ENGLAND stars Trent Alexander-Arnold and Anthony Gordon planned the opening goal against Ireland in the tunnel before the match.
The pair linked up brilliantly before Declan Rice opened the scoring in Dublin.
Alexander-Arnold played a sublime pass through the heart of the Ireland defence that Gordon latched onto and the winger ought to have scored himself but his shot was saved.
However quick reactions allowed Gordon to find Kane, whose blocked shot dropped kindly for Rice to rifle in.
It was a brilliant attacking move and one that was devised in the tunnel moments before kick-off.
Alexander-Arnold grabbed Gordon and informed him of how to make his run and used hand gestures to explain how he would play the ball over the top.
Gordon asked a question about the angle of his run in response and the Newcastle star nodded his head in confirmation after Alexander-Arnold answered.
Fans were impressed with the pair for executing their plan with Alexander-Arnold winning a lot of praise.
One supporter said: “That Trent and Gordon link-up was so cold, I think the defenders are still defrosting.”
Another added: “Trent is so clear man, literally a forward’s dream.”
By Tom Barclay
Historically, it has been the newspapers that the England team have directed their frustration at when not playing well in a major tournament.
But at this summer’s Euros it was the pundits in the firing line rather than the traditional press as Gareth Southgate’s side laboured out of a dream group.
The first half an hour of the opening 1-0 win over Serbia aside, Southgate’s struggled badly in their opening three fixtures which included poor draws against Denmark and Slovenia.
It prompted fierce criticism from England legends Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker in particular.
Shearer hammered the team for their 1-1 with the Danes on BBC commentary, claiming there was “no excuse” for the lacklustre display.
Lineker was also deeply unimpressed, commenting on his Rest is Football podcast: “I mean, you can think of all sorts of words and expletives if you like, but it was s***”.
Captain Harry Kane held a press conference a few days later ahead of the Slovenia game in which he was asked about Lineker’s X-rated verdict.
The Bayern star said: “What ex-players who are pundits now have got to realise is it’s very hard not to listen to it now, especially for some players who are not used to it or are new to the environment.
“I always feel like they have a responsibility as an ex-England player that a lot of players looked up to.”
Social media was also predictably awash with flak for the team and it spilled out into the stadium after the 0-0 draw with Slovenia, when boss Southgate had three empty beer cups chucked at him as he went to applaud the fans at full-time.
Southgate claimed he was “oblivious” to the pundit stick he was getting – including from ex-team-mates – but tellingly did brand the atmosphere he was working in as “an unusual environment”.
England were a last-gasp Jude Bellingham overhead kick away from a humiliating exit in the last-16 to Slovakia, continuing their underwhelming form before turning it round in extra-time.
An irked Bellingham hit out at some of “negativity” surrounding the team in his post-match press conference.
While Southgate also opened up on the personal nature of the attacks on him, saying: “I can’t deny that some of the personal nature, you know… This is a job where you get ridiculed, and your professional capability is questioned beyond belief, and I don’t think it’s normal to have beer thrown at you either.”
Southgate would go on to take England to the final, where the team lost 2-1 to Spain thanks to a heartbreakingly late strike from Mikel Oyarzabal, before stepping down the following week.
A third wrote: “Not the first time Trent plans a pass and executes to perfection ”
And another commented: “Trent’s passing ability ”
Following their win over Ireland, England next face Finland in their second Nations League group stage.
The game at Wembley, Lee Carsley’s second in charge of the senior Three Lions, kicks off at 8pm on Tuesday night.
