England (National Football)

England forward Raheem Sterling has said he has "full faith" in UEFA for the time being in regards to how European football's governing body will tackle racist incidents at matches. 

The Three Lions face the Czech Republic on Friday in the latest leg of their UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, then travel to Bulgaria on Monday for their last fixture of this international break.

Sterling, 24, spoke to the media and referenced the racist abuse he and team-mates suffered during a clash with Montenegro in March, saying England are now better-educated on the necessary protocols:

"In Montenegro, I don’t think, as a team, we were quite prepared and knew that there was a protocol in place. We had a meeting as a group and Gareth [Southgate] sat us down and explained Uefa's protocol and now, as players, we’ve got to give Uefa a chance to take that responsibility on board and deal with the situation. At this moment in time, yes, I have got full faith in Uefa.

"A lot of racism is to do with miseducation and a lot of it’s to do with not knowing a lot about other people’s cultures. In our country, where it’s really diverse, getting to be around different ethnicities, I think that makes it a lot easier. Other parts of the world that you go, you might not have as much diversity. If you open up and show that love and respect and learning new cultures, you find out that everyone’s just exactly the same, really."

UEFA protocols relating to racist incidents outline a three-step approach to these issues, beginning with a stadium announcement demanding the behaviour stops. The referee can then send teams back to the dressing rooms for a "reasonable period of time" before deciding if the third step—ending the match—is necessary.

England were confident 5-1 victors when they travelled to Podgorica in March, where Ross Barkley netted twice and Sterling capped off the display with the last goal of the game.

Sky News' Martha Kelner reported on Montenegro's punishment for failing to control their fans and the abuse at the time:

Montenegro will have stadium closed for one match as punishment for fans' racism towards England players including Danny Rose and Raheem Sterling. That after UEFA reject appeal. They also have to display a #EqualGame banner.

— Martha Kelner (@marthakelner) May 23, 2019

Sterling—who has become a figurehead in the fight against racism—took to Instagram after that result and laughed at those who had aimed monkey chants at him. The image depicts Sterling making a monkey expression back to the stands, captioned: "Best way to silence the haters (yeah I mean racists)."

Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham said on Tuesday he and his international team-mates are prepared to consider walking off the pitch if they're targeted with racist abuse.

Those comments coaxed a reaction from Bulgarian football president Borislav Mihaylov, who called the concerns "unjust branding of local spectators as people inclined to discriminatory behaviour."

When Bulgaria lost 4-0 at Wembley Stadium in September, a Bulgarian supporter was ejected for racist abuse, per the Evening Standard:

Today's @EveningStandard back page:

• Sterling 'subjected to racist abuse at Wembley'
• Ex-Chelsea youth players suffered 'a barrage of racism'
• Anderson: Opening partnership with Broad not over

Read: https://t.co/UJ8i1OUmyk pic.twitter.com/pALA9vjzVb

— Standard Sport (@standardsport) September 11, 2019

Per BBC Sport, England manager Gareth Southgate responded to Mihaylov and said that while he "can totally understand" his position, he expects all teams to be held to the same standard in controlling their fans.

England have won all four of their matches in qualifying Group A and will secure their place at Euro 2020 if they beat the Czech Republic and Bulgaria in their next two games.

England travel to the Czech Republic on Friday for their 2020 European Championship Group A qualifier.

The Three Lions have a perfect record from four matches, and Gareth Southgate's side will advance to the finals with a victory at the Sinobo Stadium in Prague.

The Czechs are second behind England in the standings, but they were thrashed 5-0 in the corresponding fixture in March at Wembley Stadium.

                                     

Date: Friday, 11 October

Time: 8:45 p.m. local, 7:45 p.m. BST, 2:45 p.m. ET

Live Stream: ITV Hub (UK), ESPN+ (USA), TUDNxtra (USA)

TV Info: ITV 1 (UK)

Odds: Czech Republic 33-5, England 21-50, draw 37-10 (per Caesars)

           

Preview

England are one step away from booking their place in next summer's finals, and they've proved their fourth-placed finish at the 2018 World Cup was no fluke.

