England boss Gareth Southgate targets unbeaten run ahead of Euro 2024
England manager Gareth Southgate (Simon Marper/PA)
Gareth Southgate wants England to go into next summer’s Euros with momentum and is targeting an unbeaten run all the way through to Germany.
Having wrapped up progress to next year’s finals with two games to spare, Friday’s forgettable 2-0 victory against Malta all-but assured their place among the top seeds at the December 2 draw.
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.
But with Euro 2024 glory their stated ambition, the former defender wants his players to keep their foot on the gas.
Gareth Southgate’s side beat Malta 2-0 on Friday evening (John Walton/PA)
“We’ve had a really good calendar year and we want to finish it well,” the England manager said ahead of the trip to Skopje. “Simple as that.
“We should be aiming to go, if we can, into the tournament unbeaten. We’ve got some tough games coming ahead.
“I mean, I’m 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.
“But, you know, it’s good for us to be away from Wembley again, a challenging environment because that’s what we’re going to be in next summer.”
England have not lost a match since last December’s galling 2-1 defeat to eventual runners-up France in their World Cup quarter-final clash in Qatar.
Les Bleus are among their main rivals for silverware next summer, with Southgate’s side stepping up preparations for the Euros with challenging March friendlies against Brazil and Belgium at Wembley.
Both opponents will provide stern tests for a team that
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