England star reacts to World Cup preparation woes after Liverpool men snubbed

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Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa insists he doesn't take his England place for granted after the Three Lions' disappointing send-off series saw them draw with Uruguay and lose to Japan at WembleyThomas Tuchel's England team struggled during the international break(Image: Getty Images)Ezri Konsa followed the expected script after England's so-called send-off series proved to be the most uninspiring farewell conceivable."It's not the end of the world," remarked the Aston Villa defender following the most feeble of Wembley defeats to a composed Japan side that faded considerably in the latter stages. We've got to make sure we stick together as a team, and that is something we have done."Many Liverpool fans didn't pay much attention to England's March games after no Reds players were included in the squad, with Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones overlooked by Thomas Tuchel.

England's central defensive partnerships in particular should feature prominently on the manager's radar."I don't think I'm cemented in there," admitted Konsa. I have to make sure I go back and stay consistent for the last two months."Yet assuming he remains fit, Konsa is "cemented in there." Indeed, prior to the forgettable Uruguay-Japan double header, the sole debate was whether he would feature in England's opening game.Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones were overlooked by Thomas Tuchel(Image: Getty Images)Marc Guehi, who captained the side against Japan, appears a certainty, alongside either Konsa or John Stones as his partner.

I think it's important we go back to our clubs and make sure we are ready."Konsa concurred, adding: "Everyone is gonna go back, focus on club football, and when we meet up in the summer, we're going to make sure that we are fully prepared for what is to come. We wanted to win these games — unfortunately, we didn't."We played against very good teams, and I'm sure the boss knows what he's doing.