Gareth Southgate says Phil Foden will "play a big part" in the remainder of England's World Cup campaign, despite the midfielder's limited playing time so far.

Foden came on for the final 19 minutes of England's 6-2 win over Iran in their Group B opener and was an unused substitute in the goalless draw with the United States.

Southgate was criticised for not turning to the Manchester City star during a poor display from the Three Lions against the USA.

The England manager defended his decision after the drab stalemate, but Foden now looks set to play a more prominent role, possibly starting with Tuesday's clash against Wales.

"We love Phil, he's a super player," Southgate told BBC Sport. "He's going to play a big part in this tournament for us.

"Phil's mentality to training and the way he's approaching everything is excellent."

Foden has played 20 matches for City this season – only Joao Cancelo (21) and Bernardo Silva (22) have featured more regularly under Pep Guardiola this term.

He has scored eight times and assisted a further three goals, and Southgate has talked up the 22-year-old's versatility in midfield and attack.

"There are different possibilities. He can play on either flank and can play as a false nine if we chose to do that," Southgate said.

"He can play off a striker, although he doesn't do that as much at club level so that's maybe applicable to certain games or certain moments.

"He's a very flexible player in terms of the attributes he has and where he can have an impact. He's a goal threat, which is also very important."

England will advance to the last 16 should they avoid a four-goal loss to Wales, though Southgate will be targeting a victory to secure top spot in Group B.

The match at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium will be England's first against a fellow British side at the World Cup, but Southgate does not believe that brings extra pressure.

"None more than normal," he said. "We recognise this is a game with a lot of focus because it's a local derby, but we're England – everyone wants to beat us.

"There are high expectations every time we're on the pitch. We've got to focus on playing as well as we can while showing the composure and ruthlessness needed to win."

England have won each of their past six games against Wales, scoring 11 goals in that run and conceding only one – a Gareth Bale free-kick at Euro 2016. 

Steve Waugh has backed Australia to enjoy a winning run in the final months of the year as they build up confidence ahead of the Ashes, where he is fearful of a returning Jofra Archer.

Three consecutive victories in ODIs against England have put Australia in a better spot heading into a series of Tests against the West Indies and South Africa either side of the new year.

The Ashes then follows in June, with the World Cup in India to close out the year, and former Australia captain Waugh is confident about his side's chances.

"We've got a good cricket side, there's no doubt about that. We got a really good bowling attack, so they're capable of winning matches," he told Stats Perform.

"I think we'll beat West Indies pretty convincingly. Then we've got three Tests against South Africa, an emerging test side with a really good bowling attack. But I think they're batting is not quite up to standard.

"I think Australia will win most Test matches. But then they've got some hard Test matches coming up overseas. It's a long difficult period. It's 12 months of non-stop cricket for Australia."

Waugh highlighted the importance in getting wins on the board now to build up momentum for the Ashes, where Australia are looking to retain the urn.

"The Ashes is a big tournament for Australian cricket that's coming up in about less than 12 months now. We're looking towards that," he added.

"But in the meantime, they've West Indies and South Africa. I think will win those series, then we've got India away, which is really hard, and then the Ashes.

"The Ashes is hard to win. It's a tough assignment, but the guys are capable of winning.

"It's a long way off, and it might come down to which sides have fewer injuries to key players. If England have Jofra Archer playing, they're going to have a chance of winning."

Waugh also sprung to the defence of captain Pat Cummins, who has been outspoken on climate change and has come under the spotlight for his stance.

"He's realising that captaincy can be a difficult assignment. One minute people love you, the next minute they don't like you and your opinions matter," he explained.

"He's bought into the climate change issues and sponsorship. And yes, there's a few issues that have been around the side. I guess he's realised that maybe he's got more power than he thought he has.

"Whatever he says carries a lot of weight. And sometimes you've gotta be pretty careful what you say. But I think he's done a very good job as a captain on the field.

"He's learning as he goes along, which is only natural. He's pretty young for a captain."

Steve Waugh is an ambassador for the Laureus Challenge 2022, presented by Sierra Space.

Marcus Rashford is hoping he gets a chance to redeem himself from a missed penalty in England's European Championship final defeat to Italy during the World Cup.

