TWO of the best strikers on the planet go head-to-head in Miami tonight.
Both Harry Kane and Erling Haaland come into this one in sizzling hot form – England skipper Kane has scored six goals in five games, while Haaland has netted seven in four.
They are breathing down the necks of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the golden boot race – they have eight goals each.
Ezri Konsa starts at right-back in place of the suspended Jarell Quansah, with Stones partnering Marc Guehi in central defence.
Madueke starts on the right, with Bukayo Saka dropping to the bench.
England XI: Pickford, Konsa, Guehi, Stones, O’Reilly, Anderson, Rice, Madueke, Gordon, Bellingham, Kane
Norway boss Stale Solbakken makes one change from the 2-1 win against Brazil in the last 16.
Andreas Schjelderup, who provided two assists as a substitute against Brazil, is handed a start ahead of Antonio Nusa.
Norway XI: Nyland, Ajer, Moller Wolfe, Heggem, Berg, Berge, Odegaard, Schjelderup, Sorloth, Ryerson, Haaland.
The big talking point ahead of this one is, of course, Erling Haaland.
A familiar face to many in this England team. It’s almost got an air of the Premier League about it.
Haaland has scored 16 goals across eight matches in a dominant qualifying campaign.
There is plenty of quality throughout the teams, though. Haaland is likely to be going up against Manchester City team-mates Marc Guehi and Nico O’Reilly (plus John Stones, who recently left the club), while in midfield two Arsenal players are set to go head to head — Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice.
England have not lifted the World Cup trophy since 1966, while Norway have never won it. In fact, Norway had forgotten what it was even like to play at a World Cup. Their most recent appearance at the tournament before this one was in 1998, when Odegaard and Haaland were not even born.
England finished top of Group L with seven points after two victories and a draw. Their campaign began with a 4-2 win against Croatia before being held 0-0 by Ghana and beating Panama 2-0.
They then came from behind to beat DR Congo 2-1 in the round of 32. Harry Kane scored twice in the final 15 minutes, heading home the equaliser before striking the winner in the 86th minute.
Next, they beat co-hosts Mexico 3-2 in the last 16 in their own backyard at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, despite playing much of the second half with 10 men following Jarell Quansah’s red card. Jude Bellingham got their first two goals and Kane converted a penalty as England held off a late fightback.
Norway finished second in Group I with six points. Stale Solbakken’s side opened the tournament with a 4-1 win against Iraq before Erling Haaland scored twice in a 3-2 defeat of Senegal. Those results meant Norway had already qualified for the knockout stages, so rested 10 players as they were beaten 4-1 by France in their final group match.
Refreshed, they beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in the round of 32. Antonio Nusa opened the scoring before Ivory Coast equalised, but Haaland struck an 86th-minute winner.
Haaland was the hero again in the last 16, scoring twice late on as the Norwegians stunned five-time World Cup winners Brazil 2-1. Neymar converted a consolation stoppage-time penalty with the last kick of the game as Norway reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
ANALYSIS:
Norway may have been touted by many as this World Cup’s dark horse, but their impressive progress still feels like they have exceeded expectations.
Since finishing second in Group I, above Senegal, they have knocked out Ivory Coast and Brazil, scoring 12 goals across five games.
Now they face England who are tasked with nullifying a strong Norway side spearheaded by star striker Erling Haaland.
So, what do Norway do best and what might England boss Thomas Tuchel look to tweak in order to see his side through to the final four of the World Cup?
Norway boast attacking variety with Stale Solbakken’s men fluctuating between wanting to hold on to the ball and being able to attack quickly.
This is all downstream from their build-up play.
From goal-kicks, Orjan Nyland’s distribution has been excellent. Norway’s first instinct is to play short, often setting up with a wide back four and the keeper forming a fifth option, with two holding midfielders showing for the ball centrally.
With so many players deep, Norway often have an overload at the back making progressing up the pitch easier.
When short options are not viable, Nyland’s get-out-of-jail-free card is 6ft 5in Alexander Sorloth who Norway play on the right wing as a wide targetman for long diagonal balls.
