•Jude Bellingham
Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze maintained England’s flawless record on the road to the World Cup but Jude Bellingham was reduced to a cameo role in yesterday’s 2-0 win against Serbia.
Saka struck in the first half at Wembley before his Arsenal team-mate Eze netted in the closing stages to ensure England, who had already qualified for the World Cup, made it seven successive Group K victories without conceding a goal, reports AFP.
After scoring 13 times in their previous three matches, this was a more prosaic England display, with Thomas Tuchel’s decision to leave Bellingham out of his starting line-up capturing most of the attention.
Tuchel opted to select Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers instead of Bellingham before sending on the Real Madrid star with 26 minutes left.
Bellingham had missed England’s previous four matches, with a shoulder injury sidelining him in September before Tuchel left him out in October.
Rogers excelled in the number 10 role while deputising for Bellingham during England’s wins over Wales and Latvia in October.
And Tuchel this week warned Bellingham that he would have to fight for his place in the starting line-up at the World Cup.
There have been reports that Bellingham has sometimes been a polarising figure among the England squad and Tuchel was forced to apologise to the 22-year-old earlier this season after revealing his mother found the fiery star’s on-pitch behaviour “repulsive”.
After England travel to Albania for their last qualifier on Sunday, Tuchel has only two friendlies remaining in March before he has to name his World Cup squad.
The German’s handling of Bellingham will likely be the main topic from now until the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico next year.
“Morgan deserved to stay on the pitch because he had three fantastic performances with him, and second of all we didn’t know if our plan was right with the high press,” Tuchel said.
“It would be unfair for Jude to try figure everything out because we changed our way of pressing in the last two camps.
“Once we see the formation we can give clear instructions to Phil and Jude and bring them from the bench.
“The game got a little too open. It is good if everything is not as easy, so we had to wait very long until the decisive goal.”
England’s 5-0 win in Serbia in September was the first sign that Tuchel was starting to stamp his mark on the team after a slow start to his reign.
– Saka sparkles –
England have been revitalised since that impressive victory, securing their World Cup berth by crushing Latvia in October.
Tuchel has now won eight of his nine matches, including seven World Cup qualifiers without conceding a single goal.
Tuchel had urged Saka to score more often for England after a meagre run in front of goal and the Arsenal forward responded in the 28th minute.
Serbia keeper Predrag Rajkovic punched Declan Rice’s free-kick to Nico O’Reilly and when his shot was blocked towards Saka, the 24-year-old guided a composed volley into the far corner from an acute angle.
Saka’s 14th goal in 47 England appearances gave his side a lift and O’Reilly’s deflected cross smacked the post before Harry Kane headed wide from close range.
Rogers nearly doubled the lead with a flicked header that flashed wide just before half-time.
Dusan Vlahovic should have punished England for their profligacy, but the striker back-heeled wide from close range after the interval.
As well as introducing Bellingham, Tuchel sent on Phil Foden — who had been absent from the previous three squads — to play as England’s central striker in place of Kane.
Bellingham and Foden combined with fellow substitute Eze to wrap up England’s win in the 90th minute.
Bellingham found Foden and the Manchester City playmaker teed up Eze for a superb finish into the top corner from the edge of the area.