The Three Lions have cruised through the group, with 19 goals to their name.

The Czechs recovered from their opening matchday loss to England, and three victories in their last four qualifiers have them strongly positioned for the runner-up spot.

James Maddison could make his debut after being picked for a third time by Southgate, and the Leicester City midfielder is proving to be one of the Premier League's most impressive creators.

The 22-year-old has two goals and two assists in seven league outings, and he told BBC Radio 5 live (h/t BBC Sport) he's ready to put on his country's shirt:

"I have always wanted to play for England.

"I'm not naive enough to sit here and say I should be playing. If that opportunity does come I will be ready, more than ready.

"I'm not going banging on the manager's door saying I need to be playing because this is only my third squad. I keep realistic, but keep hungry to get minutes because that's why I'm here. I'm not here to just make up the numbers."

Southgate has freshened his squad by including in-form young players at the expense of regulars. Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard have been excluded along with Kyle Walker and Eric Dier.

Chelsea's Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori have all been called up after an excellent spell of form for the Blues.

Abraham is the Premier League's joint-top scorer with eight goals in eight appearances, and it would not be a surprise to see the 22-year-old start in a 4-3-3 formation alongside Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling in the forward line.

Mount, 20, has also proved himself to be one of the most exciting midfielders in England, and he has twice come off the bench to win caps under Southgate.

The hosts could struggle after losing three of their squad to injury, with full-back Filip Novak, centre-half David Hovorka and versatile midfielder David Pavelka all withdrawing from the squad, according to WhoScored.

The Czechs have conceded eight times in qualification, and coach Jaroslav Silhavy will be concerned by the amount of goalscoring talent available for the visitors.

Roma striker Patrik Schick, who is on loan at RB Leipzig this season, will be looking to find the back of the net in Prague after hitting four goals already in Group A. 

Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham has said England's players would be prepared to walk off the field if they are racially abused in the upcoming UEFA 2020 European Championship qualifying matches against Bulgaria and Czech Republic.

Already in this set of qualification games, black England players were racially abused during the fixture away at Montenegro.

England will play at the Stadion Vasil Levski in Bulgaria on Monday, and part of the ground will be shut down as punishment after some Bulgaria fans were found guilty of racist behaviour in their matches against Kosovo and Czech Republic this year.

Speaking about the issue, Abraham said the team have spoken about what actions to take if some players are on the end of abuse again, per Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail:

"We've had several meetings about it. We've touched base on how to deal with the situation. Harry Kane even said that if it happens and we're not happy with it, we speak to the player and if he's not happy, we all come off the pitch together.

"It's a team thing. Don't isolate one person, we're a whole team. If it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.

"We did speak about the three-step protocol. Harry Kane did ask the question about instead of going through the three steps, if we decide that we want to stop the game—no matter what the score is—if we're not happy with it, as a team we'll decide whether or not to stay on the pitch."

Per Mokbel, UEFA have issued a three-step plan for dealing with racist abuse. It involves the players informing the referee, the official then asking for an announcement over the Tannoy encouraging abusers to stop and eventually the referee taking the players off the field.

England did complete the game in Montenegro in March where some of their players were subject to racist chanting. Raheem Sterling scored in the 5-1 win and cupped his ears to a section of the stadium; afterwards he reflected on the night's events with ITV Football:

Raheem Sterling: "It's time there's a stance. We need to do something that makes these people think and not do it again" pic.twitter.com/cmLeD0VLCK

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) March 25, 2019

Following the match, Montenegro were told to play their next home game behind closed doors and issued with a £17,253 fine by UEFA. Danny Rose, who was subject to abuse on the night while playing for England, said he didn't "think it [was] a harsh enough punishment."

Per BBC Sport, 5,000 seats at the Stadion Vasil Levski will be blocked off as a result of the behaviour of some fans during Bulgaria's clashes against Czech Republic and Kosovo in May. There will be 3,000 seats closed off when they play Czech Republic again next month.

