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Davis Cup: Andy Murray can succeed where Gazza and Lampard failed and knock Germany out of World Cup

ANDY MURRAY and GBs Davis Cup squad will try to do what Gazza and Frank Lampard failed to do knock Germany out of a World Cup.

Today Great Britain will resume rivalry with one of their oldest sporting foes in the quarter-finals of the World Cup of Tennis.

Andy Murray will be hoping to do what Paul Gascoigne couldn’t do – and knock Germany out of a World Cup

Mention the Germans and it brings back sore memories of Paul Gascoignes Italia 90 tears and Chelsea boss Lampards Ghost Goal from South Africa 2010.

Thankfully this is tennis not football, so there is no chance of it going to penalties but it could go to extra-time doubles late this evening.

Scouse rookie Neal Skupski, the star performer on his debut, wants his team-mates to channel the spirit of Englands famous World Cup qualifying victory in Munich 18 years ago.

The proud Englishman, 29, said: The only match that comes to mind is the 5-1 victory in Germany. Growing up I remember watching that.

Germany will be another tough match but we will be ready to go.

Skipper Leon Smith will make a late call on Andy Murrays fitness following the former world No1s sluggish show against Holland on Wednesday.

But with so much at stake, it is unlikely GBs star man will be left out of the knockout stage.

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Smith said: We can have conversations, do some practice and see how things are going.

We should be confident, we have a good squad to choose from. It has been two tough but amazing days. Everyone has given their best effort.

Britain secured top spot in Group E yesterday with a 2-1 win over Kazakhstan, as the doubles pairing of Jamie Murray and Skupski came to the rescue again.

The platform had been set by Kyle Edmunds impressive 6-3 6-3 victory over Mikhail Kukushkin his best performance this year, justifying his captains selection.

Yet Dan Evans, for the second day running, let a first-set lead slip through his fingers, this time losing 5-7 6-4 6-1 to Alexander Bublik.

It was do-or-die when Murray and Skupski came to the court but, once more, they kept their cool, beating Bublik and Kukushkin 6-1 6-4.

It means Britain have earned a 780,000 bonus for reaching todays last-eight tie.

Despite qualifying for the knockouts, British tennis star Liam Broady slammed the new Davis Cup format, as organisers try to squeeze an 18-nation event into just seven days.

Stockports world No243 said: Now there are no home and away ties, its a shambles. Some players finish at 5am and have to play again the next day. The competition is dead.