesday evening with a place in the last 16 of World cup 2022 in Qatar at stake
England and Wales will do battle in a decisive World Cup 2022 Group B match on Tuesday evening with places in the knockout stages in Qatar up for grabs for both teams.
England’s path to the last 16 looks the much simpler of the two as they only need to avoid defeat by four or more goals against their British rivals to secure a place in the second round. The Three Lions will have their eyes on topping the group however, which they would achieve with victory over a side they haven’t lost to since 1984, while a draw would likely also be enough providing Iran don’t beat the United States.
Not everything is rosy in the England camp though, with Friday’s frustrating 0-0 draw with USA seeing the team come in for plenty of criticism. Boss Gareth Southgate has some selection headaches and is unlikely to name an unchanged starting 11 for the third game running after his team were overrun in midfield by the US. Southgate has also admitted he needs to manage the fitness of some of his players, saying: “We cannot roll out Jude Bellingham for 90 minutes every game. We’ve got to look after him and Jordan Henderson has been training really well. It wasn’t a gamble to play Harry Kane, either. He’s had a whack on his foot so there is a bit of discomfort when he’s striking the ball but we are not talking about taking any risk with him.”
Wales’ World Cup hopes are hanging by a thread after an opening 1-1 draw with USA was followed by a disheartening 2-0 defeat to Iran, where two late goals following Wayne Hennessey’s red card cost them dearly. To qualify for the last 16 at their first World Cup since 1958, Robert Page’s men - led by the talismanic Gareth Bale - need to beat England and hope for a draw between the US and Iran. Alternatively, an unlikely four-goal victory over their neighbours would also secure a place in the knockouts.
Follow all the build-up to the crunch England vs Wales clash with our lie blog below:
Jordan Pickford relishing ‘tough game’ against Wales
Jordan Pickford believes the rivalry between England and Wales is the kind that makes football “great” and warned not to underestimate Rob Page’s side.
The neighbouring nations clash at the World Cup in the final round of Group B matches on Tuesday, with England all-but through and Wales almost certainly heading home.
Both have so far drawn with the United States but, while Gareth Southgate’s side beat Iran 6-2, Wales slipped to a disappointing 2-0 defeat.
There is likely to be more of an atmosphere inside Ahmed bin Ali Stadium than at the majority of World Cup matches so far and Pickford is looking forward to something akin to a derby day.
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford relishing ‘tough game’ against Wales
The neighbouring nations clash at the World Cup in the final round of Group B matches on Tuesday
Wales will play for more than just pride against England, says Jack Grealish
England attacker Jack Grealish has warned that Wales will be playing for more than just pride when the sides meet at the World Cup on Tuesday.
The neighbouring nations clash at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in their final Group B game.
While England are favourites to progress as group winners despite an uninspiring goalless draw against the United States on Friday which left some supporters jeering at full-time, Wales are on the cusp of elimination.
Robert Page’s side also drew with the USA but were deservedly beaten by Iran in their second game. They now need a minor miracle to get out of the group but could yet send England home with a big win.
Despite the prospect of a 4-0 Wales victory – the result required to eliminate Gareth Southgate’s men and advance in their place – being a very unlikely outcome in Al Rayyan, Grealish insists it will still be a fixture charged with intensity.
Wales will play for more than just pride against England, says Grealish
The neighbouring nations clash at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in their final Group B game.
James Maddison back in England training ahead of final World Cup group match with Wales
James Maddison returned to England football team training on Saturday following rehabilitation for a knee injury.
The 26-year-old was unavailable for the 6-2 win against Iran and 0-0 draw with the United States due to the issue that led to his first-half substitution in Leicester’s final match before the World Cup 2022. Maddison downplayed concerns over the injury and spoke about a positive scan upon England’s arrival in Qatar, but the midfielder has been conspicuous by his absence from training.
The midfielder returned to the group on Saturday as he joined the 13 non-starters from Friday night’s draw with the USA in training at their Al Wakrah Sports Complex base.
Jordan Henderson, who came off the bench in the second half against the USA, was the only non-starter that worked away from the group as he did an individualised programme indoors alongside those that started.
Gareth Southgate has so far started Mason Mount and Jude Bellingham along with Declan Rice in both fixtures so far, but England’s draw with USA was notable for a lack of incisive passing, runners from deep and general adventurism from the Three Lions.
Maddison only has one cap to his name so far and will hope to get an opportunity to add to that against the Dragons and beyond into the knockouts.
He was one of the most talked-about players before the squad was announced due to his form with Leicester, with many predicting Southgate would continue to overlook him.
Brennan Johnson convinced Wales are capable of beating England
Brennan Johnson insists Wales can shock England and keep their World Cup dream alive.
Wales’ hopes of making the knockout stages were left hanging by a thread after losing 2-0 to Iran. England’s goalless draw with the United States on Friday night means that Wales still have a path to the round of 16, but qualification is out of their own hands unless they beat Gareth Southgate’s side by a four-goal margin.
More realistically, Wales must beat England on Tuesday – something they have not achieved since 1984 – while hoping Iran and United States draw their final game. That would see Wales finish behind England and above Iran in second spot on goal difference, the first deciding factor for teams on equal number of points at this World Cup.
On extending Wales’ World Cup stay, Johnson said: “It’s going to take a win against England for us to have a chance. We don’t know what’s going to happen, but we do know that all the boys are going to give it everything they’ve got.
“It’s definitely possible we can beat them. It’s going to take a huge effort but it’s something we are ready for.”