The Manchester United forward was among three members of Gareth Southgate's side to fail to beat Gianluigi Donnarumma from the spot in the shootout, alongside Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka.

The trio were then subject to racial abuse on social media, but that has not put him off stepping up for the Three Lions if required in Qatar.

"Racism is not good to go through as an individual but it's not good to see anyone go through it. [It's] more just disappointment. You're disappointed that people have views like that," he said.

"And the main reason is that you don't have those views about anyone else, regardless of their race or religion. It's more the disappointment that people are thinking those things, rather than saying them.

"I've missed a penalty before. You never want to miss a penalty, it's a great opportunity for forwards especially to score goals, and obviously they're big moment.

"As an individual I've always been comfortable with and enjoy big moments so I'm hoping I get to take another penalty in the tournament. I'm looking forward to it."

England were booed off following a goalless draw against the United States last time out, but stand on the brink of qualification for the knockout stages – with only a four-goal defeat to Wales in the final match enough to send them home.

Rashford is confident England will do what is required and will "leave it all out on the pitch" against Wales.

"It is not often I come away with England and feel like we're going to lose games. I think as a collective, we're very strong," he added.

"The togetherness is really high and it is a big feature that Gareth puts emphasis on.

"It is something we have worked on and it has improved as time has gone on. But like I said, the main reason why we are in the position we're in is because we have good players who are willing to work for one another and leave it all out on the pitch.

"In the next game, we'll definitely look to do that."

Ben Davies believes England would be weaker without Harry Kane ahead of Wales' crunch match with the Three Lions, while Joe Allen defended the performances of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.

The Golden Boot winner in Russia four years ago, Kane is yet to register a shot on target across England's 6-2 win over Iran and goalless draw with the United States.

With the Three Lions all but assured of a place in the knockout stage, Gareth Southgate may rest his captain for their final Group B match.

Davies saluted his Tottenham team-mate but even with his potential absence, the defender is well aware of the Dragons' task.

"Harry's a world-class player and one of the best in the world, so he's going to make any team better with him in there," he said.

"That doesn't mean that England don't have very capable replacements to come in. Whoever we're up against, we're facing a team of world-class players.

"They're a world-class side. It's going to be a very tough game, but we have to prep as well as we can, look for areas of weakness they have and try and capitalise on that.

"We're under no illusions it's not going to be anything other than very difficult."

Having collected a single point from their first two games, Rob Page's side must beat their rivals - while hoping Iran fail to beat USA - to stand any chance of extending their first finals appearance in 64 years.

Davies has urged his team-mates to respond to their surprise 2-0 defeat by Iran last time out with 100 per cent effort at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

"We've had that disappointment, and we've got no choice but to move on and give everything we can," the Tottenham defender added.

"We're a team that's set high standards for ourselves and that's the reason why we've got to where we are now.

"That's the reason why we've been critical of our last few results – it's only because of the bar we've set ourselves. We know we can play a lot better, and we hope to do that in the next game."

Meanwhile, Joe Allen leapt to the defence of Bale and Ramsey. Between them, the pair have scored 61 goals for Wales, and were expected to play a key role in Qatar.

But both came under scrutiny following a pair of below-par displays against the USA and Iran, with four-time Champions League winner Bale registering just one shot on goal against the latter. 

"They're two incredible players, and they have been for our country," Allen said. "I don't think there's anyone else in the squad who's reached the heights they're capable of.

"It's a huge game coming up, they're big-game players and always have been. Hopefully, if any criticism has come their way, then they'll be able to answer a few of those critics with a top performance."

England's results this year are "not where we expect them to be", the Rugby Football Union (RFU) has accepted, as questions continue to be asked of Eddie Jones' future as head coach.

The Red Rose lost 27-13 to South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday to round off their worst calendar year since 2008 in terms of results, having lost six of their 12 Tests in 2022.

England were booed off the field after losing to the Springboks, but Jones, under contract until after next year's Rugby World Cup, remained bullish and said he "does not care what other people think".

The RFU has made clear England's form heading into a World Cup year has not been good enough, however, and meetings will now be held to review what changes can be made.

"We would like to thank England fans for their patience and support, it matters to us how they feel," RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said in a short statement on Sunday.

