Chelsea star Cahill: Spain defeat will not dent England confidence

England romped through their qualification campaign with a 100% record from their 10 games to bounce back from a hugely disappointing group stage exit at the 2014 World Cup.

These two teams have not met competitively since 1996, when England won 4-2 on penalties in the European Championships. Ryan Bertrand and Raheem Sterling impressed down the left, while Harry Kane went close with a venomous drive which flew a foot wide of Iker Casillas’ goal.

Vincente del Bosque echoed those sentiments, although most of the questions the Spain coach faced revolved around star players such as the out-of-sorts Chelsea striker Diego Costa.

The Football Association is waiting to hear whether England’s friendly game against France on Tuesday will be called off because of Friday night’s terrorist attacks in Paris.

But Cahill believes there is no cause for concern: “There’s no reason for any confidence to drain out”.

“Most teams that play against Spain, there is a gap”, said the England manager.

Carrick’s injury is also terrible news for Man United, who will need all their players fit and firing going into the busy Christmas period.

“Strangely the (first) goal we conceded was a Spanish counter-attack when we had good possession”.

Kane, who has scored five goals in his last three Premier League games for Tottenham Hotspur, remains optimistic ahead of the Euro 2016 tournament in France next year and has urged supporters to retain belief in the side.

“We’ve done well for a long time now so it’s hard when we do lose”.

Cahill is looking forward to the return of Wayne Rooney, who will lead the team out at Wembley after starting from the bench in Spain.

“He’s a top player and we get on well at Spurs”, added Kane, “It will be interesting to play against him”.

“It will be touch and go because he came with the injury and we were hoping with the days and the treatment and rest that he would be a lot better”, he said. Now we’ve got quite a few.

Hodgson was coy when asked whether Gary Cahill would again deputise as captain, but was more forthcoming when it came to Jamie Vardy’s fitness.

“It’s such a very different situation to the World Cup when we didn’t have that degree of people knocking on the door”. “We won’t know that until he’s had an x-ray or a scan but it doesn’t look good”. “We don’t want excuses”. What will we be doing?’