Low on expectations after repeated failures at major tournaments, a youthful England side will look to start its World Cup campaign on a winning note when it takes on Tunisia in a Group G encounter here on Monday.
England is the third youngest team in the tournament and head coach Gareth Southgate has done his utmost to lower the expectations.
After the humiliation of a second round exit at the hands of Iceland in Euro 2016 and the failure to get past group stages in Brazil four years ago, England fans do not have high hopes from Harry Kane and Co.
England doesn’t boast of big names this time but there is a sense of bonhomie among the players and in Southgate it has a coach who understands them.
Friendly wins over Nigeria and Costa Rica in the tune up to the quadrennial showpiece did no harm to the mood. There is also little, if any, controversy surrounding the squad unlike in previous major meets.
Striking options
The squad has plenty of attacking talent with Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling expected to start up front with Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli playing behind them.
That means forwards Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy are likely to start on the bench, giving Southgate plenty of options if his chosen strike pair fail to deliver.
The quality is thinner at the back but Southgate is hopeful that players like Harry Maguire and Kieran Trippier can turn their club form into solid displays in Russia.
Southgate can also bank on the experienced defender Gary Cahill (58 caps) and Ashley Young (33 caps).
Tunisia, playing its fifth World Cup has never got beyond the group stages. It’s only victory in 12 World Cup campaigns came in 1978 when it saw off Mexico to register the first ever win by an African team on the biggest stage of world football.
Lack of superstars
This time, Tunisia’s biggest weakness is the lack of superstars who can lead it to victory.
The squad, dominated by local based players, doesn’t include influential midfielder Youssef Msakni and the Tunisian league’s top scorer Taha Yassine Khenissi, who have both been forced out by injuries.
Defender Syam Ben Youssef is now seen as an important figure in the team as he will have to deal with some of the best attacking talents in the world.
The 1.89m tall player, who plies his trade in the Turkish league, is good at controlling high balls, but if England puts the ball behind Tunisia’s defence line, the African outfit could be in trouble.