England will play Czech Republic on Friday before their trip to Bulgaria. So far in Group A, Gareth Southgate's side have put together a perfect start, winning all four of their matches as they seek to secure a spot at next summer's showpiece.

England are set to be short in midfield for the upcoming UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Bulgaria after Everton midfielder Fabian Delph withdrew with a hamstring injury suffered during a 1-0 defeat to Burnley at Turf Moor in the Premier League on Saturday.

The FA confirmed the news (h/t BBC Sport) and added, "no further replacements are planned at this moment in time."

Not supplementing depleted numbers is something of a risk given the hectic schedule facing the Three Lions. Gareth Southgate's team face the Czech Republic at the Sinobo Stadium in Prague on Friday, before travelling to Sofia to take on Bulgaria just three days later.

Southgate will have just five natural midfielders at his disposal as things stand. He will have to spread England's resources thin, particularly since Delph missing out has robbed the squad of a natural destroyer.

The 29-year-old is a tenacious ball-winner who harasses opponents all over the pitch. Delph has been bringing those qualities to bear for Everton since joining the Toffees from Manchester City this summer:

🍾 Man of the Match: Fabian Delph

Passes - 62 (most in game)
Passes in opposition half - 39 (most in game)
Tackles - 4 (joint most in game)
Interceptions - 3 (joint most in game)#EVEWOL #PL pic.twitter.com/rjd6w7VAMD

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) September 1, 2019

While Delph has been impressing at club level, not everybody believes he should have been included in Southgate's latest squad. Speaking to TalkSport, former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O'Hara expressed disappointment that Dele Alli had been left out:

“Southgate should have stuck by Dele Alli and give him confidence.”

“I know he’s out of form but he’s still young & done a lot for his age.”

“Southgate doesn’t need to look at Fabian Delph, does he?”@MrJamieOHara1 says Alli should have made the England squad 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Agree? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/2AVWZJn9G2

— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) October 4, 2019

Either way, Delph's absence will increase the onus on Declan Rice to handle the role as the anchor in midfield. The West Ham United holding player has only recently become a senior international for England, and the 20-year-old admitted he was at fault when the Three Lions beat Kosovo 5-3 at Wembley Stadium last month, per Jonathan Veal of The Independent: "In the second half, I made a mistake, and that has taken the gloss off it for me."

Rice needs to be on point because he's the lone defensive midfielder in a group otherwise defined by the attacking instincts of Leicester City No. 10 James Maddison and Tottenham playmaker Harry Winks.

England have taken 12 points from 12 in Group A of the qualifiers, but a defence in need of protection is sure to miss Delph.

Chelsea youngsters Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori have both been named in the England squad for the upcoming UEFA 2020 European Championship qualifiers against Czech Republic and Bulgaria. 

The 25-man squad was confirmed by the Three Lions on Thursday:

Here it is: your #ThreeLions squad for this month's #EURO2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Bulgaria!https://t.co/uuLf9zGD3g

— England (@England) October 3, 2019

The call-ups for Abraham and Tomori come off the back of impressive starts to the season for Chelsea, having been integrated into the first-team setup under manager Frank Lampard.

Abraham has played for England previously, picking up two caps in 2017. However, he will return to the squad a much more rounded player and has excelled in the top flight for the Blues in 2019-20.

On Wednesday, Abraham was on the scoresheet once again, as he helped Chelsea beat Lille 2-1 in the UEFA Champions League:

🎯 The pass from Tomori
🔥 The touch from Abraham.

A goal made in the Chelsea academy. The perfect birthday present for Chelsea's number nine. pic.twitter.com/xoOl7Pi2b4

— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 2, 2019

Per Squawka Football, the 22-year-old has also been finding the net frequently in the Premier League for the Blues:

Tammy Abraham for Chelsea in the Premier League this season:

👕 7 games
⚽️ 7 goals

A deserved call-up to the England National team. pic.twitter.com/Kt15345fxF

— Squawka (@Squawka) October 3, 2019

Tomori's rise has been more understated, although it's clear he has benefitted from working with Lampard. The defender was on loan at Derby County last season from Chelsea, with Lampard in charge for that campaign.

