England head into Saturday's World Cup group-stage clash with Panama carrying four points from two games, knowing a win would secure top spot in the group. But Thomas Christiansen's side — ranked 42nd by FIFA — could yet cause problems for Thomas Tuchel's men if England underestimate them.

Panama's tactical flexibility

One of the most striking features of Panama's tournament so far has been their willingness to shift shape depending on the phase of play. From opposition goal-kicks, they press high in a 4-4-2, but when opponents progress the ball with quality, Panama retreat into a 5-3-2 mid-block designed to make them hard to play through.

As Croatia grew into their group game, Panama dropped even deeper, transitioning into a 5-4-1 with a lower defensive line. This adaptability has made them a difficult opponent to pin down — even if their results do not reflect the quality of their performances.

Playing around Panama

With four midfielders rather than five in their 5-4-1, Panama cannot cover the full width of the pitch as effectively as Ghana did with a 4-5-1. This leaves space for opposition defenders to shift the ball quickly and find their full-backs or wide midfielders.

Exploiting the width is likely to be England's most productive route to goal. Croatia's only strike in their game against Panama came precisely from this approach — pulling the wing-back wide to open a gap between him and the centre-back. England's wingers have been instructed to stay high and wide throughout the tournament, and this tactic would serve them well against a back five.

Tuchel was spotted urging full-back Djed Spence to play the ball to Anthony Gordon and then overlap — a movement nearly identical to Croatia's goal. Expect England to look for a third runner through the channel between wing-back and centre-back.

Playing over Panama

Panama's defensive line sits noticeably higher than Ghana's did, opening the door to balls played in behind. Ghana asked Thomas Partey to shadow Harry Kane and deny him space in behind, while keeping their defensive block compact. If Panama choose not to man-mark Kane in the same way, dropping him deep to play accurate passes over Panama's line could become a genuine weapon for England.

Panama's attacking threat

When Panama get on the ball, they are technically capable of playing out under pressure — midfielder Cristian Martinez particularly stands out in this regard. Their fast transitions typically end in crosses rather than central combinations, and if they can string short, quick passes together before switching play to the far winger, they can be dangerous on the break.

England's counter-pressing has been one of their defining strengths this tournament, with even their biggest names working hard to win the ball back immediately. That intensity will need to be maintained against a Panama side capable of hurting teams in transition.

A game with several unknowns

Panama cannot qualify from the group regardless of Saturday's result, which raises genuine questions about motivation and how many changes Christiansen might make. Their best player, Adalberto Carrasquilla, is also injured, which has blunted their ability to convert impressive build-up play into goals.

England are favourites and rightly so — but Panama have shown enough across two games to demand respect. The Three Lions will need to impose their game from the first whistle.