Neither England nor France see a clear favourite as they prepare to face one another in a highly anticipated World Cup quarter-final.

The Three Lions and Les Bleus each eased through the last 16, beating Senegal and Poland respectively to set up a far trickier tie in the next round.

Although England have won both of the sides' previous World Cup meetings, France have lost just one of the past eight between the nations in all competitions.

Didier Deschamps' side are the world champions – albeit the first holders to feature in a quarter-final since Brazil in 2006.

Meanwhile, Gareth Southgate is hoping to become the first England manager to go to two World Cup semi-finals, and Kyle Walker – on whom there is plenty of focus ahead of a battle with Kylian Mbappe – cannot split the two teams.

"We're playing the world champions, but we are two good teams that will go toe to toe," the England right-back said. "You've seen what can happen in 90-plus minutes.

"There have been shocks and for us this is just another game. We take our hat off to them as world champions, but each and every one of us will not be rolling that red carpet out for them to treat it as a theatre.

"We have great talent – talk about the goals we have scored and the clean sheets that we've kept. In my eyes, neither team is the underdogs or the favourites."

It is an assessment France midfielder Adrien Rabiot agrees with, even if England have been eliminated from six of their past eight World Cup knockout matches against fellow European nations.

"They are a team that has the same characteristics as us, very fast on the wings, with attacking full-backs, midfielders who can get forward, and [Declan] Rice looks a bit like [Aurelien] Tchouameni," Rabiot said.

"I am not sure that we should say that we have to be careful. They will also be very careful because we have the possibility of putting them in difficulty.

"It's an open game with two teams who know how to counter. What can make a difference is set-pieces. They are very good, we will have to be vigilant and not make the same mistakes as against Denmark. They have weapons, but we are not inferior."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

England – Jude Bellingham

Teenage sensation Bellingham will play a huge role in getting England up the pitch. He has won possession more often than any team-mate (23), with only Harry Kane (six) doing so more often in the final third (five). England have won the most high turnovers at the tournament (38).

France – Olivier Giroud

Mbappe has the talent to decide the game not just by scoring but also by setting up Giroud, as he did against Poland. Mbappe (five) alone has scored more goals for France at this World Cup than the 36-year-old (three).

The only older player to net four at a single World Cup was 38-year-old Roger Milla for Cameroon in 1990.

PREDICTION

Neither Walker nor Rabiot may be able to choose a favourite, but Opta's supercomputer can – just.

France are given a 40.3 per cent chance of winning, ahead of slight underdogs England's 32.4 per cent. In a tie this tight, extra time or penalties could be required, with the draw rated at 27.3 per cent.