Pressure is all on Southgate to deliver...and with style

Fans quick to voice their frustration in Qatar

- Dan Kilpatrick

GARETH SOUTHGATE was unsure if the boos after England’s bore draw with the USA on Friday were for himself and his players, but it is safe to assume that the US supporters were not the ones frustrated.

Booing underwhelming performances is now a staple of the game at a certain level and not necessarily reflective of wider unrest, but in the context of Southgate’s strained relationship with England fans, the moment was another sore point.

The England manager came into the tournament on the back of a miserable Nations League campaign, notable for the Molineux mutiny, when the home crowd jeered and mocked him during the 4-0 defeat to Hungary in June.

If that could be put down to fickle day-trippers, the boos when Southgate went to applaud the regular travelling support after September’s defeat by Italy at the San Siro — which confirmed England’s Nations League relegation — obviously could not.

The swashbuckling win over Iran changed the mood, with supporters in Qatar singing Southgate’s name, but judging by the reaction at Al Bayt Stadium and on social media on Friday, the 52-year-old is back on notice ahead of tomorrow’s final group game against Wales.

“I just feel like that’s football: when you’re winning, you’re the best in the world and when you’re losing, you’re the worst,” said Marcus Rashford (above) yesterday. “If we play well in the Wales game, that USA one will be forgotten about.”