Barkley, Kane, Sterling and Keane ensure another England five-star showing against Montenegro
Gareth Southgate's men kept up their 100 per cent start in Euro 2020 qualification despite falling behind
FRANCE have Paul Pogba. Germany have Toni Kroos. Spain have Thiago Alcantara.
Well last night England had Ross Barkley.
THE BARKLEY SHOW
The Barkley appreciation starts here because he scored twice, set up the equaliser and played the ball of the night for the fourth.
This was pretty much the complete international performance.
Barkley, stationed in the centre of England’s midfield, ran the show. There have been flashes of his potential down the years.
Last night, after England went a goal down to Marko Vusinic’s 17thminute striker, he stitched it all together.
His drive, his determination, his delivery stretched this game beyond anything Montenegro had to offer.
He did not panic, quietly taking control and assuming the responsibility of bringing England back into this tricky qualifier.
There was poise, authority and a calmness about his game as part of England’s three-man midfield.
Barkley is not an obvious leader, not an obvious first pick when Gareth Southgate is looking for someone to get him out of a spot of bother.
Even so, this was Barkley’s night.
COMEBACK KINGS
Incredibly, England were a goal down after 17 minutes.
Callum Hudson-Odoi, adapting to life as an international footballer before he can say he is a Premier League regular, zoned out.
He was bullied by Zarko Tomasevic, taken out of the game when the left-back went up for a header.
Keane’s clearance failed to gain some yards and Hudson-Odoi allowed Marko Vesovic to be first to the ball.
He went on a mazy, dancing his way through England’s bewildered defence before bending Montenegro’s goal beyond Jordan Pickford’s reach.
It was a belting strike, a reminder for these England players that life on the road can be tough at times.
Hudson-Odoi looked over-awed in that opening spell, overwhelmed by the demands of making his full England debut in an away.
England’s equaliser, headed in by Keane after half an hour, changed his night.
The free-kick was soft, giving Barkley the chance to send in an inviting, delicious cross in from the right.
Keane was there at the far post, rising above Stefan Savic to send his header beyond Montenegro keeper Danijel Petkovic.
With England back in the game, they made a tactical switch to give Hudson-Odoi another chance out on the left.
Raheem Sterling, hat-trick hero against Czech Republic last Friday, made his way out to the right.
Hudson-Odoi came alive, with the mood in this England side changing after Keane’s first goal for his country.
There was another scare when Pickford held on to Stefan Mugosa’s long-ranger, but England were about to score a second.
Harry Kane’s awareness started it all when he held off Montenegro’s defence to find Hudson-Odoi out on the left.
LEVEL TERMS
The Chelsea kid scooted past Adam Marusic and Filip Stojkovic before trying his luck from the edge of the area.
His strike was across the keeper, the smart option that allowed Barkley to touch in his first England goal in nearly four years.
It was in October 2015 when Barkley, then at Everton, scored in a 3-0 victory over Lithuania.
His chances have been limited since, with patchy form and a list of niggling injuries as long as your arm stunting international progress.
Here in Podgorica there were encouraging signs that Barkley can emerge as another option in this England midfield.
This was a mature performance in the centre, holding his position when he needed to and striding forward with purpose when they won it back.
His game intelligence has improved, getting his hands dirty with the defensive stuff before he comes into his own going forward.
In front of him, Hudson-Odoi started to enjoy this outing.
Sterling volleyed wide from his cross at the start of the second half and then he went on another mazy all by himself.
This time he beat two defenders before Petkovic palmed away his effort.
LIONS ROAR
England were after more, asserting their authority on the game as they went in search of a third.
It arrived after 59 minutes when Sterling’s persistence paid off.
The England winger just kept on going, determined to cut the ball back after working his way into the area.
This was a finish of real quality, with Barkley sweeping his effort beyond Petkovic.
England were at full throttle, adding a fourth when Barkley’s slide rule pass was met by the feet of Sterling out on the right.
Kane was speeding into the centre, reading Sterling’s cross to score England’s fourth. Montenegro were done.
Sterling got the most satisfying goal because it only became apparent how much racist abuse they had to suffer when he scored the fifth.
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Jordan Henderson, on as a substitute, picked out Sterling as he made his way past Stojkovic.
He finished with supreme confidence and then cupped his ears in front of Montenegro’s supporters.
It shames the game when England’s players have to put up with this sort of stuff on the road.
The answer was to score five, but that is not the long-term solution.
