Cole Palmer says there will be "no hiding" from England's players after their underwhelming start to Euro 2024 continued, but insisted Gareth Southgate's side will be ready to go up a gear when t he knockout stages start this weekend.
The Three Lions rounded off an unconvincing group stage campaign with a goalless draw against Slovenia here in Cologne last night and despite qualifying as group winners, they could face a tricky last-16 tie against the Netherlands in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.
"We know we can play better, everyone knows that," said Palmer, after the Three Lions were again booed off at full-time.
"There's no hiding it. Our aim was to qualify and finish top of the group and we've done that. We have levels to go. We've qualified from the group and it's about kicking on now."
Everyone knows we can go up levels ... and I'm sure we'll do that
Palmer had been a strange absentee during the first two group matches, left as an unused substitute despite a superb club campaign for Chelsea that saw him finish as the Premier League's top English scorer.
Sent on midway through the second half here as a replacement for Bukayo Saka, though, the 22-year-old made a positive impact and may well have played himself into Southgate's plans for the knockout stage.
"I just try to play my game, no matter where I play, club or country, but it was nice and exciting to play," he added.
"Everyone knows we can go up levels. We just need to do it now in the knockouts. We can go up levels and I'm sure we'll do that."
