ALEX CROOK PREVIEW: England v Argentina

Old scores will be settled when England do battle with Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday, writes ALEX CROOK.

I don’t think it’s too big a shout so say that if England beat their old enemy and book a place in Sunday’s World Cup final it would be the nation’s most significant result since winning their old major trophy in 1966.

After all the criticism levelled at Gareth Southgate’s England was they never beat a team any team they were not expected to, so in that regard Thomas Tuchel has a golden chance to succeed where his predecessor failed.

This is also a game that comes with a fair bit of history, from Maradonna’s ‘Hand of God’ goal to David Beckham’s red card in St Etienne and retribution four years later.

The fact that 2002 game was the last competitive meeting between the two also adds to the hostility, although it is worth noting at this point that 1986 was the last time Argentina beat England inside 90 minutes.

Both teams have ridden their luck in the knockout stages, with England having to come from behind to see off DR Congo and scraping past Norway while their opponents were given an almighty scare by Cape Verde and were even more fortuitous to see off Egypt.

It could simply be a case of which side is able to reach their optimum level, but I will say exactly what I said about the Norway game.

If England turn up and play at their best, then that will be too good for whatever Argentina can produce.

The obvious caveat to that is the great Lionel Messi and it will be interesting to see what masterplan Thomas Tuchel comes up with to stop him.

I would personally contemplate moving Nico O’Reilly up into midfield to do a man-marking job on Argentina’s talisman.

Messi now has double figure gold contributions in two separate World Cups and he doesn’t just score but makes everybody else around him a threat as well.

At the other end of the pitch, Argentina have looked vulnerable defensively Tuchel surely have seen those weaknesses and have a plan to exploit them.

England have also conceded plenty of goals so I think we could be set up for an absolute classic and it would not surprise me if the scores are level after 90 minutes.

England showed against Mexico with ten-men and versus Norway they have the ability to grind out results so I like England to win in extra time at 17/2 with starsports.bet.

What a momentous occasion it would be for a country in need of a lift if the Three Lions could roar to only their second ever World Cup final and their first on foreign soil.

Jude Bellingham has been England’s main man and it is not hard to imagine him coming up with another memorable moment so Bellingham to score again at 31/10 with starsports.bet is an eye-catcher for me.

I’ve already mentioned the rivalry bordering on hatred between the two so I am predicting a feisty affair with plenty of tackles flying around.

There are hot heads on both teams, so a red card in the game at 7/2 with starsports.bet is worth a small play.

For my build-a-bet, I am going for a draw after 90 minutes, over 3.5 goals and over 2.5 cards, which pays 14/1 with starsports.bet.

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