BBC 5 Live Breakfast

Former Norway and Chelsea striker Tor Andre Flo agrees with Erling Haaland, saying the country is feeling relaxed before Saturday's big game against England.

He told 5 Live Breakfast: "Everyone in Norway are very excited. We are full of confidence at the moment and we are not feeling too much pressure. It's a nice way of coming into such a big game for the Norwegians.

"It's 28 years since Norway were last in the World Cup so everybody is happy to be there knowing that we also have a great team with good players and players who are full of confidence and in good form.

"We are just enjoying it. It seems like everyone in Norway is rowing at the moment."

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Brotherton
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Norway striker Erling Haaland says all the pressure is on England leading into their World Cup quarter-final meeting on Saturday - and with a smile, called on the media to put as much pressure on Thomas Tuchel's side as possible.

Norway had not competed at a World Cup since 1998, but have reached the final eight for the first time after finishing second in Group I before beating Ivory Coast and Brazil in the knockout stage.

England have reached at least the quarter-finals in the past three men's World Cups, but have not made the final since winning the competition in 1966.

When asked is all the pressure is on England, Manchester City striker Haaland said: "Yes, definitely.

"I think there's some clear favourites out there, England's one of them."

Speaking to journalists, he added: "I think all of you should put every single pressure on the English lads.

"Yeah, they [England fans] should be confident of progressing, definitely. It's England."

"I didn't expect it. To be honest, to be in the quarter-finals with Norway in the World Cup is quite surprising even for me," he added.

"Playing against Brazil was kind of crazy for us Norwegians and to win against Brazil and then go and play England in the quarter-finals in the World Cup in the USA is quite special.

"It's difficult to take everything in because you need to kind of just play the game like it's a training session.

"I think if you watch the scenes back in Norway, this is not normal for Norway to be, so it's super special."

Saturday will be a memorable occasion for Norway - and their supporters - as it marks the first time they have reached the quarter-finals of a major international tournament.

Even after dumping five-time winners Brazil out in the last round, is it right that the the Scandinavian side are still being considered underdogs for this last-eight tie?

Erling Haaland certainly seems to think so...

BBC Radio 5 Live

England's World Cup quarter-final against Norway is the subject for Nicky Campbell's 5 Live phone-in this morning.

Listen via this link.

Here's a selection of views expressed so far:

Freddy, from South London: "I don’t see England losing tomorrow. I think in terms of a team that we could have played, a quarter-final against Norway is a team that we will know a lot about. We know a lot about their players. This will be our best opportunity to get through to a semi-final. It will be like playing a really high-quality Premier League game. England players will be comfortable playing this game. There will be a predictability about Norway that England will be ready for. England could not have been paired with a better team at this stage."

Monica, Norway fan in Leeds: "I think Haaland is an incredible striker. In some of the goals he has scored in the tournament, he’s almost at walking pace, doesn’t look like he’s interested in the game, then takes one or two big strides and big jump and brings it into the back of the net in a big way. If Norway is going to have a chance, we of course rely on Haaland being on really good form."

Bradley, England fan living in Oslo: "A few days ago, I felt very confident but some little nerves are kicking in now with all the injuries and illnesses."

When asked how England can stop Erling Haaland when they face Norway in their World Cup quarter-final on Saturday night, Morgan Rogers offered a simple response.

"Has anyone ever stopped Haaland?" Rogers responded.

It is a fair and realistic question ahead of England's first meeting with the Manchester City striker, who has - along with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane - taken the World Cup by storm this summer.

The 25-year-old has scored seven goals in five games so far - including a brace against five-time winners Brazil - and is arguably in the form of his life.

If Marc Guehi is to miss Saturday's contest, it will likely fall to John Stones to try to stop his former Manchester City team-mate alongside Ezri Konsa.

Is that England's best alternative, or could Thomas Tuchel throw a wild card into the mix and select Dan Burn, who impressed during his short but physical battle with Raul Jimenez in the closing stages of England's win against Mexico earlier in the week?

Image source, Getty Images

Henry Winter
Football writer on BBC Radio 5 Live

There is going to be a Premier League feel to this element and also Borussia Dortmund because Jude Bellingham and Haaland are great friends from there. But, for those 90 minutes, 120 minutes, probably penalties knowing England, it will absolutely be full on.

Manchester City's Marc Guehi has a slight hamstring injury and be a major doubt for England's match against Norway.

How big a miss would he be?

Who should come in if Guehi is out?

Send in your thoughts via the 'Get Involved' button.

Henry Winter
Football writer on BBC Radio 5 Live

On Marc Guehi's hamstring injury:

That is obviously a huge concern because Thomas Tuchel has got a loyalty or a duty of care to the player and the club. A hamstring, particularly when you are chasing someone like Erling Haaland, you can't risk it.

Whether this is mind games, which invariably happens on the eve of big games or not, it is a huge concern.

That settles that, then.

It appears the majority of you following the BBC Sport live page this morning believe Trent Alexander-Arnold should have been included in the England squad for this summer's World Cup. Sadly for his supporters, he isn't, and the Three Lions will have to contend with his absence - and several others - on Saturday night.

Henry Winter, meanwhile, believes the potential absence of Manchester City defender Marc Guehi could have huge ramifications for Thomas Tuchel's side.

Guehi has started four out of the five matches England have played at this summer's World Cup.

