GARETH SOUTHGATE told England’s players to “deal with it” after furious fans turned on them in Malta.
The 2,500 travelling supporters sang “You’re f****** s***” and booed them off at half-time with the score at 0-0.
The Three Lions escaped World Cup humiliation thanks to Harry Kane’s opener plus late strikes from Ryan Bertrand, Danny Welbeck and Kane again. Southgate, whose side remain top of Group F, said: “I’ve played in nights like this and, if you don’t get a couple of early goals, the atmosphere can turn.
“But that’s part of wearing the shirt. You have to deal with it.
“If Germany had played here, we’d look at the score and see 4-0 and think they have done a professional job. That’s what we’ve done in the end. It took a while to get the goals but we dominated the game.
“I understand the reaction but we have to stay focused as a group. Monday’s game against Slovakia will be completely different.
“From our point of view, we have to focus on sticking to the plan and staying calm.
“I’ve played in so many qualifiers and I don’t remember much free-flowing champagne football.”
Kane scored his first goals of the season with his double — putting his August drought firmly behind him.
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Southgate added: “Throughout the game Harry was a threat and he will score goals for us. He’s proven that — it’s five in three, is it? We’re privileged to have him.”
Kane, 24, admitted: “Whenever you come away, you know it is never easy.
“We had to keep moving the ball around and the chances would come — 4-0 is a good result.”
Southgate admitted it was a tough decision to take off Raheem Sterling after the winger’s dreadful first half.
He said: “With attackers and players who dribble and are brave enough to take people on, there are times when it won’t work for them.
“It was one of those nights for Raheem.
“I don’t like making a decision like that at half-time because I know how it feels. But I had to make the right decision for the team.”
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