"Like them, we are really disappointed with the results of the Autumn Nations Series. Despite strong individual performances and some great new talent coming into the team, the overall results are not where we expect them to be.

"The review panel will hold a series of meetings in the next two weeks to discuss the Autumn Nations campaign and how improvements can be made ahead of the Six Nations."

England begin their 2023 Six Nations campaign at home to Scotland on February 4 as they seek to win the championship for a fourth time in eight years.

Phil Foden is "the best footballer England have", according to former Three Lions captain Wayne Rooney, who suggests the Manchester City star must be played at the World Cup going forward.

The playmaker was an unused substitute during Friday's 0-0 draw with the United States, as Gareth Southgate's side missed the chance to seal top spot in Group B and progress to the knockout rounds.

Having been overlooked to start in both of their matches so far, Foden was forced to watch from the sidelines as his side laboured to a point, prompting criticism from former England players Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville.

Now Rooney, the Three Lions' all-time record goalscorer, has added his voice to the chorus of dissent over the 22-year-old's exclusion from a crucial encounter.

"I found it very strange that Foden did not come on as a substitute against the USA," he wrote in his column for The Times. "Technically, he is the best footballer England have.

"I think if you have a talent like Foden, you simply have to play him. He is now a different player from the one we saw at Euro 2020, when he struggled to make an impact.

"He is more mature and came into this tournament on the back of a long period of brilliant performances for Manchester City.

"He has the form to go with the ability. If I were him, I would be very frustrated that I didn't get on the pitch at any stage of Friday’s game."

In a lacklustre performance without the energy and verve of their opening 6-2 win over Iran, England were kept out of danger at the back by another strong showing from Harry Maguire.

Manchester United's club captain has been mostly overlooked at club level this season, but Rooney was effusive in his praise for the centre-back, who recovered from illness to feature against the United States.

"[Maguire] was England's standout player on Friday," he added. "He had an excellent game against Iran.

"[He is] showing the quality on the ball, sound defending and unmistakable threat at set pieces. That makes him so important to the team."

England play their final Group B game against Wales on Tuesday, with Southgate's side looking to secure top spot ahead of the knockout rounds.

England head coach Eddie Jones remains bullish about the side's future despite Saturday's poor 27-13 loss to South Africa rounding out their worst calendar year since 2008.

The loss at Twickenham means the 2019 World Cup runners-up lost six of 12 Tests in 2022, managing only one win from four games during their autumn campaign.

Jones' side finished with a 2-3 record in the Six Nations at the start of the year, while earlier this month they lost to Argentina for the first time since 2009.

England were barely at the races on Saturday, with tries to Kurt-Lee Arendse and Eben Etzebeth lifting the Springboks to a 27-6 lead before Henry Slade's late consolation score with Thomas du Toit red carded for a no arms tackle.

"We want to win," Jones told reporters. “We are judged by results but I feel there is growth in the team which wasn't evident today.

"We don't want to get beat by a big score to South Africa and don't want to have the worst record since 2008 so it is a problem but I accept full responsibility for that.

"Obviously on results we are not happy but I feel like we are building a really good base to have a really good go at the World Cup, a really good go.

"A number of young players got great experience today and they'll come back better players for that. We’ve got other players coming back to form, some of our more senior players and we're not far away. We need to develop consistently. Test match rugby is all about consistency."

Jones said that "nothing seemed to go right" against the Springboks, who beat England in the 2019 World Cup final.

The loss comes after England thrashed Japan 52-13 a fortnight ago, a win followed by last week's thrilling 25-25 draw with New Zealand at Twickenham where the side crossed three times in the final eight minutes.

"I think it is a bit of a watershed game for us and we came into the game with high expectations on how we wanted to play on the back of Japan and New Zealand," Jones said.

"In this game South Africa were a bit too tough in the scrum and the air and I know where we have to improve.

"Are we moving in the right direction towards the World Cup? Yes we are. I don't care what other people think. Obviously, we are disappointed with our performance but there are 11 months to the World Cup and I have no doubt we will rise to the occasion.

"We just didn't fire a shot as we wanted today. You have to win contests against the Springboks and we didn't win the air or the set piece. We lost two of the key contests and we have to improve in those areas."

