Germany central defender Jerome Boateng has questioned whether England have enough quality to excel at next month's European Championship. Despite having the world's richest league, England go into the competition in France having not won a major tournament since landing the 1966 World Cup on home soil. "England beat us 3-2 in Berlin (in March) but I do not know if in matters of quality and consistency they have enough for an entire tournament," Boateng told German Railway DB Mobil magazine.
England fans, the majority of whom will be watching on sofas and in pubs back home, have rightly lauded Southgate but patience is beginning to run out.
Leicester City's attacking midfielder Riyad Mahrez has bagged the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) Player of the Year award.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Sunday
Saturday's clash between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford is already shaping up as an early-season eliminator to challenge runaway leaders Manchester City for the Premier League title.
A rejuvenated Manchester United claimed a sixth win from six matches since former striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stepped in following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
IMAGES from the EPL matches played on Saturday
'England's system does not suit Sterling -- or certainly not in the position he is currently occupying'
Rediff.com brings a preview of the main matches coming up this weekend in the English Premier League.
London clubs' erratic start to the Premier League season improved with victories for Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal on Saturday but Manchester sides continued to make the running, with City and United the top two.
Surprise leaders Leicester City face a severe test of their Premier League title credentials over the next 10 days, starting with Saturday's trip to Manchester City.
'So, clearly, getting out of the group and winning a knockout game would be a real sign of progress. And if you win one, you win more'
Images from the international friendly and Euro qualifying football matches played on Tuesday.
Goals from Harry Maguire and Dele Alli gave Gareth Southgate's side a deserved 2-0 last-eight win over Sweden on Saturday, and they must now prepare to take on Croatia in three days time for a spot in the World Cup final.
Spurs' triumph at the Etihad Stadium moved them within two points of Premier League leaders Leicester City and kept them in second place above Arsenal on goal difference with 12 matches to play
Bayern expect a top performance against Manchester United, says Tuchel
Arsenal became the highest-profile casualties of the FA Cup third round as the 14-time winners lost 1-0 at Nottingham Forest, but Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur avoided early exits after scares against lower-league sides on Sunday.
A second-half penalty from Dominik Szoboszlai earned Hungary a shock 1-0 win over England in the Nations League on Saturday - their first victory against Gareth Southgate's side in 60 years.
Southgate's formation and tactics have been hailed as progressive and modern, there is also something traditionally English about the team's strengths.
Here is a look at some of the key head-to-head duels which could prove decisive.
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Wednesday.
Monday's resumption was also a chance for those jostling at the top of the table to lay down a marker and for the strugglers to enjoy a fresh start.
Images from action in the Europa League matches on Thursday.
Manchester United teenager Marcus Rashford wrote another chapter in his fairytale introduction to top-flight football, scoring a brilliant goal to secure a 1-0 win in his first derby match against Manchester City on Sunday.
West Ham United's hopes of avoiding relegation suffered a cruel blow as an own goal by midfielder Tomas Soucek and Harry Kane's first goal since December condemned them to a 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday.
A superb second-half strike from Adnan Januzaj gave Belgium a 1-0 win over England on Thursday to see them top World Cup Group G with a perfect record and consign England to second place, with both sides already assured of going through to the last 16.
Belgium's World Cup clash against England on Thursday could feel like a Tottenham training ground for players on both sides but defender Jan Vertonghen insists there will be no joking around.
The 22-year-old seemed to pull up with a muscle problem in the first half, with Fabian Delph getting ready to come on, but Alli managed to continue until being taken off after 80 minutes.
Tottenham Hotspur's Mauricio Pochettino has been named Premier League manager of the month for February, while Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster picked up the players' award.
Former England captain Cook, 34, who retired from international cricket this year, was his country's most-capped Test player and record test run scorer.
Liverpool's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah has been voted Player of the Year by the Football Writers' Association (FWA) to complete the double of English soccer's major individual awards.
Images from Sunday's action in the Premier League
England will need to defeat Namibia in their last league match and hope that Scotland lose to Australia.
Up against the 91st-ranked Bahrain, Stimac's side, which is currently placed at 104 in the FIFA rankings, found the going tough from the word go and, had it not been for a fine save by skipper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, the Indians would have trailed by a bigger margin at half time.
The Belgian international has scored 13 league goals this season, four in the Champions League and four in the FA Cup, but has been criticised for not being effective against the bigger teams in England.
West Ham United made absolutely certain of Premier League safety with a 2-0 win over 10-man Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday -- their third victory over their London rivals this season.
As the Premier League resumes following the international break all eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo's homecoming party at Old Trafford on Saturday, with the Portuguese international set to resume his Manchester United career after 12 years away.
Marcus Rashford's impressive form at Manchester United earned him a spot in England's provisional Euro 2016 squad and according to team mate Wayne Rooney the teenaged striker deserves all the recognition.
England are an ageing side alright, but few will dare to bet against Jos Buttler's men successfully defending their World Cup title in a few weeks time.
