Gareth Southgate name-checks four England players after win as clear selection hint made ahead of Euro 2024
Gareth Southgate has singled out four England players for praise after the 3-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Monday night.
After an uneventful first half at St James' Park, Cole Palmer put the Three Lions ahead on the hour mark - dispatching a penalty for his first ever England goal.
Trent Alexander-Arnold doubled the lead with a gorgeous volley, before captain Harry Kane grabbed his goal after coming on as a substitute.
It was more of a second-string XI from England given players coming back from injury and extended seasons due to appearances in finals.
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But plenty made an impression on the England boss, who loved what he saw from a pair of Chelsea stars and two Crystal Palace representatives.
Having excelled as a No.10, Southgate spoke glowingly about Palmer's performance and tipped him to have a "big impact".
He also liked teammate Gallagher's display in the absence of Declan Rice and waxed lyrical about Ebere Eze and Adam Wharton, the latter looking incredibly composed in his England debut.
"Cole showed moments of what he is about It was his first start," he said, as per The Mirror.
“There is more to come as he feels more comfortable in the group and we get to feed him the ball as he needs it. He can play in a couple of positions, has had a fabulous season and there is no reason he can’t have a big impact with us.
“I thought Cole linked the game well for us. It was lovely for him to get his first goal. At half-time we said be patient and get the ball through to Cole in particular, and if you keep patient and with more quality the game will open. The scoreline reflected the performance.
“There were numerous good performances. Eberechi Eze has caught the eye. The way he glides past people. He played with that freedom and swagger. It is great to see young players come into this environment and do that.
“Conor Gallagher played with maturity. Adam Wharton showed what he has been doing in training. He sees pictures early and he looked comfortable.”
England take on Iceland at Wembley in their final friendly before facing Serbia in their Euro 2024 opener in Group C in Gelsenkirchen on 16 June.
June 7 is the official deadline for when England's 26-man squad must be submitted.
Topics: Gareth Southgate, England, Cole Palmer, Chelsea
Josh Lawless