Gareth Southgate pleaded for England's supporters to "stay with the team", after venting their frustration following the goalless draw with Slovenia.
The Three Lions advanced to the Euro 2024 knockout stages as Group C winners, despite winning just one of their opening three games and scoring two goals.
Southgate's side, who came under scrutiny following their 1-1 draw with Denmark, did little to silence those critics with another underwhelming performance against the Slovenians.
Despite dominating large periods of the contest with 74% of possession, it yielded an expected goals (xG) tally of just 0.87, with the front three of Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden registering just two shots on target between them.
Sections of England fans jeered their team at the final whistle, while hurling empty drinks cups in the direction of Southgate as he applauded them.
The Three Lions boss empathised with the supporters, but urged them to point the finger of blame at him, rather than his players.
"I understand it. I'm not going to back away from it," he told reporters during his post-match press conference. "The most important thing is the supporters stay with the team.
"I understand the narrative towards me, and that's better for the team than it being towards them. But it is creating an unusual environment to operate in. I've not seen any other team qualify and receive similar.
"[The players] kept composure in a game where they've come into a really challenging environment. Of course, we'd love a couple of goals that sends everybody home happy. But we were definitely an improvement on what we did in the last game."
"I think the changes we made had a positive effect on the game tonight. We weren't able to find the right pass, the final finish. But we are improving."
Despite the disappointment at their performance levels, England have managed to avoid the half of the draw that includes the likes of France, Germany, Spain and Portugal.
The Three Lions will play either the Netherlands, who finished third in Group D, or Group E's third-placed side in the round of 16 in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.
And Southgate knows a positive atmosphere within the camp will be crucial as the Euro 2020 finalists target another deep run in this competition.
"You never want to look back having not topped the group and spiral into tough matches where people can then accuse you that, because you didn't win the group, you've ended up with a tougher draw," he added.
"We have made England over the last three or four years fun again. I think it has been enjoyable for the players, and we have got to be very, very careful that it stays that way."
'It doesn't get any bigger' for Denmark - Eriksen relishing Germany showdown
Christian Eriksen acknowledges "it doesn't get any bigger" for Denmark as they prepare to take on host nation Germany in the Euro 2024 round of 16.
Kasper Hjulmand's side, who reached the Euro 2020 semi-finals, are appearing in the knockout stages of successive European Championships for the first time, having finished as Group C runners-up behind England.
Eriksen played a key role as the Danes went unbeaten in their opening three matches.
The Manchester United midfielder scored against Slovenia, and became the first Denmark player to register 10 or more shots (10) and create 10 or more chances (13) in a single edition of a major tournament.
Denmark have lost all five of their previous European Championship matches against the host nation, though they do boast fond memories of their victory over Germany in the 1992 final.
"I'm really looking forward to it," Eriksen said. "A knockout game against Germany in Germany; it doesn't get any bigger than that.
"A lot of people seem to think that we've lost already, so we can play freely and give our all. I'm looking forward to showing that we can rub shoulders [with the best teams] in this tournament.
"I believe we can beat the Germans, but many things will have to come together for us."
Eriksen has also become Denmark's most-capped player after taking his tally of senior international appearances to 133 - one ahead of team-mate Simon Kjaer.
"I'm very proud to have won so many international caps," the 32-year-old added. "It's a bit of a strange feeling because a lot of the players who are up there are all-time greats of Danish football.
"To be there alongside them is something I will look upon fondly when I'm done playing, with a big smile on my face."
Seattle Sounders v Chicago Fire: Schmetzer seeks home-form remedy at Lumen Park
Brian Schmetzer urged Seattle Sounders to rediscover their home form ahead of Saturday's meeting with Chicago Fire in MLS.
The hosts sit ninth in the Western Conference standings, but are 12 points adrift of the top three sides in the table.
Schmetzer's side have not won back-to-back MLS games all season, though that is a possibility when the out-of-form Chicago visit Lumen Park.
Seattle will be invigorated by last-gasp drama in their 3-2 win over FC Dallas last time out, and the head coach hopes his team can utilise that momentum going forward.
