Gary Neville has controversially claimed that England's performance in their 0-0 draw against Ghana was superior to their earlier 4-2 victory over Croatia. The assertion comes despite England struggling to break down Ghana's defense, mustering only four shots on target and dominating possession with 78.8 percent of the ball, a statistic not seen for a World Cup team failing to score since 1966.

Neville, speaking on the Stick to Football Podcast, acknowledged he expected criticism but defended his view. "I liked large parts of the game - the control, the order, the chaos had gone," Neville stated. "I thought [Marc] Guéhi and [Ezri] Konsa pushing on and stopping counterattacks, I thought they were in control of the match and passed it well."

Despite Neville's assessment of control, the match saw several contentious moments. Ezri Konsa narrowly avoided conceding a penalty after a late tackle, and both Jude Bellingham and Jordan Pickford escaped potential red cards for separate incidents. Harry Kane also missed a late opportunity to secure a win, blazing a close-range shot over the crossbar.

Neville admitted Kane's miss was significant, stating, "You get the big chance with Harry Kane, and I couldn't believe he missed it. He can't miss those chances."

The clean sheet against Ghana was a positive for England's defense, which conceded two goals against Croatia. Manager Thomas Tuchel made defensive changes, starting Marc Guehi and Djed Spence. Neville suggested that limiting Ghana to two shots could build defensive confidence. "If I step into one of those defenders' shoes, or I'm the defensive coach on Thomas Tuchel's backroom staff, I'm walking in there with [Jordan] Pickford - you're not celebrating, not smiling, not bragging, but there's a quiet satisfaction," Neville commented.

Jude Bellingham, who was named Man of the Match, expressed that he did not deserve the award and praised Ghana's defensive effort. "I think they (Ghana) played for a draw, which could have seen them go through. Fair play to them. They did a great job," Bellingham said.

England is set to face Panama in their final group game, with OPTA predictions suggesting a potential last-32 match against Algeria if they top the group. The tournament path could see them face Mexico or Scotland in the last 16, and potentially Brazil or Argentina in later stages.