TEAM NEWS
France’s Djibril Sidibe has been passed fit after a knee injury.
Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele are expected to play in a front three alongside Antoine Griezmann, with Olivier Giroud starting from the bench.
Australia coach Bert van Marwijk could drop captain Mile Jedinak and play Massimo Luongo in central midfield.
He also has another tough decision to make in the lone striker position, with Tomi Juric, Jamie Maclaren and Andrew Nabbout battling it out.
OVERVIEW
France have lost just once in their last 12 matches, and are amongst the favourites for the World Cup, but coach Didier Deschamps looks set to go into their first game of the tournament with a new formation as his battle to get the best out of his youthful, vibrant and exciting squad rumbles on.
After persisting with a 4-4-2 that looked outdated and constrictive, he is expected to unleash a 4-3-3 with a twist, that will team Kylian Mbappe (£166m), Ousmane Dembele (£135m) and Euro 2016 Golden Boot winner Antoine Griezmann together in a frightening front three.
While Deschamps has had six years to tinker, his opposite number Bert van Marwijk has had just four friendlies, having been parachuted in following the resignation of Ange Postecoglou in November. After a punishing defeat in his opening game, the Socceroos have impressed under the Dutchman winning the other three matches.
FRANCE LINE UP
4-3-3: Lloris; Pavard, Varane, Umtiti, Lucas; Tolisso, Kanté, Pogba; Mbappé, Griezmann, Dembélé
Substitutes: Mandanda, Areola, Kimpembé, Rami, Sidibé, Mendy, N’Zonzi, Matuidi, Lemar, Thauvin, Fekir, Giroud
AUSTRALIA LINE UP
4-4-1-1: Ryan; Risdon, Sainsbury, Milligan, Behich; Jedinak, Mooy; Leckie, Rogic, Kruse; Nabbout
Substitutes: Jones, Vukovic, Degenek, Meredith, Cahill, Jurman, Luongo, Juric, MacLaren, Arzani, Petratos, Irvine
VIEW FROM BOTH CAMPS
France forward Kylian Mbappe on playing with Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann:”We are three players who appreciate each other.
“We put our egos on the side. There are not a lot of teams who have a better attacking line-up than us.
“We can bring some carefreeness, some joie de vivre in a competition where pressure is always weighing on the squad.”
Australia coach Bert van Marwijk: “Normally, we play 10 times against France, maybe we lose eight, nine times.
“We have worked hard to get a situation that maybe we lose five, six times (out of 10) but we also can win a few times and a few times draw.
“That’s important. When you’re well organised and you believe in something and everybody knows exactly from each other what to do and you have the guts to play and be yourself, then we have a chance.”
LAWRO’S PREDICTION
If you go through the France side, you would think they will win comfortably. I don’t think it will be that easy, but they have got enough match-winners in their team for someone to make the difference when it matters once Australia start to tire.
Prediction: 2-0
