Manchester City’s Joleon Lescott insists England must maintain focus against Switzerland to avoid a slip-up

Joleon Lescott,Manchester City(Getty Images)

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Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott believes that if he and the England team can remain focused ahead of their clash with Switzerland on Saturday then they will record a valuable three points.

The Three Lions are joint top of group G with Montenegro after three wins and a draw from their opening four matches, and a win against the Swiss would put Fabio Capello’s men in a very strong position to qualify.

“Focus and believe in our ability, that has been the message from Fabio Capello,” Lescott told reporters. 

“If we believe in ourselves we can achieve most things.

“No one is focusing on the break only on the game, Switzerland are going to be a strong team and if we don’t perform we know it will be a potential banana skin.

“I think all games are must win, but obviously the importance of this one has turned out to even more significant  on the back of the result against Wales and we are confident of getting the three points.

“We are expected to win every game so it is going to be the same, we want to win and believe we can if we do the right things, I would not say the pressure is different from any other game.

“Complacency is not an issue with any of the boys. None of them think they just need to step out on the pitch to win the game.”

After a fairly slow start to the season, having not featured in many matches for his club, the defender became more involved after Christmas and played a crucial role in winning the FA Cup and securing automatic Champions League qualification by finishing third in the Premier League.

Lescott believes that this run in the side has helped boost his international credentials, although is aware that it is going to be extremely tough to break into the first team squad with John Terry and Rio Ferdinand producing strong displays for both club and country, but hopes Champions League football will help him next season.

“It has been a massive confidence boost for playing at international level,” Lescott added.

“This season has been great, personally it started a bit slow but towards the second half of the season I have played more regular and we achieved our goal which was win to the FA Cup, it was a great achievement and a great bonus that we managed to get fourth place and automatic Champions League qualification.

“We are not tired but we are looking forward to the break, it has been a really exciting time for me and I am looking forward to being involved in some part on Saturday and enjoying my break.

“Yeah, it is going to be hard to break up the central defensive partnership of Terry and Ferdinand, they are two of the best in the world and have been doing it for a number of years so it is not going to be an easy task.

“If I can just apply right, stay in the City team next season and play in the Champions League it can only bode well for me to be ready when called upon.”

With strikers Wayne Rooney and Jermain Defoe both out for Saturday’s match it looks as though Fabio Capello will select Darren Bent up front, and Lescott believes that he is more than capable of stepping up to the challenge.

“Bent was playing with Jermain when Rooney was fit so it is not a replacement as such,” Lescott added.

“He is a great goal scorer playing in the toughest league in the world – the Premier League. I am sure they will be more fearful of Darren than we have to worry about what he is capable of.

“He is blessed with goal scoring ability and is one of the best in the Premier League.”