CHRIS SUTTON urges Gareth Southgate to abandon his safety-first approach, while BRYAN ROBSON calls for Phil Foden to be given a free role: Sportsmail experts pick their England teams for the group opener with Iran on Monday

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England kick off their World Cup campaign against Iran on Monday, before further group fixtures with the USA and Wales.

There has been much discussion over who Gareth Southgate will pick and what formation he will go with heading into the tournament.

In light of that, Sportsmail experts Bryan Robson and Chris Sutton select their England teams for the Three Lions' tournament opener.

Gareth Southgate has plenty of decisions to make regarding who he picks in his XI to face Iran

Sportsmail experts Bryan Robson (L) and Chris Sutton (R) both picked what they would do

Bryan Robson - Give Foden a free role and watch him shine

Don't lose the first game of a tournament: that’s the mantra. England can’t always score after 27 seconds — as I did against France at Spain ’82 — so it’s important we pick a side that has composure, balance and familiarity with each other.

Iran will be difficult opponents. They are more accustomed to the conditions than England and will be well drilled by Carlos Queiroz, who knows the England players’ strengths and weaknesses. That’s why I’d go with Phil Foden in a free role in a 4-2-3-1, Jack Grealish on one flank and Raheem Sterling on the other, with Harry Kane up front.

Foden is a terrific worker, constantly looking to find pockets of space, and he causes chaos in tight areas. He creates, he scores, he’s a real livewire, so he’s perfect behind the striker.

Foden can also tire teams out mentally and physically. Then we have quality, pace and skill to come off the bench and take advantage.

Robson called for Phil Foden to be given a free role and kept faith with Harry Maguire

Grealish is ideally suited to international football. At this level, a lot of defenders are predominantly good on the ball and not so great at defending. They will hate someone like Grealish running at them. He is capable of dragging England up the pitch when under pressure and can buy vital free-kicks.

There are arguments for Mason Mount, Bukayo Saka and James Maddison, but they can still have great impact from the bench without disrupting the formation. And the bench will be important in these stifling conditions.

John Stones and Harry Maguire are England’s most reliable defensive partnership.

Maguire has had a tough time but there is no one better equipped than him to partner Stones. He needs pace around him and, to help him settle, it’s important to have Luke Shaw, his Manchester United team-mate, at left back.

That familiar dynamic from club level will give our defence a good balance.

Robson's team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Trippier, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Rice, Bellingham; Grealish, Foden, Sterling; Kane

Chris Sutton - No need for safety first... go with a back four

Word is Gareth Southgate wants to go with a back three for Iran. I fear millions of eyes will roll if the England line-up drops and we’ve got three central defenders! 

The system can scream safety first and I think we can afford to be more expansive against Iran. Look, whichever system Southgate selects should be enough to win this game. Hopefully easier than the stoppage-time winner we needed from Harry Kane in the 2018 World Cup opener against Tunisia. 

But I much prefer the idea of a back four. In my line-up, I’ve got right-footed Kieran Trippier at right back and left-footed Luke Shaw at left back. They get high and wide and give you the width you want. There’s a left-footer on the right in Phil Foden and a right-footer on the left in Raheem Sterling, both cutting inside to be closer to Kane.

Sutton urged Gareth Southgate to play a back four and picked James Maddison in his XI

At No 10, James Maddison is there to do what he’s been doing for Leicester. He deserves his shot on the biggest stage. Southgate will have done his homework.

After seeing how successful the back three was in Russia, he may fancy that again. But that’s not what I would go with for Iran, Gareth!

Sutton's team (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Trippier, Stones, Dier, Shaw; Rice, Bellingham; Foden, Maddison, Sterling; Kane