It should be Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden supporting Harry Kane today

WORLD CUP CONFIDENTIAL: Raheem Sterling will start Iran opener because Gareth Southgate is immensely loyal. He’s been a massive player for England – but it should be Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden supporting Harry Kane today

  • Sami Mokbel has suggested Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden should both start today
  • Saka is understood to have been given the nod against Iran over his team-mate
  • It has been argued that Raheem Sterling should have been the one to miss out
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  • Follow updates as England prepare to get their campaign underway against Iran
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Gareth Southgate should potentially be starting both Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka for England’s game against Iran today, says Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel.

Reports surfaced this morning that Saka is set to get the nod to start the match ahead of the Manchester City man, with Sterling on the other wing in support of Harry Kane.

Mokbel, however, has suggested that Sterling could have been the one to miss out given his poor form for his club side, with Foden and Saka both flying for City and Arsenal respectively.


Sami Mokbel has suggested both Phil Foden (left) and Bukayo Saka (right) should be starting for England against Iran today

It is understood that Raheem Sterling has been given the nod to play with Saka over Foden

Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel was speaking as part of Sportsmail and MailPlus’s daily videocast ‘World Cup Confidential’. It appears on MailOnline every morning of the tournament and can be found on our YouTube channel. 

‘Since putting the Saka story out last night a lot of my timeline is saying why can’t it be Foden and Saka, why is it Sterling?’ Mokbel began. 

‘We know why he is playing, because Gareth Southgate is immensely loyal and Sterling has been such a massive player for England. But given his form, there is an argument to say it should be Saka and Foden supporting Kane.’

Saka is set to line-up on the right of a front three versus Iran, with Sterling left and Kane central

The Arsenal man has been in impressive form this season, registering four goals and six assists

Sterling has scored 19 goals in 79 games for England since making his debut in 2012, and started every game of the Three Lions’ run to the final of Euro 2020 last year and five of England’s six games at the 2018 World Cup.

He has however struggled to find form this season for Chelsea, with Foden notching seven goals and three assists so far and Saka four goals and six assists.

Daily Mail columnist Chris Sutton meanwhile backed the call to start Saka, despite admitted he was surprised by the call.

Sterling, meanwhile, has struggled so far this term for Chelsea but rarely let England down

‘I thought Gareth would start Foden ahead of Saka’, he said. ‘But it is hard to argue with that decision with Saka’s form this season, I think it is as simple as that. 

‘Having depth in the squad is important but I suppose people will look at Sterling and think his form hasn’t been great and he should have been sacrificed, but there is this issue of loyalty which Gareth always bangs on about, but I think Saka on form this season, it must have been a tough call, I don’t have a problem with that.

England will kick off their campaign against Iran at 1pm this afternoon.




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