Which England players will impress the most during the group stages?

It is reported that England manager, Gareth Southgate, has told his squad who will be starting in their World Cup opening fixture against Tunisia this evening.

There are many positions that were up for grabs a week ago, however, the inexperienced boss has decided on his team, leaving many media outlets guessing at the possibilities.

The central midfield positions, the left back role and the second striker remains a debate amongst England fans, with the only definitive answer coming one hour before the match.

The games against Tunisia and Panama may be seen as an audition for many as the toughest game on paper comes in Kaliningrad against Belgium. However, Southgate will likely want more consistency when it comes to bigger challenges, so will use his first team throughout the tournament.

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Southgate has stated he is confident about their World Cup chances, with improvement in every training session.

"“We seem to be improving every time. The patterns of playing are becoming more apparent. I like the movement and the way we’re moving the ball.” – Gareth Southgate."

There is a high chance that the Manchester City selected players will be in the starting eleven.

Kyle Walker, John Stones, Fabian Delph and Raheem Sterling were selected to go to Russia and it is likely that Delph will be the only one sitting on the bench.

We look at their likely roles and whether those stars will contribute to getting England out of the group stages.