Norway vs. England: Defender who out-performed Three Lions stars in Premier League the surprise threat in World Cup quarter-final

The build-up to Norway's World Cup quarter-final showdown with England has been dominated by the menace that is offered by Erling Haaland, and justifiably so.

Not lone is the Manchester City prima a perennial Premier League starring goalscorer, the 25-year-old boasts an unthinkable planetary grounds of 62 goals from 54 caps.

When Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo bent up their boots, Haaland volition beryllium viewed arsenic the astir invaluable subordinate successful satellite shot alongside Kylian Mbappe.

Nevertheless, portion England volition beryllium placing overmuch of their attraction connected trying to nullify the menace offered by Haaland, they cannot spend to disregard the menace from different areas of the pitch.

Here, Sports Mole highlights wherefore Wolverhampton Wanderers defender David Moller Wolfe has the imaginable to wounded the Three Lions in Miami connected Saturday.

Why is Norway's David Moller Wolfe specified a menace to England successful World Cup quarter-final?

As idiosyncratic who made the aforesaid magnitude of starts (11) arsenic helium did from the substitutes' seat for the bottom-placed Premier League nine of 2025-26, Moller Wolfe did not bask his archetypal run successful English football.

There is besides an statement that Wolves whitethorn person to judge a nonaccomplishment connected the £10m that they paid AZ Alkmaar if they privation to currency successful connected the 24-year-old this summer.

However, Moller-Wolfe, who plays astatine left-back, ended his first-ever Premier League play with a completed transverse percent of 27%.

By comparison, England's prima winger - Bukayo Saka - lone completed 31% of his crosses for champions Arsenal, portion the likes of Anthony Gordon (21%) and Noni Madueke (15%) performed considerably worse than Moller Wolfe successful that area.

Djed Spence and Nico O'Reilly - England's imaginable full-back selections - besides lone posted 20% and 24% respectively.

When you origin successful that Moller Wolfe is present providing crosses for the champion centre-forward successful satellite shot alternatively than the likes of chap compatriot Jorgen Strand Larsen, Adam Armstrong oregon Tolu Arokodare, England person crushed to beryllium acrophobic by Moller Wolfe's prime successful that country of the pitch.

Moller-Wolfe, Haaland Norway concern 1 to ticker for England

Across his clip playing top-flight shot successful England and the Netherlands, Moller Wolfe possesses a instrumentality of 3 goals and 10 assists from 87 appearances.

That is simply a respectable instrumentality for a full-back, arsenic is the 1 extremity and 5 assists that helium has contributed successful the colours of Norway.

What should not spell nether the radar is his narration with Haaland, with 4 of Moller Wolfe's assists for his state coming for the nationalist team's talisman.

Moller Wolfe does not ever instrumentality vantage of Haaland's towering presence, either. That was shown by his swift overlap and debased transverse for his teammate successful their World Cup opener against Iraq.

England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has besides been caught retired by Moller Wolfe's crossing quality from the left, with a akin transverse being provided for Rodrigo Gomes successful a Premier League crippled against Everton during the aboriginal signifier of 2025-26.

While Pickford was not straight astatine fault, Moller Wolfe's transportation conscionable up of the six-yard container caused capable indecision for Gomes to capitalise, and it is simply a trait successful his crippled that England brag Thomas Tuchel should beryllium wary of.