Luke Shaw says England are extra motivated heading into their World Cup clash with Wales after their opponents wildly celebrated the Three Lions' exit from Euro 2016.

An infamous video circulated following England's embarrassing last-16 defeat to Iceland six and a half years ago showing Wales' players lapping up their fierce rivals' demise.

Wales surpassed expectations by making it to the semi-finals of that competition, despite losing to England in the group stage, but they have had less success at Qatar 2022.

The Dragons require a victory against England at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium if they are to avoid a group-stage exit and must hope the United States and Iran play out a draw elsewhere.

A four-goal win for Wales against their neighbours on Tuesday would also be enough, but they have not so much as avoided defeated against England in their past six meetings.

Shaw, who played a full part in England's 6-2 win over Iran and goalless draw with the USA, believes the scenes from 2016 will add more spice to an already feisty fixture.

"I think you could say that," Shaw said. "But our motivation in itself has to be at its highest level. We are at the World Cup. We have great aims for what we want to achieve.

"We have to have the maximum motivation at every game. I don't think there's any more motivation than what we have already. 

"It wasn't nice. I don't want to dwell too much on that. I want to focus on what we do on the pitch. We can say things in interviews and I'd rather do our talking on the pitch."

Asked if England's players would consider recording similar scenes of celebrating should they knock out Wales, Shaw said: "I think we are a respectful group.

"We do things in the right way. That's the example Gareth [Southgate] wants to set. We are fully behind that. We are fully respectful.

"I think their motivation is going to be extremely high. They are going to give everything to win. It's not an easy game. But we need to focus on what we do."

England will advance to the knockout stage if they avoid a heavy loss to Wales, though Southgate's side will be targeting a victory to make certain of top spot in Group B.

Speaking ahead of England's first ever World Cup match against a fellow British side, Southgate said: "We have got to play well. 

"We are going to play an opponent that is wounded and, like everybody else, desperate to beat the English. We've got to play an intelligent game, play well and match their spirit.

"I would be very disappointed if someone says their players will want it more than ours. I'd be asking questions about what we stand for and what we have been for five years."

England have lost their third and final group-stage game in just two of their 14 participations at the World Cup (W7 D5), doing so against Spain in 1950 and Belgium in 2018.

South Africa cruised to a first away win over England since 2014 as the Springboks prevailed 27-13 at Twickenham despite being reduced to 14 men.

Meeting for the second time since the Boks beat England in the 2019 World Cup final, South Africa dictated the contest after falling behind early to Owen Farrell's penalty.

With director of rugby Rassie Erasmus absent due to his two-game ban for social media posts about alleged refereeing inconsistencies in the Springboks' 30-26 loss to France in Marseille, South Africa produced a convincing performance that backed up their status as favourites.

Faf de Klerk kicked six points in the first half, his two penalties sandwiched by a Damian Willemse drop goal and a sensational solo try from Kurt-Lee Arendse that saw him score for the sixth successive Test.

The visitors led 14-3 at half-time and, after Willemse and Farrell traded penalties, their command was furthered after England's Tom Curry was sin-binned.

Eben Etzebeth dotted down and De Klerk converted before knocking over another three-pointer, but South Africa's momentum was checked when Thomas du Toit was sent off for a no arms tackle on Luke Cowan-Dickie.

Henry Slade took advantage to score England's sole try, but that was scant consolation at the end of a game that suggested the gap between the two 2019 finalists has widened.

Gareth Southgate should rest Harry Kane for England's final Group B match against Wales, according to former Three Lions captain Alan Shearer.

Kane claimed the Golden Boot after scoring six goals in the 2018 World Cup, becoming the first England player to win the award since Gary Lineker 32 years earlier.

The Three Lions skipper did not register a shot on target in the Three Lions' 6-2 thrashing of Iran or the goalless draw with the United States in Qatar.

Shearer thinks Callum Wilson might start instead of Kane against Wales on Tuesday, when Southgate's side will be expected to seal their place in the round of 16.

H said in his BBC column: "I am not overly concerned about that statistic [Kane not having a shot on target], because we know the provider role Harry plays for this England team, even when he is not scoring himself. But watching him against the United States, it was clear something wasn't right. 

