Boss Gareth vows his young squad will give everything in do-or-die clash

BY ANDY DUNN in Moscow NEVER mind any looming beer shortage, back home or here in Russia, Gareth Southgate is promising champagne football on a win-or-bust night in Moscow.

If his England players are knocked out by Colombia tonight they are going down swinging.

Forget the caginess that has characterised a couple of the do-or-die games at Russia 2018, forget the brain freeze at Euro 2016 that allowed Iceland to send England packing – meaning their last win in the sudden-death stages of a major tournament remains the one against Ecuador at Germany 2006.

Southgate firmly believes the youngest squad left in this tournament and, barring one alteration, the starting line-up that slammed six past Panama will at least be on the front foot tongiht in the Spartak Stadium.

The England boss said: “We have to show the freedom we’ve played with up to this point. I want the players to continue to attack as we have.

“That shouldn’t change in the knockout stage. We should feel freer. Sometimes you see cagey games at this point of the competition but we will continue to play in the style we have.

“We think we can cause opposing teams a lot of problems and that won’t change because we’re in the knockout phase.

“I want the players to go out and play the way they have. My messages allow them to do that. They’re good enough to do that. They’re technically a very good group of players. We have high energy. They’re comfortable playing a certain style.”

Southgate is aware expectation

GARETH SOUTHGATE