5 questions ahead of Uruguay v England
It is billed as one of the key clashes of Group D.
After both sides suffered opening defeats against Italy and Costa Rica, even more will be at stake when England take on Uruguay clash in Sao Paulo on Friday morning (Singapore time).
Here are the five burning questions ahead of the big World Cup match:
1) Will Roy Hodgson start Wayne Rooney?
Another game without a major impact, another monkey on Rooney's back.
Granted, the Manchester United man was out of position as he toiled on the left wing against Italy, but will the manager continue to persist with his star man despite another poor performance?
2) Can Rooney deliver if shifted to the middle?
While he may not agree with the harsh criticism from former Manchester United teammate Paul Scholes, one thing is certain for Rooney if he plays as a striker.
He needs to focus on what he should be doing as a forward and put the ball in the net.
At 28, he is in his prime and not an youngster to be indulged anymore.
If his "enthusiasm for the game" prevents him from doing his specific job, Hodgson should consider someone else who actually sticks to the task.
3) Will Roy give the rookies a chance?
As calls for Rooney to be dropped are being made, some quarters want Hodgson to gamble and field new boys like Adam Lallana and Ross Barkley.
While the two players impressed with their club last season, are they ready for the biggest stage of all with so much at stake against Uruguay?
4) Will Luis Suarez be fit enough?
Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said his team clearly missed their talismanic striker as they went down to a shock defeat to lowly Costa Rica.
But can Suarez last the 90 minutes in such a crucial clash? Or would it be better to save him and send him on as a substitute?
It's an unenviable position for Tabarez with so much riding on this game for the two-time World Cup winners.
5) Will Tabarez drop his captain?
Diego Lugano might have been a dependable rock when he helped La Celeste to fourth place at the last World Cup in South Africa.
But the 33-year-old central defender has been on the decline since then, culminating in a poor performance against Costa Rica as Uruguay shipped three goals.
Will Tabarez act and drop his trusted leader on the pitch? And if he does, is there an able replacement among his squad?
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