No way Kane can be rested now

IT WILL take a day or so to register, but this may not be the worst result in the world for England.

OK, taken at face value it is not the best. England should be beating the USA, there can be no doubt that — though Gareth Southgate was at pains at his prematch press conference on Thursday to point out that England are yet to beat the Americans in a World Cup. This is a result that will resonate across the Atlantic. Back home in England — not so much.

But after the 6-2 trouncing of Iran this is, perhaps, exactly what England needed: a reality check. It was almost as if England’s wretched form heading into Qatar was forgotten after the glut of goals on Monday.

But this below-par showing provided a more accurate picture of where England find themselves right now. That doesn’t mean the England team cannot go on and lift the World Cup on December 18. But it also means that we shouldn’t expect them to, either. That will come as no surprise to Southgate, who is a realist. Though it does mean that the England manager will not be able to rest his key players for Tuesday’s final group game against Wales. That will come as a blow. Kyle Walker needs minutes in his legs, especially if Southgate has aspirations of playing three at the back later in the tournament. The same goes for Kalvin Phillips, who has hardly kicked a ball since joining Manchester City in the summer.

Phil Foden, perhaps the most unlucky not to start both England’s opening matches, will be champing at the bit to start against the Welsh — though his no-show last night raises question marks over his availability. Perhaps most pertinently of all, it would have been ideal to give Harry Kane the chance to give his battered ankle a few days to recover. Because a recharged Kane, even if it’s only an extra 10 per cent, could well be the difference between a quarter-final or an early flight home, while you’d expect the manager would fancy having a look at Marcus Rashford or Callum Wilson through the middle. History tells us that Southgate was planning to rotate against Wales, too. At the 2018 World Cup, with a place in the last 16 already guaranteed, he made eight changes for the final group game against Belgium — including resting Kane. It made sense for history to repeat itself.

That is unlikely to be possible now with England needing a result against Rob Page’s side to ensure their place in the last 16.

But there is a lot to be said for momentum and continuity in tournament football. Southgate will now surely go strong against the Welsh after last night’s meek performance.