England’s senior defender, Harry Maguire, has indicated that the national squad is unlikely to be significantly disheartened by their recent goalless draw against Ghana. The stalemate, which occurred in Boston on Tuesday, marks the fourth consecutive major tournament where England has drawn their second group stage fixture, following an initial 4-2 victory over Croatia.
Maguire, a veteran of the 2022 World Cup campaign that saw England reach the quarter-finals, drew parallels between the current situation and that tournament. He recalled how England secured an initial win against Iran before being held to a draw by the United States, ultimately progressing after a subsequent victory over Wales. Speaking on 'The Rest Is Football' podcast, Maguire suggested that the team would view the Ghana draw within the broader context of the group stage.
“I think they’ll look back at it and think, in the grand scheme of things, we drew our second game against the USA in the last World Cup,” Maguire stated. He added that while individual players might be disappointed with their performances, collectively, the focus would quickly shift to their upcoming match against Panama, with the aim of securing a win and advancing to the knockout stages. “Tomorrow will be a new day and they’ll just look forward to Panama and getting the win,” he concluded.
However, former England defender and pundit Gary Neville has singled out Anthony Gordon as the player facing the most scrutiny following the Ghana match. Gordon, a 25-year-old winger who transferred to Barcelona from Newcastle before the tournament, has started both of England's games so far but has struggled to make a decisive impact. Neville, speaking on the 'Stick to Football' podcast, suggested that Gordon's place in the starting line-up is now precarious.
“Anthony Gordon, he’s probably the one that’s under the most pressure now,” Neville commented. He noted that many observers had expected Marcus Rashford to start ahead of Gordon against Ghana. Neville believes that Gordon will find it challenging to retain his spot for the crucial final group game. England’s attention now turns to their decisive Group L fixture against Panama on Saturday, where they will aim to secure their passage to the knockout phase of the competition.