Gareth Southgate has told his England players they must target becoming the No 1-ranked team in world football as he delivered a reminder of the standards required after noticing a drop in the 2-0 Wembley win against lowly Malta last Friday.
The manager is preparing for the final Euro 2024 qualifier against North Macedonia in Skopje and at a stadium where there are worries over the condition of the pitch. Southgate has been hit by further withdrawals from his squad, with Kieran Trippier absent because of a personal issue and Jarrod Bowen out with an unspecified injury. Rico Lewis could come in for his first cap to fill the problem position of left-back.
