World Cup 2014 Group D preview: Uruguay v England

The big, but very unfortunate news, for odds-on pool second-favourites England (10/11 to qualify) is that superstar striker Luis Suarez has been declared fit to play for Uruguay (10/3) in their second Group D encounter.

Liverpool’s 2013/14 season top scorer and La Celeste all-time leading marksman Suarez missed the opening shock defeat to Costa Rica, as he was recovering from minor knee surgery, but is a 9/2 chance to net last in Sao Paulo.

Meanwhile, there is also talk that fellow Premier League forward Wayne Rooney could be on the bench for the Three Lions, after being seen training with the expected substitutes. However, the Manchester United player, who is priced at 15/8 to score anytime, played that down.

“I said from the start I want to do everything I can to make sure I’m ready for these World Cup games,” he said. “That’s exactly what I did, my own extra training because that’s what I wanted to do.”

Both sides lost their first group game, and it is England who go into this head-to-head as favourites for victory at 6/5. Uruguay are 5/2 to win, with a draw more likely at 23/10.

However, Uruguay would have been hurt from that 3-1 defeat in the all-Americas battle, and Hodgson’s men will be facing a wounded animal – quite literally with Suarez.

Two-time World Cup winners La Celeste boast a winning record against England in history, with four wins and three draws in their 10 meeting and. The tiny nation (population of just over 3 million) are also undefeated in their two matches with the Three Lions at World Cups.