England manager Gareth Southgate would go ‘bonkers’ if he listened to World Cup criticism
Gareth Southgate believes he would be at risk of going “bonkers” if he chose to engage with the noise around England’s performances and the criticism of his selections and has maintained that he will keep doing things his way, writes Mark Critchley in Doha.
Southgate’s critics have grown louder over the past year, with England winning just one of their last eight games, and his side were booed at full time of Friday’s drab goalless draw with the United States.
That is despite the 52-year-old having led England to the latter stages of the last two major tournaments and remaining top of Group B, with only a point required against Wales on Tuesday to reach the last-16 of the World Cup.
After six years in the job, Southgate has grown used to having his every call questioned, but he has purposely shut himself off from the debate around his decisions while in Qatar in order to not let it influence him.
“I am lucky. I am locked away in a hotel with no telly on. But I don’t need to see it because I know what [the criticism] will be,” he said. “It is a deliberate disengagement. Because if I listen to everything, I either go bonkers or you start to doubt yourself and you listen to too many things.
Gareth Southgate would go ‘bonkers’ if he listened to World Cup criticism
Southgate shuts himself off from outside noise after United States draw
England warned Wales are ‘wounded animal’ ahead of World Cup meeting
Chris Mepham has warned England to beware of the “wounded animal” of a Wales with nothing to lose when they bow out of the World Cup on Tuesday, writes Richard Jolly.
Wales’ chances of qualification in effect disappeared with the 2-0 defeat to Iran but defender Mepham feels that will make Robert Page’s team more dangerous now they can take the handbrake off.
And he takes heart from their record of troubling elite teams in the past as he vowed to give England a tough game.
“Handbrake off now, we need to go for it,” the Bournemouth centre-back said. “We’ve nothing to lose and sometimes that’s quite dangerous for other teams, when you’ve nothing to lose, a wounded animal. We have to take the handbrake off and go for it against England.
“If there’s ever a game the group will be motivated for, it’d be that one. We’ve shown in the past against quality teams, we can match them. We need to dig deep against England, they’re a top side.”
England warned Wales are ‘wounded animal’ ahead of World Cup meeting
Wales’ chances of qualification in effect disappeared with Friday’s 2-0 defeat to Iran
Jonny Williams vows to film Wales celebrations again if they beat England
Jonny Williams says he will not be the only cameraman inside the Wales squad should they produce a stunning World Cup win against England.
Swindon midfielder Williams filmed the famous video of Wales players celebrating England’s Euro 2016 exit to minnows Iceland.
The video was subsequently leaked on social media, sparking outrage among many England fans that another home nation should celebrate them being knocked out of a major tournament.
Williams said: “I was just the cameraman to be fair. I was videoing it and put it in the WhatsApp group. It ended up getting leaked and the manager (Chris Coleman) wasn’t too bothered so I was alright.
“A lot of things went in that group chat that trip, but the only thing was there was a lot of players in that chat that weren’t in the squad at the time. I think it was every Wales player that had played the last few years and I didn’t know that. It was the summer and people were on holiday and it got leaked. We never found out who leaked it, but I get blamed anyway. There is much more tighter security now.”
Jonny Williams vows to film Wales celebrations again if they beat England
The Swindon midfielder filmed the leaked video of the Wales squad celebrating England’s Euro 2016 exit
Luke Shaw reveals England’s extra motivation to beat Wales in World Cup clash
Luke Shaw believes the way Wales celebrated England’s elimination from Euro 2016 will add extra motivation to their World Cup clash – but insists Gareth Southgate’s side are too respectful to follow suit.
The neighbouring nations meet at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Tuesday in their final Group B game.
While England are favourites to progress as group winners despite an uninspiring goalless draw against the United States on Friday which left some supporters jeering at full-time, Wales are on the cusp of elimination.
Robert Page’s side also drew with the USA but were deservedly beaten by Iran in their second game.
They now need a minor miracle to get out of the group but could yet advance – and send England home – with a big win.
Luke Shaw reveals England’s extra motivation to beat Wales
The neighbouring nations meet at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium on Tuesday in their final Group B game
Gareth Southgate tells England to ‘match the spirit’ of a ‘wounded’ Wales in World Cup clash
Gareth Southgate says his players need to show intelligence and spirit to halt a “wounded” Wales side that will be “desperate to beat the English” on the world stage.
Having opened Group B with a stunning 6-2 victory against Iran and then drawn 0-0 with the United States, last year’s Euros runners-up are well placed to reach the World Cup last 16.
England will progress so long as they avoid a four-goal defeat to Wales, whose manager Robert Page appeared to write off their hopes after the late 2-0 loss to Iran followed their 1-1 draw with the US.
Their chances of reaching the knockout phase may be hanging by a thread but Southgate knows Tuesday’s opponents will be desperate to secure a first World Cup win since 1958.
“We have got to play well,” Southgate said ahead of the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium showdown. “We are going to play an opponent that is wounded and, like everybody else, desperate to beat the English. We know what that will be.
Gareth Southgate tells England to ‘match the spirit’ of Wales in World Cup clash
England will progress to the last 16 so long as they avoid a four-goal defeat to Wales
WATCH: Wales’ Ben Davies reflects on presence of ‘world-class’ Harry Kane ahead of England clash
Wales star Ben Davies appeared to show support to Spurs teammate Harry Kane amid speculation he may be rested for tomorrow’s clash. Davies also acknowledged that Wales have a challenge taking on the Three Lions, and they must win this game to advance.
“Harry’s a world-class player and he’s one of the best players in the world”, he told reporters.
“He’s obviously going to make any team better with him in there, but that obviously doesn’t mean that England haven’t got very capable replacements to come in.”
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