Best Bet: Belgium vs England - Third place play-offs guarantee goals

It’s the game that neither side really wants to play, and it’s take two in that regard between Belgium and England for the bronze medal at the World Cup.

Having missed out on a place in the final, both sets of players would probably rather rest and recuperate both physically and mentally for the season ahead, but there is one last formality to play out.

Such circumstances tend to lead to open matches of football and lapses of concentration or perhaps more pertinently care at the back, which we saw from England in particular during the semi-final.

Indeed, the manner of the Three Lions exit and their performance will have Belgium’s attackers relishing the chance to improve their own numbers before the tournament’s end, and with defensive concerns over both Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier’s fitness, we’re likely to see a reshuffle from Southgate.

Both managers are set to make changes, if not the same number that they did in the first meeting between these sides earlier in the summer, so the organisation of both teams may well be compromised and that should lead to goals.

It’s no coincidence that each of the last ten third place play-offs at the World Cup have seen over 2.5 goals and that doesn’t seem likely to change this Saturday, with odds as low as 1.50 with some bookmakers on a repeat. Throw in the fact that the two players that are in something of a battle for the Golden Boot - Harry Kane (six goals) and Romelu Lukaku (four) - may both be on display and goals at either end wouldn’t be a surprise either.

To boost your odds, it’s worth taking into consideration the physical strain that England were put through on Wednesday, not to mention the fact that they played a day after Belgium into account. Southgate’s squad have played 60 minutes more than that of Martinez in total and looked out for the count at times against Croatia, with physical recovery made all the more difficult by the nature of the defeat.

With that in mind, a price of 3.10 with both Ladbrokes and Coral on Belgium to win with over 2.5 goals scored in the match is one well worth taking.