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England manager Gareth Southgate has said the round-of-16 clash with Colombia is the Three Lions' biggest game in a decade.

Southgate said he was ready to accept any criticism that would come with the defeat to Belgium, after he made eight changes, but said he had achieved his "primary objective" by resting his players.

"This was a game we wanted to win but the knockout is the biggest game for a decade for us, and we had to make sure our key players were preserved," Southgate said.

"You have to look at the bigger picture sometimes and make decisions which, in some quarters, might be criticised. But everyone understands -- in the dressing room and in the group -- what we're trying to do."

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He added: "We don't like losing and don't want to lose matches, but the primary objective from the evening we've got. And if we'd put Harry on for 10 minutes and someone had raked his ankle, that would have been ridiculous. The knockout game is the important one.

"Of course we have a responsibility to the supporters, and the support in the stadium was absolutely outstanding tonight. The support and encouragement from home has been brilliant. But when you're a leader and a manager, you have to make decisions which are right for your group to achieve the primary objective.

"Sometimes those decisions will be criticised. I understand that. But only one person makes that decision with all the full facts and managing a tournament in mind: physically, medically, tactically for the benefit of the group.

"I'm entirely comfortable with the decision. Sometimes you have to make decisions for the bigger picture."

Southgate said he had had no preference about who his team would line up against in the last 16, even after Japan surprised by finishing second in Group H and will now face Belgium while England face Colombia.

"I believe it is a game we can win but it is going to be a fantastic challenge for us," he said. "Some outstanding individual players but we feel we are a team that is improving. I think we showed tonight that we still have levels to reach.

"We know where we are, how immaculate we have to be to win matches against the very best teams."

Source: espn.co.uk

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