Marouane Fellaini says England's World Cup 2018 clash with Belgium will mimic full-bloodied Premier League clash
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Marouane Fellaini claims England’s World Cup clash with Belgium will be as intense as a Premier League game.
England face Roberto Martinez’s men in their final group game in Kaliningrad on June 28 and the Belgium team will be packed full of Premier League players.
Fellaini claims this will make it similar to a Premier League game and said: “Yes, it will be intense. It will be hard work and full of quality. I look forward to it.
“Before that, we have two very important games, like England have. It is the third game, so I hope that the job will be done before the England game.
“I hope that it will be a good game. It will be a good test for us because England are a good, young and energetic team. It will be good for us as well to play against them.”
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Fellaini has an intimate knowledge of Gareth Southgate’s squad from his 10 years in England and says they can mix style with steel.
“They can play because they have good, technical players,” said the Manchester United midfielder. “They are physical, but they are also very technical so they can play good football.”
Fellaini claims his United team-mate Romelu Lukaku will be key for Belgium now that he is fit after his ankle problem and says he is difficult to stop.
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
“When he’s fit and he’s in a good dynamic, it’s difficult to stop him because he scores goals,” he said.
“He’s powerful and he’s dangerous in the box. He’s a good guy for us.”
Belgium also boast Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne in their star-studded squad and Fellaini claims they have several matchwinners.
“We have a lot of players playing in different countries for different big teams, so they can be dangerous,” he said.
“The stars are Hazard and De Bruyne, but the rest are good players and can do something special.”