World Cup 2018: England make EIGHT changes to face Belgium with Harry Kane rested
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ByEurosport
Updated 28/06/2018 at 17:08 GMT
Gareth Southgate has made eight changes to the England team for their Group G decider with Belgium – including resting Golden Boot contender Harry Kane.
England's coach Gareth Southgate attends a press conference on the eve of the Russia 2018 World Cup Group G football match between England and Belgium
Image credit: Getty Images
In the match which will decide who finishes top in Group G, Southgate dismissed suggestions that there would be any circumstances in which England would not play to win despite opting to rest so many key figures.
England are currently level on six points, goal difference and goals scored with Belgium, topping the group by virtue of their superior fair play record with one less booking.
Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, John Stones and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are the only survivors from the 6-1 victory over Panama on Sunday that saw England secure their place in the last 16.
Colombia beat Senegal 1-0 earlier on Thursday to top Group H with Japan finishing second despite losing 1-0 to Poland. Japan and Senegal finished on six points, but the Asian side edge through having amassed two fewer bookings.
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Jones: England players are all fighting for each other
England know if they beat Belgium they will face Japan in the last 16 in Rostov-on-Don on Monday, but defeat will force them to face Colombia in Moscow on Tuesday evening. They again opt for a 3-5-2 formation.
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy is handed his first start of the World Cup, in place of Kane, who has five goals to his name already.
Marcus Rashford also comes in for Raheem Sterling, who has underperformed so far in Russia. The three-man defence will consists of Phil Jones, Gary Cahill and Stones. Kyle Walker is on a booking and is rested with Harry Maguire also dropping out.
Eric Dier, Danny Rose,Trent Alexander-Arnold and Fabian Delph start..
Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku, with four goals, has already been ruled out due to injury as coach Roberto Martinez makes nine changes for the match with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata the only survivors from their 5-2 win over Tunisia.
TEAMS
England: Pickford, Jones, Stones, Cahill, Alexander-Arnold, Dier, Rose, Delph, Loftus-Cheek, Vardy, Rashford
Belgium: Courtois, Dendoncker, Boyata, Vermaelen, Chadli, Dembélé, Fellaini, Tielemans, T. Hazard, Januzaj, Batshuayi
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