World Cup 2018: England’s leading lights unanimous over approach for Belgium

However Gareth Southgate chooses to play Thursday night – and he is desperate to keep winning – his key players are unanimous. They want no let-up, no respite, in a campaign that has already generated more momentum, more goals and more positive energy than anyone expected.

Two games, two wins and eight goals means that England can now look forward to Belgium on Thursday night, rather than worrying about scraping through to the round of 16, as is so often the case two games in. And for John Stones, Kieran Trippier and Harry Kane, three of England’s best performers so far, they just want more of the same.

Stones knows what relentless success looks like, of course. He was part of the Manchester City team that set a Premier League record of 100 points this season. And now he has taken that mentality into the England camp. He wants to go from win to win to win, and keep going. No matter the implications for England’s opponents in the knockout rounds.

“We want to win,” Stones said. “If you go into it with a different mindset, or that second is better… I’ve not looked at what would happen if we did. It doesn’t enter my opinion. I think we’ve got to keep a winning run going and that’s what I’ve brought from City to here. You’ve got to keep that momentum going. It’s always an added bonus to take it into the next game.”

Kieran Trippier sounded the same message. He has been one of England’s best players, not just in open play but with his brilliant delivery from corner kicks, which caused havoc against both Panama and Tunisia. He is a key part of Southgate’s attacking style and does not intend to let up.

“You want to go into every game to win it, and Belgium will be no different,” Trippier said. “We will go and recover now but we are fully confident that we can get another win to top the group.”

Whatever the England team is, Trippier wants the mentality to stay the same. “I don’t think we will have to change anything,” he said. “We will go out with a mindset to win. Belgium are a quality side, with the attacking players they have. We play against them every week in the Premier League. We just go with a mindset to win, and it will be no different.”

Even with changes, Belgium will still be an attacking team, with plenty of talent, in their expansive 3-4-3 system. But Trippier does not intend to play on the back foot. “You get your moments in the game to go forward,” he said. “You are not going to be defending for 90 minutes, it is going to be an attacking game. We just have to press like we have for the last few games. I just to have to try and get forward as much as I can and create as much as I can.”

Kane, of course, is as keen to play as anyone. He is hunting for the Golden Boot, and shot into the lead on Sunday with his third, fourth and fifth goals of the tournament. He has an insatiable hunger for goals and wants to keep scoring. “Everybody wants to play, it’s the most important thing,” he said. “The gaffer will make the decision. If I am playing, I shall be ready to go. If not, I will be rooting the lads on from the bench. All we can do is back the boys who are in.