Southgate hopes he’s not bawling out his Legs 11

difficult spell and there are more critical things, and you think you’re living through something nobody else has.

“But as you get older, you realise Arsene Wenger’s having to deal with it, Pep Guardiola’s having to deal with it.

“We saw the documentary on Sir Bobby Robson last night and what he went through, and that’s the gig. That’s what you have to deal with. If you don’t like it, go and do something else.”

The new film, ‘More Than A Manager’, was shown to the squad as a motivational tool.

Robson’s experiences in 1990 are particularly relevant – attacked by the press, under pressure from the nation after accepting a job with PSV before the finals, in the end all that anybody remembered was England giving their all, Gazza’s tears and that Chris Waddle penalty.

Ultimately, it is all about the football and today Southgate will be without any of the Liverpool players, who will end their time off since the Champions League final by watching the game, before joining in with the rest of the squad tomorrow

Harry Maguire and Danny Rose are also set to be rested after spending periods of the preparation camp at St George’s Park training away from the rest of the squad in a bid to shake off the

minor niggles with which they each emerged from the end of the season.

In terms of selection, Southgate was keeping his cards close to his chest having not told the players of his starting line-up until last night’s late team meeting.

Crucially, though, Jordan Pickford is likely to get the nod in goal – a sure sign he will be the starter when it comes to Russia. Boosting the Everton keeper’s experience is vital and while Southgate remained evasive, Pickford getting the nod both for Nigeria and Costa Rica is the only circumstance that makes sense of the England boss’s one comment, “it become apparent over next five days.”

In front of him, Maguire remains part of his firstchoice back three but injury means Gary Cahill will come out of the international wilderness and straight back into the team.

Fabian Delph is the more surprising name Southgate is considering as part of that trio, with an all-Manchester City rearguard with Kyle Walker and John Stones a distinct possibility at some point over the

TRIPPIER

will the

WALKER

next two games. Southgate will take a first look at Delph in a more customary centremidfield position, and with Jesse Lingard a confirmed starter and Ruben LoftusCheek going from strength to strength in training, it means a thought-provoking place on the bench for Dele Alli.

Harry Kane will of course lead the line and in a final show of support for Sterling, Southgate is expected to play him just off the captain in a split front two. Apology accepted, it

seems.