Soccer-England keep faith with Maguire, Azmoun on bench for Iran

England are without midfielder James Maddison, who is nursing a knee injury, while Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling will play in a three-man frontline with captain Harry Kane. Azmoun has not played since injuring his calf at the start of October.

England manager Gareth Southgate kept faith with centre back Harry Maguire, including him in a back four to play Iran, who will start with star forward Sardar Azmoun on the bench for the World Cup Group B encounter on Monday.

Maguire, who has been out of favour at club side Manchester United this season, starts alongside John Stones in a back four, with Southgate opting against his usual three-man backline for the encounter at Khalifa International Stadium. England are without midfielder James Maddison, who is nursing a knee injury, while Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling will play in a three-man frontline with captain Harry Kane.

Azmoun has not played since injuring his calf at the start of October. England: Jordan Pickford, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Kieran Trippier, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Mason Mount, Luke Shaw, Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling

Iran: Alireza Beiranvand, Sadegh Moharrami, Ehsan Hajsafi, Milad Mohammadi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Morteza Pouraliganji, Mehdi Taremi, Rouzbeh Cheshmi, Ali Karimi, Majid Hosseini, Ahmad Nourollahi

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