The game will be held in Moscow on Tuesday. Sterling started in two of England's group-stage matches, but failed to score.

"I have great belief in him [Sterling]. He's been a really important part of the team... His main key in movement is his ability to run at the team from the deep... I don't know why there has been such a focus on his position in the team and not on the others'... He's a player that we will be immensely looking forward to this occasion tomorrow," Southgate told journalists.

On Sunday, hosts Russia beat 2010 World Cup winners Spain on penalties to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since the end of the Soviet era, while Croatia edged out Denmark, also in a penalty shootout.

"They [the players] play delivery and technique, so, like all of the players, we've been through various drills to prepare, and once we get to that point [penalty shootout], we'll know our ranking of players... We're prepared, but there's a lot of football before that point, and the primary focus is preparing for what happens during the flow of the game. But should it come to that stage, we're ready," Southgate said when he was asked if England were ready for the possible penalty shootout in the Colombia clash.