Manchester City full-back Nico O’Reilly is confident England can handle the threat of Erling Haaland given the squad’s inside knowledge of the Norway striker.
The Three Lions could line-up with three of Haaland’s current or former City team-mates in the back four on Saturday night when the teams clash in Miami in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Haaland has scored seven goals in four appearances in the United States, Canada and Mexico, including two brilliant efforts as Stale Solbakken’s side overcame Brazil 2-1 in the round of 16.
O’Reilly said: ”Erling is Erling. We all know what he is like. He can score goals, he is dangerous in the box and he is a real threat.”
O’Reilly will start at left-back and could be joined in defence by Marc Guehi, fitness permitting, and John Stones, who left the Etihad at the end of last season.
Guehi is a doubt with a hamstring injury but, if he plays, England will have plenty of first-hand experience of how to handle the former Borussia Dortmund man.
O’Reilly added: “I guess it plays a part in it and keeping Erling quiet gives us a real chance to win the game given all the threat he can cause, unbelievable striker, world-class. He has shown that throughout the tournament, scoring in every game he has played in. But we are mainly focusing on ourselves and focusing on our game rather than his.”
Haaland said yesterday all the pressure was on England given their status as favourites but O’Reilly was not willing to bite, replying: “It could be mind games. They’re a good team as well, they have shown that throughout the tournament. It is not just certain players we need to worry about, they are good collectively and it is going to be a good game, a good bout.”
Norway have surpassed expectations in reaching the last eight and their former striker Tore Andre Flo, who had spells in England with Chelsea and Sunderland, feels the game at the Hard Rock Stadium represents a free swing for the Scandinavians.
He told BBC 5 Live Breakfast: “Everyone in Norway is very excited. We are full of confidence at the moment and are not feeling too much pressure. It’s a nice way of coming into such a big game for the Norwegians.
“It’s 28 years since Norway were last at the World Cup so everybody is happy to be there knowing that we also have a great team with good players and players who are full of confidence and in good form.”
Flo believes stopping Haaland is England’s best route to success but is not sure how they go about it.
“I don’t think that will be very easy, you know, because he is scoring goals all the time,” he added.
“Defenders everywhere are trying to stop him, but he seems to find a way of scoring no matter where or when he plays.
“He is in very, very good form. He doesn’t always touch the ball that much, and he doesn’t need to, but he is very ready when it comes to him.”
England beat Mexico on Sunday night in dramatic fashion to secure their place in the last eight but Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka said it is time to move on and concentrate on what’s to come.
“We discussed that we need to put the drama and the emotions of the Mexico game behind us now,” he said. “We soaked in all of the praise and everything that came with it but now we need to focus on Norway which is going to be a tough challenge.
“We’re fully focused and buzzing that we’re winning.
“Norway are a very good team – they play with confidence and a directness and that’s been working for them so far.”
