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a huge number of jobs out there and being the manager of England is a massive privilege.

“So, of course, I take that responsibility really seriously. It means a lot to me to be in the position I am.”

Southgate’s contract is set to finish straight after Qatar 2022 and the FA are desperate to tie him down to a new deal soon.

And the signs are promising with the huge potential of Harry Kane and Co another crucial factor in him seemingly wanting to stay longer.

The Euro 2020 runnersup are fancied to go a step further at the World Cup and Southgate, whose troops need a point at San Marino tomorrow to seal qualification, added: “As a manager you want to work with good players.

“You can challenge them in a different way.”

Mason Mount and Luke Shaw will not travel to San Marino as England look to end a memorable year on a high.

The Three Lions, who started 2021 with a 5-0 home victory against San Marino, head to the microstate for the 19th and final fixture of a year which saw them a penalty shootout away from a historic European Championship triumph.

Mount had hoped to join up after dental surgery but he will now stay at Chelsea.

Shaw is ruled out due to the concussion he suffered in Manchester United’s defeat by Manchester City.

Southgate said: “We will make a few changes but what we’ve done well in the past is sustain good performances, even with those changes.”

His starting XI against Albania was the most experienced of his reign, with the 451 caps also the most of any England side since taking on Ukraine in September 2013.

A more inexperienced side will line up in San Marino but Southgate is wary about balance having successfully used a 3-4-3 system after seeing a 4-3-3 struggle against Hungary.

He said: “The wingback system can be very attacking if you’ve got the right profile of players.

“When you’re facing packed defences it’s not just the ability to open them up with the ball.

“Against Hungary we were too easy to play through, we weren’t positionally right, we weren’t aggressive enough in our pressure.

“So that opportunity to break them down had gone. We were then relying on carving through a block of 10 defenders.

“Against Albania we were able to do both.”