DO I NOT LEAK THAT

Fed-up Coady says it's time to keep it clean

- CHRIS MCKENNA

CONOR COADY is not the easiest of people to offend but two things bother him.

clearly Criticism of England's defence is one and him being cast as a tourist the other.

But the mild-mannered Everton defender is aware that if the Three Lions are to go and win the World Cup, then the clean sheets must return.

England were rock solid in 2021, enjoying 14 clean sheets in 19 games and conceding just five. It was the foundation which their run to the Euro 2020 final was built on.

Compare that to this year so far and it's two in eight games with 10 conceded. That led to relegation in the Nations League.

"It's huge, it's huge," said Coady when it was put to him about how important clean sheets are. "That's not just something we speak about in international football.