Inter Miami defender Kieran Gibbs warns England of 'exciting' USMNT | OneFootball

Inter Miami and former England left-back Kieran Gibbs has warned his compatriots they'll face a 'tricky' game against an 'exciting' United States Men's National Team.

The USMNT go head-to-head with the Three Lions in a key clash at Al Bayt Stadium following a 1-1 draw with Wales in their Group B opener on Monday - Gareth Southgate's side, meanwhile, thrashed Iran 6-2.

With Iran beating Wales 2-0 earlier on Friday, the pressure in the group has been increased even further.

England are the heavy favorites but the USMNT are packed full of their own star talent with players like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tyler Adams carrying extensive Champions League and top-flight experience.

Gibbs - who has 10 England caps to his name and has been playing in the United States since March 2021 - is certain his nation won't be in for an easy night.

“They're an exciting team, the US. They have a lot of speed, a lot of power,” the former Arsenal defender told MLSsoccer.com. “I was especially impressed with the middle of the park for USA against Wales. Most games are won in that area of the pitch and when you have teams with high energy that like to press and like to be aggressive, that becomes a tricky game for you.

“I also think the US will play with a bit more freedom than a lot of teams in the World Cup because they're not expected to be world-beaters, as you say, and they’re young. So that creates players who are out there with a lot of freedom, and a lot of times that works in your favor. Then you play without that added pressure and can just go out and express yourself.”

Perhaps England's biggest danger is becoming too complacent as favorites, especially following that 6-2 thrashing of Iran.

That certainly seemed to be the case in the meeting between these two rivals at the 2010 World Cup - where the spoils were shared in a 1-1 draw - but Gibbs expects far more from this exciting crop of English talents.

“Whenever you step on the football pitch, especially on an international stage, the last thing you can be is complacent,” said Gibbs. “Because at the end of the day, you’re still playing against players that are the best of their nation. You always have to be careful.

“I think there may have been an element of that in the 2010 US game, but I don't think that will come for this group of players purely because you've got the young guys who want to prove themselves on the international stage.”