Who have the Sky pundits tipped to triumph in Qatar?

Sky pundits have provided their pre-World Cup predictions after the last game in the Premier League ahead of the tournament next week.

During an hour-long special anchored by Dave Jones, Gary Neville, Karen Carney, Jamie Redknapp and Jamie Carragher, they all gave their predictions on the key talking points on the pitch ahead of the World Cup.

With none of the four tipping England to make it to the final, let alone win football’s biggest trophy, there were a few leftfield calls in their team selections, with each very willing to side with their peers. to investigate.

Redknapp’s goalkeeper selection proved to be his most controversial decision, choosing Nick Pope over Everton’s Jordan Pickford, England’s undisputed number one. “I prefer Pope and Ramsdale to Pickford,” he explained.

His back four consisted of Kieran Trippier, Eric Dier, John Stones and Luke Shaw, while his midfield three consisted of Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Phil Foden.

Redknapp said he hoped England would get Foden more central behind Kane to ensure he got more on the ball.

“I wish Foden could get to the ball, on the half turn. He doesn’t get that chance at City because they have Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne,” he said. “I don’t think we have enough players for us who do things like that.”

Meanwhile, his front three consisted of Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane and Jack Grealish.

Carney’s team saw Pickford return to goalkeeping position as she deviated slightly from Redknapp’s 433 form to draft England in a 4231.

Like Redknapp, she chose Trippier for the right-back position, while Harry Maguire, the subject of much discussion around the team, plays with Stones in the center of defence. Shaw plays on the left.

Her midfield two, perhaps unsurprisingly, consists of Rice and Bellingham, while she chose to put Raheem Sterling on the left, Mason Mount in the gap behind Kane and Foden on the left.

“To be honest, I didn’t trust anyone… [that centre back selection]. I went with Maguire because, as I said in tournament football, with the opening game, so is his relationship with Pickford and Stones,” she explained. “Every game at the European Championship I was behind the goal for England, so I looked at how they communicated and how they worked – he wasn’t great, we can’t hide that. But we have to support him.”

Neville controversially said after saying a few weeks ago that he didn’t think Gareth Southgate would trust Trent Alexander-Arnold, he said he would select the defender on the right.

Neville picked Pickford into goal. In addition to Alexander-Arnold in his back five, the former England right-back selected Ben White, Dier and Stones. Shaw was again deployed to play left.

Like his peers, Neville went with Bellingham and Rice in midfield. He agreed with Carney and chose to play Sterling in the front three but swapped him and Foden. Kane, of course, leads the line.

“I don’t think he’s going to play him as a right-back, he would play him as a fullback. It’s not ideal to be honest with you – the defensive situation we have. I almost like the idea of ​​Shaw playing left-back to be honest,” Neville said of Southgate’s selection headache.

Finally, Carragher agreed with Carney and Redknapp that England should play a back-four in this tournament. However, Carragher, who missed a penalty for England against Portugal in 2006, said England’s versatility under Southgate was one of the main advantages of his rule as boss.

“I think it has been a great strength of Gareth Southgate. Three back at the World Cup four years ago – Euro was a back four for three against Germany and in the final and I think he has that option again,” he said.

Also with Pickford, Carragher’s back four consisted of Trippier, Stones, Maguire and Shaw. He justified his decision to select Maguire after admitting a few weeks ago that he didn’t think he could start for England at this tournament, saying: “When every central defender in this country plays at his best, Maguire is the best. He may never come back to where he was two years ago.’

Carragher went with a midfield three from Bellingham, Rice and Mount. He pointed to Mount’s tactical intelligence and his ability to level both sides of the game, earning him a berth in midfield.

Like Redknapp, Carragher went right with Saka. He would play Kane down the middle and because of his ‘frantic pace’ Foden on the left.

Elsewhere, the pundits were also asked to make a series of predictions related to the tournament. All three think the winner will come from Brazil or Argentina, while only Carragher thinks it will be the latter.

“Because it was one of the two and they are the two favourites,” said Carragher of his decision to pick Argentina. “I would like to see Messi win the World Cup. Yes, I think that would make him the greatest of all time.’

Redknapp said he felt it could be Brazil’s time again. Lionel Messi is in top form. Neymar is back in top form. I just went with Brazil – it feels like it could be their time again,” he said.

Carney thinks Spain will be a pip of Brazil in the final. Carragher thinks Cristiano Ronaldo will watch Messi lift the trophy they both crave from the turf of Lusail Stadium, Redknapp Spain and Neville France.

The surprising early exit of the tournament will be Belgium, according to Carragher. ‘I think it’s a great team. They’ve done a fantastic job. I just think it’s a step too far. Romelu Lukaku hasn’t played for weeks, maybe months because of injuries.’

Redknapp and Carney agreed, while Neville chose Uruguay.

The choice for the winner of the golden boot was divided between Messi (Carney), Lautaro Martinez (Carragher and Redknapp) and Kylian Mbappe (Neville).

Carney said her reason for believing Neymar will be crowned player of the tournament was due to her thinking Brazil will beat Argentina in the semi-finals.

“I just said that I think Brazil will meet Argentina in the semi-finals and it will be a battle between the two to win that battle. I went with Neymar,” she said.

Except for Carragher (Messi), everyone believed that the Brazilian would win the individual prize in mid-December.