AFTER the fun, frolics and ridiculous scorelines of last weekend in the Premier League we reluctantly turn to the muted tones of international football.

We do this with a somewhat heavy heart because not for the first time the international break feels like a pub-bore interrupting a lively conversation and that feeling is exacerbated on this occasion with the Premier League finally becoming genuinely thrilling in a fanless, post-Covid world. Goals have flown in at an unprecedented rate. The top six have been made to look very ordinary. The banter was in full flow.

At least this time there is a lot riding on England’s fortunes so that should be enough to pique our interest. Realistically, Gareth Southgate’s men cannot afford to lose to Belgium this Sunday, or Denmark three days later if they want to top their group and reach the Nations League semi-finals again and to what extent that matters depends on how much you’re bought into this fledgling concept. At least too, given who England’s first opponents are, the Wembley showdown will feel like a Premier League game in all-but-name.

Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne will be there of course, along with all manner of familiar faces including Toby Alderweireld, Divock Origi and Leicester trio Timothy Castagne, Dennis Praet and Youri Tielemans. Perhaps most intriguing of all will be the presence up front of former Manchester United flop Romelu Lukaku who has rejuvenated his career and reputation in spectacular fashion since joining Inter Milan in 2019.

After finding the net 34 times across all competitions last season the striker has already got off to a flyer this term scoring three in three and he will take some stopping, predominantly from a defender in Harry Maguire whose off-field problems are clearly affecting his form and confidence.

Ex-Chelsea star Eden Hazard meanwhile is expected to barely feature beyond a cameo after failing to shrug off a muscle injury while England have their own significant loss with Raheem Sterling pulling out of the squad on Monday due to a hamstring strain.

The absence of Sterling will be sorely felt. In England’s last ten matches he and Harry Kane have scored 21 goals between them, forging a partnership as prolific as any in world football and if the goal-scoring onus now falls squarely on the Tottenham forward, Southgate has other issues too, namely youngsters in his squad who seemingly can’t help but party their way through a pandemic.

When Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood were sent home from the travelling group last month for breaking Covid-19 protocols nobody questioned the decision as straightforward as it was. Southgate’s insistence on omitting the pair this time out however has proven more divisive, with some believing his schoolmasterly approach is unnecessary and overly harsh with lessons already learned.

Romelu Lukaku: "A year ago, when I was in England, I was 'lazy, I didn't run, I didn't do this and that'.

"Here, they call me the hardest worker in the room.

"They will call me slow and I'm like, 'Me, slow? I cannot keep up with the fast pace game of Man Utd?'"

[The Times] pic.twitter.com/E6YOsYocQd

— Goal (@goal) October 3, 2020

Now that Tammy Abraham, Ben Chilwell and Jadon Sancho have been found to have broken coronavirus rules in the UK the England coach has backed himself into a corner because a failure to omit the trio from the forthcoming fixtures will lead to accusations of double standards. Yet can Southgate afford to willingly sacrifice himself of three players more established in the set-up than the Mancunian prospects? Sancho after all, is surely vital given Sterling’s ineligibility.

As it stands, the three players will only be absent for this Thursday’s friendly against Wales with Southgate expected to spare them the cane, using the get-out clause of their misdemeanour being less serious than Foden and Greenwood’s. Even so, such distractions are the last thing he needs as his side prepares to take on a side that presently tops FIFA’s world rankings.

Belgium are a formidable challenge for several reasons, not least because in their last 12 games – none of which were friendlies – they have won each one, amassing an aggregate score-line of 47-4. You read that right. 47-4.

It is pertinent too that the Red Devils have defeated England in their last two encounters and when the drab performances from Southgate’s men just a few weeks back in Iceland and Denmark is factored in, the 7/4 available on an away win becomes mighty tempting. The 2/1 on offer for Belgium to score in the second half meanwhile is a doozy considering that 69% of the goals conceded during the Southgate era have come after the break.

Ignore the fact that England have not been breached for 455 minutes as impressive as that is. For so many of those hours the opposition attack offered scant threat and even less ingenuity. Also ignore a patriotic instinct to back the Three Lions in a competitive fixture come what may.

Belgium will have the magnificent De Bruyne probing and scheming and they have Lukaku firing on all cylinders while Gareth Southgate’s disciplinary issues are set to become on-the-pitch concerns, even with Kane and cane to hand.

Match odds: England (17/10) Draw (49/20) Belgium (7/4)