Gareth Southgate has dropped a major hint that he is ready to pick Phil Foden after insisting he will “play an important part” in England’s World Cup campaign.
There has been a huge clamour for Manchester City star Foden to start against Wales tomorrow night after he was left on the bench for the goalless draw with the United States.
Three Lions boss Southgate insisted he has no issues with Foden and said he will rely on him as England try to progress through the tournament. Southgate, in an interview with ITV, said: “We love Phil, he is a super player. He was into the first game, we decided not to put him into the second. But he is going to play an important part in this tournament for us, there is no question about that.
“We haven’t got any issue with Phil. In September he started both games for us and we put him into the game v Iran. We decided to stick with that team and we felt the changes required something a little different for the USA
“But we are intending to be here as long as we can. And he is a super player and we think the world of him. And he is going to play a big part.
“He can play off either wing. He can play as a false nine. He can play behind a striker, he doesn’t do that as often for his club. He works hard for the team and of course he has fabulous technical ability.”
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Southgate laughed off questions about whether England will make changes for the third Group match, having kept an unchanged line-up in the first two games.
“We will see!” Said Southgate. “We want to win football matches and we want to try to top the Group if we can. So we’ve got to make sure there is some consistency in what we do and our performances are healthy. There is always a balance of finding game time for players. But the priority is to win games, we have to win football matches.”
Southgate has also warned that England will face a “wounded” animal when they play Wales as Rob Page’s men have struggled badly but still have a chance to qualify if they beat England.
Southgate said: “We are going to play a team who are wounded. Who are going to have very high motivation to beat us.
“We’ve got to be tactically correct and find our best level. We’ve got to make sure we are composed but also that we play with a real attacking vigour.”
Southgate also says that England are on track and tried to remind fans that they had a similar journey in the Euros when they won the first game, were held by Scotland in a disappointing display in their second but then won the Group and reached the final.
The England boss insists that the players believe they are on track and he, like them, are enjoying the experience of being at another World Cup. He also insisted they will find their form in front of goal.
Southgate added: “It is an amazing challenge and a great life experience. It is my fourth World Cup as a player and a coach.
“It is not only our games that are amazing occasions but you are watching all the other games and it reminds you this is the place that any player or coach wants to be. Position wise in the Group, we are in a healthy position. It’s in our hands now to top the Group so that is a healthy position to be in.
“We had to answer some different questions against the USA which we knew would be the case. Some of those we answered without the ball. But we weren’t as good with the ball in the final third as we would want to be
“The USA defended really well. Their midfield did an incredible job of protecting their defence. And partly we just didn’t find that spark in the final third unusually for our players But that will come. We were 22 games unbeaten over the previous 18 months and that never stopped. I’ve just got to focus on preparing the team as well as I can. Keeping the team calm through all the noise that happens in a tournament.
“We will always give the players the freedom to express themselves. If you speak to any of them then they would articulate that. But of course you play opponents who stop you doing that. Our experience of tournaments has been helpful. The players know we are on track. We are in a good position to qualify, a good position to win the Group and that’s got to be our aim over the next few days.”
