Ollie Watkins justifies Lee Carsley’s huge Harry Kane name inside seven minutes

Ollie Watkins repaid Lee Carsley’s faith within seven minutes on Thursday evening.

Carsley took the bold decision to drop Harry Kane for the Three Lions’ must-win clash with Greece in Athens, after last month’s Greek Oddity. However, it took less than seven minutes for Carsley to find himself on the scoresheet, turning the ball home from a cut-back.

“Brilliant move from England. A brilliant finish,” Lee Dixon said on ITV. “Madueke has been in sparkling form for his club. You saw there where he sprinted past four Greece players and that man [Watkins] just stood in space.”

Speaking ahead of the game Carsley said: “He’s fine. He wants to play. But his attitude has been fantastic since. It’s important that we give players a chance and I’m sure Ollie will do really well tonight.

While Ian Wright, speaking on ITV’s build-up said: “I was very surprised. We’re talking about somebody who has been in the trenches with those guys. Every England call-up is important and is an opportunity.

“We’re talking about a captain of a bunch of players, the team where Gareth had the group together, everything so strong. Going from all unity in the squad, to then a few withdrawals, and then you’re hearing a lack of commitment (from Kane).

“Again, the FA have chosen not to have their manager here for it. The FA have set a precedent for it.

“But for Harry to say that about the players he’s been in the trenches with, two finals, the semi-finals of the World Cup, knowing the calibre of the players, to say he’s disappointed especially with the fixtures and the crazy amount of the games they have to play, it was a bit of a shock to me.”