He had to wait until August 31 to get his first Premier League start for the Blues, although since then he's been able to establish himself in the Chelsea side, turning in a string of promising performances.

Joining the Blues duo in the squad is another Chelsea academy graduate in Mason Mount. Southgate praised the Stamford Bridge club.

"I've sat here for a few years and asked for an opportunity for young English players," he said, per BBC Sport. "We've always had excellent academies, we just needed to see their players in first teams, so it's hugely positive to see so many young players getting a chance."

Per football writer Oluwashina Okeleji, both Abraham and Tomori are also eligible to play for Nigeria, although a competitive England appearance would rule them out of representing the Super Eagles in the future:

Bye👋🏿Naija

Tammy Abraham & Fikayo Tomori's fine starts to the season with #CFC rewarded with England call ups.

A first call-up for Tomori, while Abraham has also been picked for Euro 2020 qualifiers away to Czech & Bulgaria.

IF capped by 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿, they can’t switch back to #Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/kCVC7g9waw

— Oluwashina Okeleji (@oluwashina) October 3, 2019

While the squad is full of other familiar names, there are some high-profile omissions.

Dele Alli and Jesse Lingard, who were both key for England in their run to the semi-finals at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, have been left out after poor starts to the season with their respective clubs. Manchester City's Kyle Walker also failed to make the cut for the second consecutive squad. 

The Three Lions will play in Czech Republic on October 11, before travelling to Bulgaria on October 14.

Former England striker Wayne Rooney says the Three Lions would have won "everything" if they'd had a manager like Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola in charge when he broke into the team.

Per ESPN UK, Rooney said as much on the Wayne Rooney Podcast:

Wayne Rooney has no doubt England’s ‘golden generation’ would have won the World Cup and European Championships with Pep Guardiola in charge. pic.twitter.com/yXxn2mWdeO

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) September 13, 2019

Rooney, who became the nation's all-time top scorer in 2015, broke into the England team as a teenager in 2003 under Sven-Goran Eriksson.

He and his team-mates were dubbed the "Golden Generation."

Football.London's Greg Johnson felt Ashley Cole stood out among them:

https://twitter.com/gregianjohnson/status/1163064316263829505

Cole arguably may have been the only one who was the best in his position in the world, but England could name a first XI stacked with top-class talent, players who won countless trophies in their hugely successful club careers.

They failed to make a significant impact on the international stage, though, under Eriksson, Steve McClaren and Fabio Capello.

After reaching the quarter-final stages of the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups, England were knocked out of the competition in the round of 16 in 2010.

The Three Lions also reached the last eight of the UEFA European Champions in 2004 and failed to qualify for the 2008 edition.

Although international management is a different game to club football, where it's perhaps easier to implement a philosophy on a squad by working with them daily, a manager of Guardiola's quality would likely have coaxed more from such a talented generation of players.

The Spaniard has won a combined eight league titles with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, along with two UEFA Champions Leagues and a number of other honours.

Capello also had a superb CV filled with top-level titles, but much of his success as a coach came in the 1990s, and the players did not appear to respond particularly well to his autocratic style.

Guardiola, on the other hand, is one of the most influential coaches of modern times and has repeatedly shown he can take an excellent player and raise their game further still.

England have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes in recent years under Gareth Southgate, who guided them to the semi-finals of the World Cup last year—the first time they've reached the final four since 1990—and the UEFA Nations League this year.

Although individually there is perhaps not quite as much talent available as England possessed in Rooney's early days, the Three Lions have shown they can begin competing again at the top level.  

England manager Gareth Southgate thinks Raheem Sterling can rival Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo as one of the best players in the world. 

The Three Lions boss was speaking after Sterling played a starring role for the team in a thrilling 5-3 win over Kosovo on Tuesday. The Manchester City star grabbed England's equaliser on the night after falling behind, before setting up another three goals in a virtuoso display.

