Belgium vs. England - 5 players to watch out for | UEFA Nations League 2020-21

#3 Harry Kane (England)

Harry Kane will want to replicate his Spurs form on the international stage.

After resting him in last week’s friendly game with Ireland, England boss Gareth Southgate will almost certainly rely on his captain Harry Kane to lead the line in tomorrow’s game. He’ll also be hoping that Kane can replicate the form he's shown for Tottenham Hotspur on the international stage once again.

Kane hasn’t scored a goal for England since November 2019’s win over Kosovo. However, for Tottenham, he’s been simply irrepressible this season. He’s played just 11 games thus far and already has eight goals and nine assists to his name.

It’s the kind of form that puts Kane on a similar level to fellow greats like Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski. However, there are still some doubters out there who believe that the Spurs man struggles when England face off with top-level opposition.

After missing England’s last match with Belgium due to a minor injury, Kane will be desperate to prove those doubters wrong tomorrow. And against a defense that doesn’t seem quite as strong as it once did – and will contain a clubmate in Toby Alderweireld – the England captain will be hopeful of making a major impact.

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#4 Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)

Kevin De Bruyne will be looking to pull the strings against England.

Most Premier League fans would probably agree that there are few finer midfielders in world football right now than Kevin De Bruyne. The Manchester City man is capable of picking apart any defense on the planet on his day. And his pinpoint accurate delivery, shooting ability, and vision make him a unique opponent to face.

De Bruyne will probably come into tomorrow’s game with particular confidence if England boss Gareth Southgate decides to play a 3-4-3 system with two holding midfielders again. It’s the kind of system that the Manchester City man will probably relish going up against.

De Bruyne wasn’t overly effective in October’s game between the two sides, but his form has improved since then, with the Belgian registering six assists in his last four games. And with England’s weaker midfield, he’ll be hoping to be able to pull the strings throughout the match.

If De Bruyne can start to control the middle of the pitch and pick passes to Belgium’s attackers like Romelu Lukaku and Dries Mertens, England will be in trouble. The only question is, how can they hope to stop a player of his quality?

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#5 Eric Dier (England)

England will look to the experienced Eric Dier to marshal their defense.

With Harry Maguire suspended, Joe Gomez injured, and Conor Coady self-isolating due to COVID-19 exposure, it seems almost a given that Eric Dier will start tomorrow’s game at the heart of England’s defense. So will that be a blessing or a curse?

With 43 caps to his name, Dier is one of England’s most experienced players and he offers the kind of leadership qualities that Gareth Southgate values highly. However, the majority of the Spurs man’s caps have come as a midfielder, and he’s still learning his trade as a central defender.

Worryingly, it was Dier who gave away a penalty in England’s last game with Belgium, and he struggled against Romelu Lukaku throughout the first half. But it’s worth noting that his second-half performance was much improved – and since then, his club form has improved too.

Dier has been a colossus for Spurs in their last few games, particularly in their most recent win over West Bromwich Albion. However, Belgium – with Lukaku, Mertens, De Bruyne, and the rest – are a far more dangerous proposition. That means that England will need the Spurs man to be at his absolute best – no mistakes allowed – to keep them at bay.