MOSCOW, June 27, 2018 (News Wires) - England captain Harry Kane is likely to start against Belgium on Thursday as he continues his quest for the World Cup Golden Boot. Kane, 24, is current the top scorer at the World Cup with five, one ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku. With progression to the last 16 already secure for England and Belgium it is anticipated both teams will make changes, with finishing second in the group possibly offering an easier path in the knock-out stages. England manager Gareth Southgate did not confirm or deny any team news at his press conference but was full of praise for Kane. "His scoring record of goals per game is outstanding," said Southgate. "He has shown his value to us already both before the tournament and now during the tournament. "Equally, he is the captain and he knows he will be judged on how far we go as a team. He wants to contribute to a winning team and he knows it is not as satisfying if you are a player scoring goals and the team does not win." Pressed on whether Kane would start against Belgium, Southgate told Talksport: "As a manager you have to think of the whole squad and then your second thought is for individuals and their own situations, and that is a really complex balance in any business where you are managing people. But I am sure we can get that right." The report adds that Danny Rose, Gary Cahill and Fabian Delph are all expected to come into the side.
