"?Has there been a single match hyped up more in the buildup to the European Championships this summer? England and Wales share one of the oldest rivalries in European football and the chat ahead of Thursday afternoon's game has been feisty to say the least.
Each set of players has questioned the other's passion, and quality. Sparks will fly, especially with England desperately needing a win after failing to beat Russia on the weekend.
Any History?
Ha. Haha. Hahahahah. How long have you got?
If we stick to the footballing history though (as - hopefully - the fans in Lens will), there's more than enough to be going on with. The two teams have met 101 times since their first meeting 137 years ago, with England winning 66 to Wales' 14 - and 21 draws.
The first match was a 2-1 win for the English back in 1879, and the most recent fixture went the same way too; a 1-0 win at Wembley thanks to an Ashley Young strike.
The last time England failed to beat Wales? All the way back in 1984, when a 20-year-old Mark Hughes scored on his international debut to give the Red Dragons a 1-0 win at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham. "?
Key Battles
Cahill & Smalling vs Gareth Bale
Roy Hodgson isn't likely to be naive enough to believe that Gareth Bale is the be-all and end-all of this Welsh team...but he is still the key man. The one touch of true world class talent in Chris Coleman's side - fast enough, powerful enough and skillful enough to turn England's two shaky centre-backs inside out. If they can stop him though, a big portion of Wales' threat is blunted.
Harry Kane vs Ashley Williams
England struggled to find the back of the net against Russia on Saturday, and a lot of the blame for that fell at Harry Kane's feet. If Wales can stop Kane from firing on Thursday afternoon, they've got a real chance of keeping England quiet. There are good signs for the Welsh too, with Kane failing to score (except past his own keeper) when playing Williams' Swansea last season.
Team News
Despite the cries to drop Raheem Sterling and completely shift the team's formation, Hodgson looks set to keep the faith in the XI which drew with Russia. Despite the result, England's performance hailed was one of their better in recent "?years - with Jack Wilshere saying afterwards that there is "no need to change the game plan". That'll be that, then.
Wales, meanwhile, have a few more decisions to make. Hal Robson-Kanu came off the bench to score against Slovakia, but that goal may not have been enough to earn him a starting spot. Wayne Hennessey also looks like returning to the starting lineup after shaking off a back spasm, with Liverpool's Danny Ward dropping back to the bench.
Prediction
There have been some stinging criticisms flung around at both sides in the build-up to this match. England have been called weak. Wales, weaker. One-man team versus tactical simpletons. A team of passion over skill up against a team of bored millionaires.
By most measurable metrics though, this should be England's game. It shouldn't even be that hard. 10 wins and a draw in their last 11 competitive games, no defeats to Wales in the last 30 years, and a team full of players who regularly play at the very highest levels.
It won't be that easy - Wales are solid, organised, and have true star power in Bale - but this game should only go one way.
Prediction: England 2-0 Wales
"?For more from Chris when he's not writing on 90min, follow him on Twitter at @ThatChris1209!
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