Euro 2016: Neil Taylor denies Wales deliberately winding up England

Defender Neil Taylor has denied Wales planned to annoy England intentionally ahead of their Euro 2016 clash on Thursday.

With so much at stake in Lens, both sides have appeared to try to score psychological points ahead of the Group B meeting.

Gareth Bale has been a central figure in the plot, saying England "big themselves up before they've done anything" and that they cannot match Wales players for their levels of pride and passion.

It has been a statement repeated by other Wales players in the build-up to the game, but Swansea defender Taylor insisted it was not a pre-meditated decision to wind up the England camp.

"We're coming up against a team who are used to playing at this level every week," said Taylor.

"So we haven't had the intention to get under anybody's skin.

"We just want to play well in the game. We're focused on us, and only us."

Wales sit top of the group - level on points with Slovakia, who beat Russia 2-1 on Wednesday - after winning their first-ever game at the Euro finals last weekend.

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The 2-1 victory over Slovakia, allied to results elsewhere, means Wales will qualify as group winners should they beat England for the first time in 32 years at Stade Bollaert-Delelis.

And Taylor admits confidence has been coursing through the Wales camp ever since they beat Belgium, then ranked second in the world, in Cardiff just over a year ago.

"We got over that massive hurdle and that was a turning point for this team," said Taylor.

"That was when we realised we could be a threat up against anybody.

"We know the threat we carry and we feel we can beat anybody on our day, whether it's England or anyone else."

Taylor believes the Slovakia win has set Wales up perfectly for taking on their neighbours.

"This is the game of this group," said Taylor.

"Getting a result in that first game was massive for us.

"To get that win takes quite a bit of pressure off us, even with still a lot of work to do.

"We knew there'd be a circus around the game in the build-up, but it's all a bit of fun and hopefully it will be a great spectacle."

Wales hope to have goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey available after a back spasm ruled him out of the Slovakia game.

Hennessey joined in with the squad at their pre-match work-out in Lens, and if there is no reaction on Thursday he will return in place of Danny Ward.

Hal Robson-Kanu is also pressing for a start after coming off the bench to score the winner against Slovakia.

"The big thing for us is getting through," said Wales manager Chris Coleman.

"It wasn't about beating England and not getting through - not for me, not for the players.

"We have to take care of business and it's not the time for us to think we're something we're not.

"We know what we're about, how we need to perform if we're going to be successful."

Catch up with all the latest Euro 2016 news with 'Euro Breakfast' each morning on Sky Sports News HQ from 6am.