England vs Costa Rica LIVE: Score and updates from World Cup 2018 warm-up fixture

Gareth Southgate’s England entertain Costa Rica in a friendly at Elland Road.

It’s England's final warm-up fixture before they fly to Russia for three Group G clashes against Belgium, Tunisia and Panama.

Southgate has repeatedly told his players that there are “places up for grabs" and revealed Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jack Butland would feature in his starting XI.

Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Nigeria stretched the Three Lions' unbeaten run to nine games. Meanwhile Costa Rica are full of confidence having beaten Northern Ireland 3-0 over the weekend.

ENGLAND 1-0 COSTA RICA - RASHFORD (13)

England XI: Butland, Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Maguire, Jones, Rose, Henderson, Delph, Loftus-Cheek, Rashford, Vardy.

Costa Rica XI: Navas, Oviedo, Gamboa, Gonzalez, Waston, Calvo, Borges, Guzman, Venegas, Urena, Campbell.

ENGLAND 1-0 COSTA RICA

53: Three cheers for Jack Butland, who’s finally been given the opportunity to touch the ball. It was only a speculative effort from Urena though. Easy save.

50: Jamie Vardy looks to have broken the line but he was a fraction offside. Glen Hoddle said he was a “knee” beyond the last defender.

48: I suspect ITV 1’s viewing figures have just taken a sharp decline, and not because Lee Dixon was providing analysis over the break.

Love Island has just started on ITV 2. I’m sure the England lads will catch up on that later. As will I…

ENGLAND 1-0 COSTA RICA

45: And the second half is underway. Silly me has been so busy speculating about who will make the starting XI, I forgot to mention those who haven’t enjoyed themselves tonight.

Jamie Vardy made seven touches in the first half - fewer than any other player on the pitch. Jack Butland wasn’t really involved either, for obvious reasons…

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Pete: Marcus Rashford is already MOTM after just 40 minutes. Also so refreshing to see an England team playing with confidence.

Rocky: This match is just proving how much better the atmosphere is when England are on the road. I still think selling Wembley will be a blessing in the long run.

Michael: Now I know we don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but it looks like England are definitely going to win the World Cup.

Totally agree, Michael. I’ll start organising the open bus tour now.

ENGLAND 1-0 COSTA RICA

HT: And the referee blows the half-time whistle with England in complete control. Marcus Rashford has been at the heart of everything with Costa Rica unable to deal with the Manchester United forward.

Plenty of sharp performances, including the Elland Road crowd, who have created a brilliant atmosphere. It sounds cliched but it really does put a spring in the step.

44: Costa Rica were chosen as tonight's opponents because of their geographical proximity to Panama. Fingers crossed the two nations share a similar ability with their national sides…

41: Marcus Rashford has certainly staked his claim for a World Cup start, but numerous others have too. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harry Maguire and Fabian Delph have all looked good. I’m in a bit of a pickle.

38: Once again Maguire gets on the end of a corner but his header back into the area cannons off Loftus-Cheek and Costa Rica clear.

35: Alexander-Arnold sends a wonderful curling ball into the six-yard box but Gonzalez stretches to prevent Vardy from poking home.

32: Maguire really does put fear in opposition defences. Delph whips the ball into the box once again but the referee comes to Costa Rica’s rescue with the towering centre-back causing havoc.

30: Chance for the visitors goes begging. Venegas curls the ball towards the top corner but Jack Butland is there to palm it away.

27: I think some of the supposed ‘nailed-on starting XI’ might be feeling a little bit worried by this display from the fringe players. Every player looks desperate to make that opening line-up against Tunisia.

24: England continue to pour forward in search of a second. This is what a confident performance should look like. Costa Rica barely have a second on the ball without being closed down.

21: Battering ram Ruben Loftus-Cheek takes out two players in the same motion. Quite impressive from the Chelsea midfielder.

