Sunday 4 September 2016 16:30, UK
Eric Dier was more of an attacking threat than Marek Hamsik when England played Slovakia at Euro 2016 - but he'll have to keep a close eye on his opponent this weekend...
England travel to Slovakia for their 2018 World Cup qualifying opener, in what is Sam Allardyce's first game in charge of the Three Lions and a repeat of the goalless Euro 2016 group stage encounter between the sides in Saint-Etienne in June.
Eric Dier and Marek Hamsik played 90 minutes in that match, with England dominating the game but failing to make the decisive breakthrough. England had 61 per cent of the possession and 29 shots to Slovakia's four, but could find no way through.
Man-of-the-match Dier had more touches (115), made more passes (102) and had more shots (five) than any other player on the pitch that night and even managed more shots than all of the Slovakian side put together.
Despite the frustrating result, it was an impressive performance from Dier, considering he only made his first competitive start in England's 1-1 draw against Russia in their Euro 2016 opener nine days earlier, a game in which he scored.
The 22-year-old made his England debut 10 months ago as a substitute in the 2-0 friendly defeat to Spain in Alicante last November. He has since won 11 caps, scoring two goals.
At club level, he played a key role in Tottenham boasting the joint-best defence in the Premier League last season, conceding 35 goals along with Manchester United. In doing so he helped steer Spurs to their highest League finish for 26 years (third). The combative player has started 66 of his club's last 69 games.
On Sunday, Dier will once again come up against Hamsik, who is a crucial presence for Slovakia after maturing on the international stage in recent years.
Hamsik played a key role in leading Slovakia to qualification for their first European Championship finals in France, as they finished second in their qualifying group behind Spain. He started all 10 qualifiers and was their top scorer in qualifying with five goals. Their campaign included a 2-1 home win against Spain.
He is Slovakia's second-most capped player with 91 caps and his 19 goals puts him third in Slovakia's top scorers list. He captained his country in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa - their first ever major tournament.
Instantly recognisable thanks to his striking hairstyle, the attacking midfielder has been based in Italy since he joined Brescia as a 17-year-old in 2004, and has evolved into one of the most influential talents in Serie A.
Aged 29, the five-time Slovakian player of the year is a creator, finisher and leader for both club and country, having served the Napoli cause with distinction since 2007.
Hamsik captained Napoli to a runners-up spot in Serie A last season, finishing nine points behind champions Juventus. It was only Napoli's second top-two finish in the last 26 years.
No player created more chances in Serie A last season - Hamsik created at least 14 more chances than any other player. Only Miralem Pjanic and Paul Pogba (both with 12) had more assists than Hamsik. He also weighed in with six league goals last term. Stats below show where Hamsik ranked last season.
Both Hamsik and Slovakia will be looking to apply more pressure onto Dier and England's defensive line than they did in the summer, when they only needed a point to progress from the group. However, England can boast a seven-year unbeaten record in qualifiers, winning 22 of their last 29.
