Manchester United and England midfielder Jesse Lingard has warned England of the threat posed by Colombia forward Radamel Falcao, ahead of the round of 16 clash between the two sides at the World Cup.
England suffered defeat to Belgium in their final group game and lost out on top spot as a result and now they have been preparing to face Colombia, who will be led by Radamel Falcao, formerly of United and Chelsea.
The Evening Standard are reporting an interview with Lingard, who was asked about the threat posed by Falcao and Colombia as a whole. Lingard said: “He’s a great finisher. In and around the box, he’s lethal.
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“We will be aware of that.
“Colombia are a tough side, and we will have to be at our best on the day to do the job and move on to the next round.
“They are a great side, a tough side. We are aware of that, but our qualities and our threats can cause some problems as well.”
Lingard has been one of England’s main players at the World Cup so far, after scoring an incredible goal in the 6-1 victory over Panama.
“It was an amazing feeling,” he admitted. “Of course you think about it (lifting the World Cup), but you can’t get too carried away at this current stage.”
Falcao scored his first ever World Cup goal during the group stages and has looked good even when he hasn’t been scoring goals. He netted 24 times last season for AS Monaco, after a tally of 30 in the previous campaign.
A serious knee injury threatened to derail his career and eventually led to United’s decision not to make his loan move permanent. He was also a disappointment at Chelsea, scoring just five goals in a total of 41 appearances for both Premier League clubs.
