England play their first warm-up game before the World Cup on Saturday evening against Nigeria at Wembley.
It might be a friendly but Gareth Southgate will be hoping for a win and a convincing performance. There are very few surprises in Southgate’s team selection, as he sticks to his preferred back three system, with Kyle Walker tucked in at right-centre-back.
The area of the pitch subject to the most debate in recent weeks and months has been central midfield. Southgate wants to play three central midfielders, with Raheem Sterling behind Harry Kane up front, which caused people to question about how Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard would fit into the team.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was impressive this season for Liverpool, playing on the right-hand side of a midfield three but a knee injury has ruled him out of the tournament, making room for Lingard and Alli to play as the two slightly more advanced midfielders.
England line up against Nigeria with the following XI:
Pickford; Walker, Stones, Cahill; Trippier, Lingard, Dier, Alli, Young; Sterling; Kane.
Here's how the #ThreeLions will line up today! pic.twitter.com/zBomkb6Tmt
— England (@England) June 2, 2018
Jordan Henderson may start ahead of Eric Dier in the opening game against Tunisia but the Liverpool captain has been given a rest after playing in the Champions League final.
Spare a thought for number 24 in the England squad.
Tom Heaton is on the standby list for the tournament this month, and as it stands he won’t be travelling with the team to Russia. He’s on the bench for Saturday’s match though, making him the fourth-choice goalkeeper behind Pickford, Jack Butland and Nick Pope, his Burnley teammate.
