Advertisement

Time for Raheem Sterling to answer his England critics, says Danny Murphy

Gareth Southgate has done well to keep a lid on expectations but there will be a really good feeling in the England camp because the build-up to this World Cup has been ideal.

We’ve played with confidence leading into the tournament and I don’t think there are any excuses not to play with that same pace and flair tonight. There have been no major injuries and there seems to be a real harmony in the squad. I have said I think we will reach the quarter-finals but after the group games we will have a better indication of what we can actually achieve. Then you can see the confidence and the fitness of the players, how the team is looking and how the formation is working.

If Harry Kane and the rest of the forward lads are looking sharp, we are playing well and we go through as group winners, then those expectations levels will automatically rise. Tunisia is a good game for us to start with. We should not take it for granted but if we play anywhere near to the level we have been playing, then we should be absolutely fine tonight.

You would hope we can play well against Tunisia and Panama, win both matches and then go into the Belgium game with a freedom against real high-quality opposition.

The first thing, though, is to make sure we get off to a good start and carry the momentum built up under Gareth. It is crucial to get off to a good start at a major tournament. A win gives you confidence and then gives you the freedom in your second and third group games to play in the knowledge that you have a good result behind you.

Already at this tournament we have seen how opening games can be hard work, even if you are expected to win. Germany were beaten by Mexico and Brazil drew with Switzerland yesterday, while France only just got over the line without playing well against Australia.

Even if the performance is not exactly what you want and you win by the odd goal, it is so important because it takes a bit of the pressure off in the remaining group matches.

It is very warm in Volgograd for England’s opener to the tournament and Tunisia will be fit and used to playing in hot and humid temperatures. They can play intricate football, from what I have seen of them, but they do not have our firepower and killer instinct in the final third.

Of course, Gareth will have done his homework on England’s opponents but we just have more about us and there should not be too much for us to worry about.

It is one of those matches where we just need to concentrate on our own game and focus on causing the opposition problems.

Winning by a couple of goals would be a nice start. If we can score early, then we could go and get three or four but let’s not expect too much because it is the first game and we have to be a bit cautious in our approach.

What we do not want is to be 1-0 up with 20 minutes to go and then a silly mistake or a set-place costs us because we have not put our chances away.

If we do have to be patient tonight, then we have players who can score goals against teams with a lot of numbers at the back.

(EPA)
(EPA)

Jesse Lingard and Dele Alli will both play with Raheem Sterling. What you have there, especially with Alli and Lingard, are very good at getting into the box late and picking spaces in opposition defences. Both have been very good for their clubs at finding a way to nick goals when it seems like the defence have lots of numbers back.After what Sterling went through at Euro 2016 and what has gone on in the build-up, I would love to see him to carry on his form with Manchester City and put that nagging question mark about his international form to bed.

It is a big tournament for him and he could be so important tonight if Tunisia frustrate us. Sterling has played the majority of the season against teams who put a lot of numbers behind the ball and he has found different ways to unlock packed defences. He has scored 23 goals in all competitions and it is encouraging that he has consistently found a way in situations like that.

Listening to City boss Pep Guardiola and playing with better players has helped his game go up a notch. He has got himself into goalscoring positions so much more. Hopefully, we will see that in an England shirt because when he is at it, he is really hard to play against.