Gary Neville confident England can win opening game

Former England international Gary Neville has told Sky Sports that he is confident the Three Lions will win their opening game against Tunisia in the World Cup group qualifiers. Neville, the former Valencia boss, believes the squad are ready for the showpiece tournament.

"I think three at the back is a wise move; I don't think there is a comfortable back four there. This provides a bit more protection and allows some of the more talented players to move forward from that solid base," he told Sky Sports News.

"There are a couple of decisions to make but the main thing is that we start in a solid manner, particularly those playing in the tournament for the first time. You want to play well, get through that first game having not made a mistake.

"I've been to three World Cups and it's the ultimate test - of your concentration, your focus, your ability to deliver under big pressure. We haven't always done that - and I've been part of that problem - but the teams that win the World Cup are the most resilient and the ones who can stand the test of time.

"I don't think you can talk about England winning the tournament because that would be unrealistic but what I think you can hope to see is growth from the previous two tournaments."

England are paired with Tunisia as well as Belgium and Panama in their group.