Gareth Southgate was targeted with missiles by irate England fans following their latest dismal Euro 20204 performance here in Cologne.

England topped the group with this goalless draw against Slovenia, but they were once more booed by their own supporters after the final whistle while head coach Southgate had three plastic pint cups thrown at him as he acknowledged the travelling fans.

Further doubts over the team’s hopes of winning a tournament they were billed as favourites for have emerged while uncertainty over Southgate’s position as head coach post-Euros will increase following the supporters’ reaction after another abysmal display in Germany.

On the plastic cups being hurled in his direction, Southgate said: ‘I understand it. I’m not going to back away from it.

‘The most important thing is we stay with the team. I understand the narrative towards me. That’s better for the team than it being towards them but it is creating an unusual environment to operate in.

England fans threw plastic cups towards Gareth Southgate after another tepid performance at Euro 2024

The England manager was booed as he went over to the Three Lions fans to thank them for their support

The England manager was unphased by the cups, continuing to applaud as he walked past them

‘I’ve not seen any other team qualify and receive similar. I’m not going to back away from it.

‘I recognise when you have moments like at the end of the game, I’m asking the players to be fearless, I’m not going to back down from going to thank our fans at the end of the game.

‘However they feel towards me, I get it, I’ve been around England for 20 years, I’ve seen it. My job is to guide the team through this and get the very best out of the team and keep this perspective for them.

‘I’m very very happy with how they’ve handled the last few days in particular.’

In explaining what he meant by an ‘unusual environment’, Southgate said: ‘It’s taken me back to days when I was playing with England. They’ve dealt with it really well.

‘The expectation has changed with England, we have made England again and enjoyable for the players and we have to be very careful it stays that way.

‘We showed composure with the ball, waiting for the opportunity. We dominated the second half. We kept defensive solidity. We didn’t manage to get the goals and of course we would have loved to have sent the fans home happy, but we were definitely an improvement on the last game.

‘It’s important to win the group because you control your own destiny.’

Southgate said he would not ‘back away’ from criticism aimed his way following the full time whistle

The closest the Three Lions came was an effort from substitute Cole Palmer minutes from the end of the game

Speaking about his team’s performance: ‘At the moment it’s hard work for us, I understand some reactions but it’s a strange environment we’re playing in.

‘I thought we were much improved with the ball. We created some good openings. At the moment it’s hard work for us – we’re not quite getting that break in front of goal.

‘We have to take one step at a time. Tonight was an improvement. We have to improve to get through in the next round clearly. But we have topped the group and that was the objective at the start.

Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon were brought on for their first minutes of the tournament as England chased a winner, while Kobbie Mainoo came on half-time in place of Conor Gallagher.

‘Yes, they have [impressed]. They’re obviously really young players so we’re balancing blooding them in a difficult environment, but they had a really good impact when they came on and used the ball really well.

‘I think the changes we made had a positive effect on the game tonight. Slovenia defended very well, we weren’t able to find the right pass.

‘We’re improving. I didn’t think that with how everything that happened after the last game that would suddenly be free and liberated and stick four or five goals in.

‘Football doesn’t work that way. But I saw progress. The goals will come, we’ll get there.’

Southgate added that his substitutes have ‘impressed’ after Anthony Gordon (left) and Palmer were given their first minutes

Capatin Harry Kane insisted that his side played better against Slovenia than they did in the rest of the tournament

Captain Harry Kane added: ‘Finishing top was the aim before the start of the tournament and control our own destiny.

‘Tonight was a tough game, we played a lot better than the other two games. We played with a lot of energy – better on the ball but we just couldn’t find that final ball or finish.

‘We recover well, we enjoy that we’ve finished top of the group and then we look forward to the next one.’