The performance was a continuation of Sterling's form at club level, where he has excelled under the tutelage of manager Pep Guardiola. Speaking about the forward, Southgate said Sterling has all the attributes needed to become one of the best footballers on the planet, per Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail:

"In terms of can he fulfil it, he'll give himself every chance of doing that. 

"There are obviously some outstanding players around, the [Eden] Hazards, the [Kevin] De Bruynes, Messi and Ronaldo. But he's got the drive, he's got the professionalism, he's got the ability. He's physically and mentally strong for such a small statured lad."

Here is Sterling's goal from the win, which extended England's perfect record in UEFA 2020 European Championship qualifying Group A to four games:

England are level!

Raheem Sterling heads the Three Lions back on level terms after trailing for just seven minutes pic.twitter.com/Zwyi2Yo1Wl

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) September 10, 2019

Sky Sports Statto provided the figures from Sterling's exceptional display at St Mary's:

Raheem Sterling's night:

5️⃣ shots - scored England's equaliser 👏
8️⃣th goal in his last 8️⃣ caps 👏
2️⃣ assists from 2️⃣ chances created 👏
🔟 dribbles, 9️⃣ successful 👏
Won 1️⃣1️⃣ of 1️⃣5️⃣ duels - most of any player 👏 pic.twitter.com/xbmS4TxEzi

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) September 10, 2019

While Messi and Hazard are currently injured, Ronaldo and De Bruyne have shone during the international break too.

The latter matched grabbed three assists and a goal during Belgium's 4-0 win over Scotland on Monday, while Ronaldo was on the scoresheet four times for Portugal in their 5-1 victory against Lithuania on Tuesday.

Sterling is beginning to showcase the consistency needed to be considered alongside the best players in the game. In general play, he is a constant menace with his dribbling ability and change of pace, but he's now a regular goalscorer too.

Last season, Sterling's productivity was key to him being crowned as the Football Writers' Association 2019 Footballer of the Year:

Raheem Sterling's 2018-19 Premier League season by numbers:

34 games
82 take-ons completed
77 total shots
66 chances created
44 fouls won
17 goals
10 assists
3 trophies

What a season he's had. 👏 pic.twitter.com/dgRnS9t4vN

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 13, 2019

The man himself said after the Kosovo game that he wants to improve his goalscoring to the levels showcased down the years by Messi and Ronaldo:

Raheem Sterling eyes Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo goal scoring longevityhttps://t.co/IE8HOH3pca pic.twitter.com/L4uqmUjCng

— AS USA (@English_AS) September 11, 2019

In terms of goal hauls, Messi and Ronaldo have set new standards in their time at the top. While there have been occasions when players have matched their totals for a season, the manner in which the duo have been able to post extraordinary numbers so frequently makes them both special.

Sterling is arguably among the best players in the Premier League and has been a crucial player in City's domination of English football over the last couple of years. 

The England star still has some way to go before he can be considered alongside the duo mentioned, although of all the forwards in the game seeking to scale those heights, Sterling may well be the most likely candidate to do so.

Raheem Sterling has said Jadon Sancho "begged" to be set up for a goal ahead of England's clash with Kosovo on Tuesday.

The Three Lions won an entertaining game 5-3 at St Mary's in Southampton, making it four wins from four in UEFA 2020 European Championship qualifying Group A. Sancho netted his first and second goals for England in the win, while Sterling also got on the scoresheet.

Speaking after the game, Sterling said the Borussia Dortmund youngster was itching to get off the mark for England after finding out he was in the XI, per Charlie Skinner of Sky Sports:

"He was in my room at 10.30 p.m. last night begging for me to square one to him. So, I was really happy to see him score his first one. He's a good kid.

"Even when I was at that age, I wasn't doing some of the things he's doing. He's really professional."

After England fell behind on the night, they roared back into the contest with five first-half goals. Sancho's opener was the Three Lions' fourth, as Sterling played him in at the end of a scintillating counter-attack:

Sancho makes it four!

