Troy Deeney has warned Manchester United duo Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire they are in for a torrid time against Senegal talisman Ismaila Sarr.
In the absence of the injured Sadio Mane, Watford’s flying winger will represent the main dangerman as England look to avoid a World Cup upset in their last 16 tie on Sunday.
Sarr joined Watford from Rennes three years ago and has run United ragged in the past, most notably in a 4-1 victory just over a year ago which resulted in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking.
‘His blistering pace is frightening,’ Deeney told The Sun. ‘He runs so effortlessly. When you are a big guy like me and you can’t run, it is quite disheartening. At the same time, when Ismaila is on it, he is scary.
‘I remember watching him in the Europa League for Rennes against Arsenal in the 2018-19 season and he tore them a new one.
‘He has the ability to do that, especially in his natural position on the flanks. If you play him down the middle, you lose something from his game but he can be deadly on the right or left.
‘He will cause a lot of problems for England out wide, especially their full-backs. I remember a match at Vicarage Road against Manchester United in December 2019.
‘We won 2-0, Ismaila scored and he gave Luke Shaw a miserable time.
‘He also played up against Shaw and scored in another win at Vicarage Road last season — that 4-1 game that got Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the sack.
‘Harry Maguire played in both of those as well and he was on the back foot the whole time, worried about what was going to be sprinting in behind him.’
‘With the January window coming up and with Watford in the Championship, we all know he wants to be playing in the Premier League and at World Cups and on these sorts of stages more often,’ Deeney added.
‘I still chat to him on Instagram. I drop him a message when he does well and wish him all the best.
‘He will go on to have an unbelievable career.
‘I don’t want to put too much pressure on him but heads will turn at the biggest clubs in Europe if he is the star of the show this weekend.’
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