Close! Maguire flicks a header into the path of Vardy, who sees his snapshot foiled by Navas. Maguire has been marauding forward all night.

18: This really will give Gareth Southgate something to think about. I’ve seen lots of people calling for Rashford to partner Kane in attack. He’s absolutely fearless.

15: I see Harry Kane smiling and laughing on the bench. Is it too late to make Marcus Rashford captain?!

ENGLAND 1-0 COSTA RICA - RASHFORD

13: Oh, hello! Marcus Rashford has scored a total and utter cracker here at Elland Road to give England the lead.

The United striker plays a neat one-two with Delph before turning an smashing a curving and dipping strike from 25-yards behind Keylor Navas.

11: Marcus Rashford gets people off their seats. He leaves Watson for dead before another defender pokes it out for a corner.

Phil Jones nearly summons the spirit of Steve Bruce with a header from the edge of the area but Navas tips it over.

8: Delph swings a free-kick in from the right flank but Maguire is penalised for shoving Real Madrid goalkeeper Navas. Quite the size difference between those two.

5: Sorry to keep banging on about the atmosphere tonight, but it really is terrific. Not many places like Elland Road for volume in English football. The band have taken the decibel levels up a notch too!

On the pitch, England are dominating possession and have played with flair and adventure. No clear-cut chances yet.

3: "Football’s coming home, it’s coming home, it’s coming home…” is blaring from the England supporters. I wonder if they’ve been watching the Skinner and Baddiel anthem on YouTube too…

1: And we’re off. One quarter of the pitch is bathed in sunshine. Looks like Trent Alexander-Arnold will have to deal with that on his international debut for the opening stages.

THE ANTHEMS…

19:58: I would say that’s the best rendition of the Costa Rica national anthem that I’ve ever heard…

And what a stonking effort from the Yorkshire contingent inside Elland Road tonight. Easily twice as loud as any national anthem I’ve heard at Wembley.

GREAT ATMOSPHERE

19:55: What a tremendous noise these 37,000 England fans are making this evening. Oh, that statistic is wrong. I’m reliably informed that there are at least 70 Costa Rica supporters at Elland Road tonight.

I’ll try that again. What a tremendous noise these 36,930 England fans are making.

The players have just emerged from the tunnel to a wall of noise and thousands of flags the FA have provided on the house.

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Ralphster: We wait years for an England manager to be brave and use young players and untested players, and he gets grief from the masses, typical!

Kudzai: Feel sorry for Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy in this line-up. Big lack creativity in midfield.

David: Germany not taking Sane, Spain not taking Fabregas, but we're experimenting with the dynamic midfield of Henderson, Loftus-Cheek and Delph.

KANE OR HENDERSON?

19:45: I didn’t really think this was up for debate, but Paul Ince thinks Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson should have been given the England captaincy.

“I hear a lot of rubbish from Liverpool fans about Jordan Henderson,” said Ince. “But I always say, ‘Well, when he was injured you struggled without him’.

“He looks a bit boring, but every team needs a player like that. He gives you legs in midfield and can cover the ground. He’s so unappreciated because he does everything well.

“For me, he should have been England captain. Watch him on the pitch, he is always communicating with his team mates and that’s so important.”

OH, RIGHT…

19:40: Have you heard the news? Kaiser Chiefs singer Ricky Wilson and England cricket legend Andrew Flintoff have teamed up to record an unofficial England World Cup song.

It… well, it’s interesting.

“He could lead the line like a shooting star, in the qualifiers he was really wunderbar.”

I’ve posted a clip below. Watch it if you dare.

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Tom: I think Southgate has got it right giving a run out to other squad players. Keeps the squad fresh and competition alive for positions.

Sam: No game time for Kane and Vardy up-front. Why would you not have the two English top goal scorers playing together?

Neil: what an awful line up for England, hope we don't see many of these fringe players in Russia. I think we know the first team now.

WHY ELLAND ROAD?

