England manager Roy Hodgson has admitted that he is 'not close' to deciding which team he will put out against Italy in the nation's World Cup opener.

The Three Lions will take on their first Group D encounter in Manaus on June 14, but will play three warm-up matches beforehand, the first of which is against Peru at Wembley tomorrow.

When asked in Thursday's press conference how near he is to picking his starting XI, Hodgson said: "Not that near, simply because the performances of the players in training has been so good.

"They have been so keen to stake their claim so I have to admit it's not going to be an easy choice. There are a lot of positions around those senior players that need resolving."

England will also face Uruguay and Costa Rica in the group phase.

Written by
Danielle Joynson