A lightning-fast counter-attack from England sees Jadon Sancho score his first goal for the Three Lions! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/Fo24t3Z7nA

— ITV Football (@itvfootball) September 10, 2019

A couple of minutes later, the 19-year-old was on target again, with Sterling once more the provider after a searing sprint down the left flank.

Here is what Sancho had to say after one of the biggest nights of his career so far:

What a night for @Sanchooo10 🔥pic.twitter.com/cog6kzlanB

— England (@England) September 10, 2019

Those who have been keeping tabs on Sancho's progress for Dortmund in the Bundesliga would not have been surprised by his electric display, as he has been one of the best attackers in the German top flight over the last year.

Sancho can terrify defenders from his spot on the right flank, as he possesses exceptional acceleration and bundles of skill. But it's his productivity in the final third that has set him apart from the vast majority of players of his age in the world game.

Per Statman Dave, already this season the winger has been involved in a number of goals for club and country:

Jadon Sancho has now been directly involved in 7 goals (4⚽️ & 3🅰️) in his last 4 starts in all competitions.

Ridiculous. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/eOs6M3vbPn

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) September 10, 2019

Sancho shone on the night, although Sterling was England's standout performer, as he tormented the Kosovo defence with his attacking play on the left flank.

Henry Winter of the Times praised the Manchester City star's work both on and off the field after another stellar performance:

Struggling to think of many more influential English sporting figures than Raheem Sterling currently for combined impact on and off the field. Winning club titles in the nation's No 1 sport, determined to drive England to a trophy, a role model speaking out on major issues.

— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) September 11, 2019

For England manager Gareth Southgate, Wednesday provided an exciting glimpse into what has the potential to be an exhilarating front line for the Three Lions. There aren't many opponents in the game who would relish going up against Harry Kane, flanked by Sterling and Sancho.

The latter of that trio still has plenty to learn and you sense he will continue to be slowly integrated into the England set up. With Sterling seemingly capable of putting chances on a plate for him, that process should be a streamlined one.

England continued their perfect run in UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying on Tuesday, beating Kosovo 5-3 in a wild affair. Jadon Sancho scored his first two goals for the Three Lions.

Valon Berisha gave England a scare by opening the scoring in the first minute, but the half turned into one-way traffic soon after. Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane turned the deficit into a lead, and an own-goal from Mergim Vojvoda and a quick Sancho double extended the advantage before the break.

Berisha scored his second early in the second half, and Vedat Muriqi converted a penalty after 55 minutes. Kane missed a penalty shortly after, but Kosovo would not score any more goals.

The win leaves England in control of Group A. 

Kosovo needed just 35 seconds to shock the home fans, courtesy of a dreadful pass from Michael Keane. He played the ball right to Fidan Aliti, who set up Berisha for the opener:

England go 1-0 down to Kosovo after just 35 seconds 🤯#ENGKOS pic.twitter.com/CmGvTuoYKk

— GOAL (@goal) September 10, 2019

England needed a fast response and tied things up just minutes later. After some strong possession, Keane redeemed himself by nodding down for Sterling, and the forward brought his side level with his first headed goal for England.

Great response from England and particularly Keane, who sets up Sterling to nod home from close range.

— Dan Kilpatrick (@Dan_KP) September 10, 2019

The Three Lions continued to press forward, putting the Kosovo defence under severe stress. A second goal seemed inevitable, and it arrived before 20 minutes had been played.

Sterling again played a key role, beating his man before setting up Kane, who blasted a low shot in between the goalkeeper's legs.

Matt Law of the Telegraph loved how the two linked up:

Sterling and Kane. What a combination.

— Matt Law (@Matt_Law_DT) September 10, 2019

A Berisha cross provided a moment of panic for the hosts, who were lucky there was no forward ready to drive the ball home, while at the other end of the pitch, Ross Barkley fired a shot well over the bar.

