Gareth Southgate has four players walking a disciplinary tightrope against Ukraine but the England manager says getting to the Euro 2020 semi-final takes precedence over protecting players.

Harry Maguire, Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice and Phil Foden are a booking away from being suspended for a potential semi-final clash against Denmark or the Czech Republic at Wembley on Wednesday.

Bookings are wiped after the quarter-final stage and asked if he would take up that advice, Southgate told talkSPORT: "We won’t. We won’t for that reason, anyway.

"We’ve been to three semi-finals in 60 years, so I don’t think we’re in a position as a nation to start resting players in a quarter-final stage because they might get another yellow card.

"I think it’s different if there are physical concerns but, in terms of yellow cards, we’ve got to play the game. What are we saving them for?

"We’ve got to be good enough to get to a semi-final and if for one minute we take our eye off of that moment we’re in now and think about what might happen in the future then we’re in trouble.

"I totally understand the strategic part of what he’s saying but it’s not a route we will be going."