This is something England left-back Nico O’Reilly will have to be alert to, but, given his 6ft 4in height and frame, this is a far more even match-up than Norway have experienced so far.
So how do you stop Norway’s varied build-up play?
There are a few options, but they come with trade-offs, as do all tactical approaches.
The most obvious answer is a man-to-man press across the pitch.
This is simple. It reduces their numerical advantage and the hope is, if Nyland goes long to Sorloth, O’Reilly is good enough to win the physical battle.
The problem is this tactic leaves somebody one against one with Haaland down the middle of the pitch, in space.
Most coaches, as a result, would probably want to have a spare man at the back, leaving two defenders around Haaland.
England’s options are then to either press with one fewer player than Norway have. In reality, Norway would actually have two players spare because their goalkeeper also gets involved in build-up.
The second option is to drop off and block space, but this has its own problems.
The first is the negative association around setting up too pragmatically, with Tuchel having built a side that identifies with a more front-footed approach.
The second tactical downside is that Norway, as we saw against Brazil, can spend long periods on the ball as a way to slow down the game, rest and defend on the ball, and frustrate their opponents.
Martin Odegaard, in his all-action role, is central to this – dropping deep, playing short passes that make it hard for opponents to get close to Norway once they are on the ball.
It can appear pointless but is an intelligent form of game management.
Therefore, it is more likely and perhaps beneficial if England apply some pressure, looking to coerce Norway into playing in a way they have prepared for.
Brazil had some good ideas when Norway were building out from Nyland.
One player curved their run looking to cut off one side of the pitch, often looking to force the keeper to his left.
Wingers would be positioned ready to apply pressure to Norway’s full-backs and the two remaining central attackers were ready to press the holding midfielder or free centre-back.
Even when Nyland was forced on to his weaker side, with minimal short-passing options, his left-footed long passing was good enough to reliably find Sorloth.
Knowing this is the option he would take here, it might be worth England forcing Norway into a longer pass, on his weaker left foot – as good as it is – while being ready to converge around the ball and win possession.
England, normally defending with a front two, will be outnumbered if they only press with Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham against Norway using three central players in build-up, like they were against DR Congo.
But if they push a midfielder high – possibly in the form of Declan Rice – they might be able create situations that, although chaotic, give them a better probability of playing on their own terms.
To stop Haaland, teams can either cut off his supply or deal with the man himself. The second option generally being a far tougher ask.
When Norway have the ball high up the pitch, their attack is focused on wide units and rotations, much like Tuchel’s England.
Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup take turns playing on the left wing and have serviced Haaland well. Space typically opens up for them following long underlapping runs from left-back David Moller Wolfe.
The benefit of these runs is two-fold.
The first is, if tracked, this run pulls opposition midfielders deeper, opening up space inside for the wingers to cut inside into.
A common method of chance creation is a deep in-swinging cross to the back post.
Back-post runs are one of Haaland’s three most common methods of scoring, alongside through balls on the left, and cut-backs in front of a retreating defence – so conceding these crosses is less than ideal.
Marc Guehi, if he does start, may remember that in 2024 while playing against Manchester City for Crystal Palace, Matheus Nunes played a similar cross to the ones described, before Haaland, peeling off the back of the England defender, headed home.
On an individual level, Guehi and Palace back then would have benefited from crowding Haaland out – one of the few ways teams have muted his influence.
In a 1-1 draw against West Ham last season, former Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said: “Do you know how many central defenders were around [Haaland] today? 200 million. Do you know how many holding midfielders? It is the most difficult position on the planet.”
On that day, West Ham used three central defenders and a holding midfielder close to the Norwegian – often man-marking him.
Preventing these back-post crosses, by doubling up in the wide areas, or using more adept 1v1 defenders, would make sense, but the former may then leave the on-running full-back unmarked to then cross the ball in themselves.
It’s a difficult conundrum and one why Tuchel has opted for similar attacking dynamics with England in the form of Anthony Gordon and O’Reilly.
To deal with this, it would not be surprising to see a more concerted effort defensively from Bellingham – dropping in to form a midfield five when England are in their defensive block.
As much as England will focus on stopping Haaland, one of the best ways of defending is by keeping the ball.
