Chelsea: Four in England and Belgium starting XI’s, Fabregas not impressed

Gary Cahill will make his first appearance in the 2018 World Cup, as Gareth Southgate rotated heavily for England’s match against Belgium. Ruben Loftus-Cheek joins Cahill in the starting XI, as Michy Batshuayi and Thibaut Courtois round out Chelsea’s contingent.

Chelsea will have two players on either side of the pitch when England kick off against Belgium. Thibaut Courtois will be the only regular starter of the four. Roberto Martinez and Gareth Southgate would only go so far with their rotation, as both insisted on keeping their top goalkeepers in the lineup while making manychanges across the pitch.

Michy Batshuayi will lead the line for Belgium after opening his World Cup account against Tunisia. A Hazard will be behind him in midfield, as usual for Chelsea and Belgium. But this time it will be Thorgan Hazard. The younger Hazard fills a necessary gap in the Belgium line-up: an ex-Chelsea player. Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku both start on the bench against England.

Gary Cahill will make his debut in Russia to the left of John Stones in England’s defence. This is probably the best case scenario for Cahill. On the balance of play and Gareth Southgate’s preferences, Cahill has a better chance of displacing Harry Maguire than Stones. If Cahill can deliver a quintessentially commanding performance today, he has a chance of playing in the Round of 16. However, the relatively low stakes of this game raise the question of what a “commanding performance” would look like, and how much work he will need to do against a similarly rotated side.

Not everyone seems enthused about these starting XI’s, though. Chelsea midfielder-turned-commentator Cesc Fabregas would rather see Eden Hazard than Thorgan, and the rest of the usual best XI’s.

Discipline may make all the difference for the two teams. If the game ends in a draw, yellow cards will decide the order atop Group G. This tie-breaker already happened once today in Group H, as Japan advanced and Senegal were eliminated on yellow cards.

The winner of Group G – however it is determined – will play Japan in the knockout round. The second-place team will face Colombia. Neither manager will be willing to go easy today and risk sacrificing momentum in the hope of an easier-on-paper match-up.

The rotated players will know that this could be their defining moment at the World Cup. They may not have another start in Russia. And if there is any question in their manager’s mind about his XI going forward, this could be their last best chance to insert themselves in the equation.

Next: England vs. Belgium predictions: Plenty of Chelsea to go around

Of the four Chelsea players in the starting lineups, Ruben Loftus-Cheek may have the best chance of making a convincing impression. He impressed as a sub in the first game and a starter in the second. This game could be a significant turning point in his tournament and, by extension, his career.