ALEX CROOK WORLD CUP PREVIEW: Panama v England

England round off their World Cup group campaign with a clash with already-eliminated Panama in New Jersey, writes ALEX CROOK.

The Three Lions’ hopes of having sewn up top spot by this stage of proceedings were dashed by last week’s dour 0-0 draw with Ghana in Boston.

That means Thomas Tuchel’s side will need to win at the MetLife Stadium and hope Ghana do not beat Croatia by two or more goals to seal their place at the summit and a likely round of 32 meeting with Senegal in Atlanta.

It also means Tuchel does not have the luxury of being able to fully rotate his starting line-up, as was the original plan.

Although Tuchel’s hand is forced due to Reece James’s hamstring injury, and the suggestion is Jarell Quansah may be pressed into action as a make-shift right-back, exposing England’s lack of options in the full-back areas.

There are also fitness doubts over both Declan Rice and soon-to-be Britain’s most expensive footballer Elliot Anderson so Kobbie Mainoo may get his first start of the tournament in midfield.

Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford are both pushing for starts after Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon underwhelmed against Ghana.

England ran out comfortable 6-1 winners when these two last met at the 2018 World Cup and if they can recapture the form of their 4-1 opening game win over Croatia then another wide-margin success can surely be expected.

The caveat to that is that Panama only lost 1-0 to both Ghana and Croatia so have not been the whipping boys of the group many people expected pre-tournament.

Their chances of scoring look slender though, owing to the fact England have kept clean sheets in all but one of their last 12 competitive games.

England to win to nil at 17/20 with starsports.bet is once again my main selection.

Harry Kane scored a hat-trick in that last meeting in Russia and will be keen to get his Golden Boot challenge back on track after missing a sitter against Ghana.

Kane is 5/2 with starsports.bet to score the first goal.

At bigger odds of 4/1 to get on the scoresheet at any time, Nico Reilly appeals given his aerial prowess and how dangerous England have looked from set pieces in their first two games.

My build-a-bet is England to win the second half, Kane to score two or more, England to have over 7.5 corners and Panama to have the most booking points, which pays 11/1 with starsports.bet.

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