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<\/p>\nGareth Southgate on the sidelines for England\u2019s win over Malta<\/p>\n
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Gareth Southgate wants England to go into next summer\u2019s Euros with momentum and is targeting an unbeaten run all the way through to Germany.<\/p>\n
Having wrapped up progress to next year\u2019s finals with two games to spare, Friday\u2019s forgettable 2-0 victory against Malta all-but assured their place among the top seeds at the December 2 draw.<\/p>\n
England cruised to qualification from what had looked to be a potentially tricky pool and Southgate wants his side to end 2023 with a bang as they round off Group C away to North Macedonia on Monday.<\/p>\n
But with Euro 2024 glory their stated ambition, the former defender wants his players to keep their foot on the gas.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had a really good calendar year and we want to finish it well,\u201d the England manager said ahead of the trip to Skopje. \u201cSimple as that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe should be aiming to go, if we can, into the tournament unbeaten. We\u2019ve got some tough games coming ahead.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, I\u2019m a bit loathed to say that because then you start looking for draws when you want to go and win matches as well, so I want to get the messaging right on that.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, you know, it\u2019s good for us to be away from Wembley again, a challenging environment because that\u2019s what we\u2019re going to be in next summer.\u201d<\/p>\n
England have not lost a match since last December\u2019s galling 2-1 defeat to eventual runners-up France in their World Cup quarter-final clash in Qatar.<\/p>\n
Les Bleus are among their main rivals for silverware next summer, with Southgate\u2019s side stepping up preparations for the Euros with challenging March friendlies against Brazil and Belgium at Wembley.<\/p>\n
Both opponents will provide stern tests for a team that Southgate says cannot afford to fall short of the level \u201cthey need to be at\u201d like they were against Mediterranean minnows Malta.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe teams we\u2019ve got in March, we wouldn\u2019t get away with it,\u201d Southgate said. \u201cAnd the players just would have a different level of motivation (compared to against Malta).<\/p>\n
\u201cThis week was always going to be difficult. We\u2019ve already qualified, the players are in the middle of a load of matches.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re trying to look after a few physically with the team selection, so you\u2019re making changes that, had we needed to win tonight to qualify, might be different.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, yeah, the whole week has been a little bit like that \u2013 couldn\u2019t really get the players on the pitch until Wednesday and as a consequence we were flat. I accept that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s where we were but I\u2019m not going to get into the players about that. I know why and they\u2019ve won another game of football.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could have been by more. Not quite sure why the third (from Declan Rice) was disallowed, but there we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/CzTqIcfowia<\/p>\n
As frustrating as Friday night was at Wembley, England remain well placed for silverware in Southgate\u2019s fourth \u2013 and quite possibly final \u2013 major tournament at the helm.<\/p>\n
There is no time to waste with chances to work together limited, plus the fact Monday\u2019s trip to Skopje looks likely to be their final match on foreign soil until the Euros get under way in June.<\/p>\n
North Macedonia are expected to be far better than in June\u2019s 7-0 Old Trafford annihilation and Southgate has a number of things to consider before settling on his side for the Group C finale.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of our decision-making is physical as much as anything at the moment, so it\u2019s a strange thing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably if you\u2019ve still got to qualify there\u2019s a different focus on the games and everybody\u2019s happy and understands their players have got to play.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not subconsciously thinking about \u2018should we be pushing players out for another game?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, we need to look at where we are after this game in terms of any knocks and bumps.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got some fresh players to come in. We want to get the balance of the team right and then assess whether there are certain things we want to see and learn from Monday night\u2019s game as well.\u201d<\/p>\n