Former Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher feels the most promising feature of England’s 6-2 win over Iran in their World Cup opener was the energy with which they played. The Three Lions took a convincing 3-0 win in the first half and then scored three more goals in the second phase.
Jude Bellingham scored his maiden goal in the England jersey while Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling also found the back of the net before the first-half whistle. Saka once again scored in the second half while substitutes Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish also scored for Gareth Southgate’s team.
Mehdi Taremi scored two consolation goals for the Asian team but it was just one-way traffic throughout the game.
In his column for the Independent, Jamie Carragher wrote, “The most promising feature of the victory was the energy they played with, particularly in the first half. Tournament games are often slow and strategic – the opposite to what English players are accustomed to. To impose pace and rhythm is tricky, even against the so-called ‘weaker teams’. Not this time.”
Carragher feels the English players looked sharp and fit on the pitch against Iran.
“Given how sharp and fit they looked, the optimism that a mid-season World Cup would benefit Premier League players is justified. There are many justified arguments against the World Cup happening right now, and why it should not be held in Qatar.”
Carragher believes England will have the advantage if the players use their physicality and approach their World Cup matches as they do in the Premier League.
“There is no denying they might have an advantage if they can bring the physicality of the Premier League to the international stage. Usually, that has been impossible. Southgate may be the first England manager who can tell his players to approach a World Cup game with the same energy as a Premier League match.”
England will next take on the USA on Friday at the Al Bayt Stadium.
