ENGLAND fans in Russia must be dreaming of an easier route to the final after partying outside the team hotel into the early hours last night.
The Three Lions will avoid Brazil and France in the knockouts if they lose to Belgium on Thursday evening.
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Rival fans of teams have been known to keep opposition sides awake in order to gain a slender advantage.
Iran supporters sensationally had Cristiano Ronaldo demanding they keep the noise down before their must-win World Cup encounter.
The Portugal talisman then had his penalty saved in the narrow 1-1 draw.
England’s hotel in Repino is situated directly opposite a strip of restaurants and bars.
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And supporters drank into the night, belting out “It’s coming home” and “Vardy’s on fire” as Gareth Southgate’s stars tried to get some kip.
England currently sit top of Group G on fair play, with one less yellow card than Belgium.
And boss Southgate joked: “If I go and headbutt Roberto in the last five minutes then you’ll know we’re taking a different approach to getting through!”
His side face either Japan, Senegal or Colombia in the first knockout stage.
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But going through as group winners would lead to a quarter-final with Brazil or Mexico and a semi with France, Argentina, Portugal or Uruguay.
Finishing second would set up a potentially easier quarter-final with Switzerland or Sweden and a semi against Spain, Russia, Croatia or Denmark.
Southgate, though, is ignoring the permutations.
He said: “We need to keep winning. We want to breed a mentality that everyone in our squad wants to constantly win.
“We’ve not won a knockout game since 2006. So starting to plot which would be a better venue for our semi-final is beyond me, really.”
