There have been calls for head coach Chris Silverwood and captain Joe Root to step down following the tourists' dismal showing in Melbourne. The Test included a collapse to 68 all out in the second innings on Boxing Day as they recorded an innings-and-14-run loss to Australia to make it 3-0 in the series.

Preparations for the fourth Test have been hit by Silverwood having to isolate due to positive coronavirus tests being returned within the England touring party.

The England boss has been forced into quarantine for 10 days, while three other coaching staff members are also in isolation.

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Anderson has been one of England's standout performers in the series and took 4-33 from his 23 overs, including 10 maidens, as England bowled Australia out for 267 on day two of the third Test.

He said: "We have to restore some pride and try and compete - that's our main focus as players. We have to block out what's happening off the field and focus on the fourth and fifth Tests.

"It can be difficult at times, especially for guys experiencing the Ashes for the first time who are not that experienced with Test cricket and touring.

"That's where the more senior players come in, we have to try and rally round, make sure everyone is in a good place and a good headspace."

"It's not been my favourite tour, for sure. The lads are pretty flat at the minute if I'm being brutally honest.

"We're 3-0 down in an Ashes series after some pretty poor performances so it's hard to not be flat. From that point of view it's not been fun. We honestly came here thinking we could win. I truly believe that. We had that belief and it's been completely taken away. We've been beaten by a very good team, I have to say.

"They've coped with the situation and the conditions better than we have in the games and we've just not been able to cope with the pressure that they've put on us. We have to somehow, the next few days, turn it around and show people what we're made of."

'Balance between red and white ball game needs looking at'

English cricket overhauled its relationship with the limited-over game in the aftermath of a dire showing at the 2015 World Cup and the results since have been successful - world champions in the same tournament four years later, world No 1 in Twenty20 cricket and supplier of choice for franchise competitions all over the globe.

Anderson feels there needs to be a shift in emphasis with regard to English cricket's approach to red-ball cricket when compared to the T20, One Day and Hundred formats.

The Lancashire bowler said: "It's hard when you're in it, to start dissecting everything. We don't want to start thinking about the whole domestic structure and whatever else.

"But what I will say is, I would just like to think that maybe the balance between red and white-ball cricket is there, going forward.

"There has been a huge (change of) direction with white-ball cricket, a big push with that since 2015. I think that, at the minute, it's tipped slightly towards white ball and it has done for the last few years.

"If you look at our performances in Test cricket over the last few years, it's been pretty inconsistent. So, from that point of view, we can hopefully just redress that balance a little bit."

Anderson rises to fifth in Test bowling rankings

Anderson has moved up three places to fifth in the latest update to the ICC Test bowling rankings.

The 39-year-old has leapfrogged New Zealand's Neil Wagner, South Africa's Kagiso Rabada and Australia's Josh Hazlewood after his excellent performance in Melbourne.

Australia captain Pat Cummins remains top of the rankings, followed by India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, Pakistan paceman Shaheen Afridi, New Zealand seamer Tim Southee and then Anderson.

Panesar: Anderson on level of Ronaldo and Djokovic

Anderson is up there with Cristiano Ronaldo and Novak Djokovic as one of the world's best sportsmen, according to former England spinner Monty Panesar.

"Anderson was just magnificent," Panesar told Sky Sports News after day two of the MCG Test.

"His performances are really up there with great sportsmen right now like Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, (Novak) Djokovic with the tennis.

"Anderson is right up there with these kind of stars. That was a brilliant bowling performance. We probably won't see again another England bowler like that."

Woakes backs Root to remain England captain

England all-rounder Chris Woakes has supported Root to continue as the team's Test skipper despite their humiliating Ashes capitulation.

Root, who was reluctant to discuss the long-term future of his captaincy after the Ashes defeat in the third Test, has not won any of his three Ashes series in charge.

The 30-year-old has also suffered a record nine defeats in 2021 as captain.

Asked if the England team would support Root's continuation as skipper, Woakes said: "Absolutely. It's clear that the captaincy isn't having an effect on his batting, which a lot of the time with captains can be the case."

Root has proved a virtual lone hand with the bat and, after scoring 50 and 28 in Melbourne, he finishes the calendar year with 1,708 runs - the third-highest after Mohammad Yousuf (1,788) and Viv Richards (1,710).

"The fact that he's scoring the runs he is, is great for the team," Woakes added. "It would be great if we could help him out with that and build some partnerships with him, and score a few more runs around him.

"But Joe is a great cricketer, he's got a great cricket brain. I think his record as England captain is pretty good, as far as I'm aware. I definitely feel like Joe will continue."