Putting in what was a rampant performance on Sunday evening, England breezed their way to an immediate Nations League top tier return as they claimed a 5-0 victory against Ireland.
In what was Lee Carsley’s final game interim game in charge, the Three Lions endured a tail of two halves here as they failed to break the deadlock during the first-half in north London.
However, with Celtic defender Liam Scales shown a second yellow card just minutes after the interval, England certainly capitalised on the numerical advantage.
Watching record-breaking skipper Harry Kane convert from the penalty spot, the floodgates quickly opened at Wembley.
Watching the duo of Anthony Gordon and Conor Gallagher bag a quick fire double just moments after Kane’s opener, Carsley’s temporary squad didn’t look back.
With West Ham star Jarrod Bowen powering home with his first touch, Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis, the future son-in-law of former Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane, headed home from close range in the final 10 minutes.
On a night when England officially booked their return to the Nations League elite, we have taken a look at the main talking points from north London.
England sign off Carsley’s time with a flurry
With it officially confirmed last month that Thomas Tuchel would be the permanent replacement for Gareth Southgate in the dugout, some were left confused why the former Chelsea boss would not be getting his new job underway until January 1st.
However, with the FA making it clear that Carsley would be in charge for all of England’s Nations League campaign this year, the Three Lions do appear to have enjoyed life under the one-time Ireland international.
Despite coming under a huge amount of scrutiny last month as they fell to an infamous 2-1 loss at home against Greece, that was the only blotch on Carsley’s Nations League record.
Winning five of his six games while taking temporary charge at Wembley, Carsley will now return to his post as coach of England Under-21s and will certainly take plenty of experience away from his brief stint in the hot seat.
While the 50-year-old might have raised some eyebrows with his team selections during his interim time in charge, he returns to the youth ranks having won five of his six League A showdowns at the helm and with his reputation at a real high.
The Three Lions find a clinical edge in the final third
Suffering EURO 24 final heartbreak over the summer as they fell to that 2-1 loss against Spain on July 14th, England came under plenty of scrutiny for their issues in the final third.
Remarkably recording more than a single goal on just a single occasion during any of their seven European showdowns within 90 minutes, England opened their Nations League adventure desperately seeking some fluidity in the final third.
Eventually blowing away Greece earlier in the week and claiming some immediate revenge as they stormed their way to a 3-0 win in Athens, Carsley would have been excited by England’s clinical performances in the final third.
Putting on a second-half clinic here and bagging five goals after returning from the half-time break, the Three Lions have now recorded 11 strikes in just their final three League A appearances.
A night to forget for Ireland
Although Ireland might have arrived at Wembley on Sunday evening pencilled in as a landslide underdog, the Greens had made it clear that they were looking to cause their historic rivals some potential headaches here.
However, while Sunday’s guests might have put in a rugged performance throughout the first-half in north London, things quickly come tumbling down following Scales’ early dismissal following the restart.
Hit with a 2-0 loss when they welcomed England to Dublin for their reverse Nations League showdown on September 7th, Ireland were left hugely frustrated by a nightmare second-half performance in north London.
With Heimir Hallgrimsson “lost for words” following his side’s 5-0 drumming here, the former Jamaica boss made his feeling abundantly clear following what was an infamous collapse this weekend.
Remarkably stating that hie squad “gave up” under the bright lights, Ireland lost four of their six Nations League appearances this year and now have a play-off battle to keep hold of their League B status.
Match Report
England: Pickford, Livramento, Walker, Guehi, Hall, Gallagher, Jones, Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon, Kane
Subs: Harwood-Bellis, Gomes, Rogers, Bowen, Solanke
Ireland: Kelleher, O’Shea, McGuinness, Scales, O’Dowda, Collins, Ebosele, Molumby, Cullen, Szmodics, Ferguson
Subs: Azaz, McAteer, Moran, Manning, Parrott
Goals: Kane (53’ P), Gordon (55’), Gallagher (58’), Bowen (76’), Harwood-Bellis (79’)
Yellow Cards: England: Bellingham, Kane, Madueke – Ireland: Scales, O’Shea, Molumby
Red Cards: Scales (51’)
Referee: Erik Lambrechts