19:30: There’s quite a few people asking why England are playing at Elland Road this evening.

It’s quite simple really. To give people who live miles away from Wembley the chance to see the Three Lions in action.

England’s record at Elland Road? 0/2 against Sweden (1995) and Italy (2002).

LOVE ISLAND

19:25: If I had a pound for every time I’ve overheard: “Yes, I’ve watched Love Island but only because my girlfriend had it on.”

But there’s no such embarrassment in the England camp, folks.

Gareth Southgate was asked about the squad’s two favourite activities this week: Fortnite and TV show Love Island.

"I’m in touch enough to know what both are about, so that is a good start I suppose," he told the BBC.

"I don’t partake in either. I mean the players are having a lot of fun, certainly with a little group who play Fortnite; they are having a lot of banter with that, and one or two are passing on tips and ranking themselves.

"Love Island? It’s bad enough at home that I have to endure parts of that, but then I come in to camp and they are in the physio’s room and watching it there! It’s not for me, but I’m sure the rest of the nation is glad to hear that."

TOP MARKS

19:20: Forget the best kit at this year’s World Cup, folks. We have found our winner. And it’s this tidy number designed by a bloke called Gav on Twitter.

TEAM NEWS - ENGLAND

19:15: Gareth Southgate makes 10 changes from the side who beat Nigeria at Wembley on Saturday.

So who is the designated survivor? It’s John Stones of course!

Trent Alexander-Arnold makes his international debut, while Jack Butland takes Jordan Pickford’s place between the sticks.

In the 3-5-2 formation, Phil Jones and Harry Maguire join Stones in defence with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph and Jordan Henderson protecting them.

Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy will lead the line with Alexander-Arnold and Danny Rose bombing down the flanks.

TEAM NEWS - COSTA RICA

19:12: Costa Rica were nice and diligent by naming their side early. You’ll recognise a few names and faces.

Cristian Gamboa (Celtic), Bryan Oviedo (Sunderland) and Joel Campbell (Arsenal still somehow) all start.

TWITTER ROUND-UP

Tom Harden: Why let fringe players have a go? Surely we want to have our starting line up playing as much together as possible?

Coby: Be nice to see the Home team win at Elland Road for a change.

Richard: As long as I live I'll never understand why you play two different sides in the last two warn up games before a major tournament.

Very amusing, Coby…

ENGLAND vs COSTA RICA

19:05: And here are your line-ups for tonight’s clash folks. We already knew that Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jack Butland would be starting, but there’s a few surprises in Gareth Southgate’s ‘fringe player’ starting team.

England XI: Butland, Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Maguire, Jones, Rose, Henderson, Delph, Loftus-Cheek, Rashford, Vardy.

Subs: Pickford, Walker, Dier, Lingard, Kane, Sterling, Trippier, Welbeck, Cahill, Young, Alli, Pope.

Costa Rica XI: Navas; Gamboa, Waston, Gonzalez, Calvo, Oviedo; Venegas, Guzman, Borges, Campbell; Urena.

Subs: Acosta, Smith, Duarte, Bolanos, Colindres, Ruiz, Wallace, Azofeifa, Tejeda, Pemberton, Matarrita, Moreira.

HAVE YOUR SAY

19:00: If you want to vent your frustrations, or discuss any issues in the world of football (within reason), then get in touch!

You can either comment at the bottom of the page or contact me via Twitter using the hashtag #ExpressSport.

EVENING

18:55: Hello everyone, welcome to our LIVE coverage of England vs Costa Rica from Elland Road.

With just seven days until the World Cup gets underway, Gareth Southgate will be hoping to secure a convincing win tonight.

I was going to say that I think we all remember what happened the last time England played Costa Rica.

But that’s not really fair on those of us who slipped into a coma during the goalless draw at the 2014 World Cup.

Anyway, let’s not dwell on that awful night in Belo Horizonte and keep our fingers crossed that tonight will be a cracker.

Let’s get going!