"He came through that scare about his ankle before the US game but, after playing a big part in an impressive team performance in the Iran game with two assists, he looked very tired and very leggy to me.

"It might be time to think about getting him right for the knockout stages, and I have a sneaky feeling Callum Wilson might come in to face Wales on Tuesday instead.

"England need to freshen things up anyway, to get the feel-good factor back after the disappointment of our draw with the US, and restore a bit of confidence."

England were fortunate to escape with a point against the USA on Friday, with Southgate raising eyebrows by keeping Phil Foden on the bench.

Shearer added: "I can understand why Gareth stuck with the same team that had stuck six goals past Iran. But, after that, I can't see him doing the same again in our final game in Group B.

"After the euphoria of our first game, everyone was expecting, wanting and hoping that it would be a similar story against the US. It wasn't, it was actually really flat.

"You have to give great credit to the US, because they stopped us from playing, as well as playing well themselves.

"But of course, it was disappointing that we were not able to change the direction of the game with the attacking options we had on the bench.

"I was quite surprised one or two players did not come on at half-time because we were playing poorly. Our plan wasn't working and one or two players looked tired.

"There are going to be games at this tournament where, for whatever reason, we need to change our personnel or tactics, or both, to try to win them."

Despite their disappointing display, England would seal top spot in Group B with victory over a Wales side that that must win to have any chance of progressing.

And Shearer is confident a similarly positive display to that in the opening game against Iran will get Southgate's side back on track.

"The last team to go through a World Cup and win all seven games was Brazil, 20 years ago," he stated.

"Everyone who goes deep into the tournament usually hits a bump in the road during the group stage and, while that performance wasn't great, we are still in a very strong position.

"I'd really expect us to beat Wales and go through as winners of our group, which was always the aim.

"It won't be easy, of course. Wales' situation means they have to win to have any chance of getting out of the group, and then you have the rivalry you encounter whenever the home nations play each other which adds another element to the game.

"It's pretty obvious what I want to see now - the same attacking outlook, ideas and energy we showed in the Iran game. If we do that, we will be back on track for the next part of this World Cup."

James Maddison has joined team training with England for the first time since the World Cup began, having missed the Three Lions' first two fixtures in Qatar due to a knee injury.

Three years after winning his only senior cap to date, Maddison claimed a place in Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad after enjoying a fine run of form with Leicester City.

Maddison's tally of 11 Premier League goal contributions this season (seven goals, four assists) is only bettered by four players – Erling Haaland (21), Harry Kane (13), Kevin De Bruyne and Ivan Toney (both 12).

However, the attacking midfielder sat out England's first two Group B games – a 6-2 win over Iran and a goalless draw with the United States – after sustaining a knee injury in Leicester's most recent match against West Ham.

As England began their preparations for Tuesday's meeting with Wales on Saturday, Maddison played a full part in group training for the first time since the team arrived in Qatar.

"Fourteen players are out for today's session in Al Wakrah, with those who started yesterday's game taking part in a recovery session," read a fitness update issued by England.

"James Maddison returns to training following his rehabilitation, while Jordan Henderson is working indoors on an individual programme."

England lead the way in Group B ahead of the final set of first-round fixtures, and they will qualify for the last 16 providing they avoid a four-goal defeat against Rob Page's team.

The Three Lions have never faced another British side at the World Cup, but they are unbeaten in three such games at the European Championships (W1 D1 v Scotland, W1 v Wales).

Jamie Carragher was perplexed by Gareth Southgate's "strange" decision to leave "special talent" Phil Foden on the bench in England's goalless World Cup draw with the United States.

The Three Lions remain top of Group B and on the brink of qualifying for the round of 16 heading into a clash with Wales on Tuesday, but were fortunate to secure a point against USA at Al Bayt Stadium on Friday.

England were sluggish and were almost punished when Christian Pulisic rattled the crossbar in the first half after Weston McKennie wasted a good opportunity to open the scoring.

Southgate brought on Jordan Henderson, Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford in the second half, but Manchester City attacking midfielder Foden was an unused substitute.