With Jarell Quansah set to serve a two-match ban, which will keep him ruled out of the quarter-finals and a potential semi-final, and Reece James struggling for fitness during the tournament so far, it begs the question: should Thomas Tuchel have included a certain Real Madrid right-back in his squad?

Let's have a quick flash poll, shall we?

Thumbs up if Trent Alexander-Arnold should have been included in the England squad.

Thumbs down if Tuchel was right to leave him at home.

Image source, Getty Images

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

England defender Jarell Quansah has been given a two-match ban for his red card against Mexico.

Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute of the 3-2 win following a high challenge on Jesus Gallardo.

It was classed as serious foul play, meaning the Bayer Leverkusen player was handed an extra match on top of the automatic one-game suspension by Fifa's disciplinary committee.

Former Liverpool man Quansah will miss Saturday's quarter-final with Norway (22:00 BST) and a potential semi-final against Argentina or Switzerland.

Quansah, 23, will be available if England reach the final in New Jersey on 19 July.

The Football Association was considering whether to appeal, but under the tournament regulations there is no avenue to contest the ban.

However, BBC Sport has been told the FA made very strong representations to Fifa over the process that reached the Quansah red card decision, arguing that the referee was shown a still image of the tackle and slow-motion replays before being shown the incident in real-time on the pitchside screen, and that this could have resulted in 'outcome bias'.

In the Premier League, officials are shown incidents at full speed first - though England's top flight is an outlier.

The ban complicates matters for head coach Thomas Tuchel at right-back.

Quansah filled in against Mexico while England were without the injured Reece James, with Djed Spence only used as a substitute after a minor fitness issue.

Sami Mokbel
BBC Sport Senior football correspondent

England defender Marc Guehi will be assessed on Friday to see if he is fit to play in Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against Norway.

The centre-back has a slight hamstring injury following England's 3-2 victory over Mexico in the last 16 at the Azteca Stadium.

Meanwhile, right-back Reece James returned to training as expected on Thursday and is in contention for the game, but Declan Rice did not train again because of a sickness bug.

Initially it was hoped Guehi was carrying muscular fatigue and would be fit to face Norway.

But it is understood the Manchester City defender has a hamstring strain.

Guehi is desperate to prove his fitness and remains optimistic he can be involved.

If he cannot train with the squad on Friday then there will be major doubt over his inclusion against Norway.

The issue is not viewed as serious, but with seven-goal Erling Haaland to cope with, England head coach Thomas Tuchel can hardly afford to take fitness risks with defenders.

Midfielder Rice is understood to have missed a second successive day of training because of a sickness bug.

Rice had already been suffering with a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back, and it has been exacerbated by illness.

England have taken steps to ensure the bug does not spread.

It promises to be a huge night for the Three Lions on Saturday as they take on Norway at the Miami Stadium.

However, England's hopes of progressing will require a defensive reshuffle from manager Thomas Tuchel, with Jarell Quansah suspended and Marc Guehi likely to be sidelined by a hamstring injury.

England's backline has the daunting - and seemingly impossible - task of keeping Erling Haaland quiet, with Norway's prolific striker certain to pose the biggest threat to the Three Lions' hopes of reaching the semi-finals.

Right, France are in the semi-finals, can England join them?

Let's talk Three Lions...

France

One thing is for sure - the France players will pull out all the stops to try to win the World Cup one more time for manager Didier Deschamps.

Deschamps says he will step down after this tournament.

The 57-year-old is France's longest-serving coach, having been in charge since 2012, helping them win the World Cup in 2018 and finish as runners-up in 2022.

His mother died during this tournament and Deschamps flew home for her funeral, missing France's final group-stage win over Norway, but returned for the knockout stages.

Image source, Getty Images

Julien Laurens
ESPN journalist on BBC Radio 5 Live at Boston Stadium

On who France will want to face in the semi-final:

Belgium is the old rival. So many stories before, not just the proximity between the two countries, but everything historically, sporting-wise.

Then Spain is the old enemy in a way, too, not as old as Belgium, but the bogey team a little bit.

The team that knocked us out of the Euro semi-finals two years ago, and the team that probably has all of the qualities to counter this French team and this French attack.

For me, France v Spain should have been the final, would have been the best final, but if we have that in the semi-final, then it will be one of the games for the ages.

Image source, Getty Images

Hold your horses Dan, Spain have to beat Belgium tonight to set up that mouth-watering semi-final.

Although Opta do give Spain a 58.3% chance of winning that tie, with the Belgians heavy underdogs and rated as having a 19.1% chance of getting into the semi-finals.

We will be building up to Spain v Belgium a little later.

Coming up is the latest from the England camp.

But before that, here is France football expert Julien Laurens...

Hassan Kachloul
Former Morocco international speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live

Of course, Morocco came up against a very good French side but I think the manager was torn up between attacking.

When you don't have your main striker, a fixed point up front to reach, it suddenly becomes attack against defence.

Even if you put a lot of midfielders in, he thought he would have the upper hand in trying to move the ball forward, but it didn't happen and then suddenly they were creating very little.

It is a learning curve; they are not the only team that lost against France. Once again, we played three of the top eight teams [drawing with Brazil in the group stages and beating the Netherlands on penalties in the last 32] and it is very difficult to get to a final with so many great teams in front.