"We need to follow up that crazy, exciting, perfect for the fans, but horrible for the coaches win," he said. "We've got two more home games to come, and we need to re-establish some home form.
"I haven't mentioned it to the players, but we have discussed it internally among the coaches, how to get them more consistent and delivering on a regular basis.
"[Let's] see if we can generate some more results. We're still below the playoff line, but seven points in a week is a good number.
"Now, we talk about keeping the momentum at home going, not necessarily winning two in a row, but just re-establishing what we do here and how we go about things."
The Fire appeared to be finding form with a four-match unbeaten streak, though that was snapped with a 4-2 defeat in Orlando last weekend.
Chicago are languishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference and have struggled on the road, managing just one win in nine away matches.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Seattle Sounders – Jordan Morris
Jordan Morris scored the 88th-minute equaliser and stoppage-time winner in Seattle's comeback win over Dallas on Saturday.
Morris is the first player in Sounders history to score both the match-tying and winning goals in the 80th minute or later of an MLS match.
Chicago Fire – Hugo Cuypers
Hugo Cuypers has scored in four consecutive matches for the Fire, the longest active goalscoring streak in MLS.
If he scores against Seattle, Cuypers will equal the longest regular-season scoring streak in the Fire's MLS history: five games by David Accam in 2017 and Robert Beric in 2020.
MATCH PREDICTION – SEATTLE SOUNDERS WIN
With the Fire enjoying a favourable head-to-head record and the Sounders in fine form, this clash was difficult to split the pair, though Seattle appear favourites for a narrow victory.
Seattle have lost only two of their last 13 matches in all competitions (won six, drawn five), with both of those defeats coming on the road.
Indeed, the Sounders are unbeaten in seven straight home games, including winning three of the last four at Lumen Field (drawn one), but Chicago should still not be ruled out.
The Fire have won their last two meetings with Seattle, one at home and one at the MLS is Back Tournament in 2020. Prior to that, Chicago had won just two of 17 meetings with the Sounders (drawn four, lost 11).
They also remain winless in Seattle in nine all-time visits (drawn two, lost seven), but have won their last two trips to the Pacific Northwest, winning 3-1 at Vancouver Whitecaps in 2022 and 2-1 at Portland Timbers in 2023.
Prior to the last two matches, Chicago had never won at any of the three Cascadia MLS teams in all competitions (drawn four, lost 19 at Portland, Seattle and Vancouver), a feat they will hope does not come back to haunt them here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Seattle Sounders win – 54.6%
Draw – 23.3%
Chicago Fire win – 22%
Messi to miss Peru clash as Scaloni 'upset' by touchline ban
Lionel Messi will miss Argentina's Copa America showdown with Peru on Saturday, while head coach Lionel Scaloni will also be absent after being handed a touchline ban.
The reigning champions have already secured their passage into the quarter-finals with a game to spare following back-to-back wins over Canada and Chile, and a point against Peru will be enough to secure top spot in Group A.
Therefore, it will provide a welcome opportunity for La Albiceleste to potentially rotate and rest several key players, including skipper Messi, whose absence was confirmed due to a groin issue.
"Leo had a [groin] problem in the last game and, in this one, he will not be there," Argentina assistant coach Walter Samuel told reporters during his pre-match press conference. "We are going to see day by day how it is."
The reigning world champions will also have to make do without Scaloni following a sanction by CONMEBOL.
It comes after Argentina returned late for the second half in successive matches, with the governing body issuing a fine and touchline ban to their head coach, whose side were initially warned for the first instance.
"We got the news today, it was a shock," Samuel added. "Lionel is upset about this. He wanted to be with the team, but we will abide by what CONMEBOL says.
"We consider ourselves to be staff with a lot of professionalism. Sometimes, you're talking about a small detail. We weren't trying to find an advantage. Now, we have to focus on the next match and move forward."
Samuel also shrugged off suggestions Argentina are favourites to successfully defend their crown in the United States, insisting they are focused very much on the short term.
"Are we the favourites to win the Copa America? It's hard to be favourites because there are many great teams," he said.
"We don't like to say that [we are favourites], we always go with 'game-by-game'. Now, we only think about Peru, and then treat each game like a final."
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