Everyone loves this winning feeling so keep the belief and the team will benefit

BEAT Belgium and the lads will start to puff out their chests and think: ‘We’re serious contenders’.

I’ve heard the whole argument that we’re better off losing, and finishing second in Group G – because it looks like a smoother pathway through the rounds.

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez says he will make up to 10 changes to his team.

But you don’t want to lose or slack off at this stage. Gareth Southgate will make some changes, but I doubt it will be that extreme. The dynamics of your squad can change very quickly with a defeat.

As far as I’m concerned, you try to win the game. Keep a winning mentality.

Consider what another win would do to the team. Victory over Belgium, a very strong nation, whose players we know well and love to watch... imagine what confidence that will give. First big test passed.

You carry wins like that into the next game.

Win and it’s a good result. If not take second place and whatever possible benefits that may bring.

I’d say the benefits of a boost in confidence, belief, and putting down another marker for the tournament, that a win brings, massively outweighs finishing second and getting what may be a kinder route to the quarterfinals and beyond.

The whole notion of taking your foot off the pedal is fraught with danger. You could get embarrassed out there. You could get disjointed, and then you can’t just turn the good form back on in the knockout stage.

There is no way manager Southgate can go into this game thinking, ‘Let’s finish second, get beaten’.

He might think, in the back of his mind, that second place provides a better route.

But he also knows that individuals grow through tournaments.

You take every game seriously. You get battle hardened against the best and press on to win more.

ALL IN IT TOGETHER England have built some momentum and must use it to kick on in Russia