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Preview & Prediction: England vs France

England and France will face off in a World Cup quarter-final at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor on Saturday, and two former Everton players have shared their ideas on how the critical match may unfold.

Gareth Southgate’s men defeated Senegal on Sunday evening, while France defeated Poland only hours earlier, setting up the first meeting between the two teams at a major event in more than a decade.

Looking ahead to the key match, former England international Leon Osman and French ex-Everton colleague Sylvain Distin have shared their thoughts on both sides’ performances thus far in the tournament and predicted who they believe will win.

Lean Osman explained and predicted:

England has so far pleased me. We’ve been exciting to watch, and we’ve scored 12 goals in four games, which is incredible. Ten of them came from open play. You’d have to go back to the 2000s to find it; nobody has done it since. That demonstrates how the adjustment to a back four has provided our attacking players and midfielders more freedom. It’s as if we opted to focus on our strengths rather than our flaws, and the team has benefited as a result.

France, on the other hand, appears to be in good shape. They’ve lost current Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, but they still appear good, which demonstrates their depth. Of course, having Kylian Mbappe, perhaps the finest player in the world right now, helps. They’ve got that spark in terms of someone who can develop something truly remarkable in him. They also have Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann, guys who can unlock and shift the tide of a game in an instant.

Didier Deschamps has a wonderful roster to work with, and I fully anticipate them to reach the knockout rounds. They were, in my opinion, one of the top two teams entering the competition, along with Brazil. But in order to win the World Cup, you must defeat at least one of them. On Saturday, we will face France, and we must not be intimidated. We have a propensity in England to be concerned about the opponent, to fret and to be a bit pessimistic at times. But I’m sure they’re just as concerned about our front six as we are about theirs. We have a lot of quality on our squad, but we also have a lot of depth.

Beyond the obvious starters, and even with Raheem Sterling, who is sadly unable to go, we have Phil Foden, Buyako Saka, Jack Grealish, and Marcus Rashford to argue.

They could all play, and it’s fantastic that the manager has these choices. The manager is also aware that he possesses Kyle Walker, one of the few people who can compete with Mbappe owing to his own talents. Jude Bellingham is likely the tournament’s youngest player.

His energy and excitement in both defence and offence have been outstanding. He’s been a breath of new air and a driving force in the team’s heart. And then there’s Jordan Pickford. He’s a goalie who appears to come alive on the big stage, and he’s at home in an England shirt, whether he’s on the ball or making saves. He made two spectacular saves against Senegal. France will be as concerned about us as we are about them. I’ve been incredibly enthusiastic throughout the campaign, and I’ve remarked to England supporters who predicted we’d struggle, ‘there’s confidence in our team.’ As a result, despite Deschamps’ squad’s talent, I believe we will win on Saturday, and I predict a 3-1 scoreline.

englandSylvain Distin explained and predicted:

France has done well so far, in my opinion. They looked better versus Poland, but I wouldn’t say they were convincing before that. They have also not been tested. Offensively, they have a lot of pace on both flanks with Mbappe and Dembele. There’s also Olivier Giroud, who will compete for every ball. So, offensively, I believe they are excellent. They haven’t been tested defensively yet, so judging them is tricky. We’ve seen signs that they’re not as strong in defence as they are in offence.

In midfield, they appear to be a touch light as well. As a result, I believe that how England approaches the game on Saturday will be crucial. If England sits back, I believe they will be in trouble. However, if they decide to go for it, press forward, and attack the game, I believe France will be in huge difficulty. Overall, I’m impressed with Gareth Southgate’s team. I appreciate how you can see it’s a collective effort.

They do not rely solely on individuals, which may be one of France’s drawbacks. When Mbappe is absent, the team loses its lustre. Everyone is talking about Mbappe, but I don’t see the same kind of team togetherness that I see in England. They are a solid team with high standards. Their objectives might originate from anywhere. They score goals from their strikers, midfielders, left and right flanks, so I’m wondering whether France will be more careful.

France has been quite aggressive thus far in the tournament, but that might change against England since they are so powerful on the offensive end. It’s insane even on the bench. They most likely will not, in my opinion. I believe they will still strive to win by playing the same type of game they have been playing throughout the tournament. However, if they notice England doing the same thing, they may attempt to sit back a little more and play on the counter inside the first 15-20 minutes. It’s difficult to say for sure.

As a Frenchman, I will undoubtedly want France to win on Saturday. But that’s just my heart speaking. As a neutral football fan, I truly don’t know. The issue for both teams has been their ups and downs. They’ve only been convincing against teams they’re meant to beat. As a result, we have no idea what to expect on the big day. We will see goals if both teams play fantastic football.

On that premise, I predict a 2-2 tie, with France emerging victorious after penalties.

Kajal S

Kajal S

kajal

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