Super goals from Jack Grealish and Trent Alexander-Arnold lit up a routine 3-1 win for England in Finland, as they bounced back from their humbling loss to Greece in the Nations League.
Interim boss Lee Carsley had come in for criticism after his all-out approach at Wembley on Thursday was badly exposed and while the overall performance in Helsinki wasn’t at the levels the team would have been aspiring to – and a late goal conceded from a corner highlighted defensive issues – there were reminders of the quality in this squad.
The opener was made by Angel Gomes, restored to the midfield, who produced a wonderful piece of control before prodding the ball into the path of Grealish to score his second goal in three games for his country under Carsley. It has been an impressive response from the Man City man to his Euros snub by Gareth Southgate in the summer.
England’s second was just as classy. Alexander-Arnold – who had struggled at times on a night in which he was asked to play at left-back for the first time in his career – delivered a reminder of his ball-striking quality by bending an excellent second-half free-kick past Lukas Hradecky.
Trent Alexander-Arnold makes it 2-0
The gloss was added by Declan Rice. The Arsenal man had been making runs in behind the Finnish defence all evening and Ollie Watkins – who had a point to prove after being overlooked for a starting role against Greece – charged down the left channel before squaring for Rice to tap in.
Declan Rice scores England’s third goal
England’s three-goal cushion didn’t last long, with Arttu Hoskonen heading in unmarked from a corner just three minutes later, and it was deserved punishment for the visitors who had regularly given up chances through the contest with carelessness in possession. Certainly Fredrik Jensen should have levelled for 1-1 when he skied over from seven yards out.
The result moves England level with group leaders Greece, although the Greek team can restore their three-point lead at the top of the table with victory at home to Republic of Ireland later on Sunday evening. England’s trip to Athens next month is looking like a must-win if they are to top the group and earn automatic promotion.
Keane: A professional job but no more than that
Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane on ITV:
“For a team like England to go away from home and have 70 per cent possession, you’d still want a bit more from them going forward.
“They scored three goals, so I don’t want to be too harsh on them, and the first two were two bits of real quality.
“It was a professional job, they got it done, but it was no more than that really.”
What’s next?
England’s next game sees them visit the Athens Olympic Stadium to take on Greece on Thursday 14 November before concluding their Nations League campaign at home to Republic of Ireland on Sunday 17 November.