Saints legend Matt Le Tissier believes the only question left to answer when it comes to Adam Lallana’s participation at the World Cup is whether or not he will start for England.

Le Tissier believes the midfielder is a certainty to be picked for Brazil, barring injury, and he reckons Roy Hodgson will be giving serious consideration to putting him in his first-choice XI.

“I think he’s nailed on, absolutely 100 per cent,” said Le Tissier, of Lallana’s prospects of making England’s 23-man squad.

“It would be a bizarre set of circumstances now if Adam wasn’t to go to Brazil, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is in the forefront of Roy’s mind to start the games.”

Le Tissier is also confident that Luke Shaw will be joining Lallana this summer, if the 18-year-old left-back’s current form continues, and his rival for a place, Chelsea’s Ashley Cole, remains out of favour at his club.

“If Ashley Cole doesn’t play again this season, which is looking very likely, then I think he’s going to push him very close,” said Le Tissier.

“For Roy Hodgson to pick a player who has not played any first-team football for the whole second half of the season is a big risk.

“I know he’s got over 100 caps and has never let England down, so that counts in his favour, but I wouldn’t have any qualms about throwing Luke Shaw into a World Cup match.”

With four Saints players in contention for the squad, Le Tissier says it is a real sign of how far the club has come.

“It’s absolutely superb,” he said. “The profile of the club is going through the roof.

“The new chairman (Ralph Krueger) has spoken about being more commercially aware, and having four players in the England squad, and three or four behind them who maybe aren’t too far away, will obviously help his job.”