Kosovo grew into the half as it continued, but received another major blow seven minutes before the break. One of their players went down with a knock, and rather than put the ball out of play, England went on the attack. The ball was eventually worked into the box, where Vojvoda inadvertently tapped into his own net.

The third goal opened the floodgates, and in the final minutes of the half, the Three Lions added two more. Sterling twice set up Sancho, who made the most of his start:

44’—@Sanchooo10 scores his first international goal
45’—Sancho scores his second international goal pic.twitter.com/ZZZmotItJJ

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 10, 2019

More individual mistakes from England once again gifted Kosovo an early goal in the second half. Declan Rice gave the ball away cheaply, and Berisha took advantage to score his second after 49 minutes. 

Harry Maguire was the next to let his side down when he brought down Muriqi inside the box. The 25-year-old converted the penalty himself, continuing the crazy start to the half.

Per BBC Sport's Phil McNulty, the away fans started to get excited:

Muriqi beats Pickford. 5-3 and Kosovo's magnificent support have got the taste for this.

— Phil McNulty (@philmcnulty) September 10, 2019

England needed to catch their breath and take the pace out of the contest, and were granted a big boost after 65 minutes. Barkley was brought down inside the box but Arijanet Muric expertly saved Kane's spot-kick.

Kosovo's efforts to complete an unlikely comeback ran out of steam in the final 20 minutes, and the Three Lions had their chances to add to their tally. Trent Alexander-Arnold narrowly missed with a free-kick, and Sterling twice went close, hitting the post once.

FA technical director Les Reed believes it will be difficult to keep hold of England manager Gareth Southgate once strong offers from the Premier League start to arrive.

Southgate has led the national team since 2016, overseeing a successful spell and setting the Three Lions up for even greater things in the future. Speaking to Sky Sports, Reed said he believes the tactician is eyeing international silverware before he leaves, but the right offer could change his mind:

"It would be a tough ask depending on what he was offered. But I know Gareth's mindset at the moment is that he wants to be an England manager that wins something.

"I think the attraction of being the next England manager to take us to a World Cup final is a strong pull and also I think he knows that by doing that his stock's not going to go down.

"Obviously it's something that we have in the back of our minds all the time but I know that Gareth's motivation is with this team and developing this team moving forward."

Southgate's only managerial experience at the club level so far is a stint with Middlesbrough, where he was sacked after the team were relegated in 2009.

The former Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Boro defender was promoted into a senior role in 2016 after a great spell with the under-21 England team and led the Three Lions to fourth place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The team also qualified for the inaugural UEFA Nations League finals the next summer and have a perfect record in Euro 2020 qualifying after three matches heading into Tuesday's match against Kosovo.

The 49-year-old gave some insights into his coaching philosophies:

🗣️ “If you are asking a player to play with freedom and things go wrong you can’t criticise them for doing the things you asked them to."

The boss talking about his coaching approach 👊https://t.co/O8E9PeFVLy

— England Football Learning (@EnglandLearning) September 7, 2019

https://twitter.com/FA/status/1171381805230034944

The current England squad contains several established stars, including Tottenham Hotspur's Harry Kane and Manchester City's Raheem Sterling. Perhaps more impressively, the next generation of Three Lions is bursting with high-level talent.

Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho, West Ham's Declan Rice, Chelsea's Mason Mount and Leicester City's James Maddison all have superstar upside. Further down the pecking order, England's under-20 team are reigning world champions.

The Three Lions' future is bright, and Southgate is in a great position to guide the side to their first major trophy since the 1966 World Cup.

But the lure of the Premier League could also be tempting. Top clubs Manchester United and Chelsea have both started the new season poorly and are led by inexperienced coaches in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Frank Lampard, respectively.

SkyBet (h/t OddsChecker.com) have given the former the top odds to be the next Premier League manager sacked. Lampard only got the Blues job in the summer and will likely be given a little more time, but he too is far from secure in his role.

Southgate could be an attractive option for both clubs, given his proven ability to work with some of England's biggest stars and his experience integrating younger talent.