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Soccer Saturday pundits pick their starting England XIs for the World Cup

Pundits England XI to start at World Cup 2018
Image: Matt Le Tissier, Paul Merson and Phil Thompson pick their England XIs to start at the World Cup

We asked Soccer Saturday pundits Matt Le Tissier, Phil Thompson and Paul Merson to pick their best England XIs for the World Cup ahead of the penultimate round of pre-tournament friendlies.

Friday's trip to the Netherlands and Italy's Tuesday visit will go a long way to shaping Gareth Southgate's ideas for the summer, but who do the pundits deem to be in the pole positions to start against Tunisia on June 18?

Here are their starting XIs for the World Cup opener based on current form...

Matt Le Tissier

Le Tiss' England XI to start at World Cup 2018

Out of Jack Butland, Nick Pope and Jordan Pickford, Pope has been the best of the three so far this season, while you can't really consider Joe Hart right now given he's only played once since the start of last month.

I'd like it to be a back five but we don't have enough good centre-backs and Gareth's problem is that he's come out and said it has to be players playing regularly for their teams, but John Stones has to start.

Then, with none of them having the experience you'd want going into a major tournament, I think James Tarkowski warrants being ahead of Harry Maguire and Alfie Mawson based on form this season.

Le Tiss predicts...
Le Tiss predicts...

Find out what Le Tiss is tipping up in his 50/1 RequestABet for the Netherlands v England here.

I'm not picking Eric Dier or Jordan Henderson because I think they are both overrated and I'd actually have Lewis Cook over them, but that back seven is very average looking. I've debated whether I could put Adam Lallana in the centre of the park but I'm not sure he offers enough defensively.

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Then our forward four is the only part that excites me and without a shadow of a doubt the strongest part of our team, with Harry Kane leading a line with pace and skill.

Paul Merson

Merse's England XI to start at World Cup 2018

The big one that has to be sorted in the goalkeeper because you don't want to go to the World Cup with it even being a story, so I'd rather see Southgate just settle it and say Hart is still his No 1 if that's the way he's leaning.

You've got to with experience and if Hart didn't have a chance, he wouldn't be in this squad. If Southgate starts giving everyone 45 minutes then Hart is the favourite because of his experience, but if Butland starts both games then it's him nailed on.

In my defence, I've gone with Dier just over Phil Jones because he won't want to be too defensive in the opening games and Dier can operate further forward when we're on the ball. But I'd still make it a back five because you don't want to be changing formations suddenly when you get to the Belgium game and I think that's our best system.

Sky Bet's starting XI odds
Sky Bet's starting XI odds

Who will start England's opener? Find Sky Bet's starting XI specials here.

Then I've got Jack Wilshere central of the three behind Kane. Tunisia and Panama are going to play 10 behind the ball and Wilshere has the guile to pick the lock, whereas Marcus Rashford won't have the space to get in behind with his pace.

Dele Alli and Rashford will get more freedom against Belgium and, if we get there, in the knockout stages, but you've got to focus on getting at least four points from the opening two games.

Phil Thompson

Thommo's England XI to start at World Cup 2018

We'll all argue about the goalkeepers, but I just think Pickford is the best of a decent, not a brilliant, bunch right now.

I know he hasn't played as much as we'd like but Danny Rose is aggressive and defends as well as he attacks so would start ahead of Ryan Bertrand for me.

In central-defence, Maguire has done absolutely terrifically, has got good pace and I think he'll dovetail nicely with Stones.

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I think Wilshere will be in the squad but Henderson brings the energy alongside Dier, who will sit in front of the defence and drop in when the full-backs push forward.

Rashford and Raheem Sterling bring you tremendous pace and then Alli has that understanding with Kane, while Lallana and James Milner are good other options but having such pace is what makes us dangerous.

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