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By Tom Gillespie, news reporter

England are going head-to-head with Sweden this afternoon, and victory will leave Gareth Southgate's men two wins away from lifting the World Cup.

Excitement among England fans reached fever pitch after the country won its first ever World Cup penalty shoot-out on Tuesday - paving the way for the Three Lions to take on the country that introduced us to Ikea (and made us learn to love flat-pack furniture).

So... is it coming home? Here are five reasons to keep calm and carry on being optimistic.

1. Sweden don't have "God" on their side

"God" is a reference to Sweden's charismatic and (thankfully) retired striker Zlatan Ibramihovic, who regularly deifies himself in ego-drenched interviews.

"Ibra", as he is known, still plays for LA Galaxy at club level and is the third-most decorated active footballer in the world.

The 6ft 5in striker, who has won 32 trophies in his glittering career, scored 62 goals in 116 appearances for Sweden.

Perhaps one of his most famous goals was an incredible (and devastating) 30-yard bicycle kick against England that stunned and shuddered Three Lions fans in 2012.

Sweden won that match 4-2, with Ibra scoring all four goals.

Thankfully, the former Manchester United striker won't be able to torment England's defence.

2. Sweden don't score very often

The Scandinavians arrived in Russia without a win in five matches and had failed to score in 337 minutes - nearly four games without a goal.

They have won two of their World Cup games 1-0, with a 3-0 victory against Mexico proving to be an anomaly in their usual low-scoring form.

The Swedes lost their other game 2-1 to Germany, who were dumped out of the competition in the group stage.

That means Sweden have scored six goals in the tournament so far, while England have put away nine - and that's not including the four penalties the Three Lions scored in their historic shootout victory against Colombia.

Swedish attacker Ola Toivonen struggles to make it into his club side Toulouse, while their striker Markus Berg plays club football in the United Arab Emirates.

3. England have better players than Sweden

Or, they do if you're judging by the clubs they play for.

The Three Lions fielded a side made up entirely of Premier League players against Colombia, with the English league widely accepted as being the most competitive in the world.

England's attacking midfielder Raheem Sterling, and defenders Kyle Walker and John Stones all play for Manchester City, who won the Premier League with a record-breaking 100 points in 2018.

Striker Harry Kane, right back Kieran Trippier, and midfielder Dele Alli all play for an impressive Tottenham Hotspur, while attacking players Jesse Lingard and Ashley Young play for Manchester United.

In contrast, the Swedes fielded just one Premier League player in their round 16 game against Swizterland: Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof.

Their captain Andreas Granqvist played for the Russian side Krasnodar last season, as did their left-winger Viktor Claesson.

Swedish midfielder Gustav Svensson plays for the Seattle Sounders in the US, while goalkeeper Robin Olsen plays for FC Copenhagen.

4. Sweden are slow

If there is one thing the Swedes are truly lacking it is pace - and that is something England have in abundance at this tournament.

The Swedes are not very quick on the attack and have also shown a lack of creativity.

If Southgate fields the same team he put out against Colombia, the back line of Kyle Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire and Kieran Trippier are unlikely to have to deal with pacy attacking play.

With quick full backs and fast forward players like Sterling and Lingard, the Three Lions should be able to cause trouble for the slow but well-organised Swedes.

5. Sweden don't have Gareth Southgate as manager

Gareth Southgate's cool head and mild manner have helped him capture the nation's hearts during the 2018 World Cup.

It has been a redemptive experience for waistcoat-wearing Southgate, who up until recently was best known for his infamous penalty miss against Germany in the semi-final of Euro 1996.

He now occupies a very different place in England's football history, having guided his side to their first-ever shootout win on penalties.

The dramatic victory against Colombia sparked the Twitter trend #GarethSouthgateWould, with one social media user suggesting he would "politely ask football if it wanted to come home first, then contact its parents and ask if it was okay".

Aside from that, Southgate's forensic preparation for this World Cup has been widely reported.

The former England defender has placed a strong focus on the psychological process of winning a penalty shootout.

With such a short gap between games in the knockout stages, Southgate also had his coaching staff study every possible team England could come up against in the tournament.

Southgate led the England under-21 side to victory against Sweden in the 2015 European championships.

If he can repeat that today, his side will be on their way to the World Cup semi-final.

The 47-year-old has been managed the senior England side since September 2016 and has a win percentage of 54.5%.

Sweden's manager Janne Andersson has been at the helm since June 2016 and has a win percentage of 50%.

But wait! England still need to be wary of the Swedes

Although there are lots of reasons to be optimistic, England would underestimate Sweden at their peril.

They beat four-time world champions Italy to book their place in Russia, and narrowly lost to reigning champions Germany in the group stages in June.

Sweden are a well-organised and stong team, meaning England might have to be patient and focused if they are to win the tie.

If this match is level after extra time, it means Southgate's men will have to win their second penalty shootout in a row.

England have played Sweden 10 times since 1995, including friendlies, with Sweden winnning three times and England winning twice.

The sides drew five times.