Battle of Brits for round of 16 spot

After their goalless draw against USA, England now need at least one point to secure knockouts in their final group-stage match against Wales at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium on Tuesday.

This match has become a must-win for Wales after their 2-0 loss against Iran this Friday. They need to win and hope that the result of the other match between USA and Iran goes in their favour to stay alive for the World Cup knockouts.

Wales faced a shocking defeat against Iran after Wayne Hennessey conceded a red card, conceding two goals in the game’s final minutes before Gareth Southgate’s English side were held to a goalless draw by Christian Pulisic and his team.

With the loss, Wales now sit at the bottom of the group with just one point in their first two matches. They can’t think of anything but winning in the match against the English, and if the USA vs Iran match produces a result in the favour of any side, Rob Page’s team is out of the tournament.

The Equation for the English is not so complicated, they just need to avoid defeat to qualify for the Round of 16.

Southgate’s side are expected to have their full strength available for the match as Kyle Walker and James Maddison have recovered from injury and are back in training. Kyle’s return might mean England would revert back to a back-three system, and Walker’s club teammate Phil Foden is again expected to be on the bench as Southgate prefers Mason Mount and Bukayo Saka over the Manchester City man.

The exclusion of Foden has seen Southgate attract criticism from various pundits, including former England players Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney.

“I found it very strange that Foden did not come on as a substitute against the USA. He would be a key part of my starting XI if I were the England boss,” Rooney wrote in the Times. “Technically, he is the best footballer England have. I think if you have a talent like Foden, you simply have to play him.”

Wales have no injury concerns as well. The side will again look up to national heroes Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey to deliver something in this important fixture. The nation had paused the school classes for their match against Iran and against their battle against fellow Brits, the whole nation will look up to the eleven men on the field.

This will be England’s first-ever match against a fellow British nation in the World Cup. The Three Lions are unbeaten against them in European competitions on all three occasions they locked horns.

England have won each of their last six matches against Wales and conceded only one goal in the period. Wales o the hand are on a run of seven games without a win in a row where they lost five of them.