15 June 2023 , 21:30
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Gareth Southgat e remembers all too clearly the boos ringing in his ears from England’s last trip to Malta.
The England fans were chanting: “We’re f***ing s***” at the players and most had headed for the bar before a late goal rush turned a narrow 1-0 score line at 85 minutes into a 4-0 rout.
That was something of a low point just a year into Southgate’s reign back in September 2017 before it all turned around less than a year later when England reached the World Cup semi final.
But the warning is clearly there for Southgate that everything England have achieved under him will quickly be forgotten if they do not put on a convincing display against the Maltese minnows.
There are 4,000 England fans in Malta for the Euro 2024 qualifier and they are expecting an end-of-season knees-up.
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England already have one foot in next summer’s tournament and they can take another major stride against Malta and North Macedonia next Monday.
England boss Southgate said: “Myself and Steve Holland were talking about it as we landed because it wasn’t a pleasant journey to the stadium, and it was less pleasant going home, I’m not sure everyone knew we had won 4-0, because they were in the bar at 1-0, some at 0-0.
“For us it was a good reference to how far the relationship with the fans has come. The performances of the team are going to ebb and flow, the connection with the fans feels completely different now.
England came in for stick from their own fans on their last visit to Malta“They were singing it all the way back to the town as well! We heard all of that. The reality is we are not. We always have to show that.
“It doesn’t matter what we have done in the last few years, last few games, we have to go again tomorrow night and make sure that we give our fans something to be excited about.
“We haven’t spoken to the players about it and the only reference we have made to it is the stubbornness of the opponent and the difficulty in breaking these types of teams down. They are well-drilled, they are set up to try restrict chances, so we have got to be mindful of that."
Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, John Stones, Kyle Walker and Jordan Henderson are the only survivors from that squad still involved. But only three - Kane, Rashford and Henderson - are likely to be involved with the Manchester City players given an extra break.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to be deployed in midfield after impressing for LiverpoolSouthgate, who confirmed Harry Kane will start as captain, also dropped a major hint that Liverpool ’s Trent Alexander-Arnold will start in midfield.
Right back Alexander-Arnold shone in the midfield role towards the end of last season for his club and Malta provides perhaps the perfect opportunity to do it for his country.
Southgate, struggling to contain a broad grin, said: “Well, let’s see! You know that I think he is more than capable of playing there and it can be really exciting.
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“If we were to do that, we would not be expecting perfection because there is a lot ot learn, particularly without the ball. It is different areas of the pitch.
“With the ball, that is a more straightforward transition for him now. He has been playing there a little bit more for his club so it is something for us to consider, definitely.”