- England won their opening World Cup game and now top Group L with three points, Panama are third with zero points.
- England have won three consecutive games in all competitions, including a 4-2 victory over Croatia in their World Cup opener.
- Panama have won two, drawn one, and lost two of their last five in all competitions, losing 1-0 to Ghana in their World Cup debut.
Tactical and style contrast in New York/New Jersey
Thomas Tuchel's England are heavy favourites against a Panama side that were disappointing in their opening World Cup fixture. There is certainly a considerable difference in quality between the two sides, but the odds and the fact that Panama could spring a surprise means we're avoiding the game result market.
Instead, we're taking the odds-on price of 'Both Teams to Score - No' for this clash. That looks a safe bet considering England's defensive record and the difficulty Panama will have in breaking the Three Lions down for clear chances in open play. The Canal Men will have a better chance of getting at England from counter attacks and set pieces, but even that is unlikely to lead to goals, as we shall see below.
England in a good place
Tuchel's England have been playing better football since the former Chelsea boss took over, implementing his preferred structure-first philosophy. That has seen the Three Lions press higher, be more compact in the second line, and build up better since he took over.
The quality of players at their disposal is undeniable and they look to be in a similar position to the 2018 World Cup squad - a formation with wing-backs, excellent defensive midfielders, and a brilliant talisman that is capable of scoring goals himself and bringing others into play.
There is no player in the world who can match Harry Kane's impact in that role, with the Spurs striker scoring twice in one World Cup match and three of England's last nine goals across all competitions. The English team have scored seven goals in their last two games, so they will take the match to New York/New Jersey Stadium, USA, but the Canal Men will be compact, structured, and disciplined.
Panama will be patient
Thomas Christiansen's Panama have quality across the field, particularly in the engine room where Adalberto Carrasquilla is a disciplined, vertical ball-winner and distributor. They will sit back and be content to absorb pressure, looking for a moment of quality from José Fajardo up front or a chance to break from counter-attack or set piece.
Panama beat Dominican Republic 4-2 in a friendly at home earlier in the month, but that was a different proposition to travelling to Ghana and finding little joy against their compact defensive unit, instead relying on set pieces to be a threat. This game is likely to follow a similar theme, only England have the ball control and passing quality to hurt the visitors more than Ghana did.
England can edge a tight game
We do believe England are in a strong position to secure three points in New York/New Jersey on Saturday. There is a clear difference in form between the sides, as well as the fact that England will be better equipped to break Panama down and have more offensive depth to come on if needed.
Panama have their own quality, but England are at their best when they can control the tempo and have the possession, which is what they should do here, although we can see the Central American side getting some joy on the counter-attack or from set piece scenarios.
