Gareth Southgate is ready to let the shackles off and go all-out attack in England’s World Cup opener.
England boss Southgate is considering switching to a back four against Iran which would be a major departure from his tried and trusted formation with three defenders.
Southgate did suggest that he will rotate the team through the tournament and the heat conditions could also make it vital to make use of substitutes with five allowed during each match.
England boss Southgate said: “There is always some luck involved in injuries but we have to make sure we manage people correctly and make sure we minimise the difficult situations we could face.
"We have a lot of players in different physical moments. Some have played every game for the last couple of months. Some have played very few. Some are coming back from injury.
“So we are managing the training sessions individually for every player so they all get across the line. So we have had to push them for a couple of days, get them used to the heart and then for the last couple of days come right off them so they taper for the game.
“We will have to continue to do that through the tournament and that is where the squad is so important. There is a slight condensed programme in the first four days and we have to make sure we take advantage of the squad we have got.”
Southgate confirmed that James Maddison will miss the Iran game having sat out the last three training sessions while Kyle Walker is training with the main group even though he is recovering from groin surgery last month.
In the first game of the last tournament, he came up with the goods. There should be no doubting Raheem Sterling and what he brings to the England team in a major tournament. Sterling was England’s best player in the Euros last year, scored the winner in the opening match against Croatia - and he and his team never looked back.
That is why, no matter what is going on at club level, Gareth Southgate is again looking at Sterling as his go-to man for the World Cup. Sterling, 27, is single-minded enough to put everything else of his thoughts, focus on England and lift himself from the mixed fortunes at Chelsea.
There was actually a similar discussion going on ahead of the Euros last year because Sterling was not a guaranteed starter at Manchester City at the time.
But anyone who had followed England regularly, would know that Sterling has become so determined whenever he pulls on the shirt that he is a player who Southgate trusts and relies upon.
And it is also worth remembering that Southgate does - and is quite right to do so - put great store in what players do for him and England irrespective of club form.
For example, Jordan Pickford’s stats are not anywhere near as impressive as his two rivals Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope at club level this season. But Pickford has never let England down and it is simply not even a conversation as to who will start in goal.
Newcastle fans are screaming for Pope - who is arguably now No2 in the pecking order - to be given a chance based on his displays for the Toon Army this season.
But the harsh reality is that Pope was given a chance two months ago when England had back-to-back games in the Nations League and hardly covered himself in glory either in Italy and was at fault for Germany’s late equaliser at Wembley.
There can be no complaints about the keeper and nor should there be about Sterling and his place in the front three. The team is almost certain to feature Harry Maguire in defence as, again, Southgate has backed the Manchester United defender through all of his trial and tribulations.
Maguire has lost his place at Old Trafford and yet Southgate has been regularly in touch with him, reassuring him on the phone and with messages.
That earns trust and respect from players who are then ready to run through brick walls for their manager and it will be the same for Sterling.
It is time for Southgate to also unleash Jude Bellingham on the international stage as the Borussia Dortmund teenager is dominating games each week in the Champions League.
After all the press activity had finished at England’s training base in Al Wakrah last week, Bellingham strode through the room to go off and do a TV interview.
Bellingham has a real presence, he is is huge in stature and there should be no doubt that he can carry himself in any midfield against any opponent in the world. He should be England’s midfield superstar for the next ten years.
Southgate has almost certainly got most of his team nailed down with Bukayo Saka likely to be alongside Sterling with Harry Kane up front. It is the defence which is most uncertain and may change when - and if - Walker is fit to start later in the tournament.
But the base of England’s line-up is set and, even though some fans may disagree, Sterling and Maguire have done more than enough to start against Iran on Monday.
England probable (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Trippier, Maguire, Stones, Shaw; Rice, Bellingham, Mount; Saka, Sterling, Kane.
Iran probable (4-1-4-1): Beiranvand; Moharrami, Kanaanizadegan, M Hosseini, Hajsafi; Ezatolahi; Jahanbakhsh, Nourollahi, Ghoddos, Amiri; Taremi
