Which Belgium players do England need to be wary of?
Published:
Martinez will name a much-changed side
England face Belgium tonight with top spot in Group G up for grabs. But does either side want to finish first?
Coming second would arguably open up a smoother path to the latter stages of the tournament.
Both sides are set to make changes to their line-up, giving some of their most important players a breather ahead of the knockout stages.
The Coral News Team have looked at the Belgian players England need to watch out for…
Thorgan Hazard
Thorgan Hazard may not be as good as his older brother, but he’s still a dangerous player in his own right.
The attacking midfielder was directly involved in 18 goals for Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga last season. He’s quick, lively and will look to exploit any gaps in an unfamiliar English defence.
With Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne not likely to feature, he’s set to take set-pieces for the Red Devils too. England conceded against Panama after some sloppy defending from a free-kick on Sunday. The backline will have to stay alert here.
Mousa Dembele
English fans will be well aware of Mousa Dembele, as will the players. He’ll be lining up against several of his Tottenham Hotspur teammates in Kaliningrad.
England’s pressing and energy has helped them to control their two games so far, but Dembele is the sort of player they could have real problems with. He’s got the skill to evade the press and he’s strong enough to hold his ground.
Southgate sets up with just one holding midfielder, which gives Dembele plenty of room to break into as well. If the 30-year-old isn’t carefully watched, he could run the game for Belgium.
Michy Batshuayi
Another player familiar to Premier League fans, Michy Batshuayi showed his quality while on loan at Borussia Dortmund in the second-half of last season.
He bagged eight league goals during his time at Germany. He’d probably have got more as well if it weren’t for injury.
The Chelsea striker has great movement and is an instinctive finisher. With doubts over Romelu Lukaku’s fitness, he’ll want to prove to Martinez that he’s ready to lead the line in the knockout stages. He’s 15/8 to score here.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
