England v Senegal predictions: Three Lions should book quarter-final spot

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for England v Senegal in the last 16 of the World Cup on Sunday.

Where to watch

ITV1, Sunday 7pm

Best bet

England & under 3.5 goals
2pts 10-11 general

Gareth Southgate will have been delighted with the manner of England's progress through the group stage and his team have a good knockout record under his stewardship. Senegal will look to keep the game tight and it could be a physical battle but the Three Lions should have enough in the end.

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Match preview

It is 32 years since England played an African team in a knockout match and much has changed since a World Cup quarter-final against Cameroon was regarded as an open goal and they struggled through in extra-time with the aid of two Gary Lineker penalties.

Gareth Southgate will know his team have to be at their best to see off Senegal, even if their opponents have had to leave their star player at home and go into battle in Al Khor without their best midfielder.

The loss of Sadio Mane has not prevented the Lions of Teranga reaching the knockout stage for the second time and they have grown into the tournament after an underwhelming opener against the Netherlands, which they lost to two late goals.

Subsequent victories over Qatar and Ecuador saw them through but the game against the Dutch could provide the blueprint for what we might witness in the fourth game of the round of 16.

They defended resolutely on that occasion and Louis van Gaal's side looked to be running out of ideas before Cody Gakpo broke the deadlock with six minutes to go.

So it is possible we could witness a similar scenario here, even though England will have the wind in their sails after an impressive second half against an admittedly weak Wales.

Southgate's side have not tended to fly out of the blocks and this could be a bit of a grind with a strong battle between Harry Kane and Chelsea's Kalidou Koulibaly one of the tete-a-tetes to look forward to.

It is the quality of the attacking players Southgate has that tips the balance in England's favour.

Kane drew a blank in the group stage, just as he did at the Euros before finishing with four goals, but it is the pace and skill either side of him that can cause Senegal a host of problems.

Even if Southgate elects to stick with Phil Foden and Marcus Rashford, he will still have great options in Bukayo Saka, Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling to join the fray late on if they are still chasing that all-important goal.

England have played seven knockout matches under Southgate and have yet to lose in 90 minutes and, with six of those games featuring fewer than three goals, don't be surprised if this one follows that pattern.

It may be a bit of a slog, but they should get the job done.

Key stat

England have scored a first-half goal in just one of their last nine matches.

Team news

England
Defender Ben White has flown home, but Gareth Southgate could keep faith with the team who beat Wales.

Senegal
Midfielder Idrissa Gueye is suspended while Cheikhou Kouyate is struggling with an ankle injury.

Probable teams

England (4-3-3) Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Bellingham, Rice, Henderson; Rashford, Kane, Foden

Senegal (4-2-3-1) E Mendy; Sabaly, Koulibaly, Diallo, Jakobs; Ciss, P Gueye; Ndiaye, N Mendy, Sarr; Dia.

Inside info

England

Top scorer in probable team Harry Kane
Star player Harry Kane
Penalty taker Harry Kane
Assist ace Harry Kane
Set-piece aerial threat Harry Maguire
Card magnet Kyle Walker

Senegal

Top scorer in probable team Ismaila Sarr
Star player Kalidou Koulibaly
Penalty taker Ismaila Sarr
Assist ace Ismaila Sarr
Set-piece aerial threat Kalidou Koulibaly
Card magnet Nampalys Mendy