England set to appoint Southgate permanently as coach

The former Middlesbrough trainer will step up from the Under-21s to take control of the Three Lions senior team, after going unbeaten through his first four matches

Interim England manager Gareth Southgate is set to be named as Sam Allardyce's permanent replacement in the job, according to widespread reports in the UK press. 

The former Three Lions defender took over at the helm when Allardyce was forced out due to a corruption scandal that broke in September. 

England have played four times since the change of manager, winning twice and drawing against Slovenia and Spain on their way to top spot in Group F of World Cup qualifying. 

One of those wins was a commanding 3-0 reverse of bitter rivals Scotland, a result which undoubtedly did no harm to his prospects of taking on the job full-time. 

And that positive early start appears to have sealed Southgate the post on a permanent basis after almost two months as caretaker. 

The manager was interviewed by a five-man FA panel on Monday, and reports suggest that he impressed during the meeting. 

Official confirmation is expected for the coming Monday, with Southgate set to receive a deal that extends up to the end of Euro 2020. 

The contract, however, is said to contain a clause allowing either party to terminate the link after Russia 2018. 

Southgate will reportedly earn £1.5 million a year at the head of the Three Lions, less than his predecessor but a significant jump up from the £500,000 he earned with the Under-21 team. 

That role will now fall vacant, with Phil Neville - who revealed on Wednesday that he would not be taking over at Bury - one of the the favourites to step into the breach. 

The England job would be Southgate's second foray into senior management, after he began his post-playing career with a three-year spell at Middlesbrough that came to an end in 2009.