GARETH’S GHOSTBUSTERS

If you want to end your shoot-out curse & beat your bogey team Sweden ..WHO YOU GONNA CALL?

GARETH SOUTHGATE has challenged his players to banish another of England’s footballing curses and take a further step to World Cup glory.

England face their bogey team Sweden in Saturday’s quarter-final, having beaten them just twice in their last 15 meetings.

Three Lions boss Southgate believes that after both ending a 12-year wait to win a tournament knockout match and halting a losing

JORDAN HENDERSON said he is forever in debt to Jordan Pickford – for rescuing him from being England’s latest shoot-out villain.

Henderson was the only England player to miss in the penalty showdown against Colombia, but Pickford’s save from Carlos Bacca got him off the hook and Eric Dier slotted home to clinch a place in the quarter-finals. Henderson and Pickford both started their careers at Sunderland, their hometown club. When asked what the Liverpool midfielder said to him after the shoot-out win, Pickford smiled and said: “Aye, he said ‘Well done, you fellow Mackem’.

“I said, ‘Jesus, I’ve helped you out there lad’. That’s team-mates isn’t it? A bit of craic. We’re together, when one goes down we’ve got to pick them back up.”

Henderson said: “I thanked him and he said, ‘The Mackems stick together’.

“I can’t thank him enough, I’m forever in his debt.

“He got a bit of criticism last week – undeservedly – so I’m so happy for him to achieve that. He made some fantastic saves and I’m delighted for him and for everyone

“We’re a really close group, you can see that. It’s difficult when you miss and nothing can be said that’s going to make it all right, but it’s not about me.

“We won and that’s the main thing. We now need to recover and prepare well for Sweden.”

Henderson insisted his failure would not prevent him stepping up to take responsibility again, although he accepted Gareth Southgate may opt for another candidate.

“It wouldn’t put me off taking another one, but it might put Gareth off,” said Henderson. “I’d take another one, but it’s down to the manager and I would understand if he chose someone else.

“I just had to go and execute the penalty, which I felt I did, but obviously not well enough and the keeper made a good save.

“Next time I need to make sure it’s higher or lower.”