Former England defender Carragher cannot understand why Foden has not been included in the starting line-up or at least brought off the bench earlier, stating that City boss Pep Guardiola would turn to the 22-year-old ahead of Grealish.

He wrote in his column for The Telegraph: "I was among those hoping Gareth Southgate would turn to the Manchester City youngster. It was baffling that he remained on the bench when the game was crying out for his creativity.

"If you had told me before the tournament that Foden would only feature for 19 minutes of the first two World Cup games, my initial thought would be he must be injured.

"When asked to select my starting XI for the opening fixture against Iran, Foden was in it. The more the squad was studied, the harder it was to leave him out. He is too much of a special talent.

"Speak to any football supporter watching the Premier League over the last three years and ask 'who is the most naturally gifted English footballer today?' and 80 per cent would say Foden. The other 20 per cent are not watching closely enough.

"For Southgate to turn to his substitutes and opt for his City team-mate Jack Grealish ahead of him felt strange. Would Pep Guardiola look to Grealish before Foden if seeking a winning goal? Highly unlikely."

Ex-Liverpool defender Carragher added: "Foden has had plenty of opportunities for England, so it is not as if Southgate has ignored him. But although it is very early in his career, there have been times watching Foden playing for his country when his situation has reminded me of John Barnes in his heyday.

"For those too young to remember, between 1987-91, Barnes was not only the most talented England player of his generation, he was streets ahead of the rest.

"Think of Thierry Henry during his peak years at Arsenal. That is how good Barnes was for Liverpool. Yet for England, he was a shadow of himself.  

"The question was often asked whether the problem was Barnes or England. Surely it cannot be so difficult to accommodate a rare talent?

"It is imperative history does not repeat itself with Foden. Already, it is a shame he is not one of the first picks in the starting line-up, let alone the first go-to player from the bench.

"When Foden played in the last Euros you would have thought it certain he would be established in the side by now. Instead, others have jumped ahead of him.

"I really like Bukayo Saka and have no criticism about his selection given his Arsenal form. I also understand the loyalty to Raheem Sterling who has been one of the best players in the Southgate era.

"Over the last few days we have been rightly talking about Jude Bellingham a lot. But can it just be shrugged aside what Foden has been doing in the Premier League?

"To me, he eclipses those chosen ahead of him. I truly believe if he was Spanish he would be in their first XI."

Gareth Southgate believes England showed a different side of their play against the United States, securing what he feels is a valuable point.

The Three Lions missed the chance to become the first side to book their spot in the knockout stages after being held to a goalless draw by the USA, in a game where England's creativity and threat in the final third was lacking.

Instead, it was the USA who had the better opportunities throughout, Christian Pulisic striking the frame of the goal, while England were forced to adopt a more conservative approach than they did in their demolition of Iran.

Southgate is adamant a successful team needs to be able to show variation in a tournament, and gave a positive assessment of the performance.

"I'm really pleased with the application of the players, it's a really tough opponent, they played incredibly well," he said in the post-match press conference.

"To come off the high of the performance the other day and find that same energy, level of quality, it was always going to be a challenge.

"Their front six make it so difficult to play through and get at their defence, I thought we controlled the game really well, our two centre-backs were absolutely outstanding with the ball.

"To play with that sort of composure under the pressure and angles that the USA press with is difficult and it's only when you have two players like we have where you begin to appreciate the strain of the game that they can take.

"We lacked zip and control in the final third, we didn't really create enough in the final third, but we had a chance to show another side of ourselves in terms of the resilience, the recovery runs, covering our box well.

"To be a successful team in a tournament, you have to show those different faces and I think we did that tonight. I'm sure there will be a lot of noise about the performance but not many teams go through the World Cup and get nine points in the group.

"We're in a good position, we've got a little bit to do to qualify still, but we also have the opportunity to win the group.

"The players were very down and disappointed after the game but I told them that isn't how it's going to be for the next few days because I thought they showed another side to what they are about and it's going to be important moving forward."

Kieran Trippier echoed Southgate's assessment of the point being an important one, highlighting how the likes of Germany and Argentina have suffered surprising defeats so far in Qatar.

"The USA are a good side. Every single team in our group is top 20. You can't underestimate any of them," he told Stats Perform.

