England have greater expectation than when they reached the World Cup semi-finals four years ago, manager Gareth Southgate said as he looked ahead to Sunday’s last16 clash with Senegal. His side swept into the knockout phase as Group B winners on Tuesday with Marcus Rashford’s double and a Phil Foden effort seeing them to a 3-0 victory over Wales.

“There is a different mentality about the whole group. There’s more belief,” Southgate, whose side have banged in nine goals in three games in Qatar, told reporters. “In Russia, we were just thinking about ‘Could we win a knockout game?’ There’s more expectation now and more experience of big matches.”

England’s run in Russia was something of a surprise but last year’s runners-up finish at Euro 2020 and the fact Southgate boasts one of the deepest squads in Qatar makes his side one of the favourites. Southgate, known for his loyalty to the players who have served him well, made four changes to his starting line-up against Wales. Rashford, who was given his first England start for 18 months, took his tally to a joint tournament-leading three, while Foden justified the clamour for his inclusion with a goal in a display full of attacking threat.

Doubts, if any, about whether Rashford had deserved to be on the plane to Qatar, they were swept away on Tuesday. His first goal, a direct free kick, broke the deadlock for England, while the second was perhaps more to type — he cut inside and found the net with a sharp finish between the keeper’s legs.

As he raised his arms to the heavens in celebration, which he later explained was because a close friend had recently died, the image stood in contrast to last year, when Rashford’s form faltered heading into the delayed Euro 2020.

“Moments like this, this is what I play football for,” Rashford said. “The biggest moments, the best moments,” he said after England topped their World Cup group for the first time since 2006.

Bale vows to play on

Wales captain Gareth Bale vowed to keep playing for the national team amid doubts over his future after they were knocked out of the World Cup in the group stage with a 3-0 defeat by England in Tuesday’s so-called “Battle of Britain”.

Returning to the World Cup after 64 years, Wales ended the tournament on one point, finishing bottom of Group B. “I’ll keep going as long as I can and as long as I’m wanted,” Bale, Wales’ most-capped player, told the BBC.