England latest team news vs France: Foden and Saka to start in unchanged line-up

Gareth Southgate is set to name an unchanged England team for tonight’s World Cup quarter-final against France.

Declan Rice has recovered from illness and is fit to start, with England manager Southgate expected to stick with the side that beat Senegal in the last-16.

That means that, rather than reverting to a back five, which he has done in previous tournament matches against top opposition, Southgate is in line to keep a back four.

The move could help to silence some of Southgate’s critics, who have previously accused him of being too cautious in big games.

Barring any fitness or illness issues today, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka are set to start either side of Harry Kane, in front of a three-man midfield of Rice, Jude Bellingham and Jordan Henderson.

Henderson is likely to be given the responsibility of trying to help right-back Kyle Walker deal with the threat of France forward Kylian Mbappe.

Marcus Rashford, who is England’s joint top scorer at the World Cup, is in line to start on the substitutes’ bench again, while Raheem Sterling, who only rejoined the squad on Friday, will also be on the bench.

Southgate revealed that he has known his team and formation for the France game since Monday, saying: “We decided on Monday. We’d already watched by Monday night all the games of France, we’d already reviewed our game from Senegal. So we’re very clear on the right path because then you’ve got to deliver that through the week. We’re comfortable with where we’re at.”

On his system, Southgate added: “How does the team evolve over a period of time? In Russia, it was the right way to go to get the best players we had at that time on the pitch. I think we’ve constantly tried to evolve that and I think we’ve done that during this tournament as well.

“I know people think I have a preference for a certain system, but if anything my preference has always been 4-3-3, but I don’t think it’s always been appropriate for us to play and get the best out of the team.”

England predicted line-up (4-3-3): Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Henderson, Rice, Bellingham; Saka, Kane, Foden.