"You have to give respect to them. We knew it was going to be a tough game. You see the past results, they're a good side, a very good side.

"You look at other results in the tournament, and there are some big results gone against them. We've got to take positives. It's a good point.

"We're not at all [concerned about creativity]. Of course, in the final third there were some moments where we could be better, of course, but it's the second game in, four points on the board in the group, it's only positive from myself and the team.

"I think the motivation's there. England-Wales is a massive game. All we can do now is recover, review the game where we could have done better, and get ready for the next battle."

Yunus Musah believes "the whole world will see" the United States' quality after they held England to a goalless draw at Al Bayt Stadium.

England are considered among the favourites for the World Cup, but they were on the back foot for long spells against the USMNT.

Neither team could forge a breakthrough, despite Christian Pulisic saying his side "showed dominance" at times.

Musah felt a draw was the fair result, but the teenager – who was eligible to play for England – was still enthused by the United States' performance.

Agreeing it was a game in which the team could send a message, the midfielder said: "I feel like the team played really well today, showed how great they are.

"Most of them are playing in great teams at a high level, and I feel like today the whole world will see the US can do good things.

"I guess time will tell. We can't just live for one game. We've got to do it consistently."

Playing England made for an extra special occasion for Musah, but the United States as a whole could take encouragement from taking the game to one of the world's leading sides.

"We said that numerous times. These guys are one of the favourites to win the tournament," Musah said. "They're so good.

"We knew that, and we had to work double hard today to make sure they didn't score. I'm proud of the team."

The USMNT's success in frustrating England was evident in the way the Three Lions were booed off at the final whistle, and Pulisic added: "I guess that's a positive sign when you play for the other team.

"It was a really good performance. There were stretches of the game where we had control and we had them pushed back in their own half.

"Of course, the opposing fans don't like to see that, especially when we're the 'underdogs', but we went toe-to-toe with them and put in a good performance."

But the United States remain winless and must now turn their attention to Iran, who beat Wales earlier on Friday.

"I feel like a constant theme that I'm seeing when we watch any game is it's about who wants it more," said Musah.

"You saw Iran, they were running and running and running, closing down and fighting for every single ball.

"At the end of the day, every team's got quality, so the team who wants it more comes out on top most of the time. That's what I saw.

"We have to be ready for that. We can't drop the intensity against them."

Harry Kane insisted England's drab performance against the United States was "not the end of the world for us" and kept the team in a strong position at Qatar 2022.

Captain Kane missed a late chance to make a breakthrough when he planted a header well wide as the game at Al Bayt Stadium finished goalless.

The USA were the better side for large parts of the game, but they passed up half-chances and England survived scares before improving in the closing stages.

"It wasn't our best performance, for sure," Kane told ITV. "We had some good spells with the ball and created some good positions, but we just didn't have the final product today.

"It's a great clean sheet, it puts us in a great position in the group."

After the 6-2 opening win against Iran, the expectations on England went up a level, but this will bring them in check.

"It was a complete contrast with the game against Iran, where we took our chances really well," Kane said, before complimenting the Americans.

"Look, overall they're a tough team, and we'll move on. They pressed us really well and made it difficult for us. I thought at times we dealt with it well, they're a good side and we have to respect that.

"A draw isn't the end of the world for us. We know we can play better than that, but it's a draw in the World Cup, no game is easy in the World Cup."

England had just eight shots, and they have only attempted fewer in two World Cup matches on record since 1966: six against the Republic of Ireland in 1990 and seven against Poland in 1986.

They have still never beaten the USA at the World Cup in three attempts, losing 1-0 in 1950 and drawing 1-1 in 2010 before this stalemate.

The Americans are now winless in their last 11 World Cup matches against European nations (D6 L5) since a 3-2 victory over Portugal in 2002. This was their first World Cup clean sheet against a European team since that famous win over England 72 years ago.

Kane was just happy England took a point, rather than subsiding to a dismal defeat, and they will round off their group campaign against Wales, looking to make sure of a last-16 place.

"I think after our first performance, people thought we were just going to landslide every team we play, but it's not the case, we played a well-organised team with quality players," Kane said.

"The clean sheet is really pleasing. A point's not what we came here for, but it leaves us in a really good position."