England v Senegal: Gareth Southgate says 'favourites' tag means nothing before last-16 tie

Gareth Southgate says England's tag arsenic "favourites" means thing arsenic they hole for their World Cup last-16 gathering with Senegal.

England qualified arsenic Group B winners with a 3-0 triumph implicit Wales connected Tuesday, portion Senegal were runners-up down the Netherlands successful Group A.

"We volition beryllium considered favourites," Southgate said.

"But that doesn't truly mean thing successful a one-off game," the England brag added.

"It doesn't mean determination isn't immoderate unit for Senegal due to the fact that each planetary squad has large unit successful their ain federation and externally arsenic well."

The gathering astatine Al Bayt Stadium is the archetypal betwixt the 2 nations and the victor volition conscionable reigning champions France oregon Poland successful the quarter-finals.

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England acceptable to spell the region

While Senegal person reached the knockout signifier of a World Cup for conscionable the 2nd time, England are bidding to marque the past 8 successful consecutive tournaments for the archetypal clip since 2006, pursuing their tally to the semi-finals 4 years ago.

Southgate's broadside were eliminated by an extra-time Croatia victor successful Russia, earlier past losing retired to Italy connected penalties successful the Euro 2020 last astatine Wembley past summer.

"We are 2 tournaments connected from erstwhile we played Colombia astatine this signifier successful Moscow. I deliberation our level of acquisition is better, our level of ambition is different," Southgate told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"When we qualified from our radical signifier successful Russia, we were astir apt celebrating rather a bit. This clip was a large evening for our fans and we enjoyed the win, but we were already reasoning of the adjacent game.

"We cognize the absorption has to beryllium connected this 1 game, thing else."

Asked astir the imaginable of penalties, Southgate added: "We are aiming to triumph the crippled and debar other clip and penalties, but if we request to spell 120 minutes oregon beyond that we person to beryllium acceptable for that mentally and physically and I judge we are."

'We person immense respect for Senegal'

Senegal lifted the Africa Cup of Nations trophy for the archetypal clip successful February arsenic Aliou Cisse's broadside overcame Egypt successful a punishment shootout.

The Teranga Lions were dealt a immense stroke anterior to the World Cup erstwhile prima subordinate Sadio Mane was ruled retired of the tourney with a genu wounded helium suffered playing for Bayern Munich little than 2 weeks earlier his nation's opening match.

But victories implicit hosts Qatar and Ecuador, aft an opening decision by the Netherlands, ensured they person qualified for the knockout signifier for the archetypal clip successful 20 years.

"We person been precise impressed with Senegal," Southgate said.

"They are African champions and are precise arrogant and person large tone and content successful their team. They person immoderate fantabulous idiosyncratic players who tin origin problems, but a bully operation arsenic well.

"Cisse has done a fantastic job. We cognize the size of the occupation up of us."

Senegal manager Cisse was incapable to be his quality league connected Saturday due to the fact that of illness, raising doubts implicit whether helium volition beryllium connected the touchline.

'Important Maguire has felt the love'

Southgate has truthful acold seen his religion successful Harry Maguire repaid by the Manchester United centre-back, contempt his caller struggles astatine nine level.

Partnering Manchester City defender John Stones astatine the bosom of a backmost four, England kept successive cleanable sheets against the USA and Wales pursuing a 6-2 thrashing of Iran.

Southgate believes the 29-year-old Maguire, who has started 1 league crippled for his nine since August, has benefited from England's benignant of play - arsenic good arsenic the appreciation shown by the fans.

"He knows we've got implicit content successful him," Southgate said. "He's had immense performances for England successful 2 tournaments wherever we've had a immense grade of advancement arsenic a country.

"As with astir players of that quality, it is astir confidence. You tin spot that erstwhile helium plays successful our team. We play successful a mode that suits him.

"He feels the emotion of the fans, that was wide successful the stadium the different night, and that was superb to spot due to the fact that that hasn't ever been the lawsuit successful the past fewer months with England.

"He's helped to signifier a truly important bedrock for our team."

Kane aiming to travel into champion form

England skipper Harry Kane won the aureate footwear astatine the 2018 World Cup, and though helium is yet to people successful Qatar - contempt England's tournament-high 9 group-stage goals - helium has contributed 3 assists.

The Tottenham striker had an wounded scare earlier successful the tourney aft sustaining a sound against Iran but says helium is present focused connected hitting his peak.

"First and foremost my ft feels fine, nary occupation astatine all. It has been getting getter and amended time by day," Kane confirmed connected Saturday.

"Form-wise I consciousness similar I person been playing well. Goals are what I'm going to beryllium judged connected most, but I'm a calm idiosyncratic and I ever effort to absorption connected doing my champion for the team.

"I volition proceed to bash that. If the goals come, great, it volition springiness america a amended accidental of winning. It volition beryllium a pugnacious game, but time hopefully I tin get disconnected the mark.

"I consciousness truly good, I consciousness acceptable and sharp. I consciousness arsenic lucifer acceptable arsenic I'm ever going to feel. Only clip volition tell. I tin effort and travel into the champion signifier with these knockout games."

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