Through sustained possession, England will hope to pen Norway back before then looking to use wide units of their own.
If the wide midfielder holds their position in line with their midfield, opposition full-backs making runs off the back of them can create clever 2v1 situations with their winger, against Norway’s full-backs.
Ivory Coast’s full-backs snuck behind Norway’s wide midfielders to create useful 2v1 situations out wide
Much like Moller Wolfe’s underlapping runs for Norway to open up space for wingers to cut inside or be found themselves in behind, O’Reilly will be looking to do the same against them.
Pacy wingers pushing the ball past their full-back to the bye-line, drawing Norway closer to their own goal, has opened up cut-backs for late-arriving attackers to put away – something Gordon has facilitated for England before.
Against Iraq, Norway failed to track a deep underlapping run, instead doubling up on winger Ali Jasem (number 17). Jasem found the runner in behind before the cross was put away. This is a situation we may see Nico O’Reilly in. Marcus Rashford is good at playing this pass to the underlapping full-back as well
And if Norway do get their foot on the ball, attacking big spaces quickly when they turn the ball over is a valuable form of attack.
Norway are susceptible to leaving fewer players behind the ball in possession and although Brazil did not score in open play, when they did win the ball back, they created numerous big chances in this counter-attacking fashion.
The likes of Gordon, Bellingham, Rice and Noni Madueke generally enjoy attacking these spaces.
PREDICTIONS:
Sadiq’s Prediction: England’s most likely route to victory is through controlled aggression and a coordinated high press. Thomas Tuchel’s side will probably push Declan Rice higher alongside Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham to disrupt Norway’s build-up and prevent Martin Ødegaard from dictating play.
Norway’s biggest threat remains Erling Haaland, who has been superb as the focal point of an attack that has scored 12 goals in five matches, including victories over Ivory Coast and Brazil. However, Marc Guehi and England’s midfield screen could crowd the Manchester City striker and limit the danger from Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup’s crosses.
England’s pace on the break, particularly through Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke, should expose Norway’s tendency to leave spaces behind their midfield.
My Prediction: England 4-2 Norway
Peter’s Prediction: If England establish control early, Tuchel’s side have enough quality to pull clear. Norway prefer to construct attacks patiently from goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland, but England’s front-foot approach could force mistakes in dangerous areas.
Harry Kane’s movement between the lines and Jude Bellingham’s late runs into the box could prove decisive against a Norwegian defence that has occasionally struggled against underlapping full-backs. Nico O’Reilly’s overlapping runs on the left may also create the kind of two-versus-one situations that troubled Norway earlier in the tournament.
Although Haaland remains capable of scoring against any defence, England’s possession-based approach could starve him of service.
My Prediction: England 2-1 Norway
Gbenga’s Prediction: The biggest threat to England is being dragged into the kind of chaotic, end-to-end encounter that suits Norway. Solbakken’s side have demonstrated remarkable resilience, eliminating Brazil and Ivory Coast after advancing from a difficult group.
In this scenario, Norway’s wide combinations involving Nusa, Schjelderup and David Møller Wolfe could repeatedly test England’s flanks, while Haaland’s movement at the back post remains one of the tournament’s most dangerous weapons.
England would still create chances through Gordon, Madueke and Kane, but Norway’s ability to absorb pressure and strike in transition could force extra time. With momentum and confidence high, the Scandinavians could edge a dramatic penalty shootout.
My Prediction: England 2-2 Norway (Norway win 5-4 on penalties)
Gloria’s Prediction: A tighter contest is equally possible if Norway succeed in slowing the game down through Ødegaard’s intelligent possession and disciplined defensive shape. Ståle Solbakken’s side have exceeded expectations at this World Cup and have shown they can frustrate elite opponents.
England may therefore need patience, relying on sustained possession and moments of brilliance from Kane or Bellingham. Tuchel is unlikely to allow Haaland space in transition, with Rice expected to provide extra protection in midfield.
Norway’s impressive run and tactical flexibility make them dangerous, but England’s defensive organisation could prove the difference.
My Prediction: England 2-0 Norway