Gary Neville makes bold England vs Norway prediction ahead of World Cup quarter-final

Gary Neville says he expects Norway to give England a ‘really tough’ test but is backing the Three Lions to get the job done and reach the World Cup semi-finals.

England edged out co-hosts Mexico 3-2 to book their spot in this year’s quarter-finals, with Jude Bellingham scoring twice and Harry Kane converting from the spot in an all-time classic last-16 clash at the iconic Azteca.

The Three Lions’ ability to cope with the effects of altitude had dominated the conversation heading into the tie and the loss of Jarell Quansah to a red card only increased the size of the task Thomas Tuchel’s men faced in the Mexican capital.

But despite Mexico’s man advantage, Kane and Co withstood a barrage of attacks in the closing stages to safely advance through to the last eight.

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England’s squad will look to recuperate both mentally and physically over the coming days, with Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium staging what promises to be an intriguing quarter-final showdown versus Norway at 10pm BST on Saturday night.

The bookmakers’ have England as the favourites to progress from the clash – a label that Neville has told Tuchel’s players to embrace, despite the obvious threat of Norway’s talisman Haaland.

‘It’s tough to stop Haaland,’ Neville said of the Manchester City striker, who has racked up seven goals at this summer’s tournament.

‘He can be anonymous in matches, he doesn’t touch it a lot, but you know that he’s explosive.

‘He was devastating against Brazil, those two goals were absolutely brilliant, classic Haaland.

‘The first one where he slipped in front of Gabriel with a brilliant header and the second one is just pure touch and a powerful hit that beats one of the best goalkeepers in the world.’

‘It’s difficult to stop him for 90 minutes or if it’s extra-time happens as well then it’s 120 minutes, but we should be favourites and I don’t think that’s us getting carried away.’

The former England and Manchester United right-back went on: ‘I think we should be favourites to beat Norway but it’s going to be really tough.

‘I thought Martin Odegaard played as well against Brazil.’

Focussing in on England’s statement win over Mexico, Neville took the opportunity to applaud the Three Lions on an ‘absolutely magnificent’ all-round display in testing conditions.

Mexico had only lost two of their 89 matches at the Azteca prior to England’s victory and Neville ‘couldn’t be more proud’ of what Tuchel’s squad achieved.

‘I thought it was an amazing game of football, an amazing achievement by the players who played and by the manager,’ Neville – who represented his country at two World Cups – said.

‘The game had absolutely everything that you would want in a football match. Going into the lions’ den, conditions were difficult, delayed kick-off, penalties, sendings off, everything you’d want in a brilliant football match happened, and England were absolutely magnificent, they really were.

‘I couldn’t be more proud today. I’ve been quite underwhelmed at times, I’ve been nervous, particularly around our defensive shape and our vulnerabilitydefensively.

‘But a couple of things… I thought our shape was fantastic in the first half last night, I thought the wide players connected a lot more with the rest of their defensive unit and I thought we were really compact.

‘I thought Kane and Bellingham were a little bit tighter as well to Declan Rice and Anderson, I thought the back four looked more solid and I felt really comfortable in the first half.

‘Mexico had a lot more possession, they had a lot of the ball in the last third of the pitch and I thought felt as if we were controlling the game but without possession. I felt quite comfortable watching us and I was complimentary.

‘We conceded a goal from a set-piece which was disappointing but I was really comfortable with that first half and then it the second half it goes a bit more punch for punch, which in football you’ve got to be able to do both things.

‘You’ve got to be able to manage games without possession, you’ve got to be able to dominate with possession, but you’ve also got to be able to go punch for punch, dig in there, show grit and determination and fight, and I have to say, every one of them out on that pitch did that.’

Neville made sure to single out Bellingham for special praise after the Real Madrid midfielder scooped a third man-of-the-match award in five appearances at this summer’s World Cup.

‘Above and beyond that sits Jude Bellingham,’ he went on.

‘Look, going into this tournament my personal words were that I didn’t think it was a question between Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers.

‘I think Morgan Rogers is a great player but Jude Bellingham has to play.

‘But I did say that the only player that we had in the team that was world-class was Harry Kane and that Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham were maybe just edging towards it.

‘I think in this tournament, if I didn’t think he was world-class before, I think he’s absolutely smashed through that ceiling.

‘What we saw last night was a complete performance, it was absolutely incredible. And we’ve seen that over the last few weeks, from the very first game in that tunnel when he walked out against Croatia.

‘He has carried England, I have to see, in these last five matches. He’s been unbelievable along with Harry Kane, but Bellingham is another level in these five matches.

‘I couldn’t speak highly enough of him in terms of his performance last night, it was perfect.’

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