MX23RW : Sunday, July 1 08:04:24

Roberto Martinez to consider changing entire Belgium team for England game

Martinez to consider changing entire team
© Reuters
Roberto Martinez hints that he will make wholesale changes for Belgium's final Group G outing against England on Thursday.

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has said that he will consider changing his entire starting lineup for Thursday's World Cup clash with England.

The Red Devils are already through to the last 16 of the competition thanks to straightforward wins over Panama and Tunisia in their first two matches.

Top spot remains up for grabs in Group G, but finishing second to England - who are also already through - may provide a more comfortable route to the final for the Belgians.

With Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard and Dries Mertens all carrying knocks, and others either at risk of suspension or in need of a breather, Martinez is not ruling out a complete overhaul of his side at the Kaliningrad Stadium.

"It could be an option," he told reporters. "If I was going to speak about every player, I think every one of them deserves to play in the World Cup.

"So it's more important for me to be able to give that opportunity and see how they can react on the pitch and how much they can contribute.

"Nobody has got a place guaranteed in this team at the moment. That's the way we are looking at it. So it could be a possibility do that, yes."

Lukaku was the highest profile of Belgium's absentees from training on Tuesday morning as he is suffering from minor ligament damage.

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Eden Hazard in action for Belgium on June 2, 2018
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