Leighton Baines: 'England defence doesn't deserve criticism'

Defender Leighton Baines has insisted that the England backline have performed solidly during their opening two matches at the World Cup.

England have suffered successive 2-1 defeats to Italy and Uruguay respectively, but Baines, who has started both games, believes that it's more down to being punished by world-class opposition rather than the England back four under-performing in Brazil.

When asked whether he and his teammates deserved to be criticised, the 29-year-old told reporters: "Not particularly. I don't think that we have given up too many chances in the two games, but when we have, we have been punished.

"The tournament has been a bit like that. There have been a lot of goals so far and we'll have to look at it in the next couple of days."

England will be eliminated from the tournament unless they can defeat Costa Rica and Italy can win their final two group fixtures.