PRAISE FOR SOUTHGATE AHEAD OF CRUNCH TIE

Former England defender Gary Neville is relishing a “blockbuster” World Cup quarter-final clash with France after Gareth Southgate’s side overcame Senegal in Al Khor.

Goals late in the first half from Jordan Henderson and Harry Kane had England cruising through to the last eight before a second-half effort from Bukayo Saka wrapped up a 3-0 win.

The reward is a return to Al Khor for a crunch clash against France next Saturday as last year’s European Championship runnersup take on the World Cup holders.

Neville, working as a pundit for ITV, said: “Credit to Gareth Southgate – he’s making qualifying for the latter stages of tournaments look really easy.

“These lads have not put a foot wrong really for three or four years now, on and off the pitch.

“They got a rough ride on the way into this tournament, the manager and the players, but they’re delivering again, and what a blockbuster of a game it is on Saturday against France – amazing for those lads, because they deserve this type of game on this stage.”

Raheem Sterling missed the win against Senegal after armed intruders broke into his house overnight while his family were there.

The Chelsea forward was absent from Southgate’s squad as they beat the Africa Cup of Nations champions.

Sterling’s absence is understood to have followed a break-in at his house on Saturday evening, leaving the England international understandably shaken and concerned about the well-being of his children.

When asked if he thought Sterling would figure at the tournament from here, Southgate said on ITV1: “We’ve got to wait and see.

“At the moment clearly the priority is for him to be with his family, and we’re going to support that and we’re going to leave him to have as much time as he needs. He’s going home.

“Sometimes football isn’t the most important