He chose the wrong team to start, but this time Roy Hodgson made the right substitutions and the 2-1 win over Wales on Thursday sees England with one foot in the knockout stage of Euro 2016.

Victory over Slovakia on Monday will ensure England top Group B. A point against Slovakia will be enough for a place in the top two — and could yet be enough to win the group, if Wales fails to beat Russia. Even defeat would probably see England qualify as one of the four best third-placed teams. Realistically, if not mathematically, England is through to the next round.

England and its supporters live to fight another day, sadly in the case of some of its fans, probably in a literal sense.