Laudrup - Danes do lack experience.

By Chris Roberts, PA Sport

Click here to place your World Cup bets!
Click here for Denmark team section
Click here for teams index
Click here for latest World Cup headlines
Click here for World Cup photo gallery
Click here for World Cup Bettingzone

Brian Laudrup today warned England that Denmark are "more than just the underdog" and that their only weakness is their lack of World Cup experience.

The two northern European nations will clash in Niigata on Saturday in a second-round encounter and Sven-Goran Eriksson's men have already been made favourites despite them finishing runners-up to Sweden in Group F.

But former Denmark and Rangers favourite Laudrup thinks otherwise having seen his country sink departing defending champions France 2-0 and that the tag of underdogs will suit them just fine.

"It's a massive game," Laudrup told PA Sport. "Denmark have played extremely well so far and you really have to look at that game as a vital game for both teams.

"People are quite optimistic in England about their chances, but history shows that Denmark are quite strong when they are underdogs so it's going to be a tough game.

"I read somewhere that (Denmark coach) Morten Olsen said that England are favourites and perhaps that's a bit of kidology, but the way Denmark have played so far they are a very good side so I don't really see a favourite in that game.

"England are a huge nation in football terms and a lot of experts would say that England are favourites, but you have to look at the way Denmark have played so far.

"If you can beat the reigning champions 2-0 and play the way that they did then you have to consider yourself more than just an underdog."

Laudrup has described coach Olsen as a "tactical genius" with something always up his sleeve and feels having beaten France it will take a top team to beat them.

He added: "If you go into a game like that and don't believe that you can fancy your chances then it's not worth it really.

"They will prepare tactically well and Morten Olsen is a very experienced coach - and as you saw against the French he isn't bothered about key players or young players.

"He left out some of our most experienced players from that game and ended up being a genius.

"He's got something up his sleeve and if they can play as well as they did against the French then it's going to be really tough for England.

"You really have to look at the work that Olsen has put in over the past few years. The system he has brought in is a success and the players are really up for it.

"It shows they are a great bunch of players and I think they can beat any team on their day, but obviously they have got so many young players.

"Maybe they are not too experienced in terms of World Cup football so that could be the only weakness I see at the moment.

"If they play as well as they did the other day then it will take some team to beat them. Confidence is very high.

"There were worries before the World Cup that if Denmark had a couple of their key players injured then obviously we would struggle, but some of the younger players have come in and done extremely well.

"The morale in the team is sky high at the moment and it was a boost to beat the French so they fancy their chances against a very good English side."

The ex-Chelsea player is refusing to rule out an England victory because he feels that if they can repeat the performance against Argentina then they they will be tough to beat.

"They are a good side," said Laudrup. "I wasn't that convinced with the way they played against Nigeria, but they knew the result and they got what they needed.

"That was enough, but everybody knows that England can play a lot better than that as they showed against Argentina so it's going to be a really tough test."