Argentina manager takes drastic action for England World Cup semi-final clash

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has taken drastic action ahead of the World Cup semi-final clash with England in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Scaloni and Argentina are one win away from reaching a second consecutive World Cup final as they look to deliver a fourth star for La Albiceleste.

The reigning world champions needed extra time to progress in two of their knockout fixtures against Cape Verde and Switzerland - the other being a late show against Egypt when they scored three times in a crazy 13 minute period in the round of 16.

They face their toughest yet in England at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and it appears as though Scaloni is considering changing his set-up for the fixture.

Argentina have largely relied on individual moments from their talisman Lionel Messi, the top scorer in the history of the World Cup.

READ MORE: How one of the worst debuts in football history stopped Lionel Messi from facing England

Aged 39 and in his sixth World Cup, Messi has eight goals in his likely final tournament. Enzo Fernandez and Julian Alvarez have also come up with heroics but Argentina have been anything but convincing.

With that in mind, Diario Ole in Argentina claims that Scaloni is set to make changes to his starting eleven.

It's said that Scaloni has tested out two new formations in training and is pondering a different approach.

With an average age of 29, Argentina's squad is coming to the end of its cycle. The current crop is severely lacking in wingers, meaning Scaloni has effectively deployed four central midfielders in Fernandez, Rodrigo de Paul, Alexis Mac Allister and Leandro Paredes.

The quartet run tirelessly to allow Messi to pop up wherever he wants to influence the game. The Barcelona legend has walked 47% of the distance he has covered at the World Cup but no other player has scored more goals than Messi.

Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez have played up top in the 4-4-2 formation but introducing Giuliano Simeone or Thiago Almada from the off could change the dimension of the team.

Nico Paz, Nico Gonzalez and Valentin Barco are other potential options to come into the fold.

Argentina's special request granted by FIFA for England clash

Given the history and the animosity stemming from the Falklands war, Argentina vs England is a typically spicy affair. England won the last meeting 3-2 in a friendly in 2005 and were victorious in the 2002 World Cup showdown.

Their two defeats against England in World Cup competition came when they wore their traditional blue and white striped shirts.

The two times where they emerged victorious came when they were navy or dark blue, in 1982 with Diego Maradona's infamous 'Hand of God' and in 1998 when David Beckham was sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone.

Placing onus on the positive omen, Argentina requested that they wear their away kit and received the green light from FIFA. England, meanwhile will wear all white.

Discussing superstition being behind the kit choices, England boss Thomas Tuchel said: "If there was any superstition then I would have done the same so credit to Argentina," the German added.

"I was not aware of that, I have my superstitious routines, you can call it superstitious or routines, I will not tell you that because if I tell you, it will not work.

"I can't but we have routines that keep you grounded and calm through the day and that will not change. These things are just normal in high-level sport."