LET’S TURN IT ON
Southgate calls on England to lift the nation by putting world’s worst side to sword
GARETH SOUTHGATE wants his England players to put on a show as they begin their World Cup qualifying campaign against San Marino tonight. Southgate has the firepower at his disposal to put the team ranked by FIFA as the worst in the world to the sword at Wembley. And the England boss, left, said: “I think there’s always that responsibility to put on a show to lift the country as a national team.
“We connect with a different football audience really, especially the games that are
on terrestrial TV. It’s beyond the hardcore Premier League fans. It’s fans from every club in the country and every nan, grandad, uncle.
“It’s shared moments sitting together. That’s like all of our first memories of England.
“Over the long haul we’ve tried to come from those times when there were paper aeroplanes on the pitch.
“Entertaining is as important as winning and we feel a responsibility for that.”
Injury to Marcus Rashford, right, will keep the striker on the sidelines while Bukayo Saka remains at Arsenal having tests before joining up for the remainder of the week.
But Southgate appears keen to resist the presssure to select skipper Harry Kane, with Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho calling for him to be rested and used sparingly in the easier qualifiers.
Southgate added: “It is brilliant we have got a captain who wants to play every minute of every game.
“But we have to be mindful he had extra-time last Thursday and then another high-intensity game on Sunday.”