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England team news: Gareth Southgate’s World Cup starting XI to face Tunisia revealed

The England boss already knows his starting XI four days before the Three Lions begin their Group G campaign in Volgograd.

Southgate is poised to hand World Cup debuts to nine stars as he looks to get off to a flyer in Russia.

Information coming out of the England camp indicates Southgate has decided to axe Gary Cahill in favour of Harry Maguire.

Chelsea ace Cahill is the most experienced member of the squad with 60 caps and has been in impressive form in recent weeks.

The defender was man of the match in the warm-up win over Nigeria at Wembley and produced another strong performance to help the Blues beat Manchester United to win the FA Cup last month.

But Southgate has opted to go with Maguire instead – just two years after the Leicester star travelled to France as a fan to watch the Three Lions at Euro 2016.

It is a bold call from Southgate considering Maguire has won just five caps and is one of the most inexperienced members of the group.

Starsport also understands Southgate will pick Jordan Henderson in a defensive midfield role ahead of Eric Dier.

Tottenham star Dier has become an established member of the team in the last two seasons, but his form has dipped in recent weeks and Southgate believes Henderson will be the better option.

Southgate is also expected to pick Ashley Young instead of Danny Rose in the left wingback role.

England boss Gareth Southgate looks on during training

Young’s inclusion is a slight surprise considering Southgate showed great faith in Rose by taking him to Russia despite a season disrupted by injuries and was expected to pick him.

Manchester United star Young was ignored by England for almost four years until Southgate became boss in 2016.

He was recalled for the friendly matches against Germany and Brazil last autumn and has been one of the most consistent stars in the Premier League.

Now Young is poised to face Tunisia and make his World Cup debut just a few weeks before his 33rd birthday.

Barring injuries or a dramatic change of heart from Southgate, England’s team to face Tunisia is expected to be: Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Maguire, Kieran Tripper, Jordan Henderson, Young, Dele Alli, Raheem Sterling, Jesse Lingard and Harry Kane.

The likely line-up will be one of the most inexperienced teams in World Cup history considering no-one will have won more than 40 caps.

There will be just four survivors from the humiliating defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016 in the shape of Walker, Kane, Sterling and Alli.

Meanwhile Marcus Rashford missed a second day of training in Repino yesterday in favour of doing some personal fitness work back at the team hotel.

The United hitman has been battling a knee issue but will be fit to take his place amongst the substitutes on Monday.

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