England Under-21s boss Lee Carsley thinks fans will be watching “exciting games” at the Euros this summer following their 4-2 friendly victory over Portugal at The Hawthorns.
The Young Lions were involved in another thriller following Friday’s 5-3 defeat to France.
Hayden Hackney and Ethan Nwaneri had England two goals to the good before Fabio Silva got Portugal on the scoreboard.
Omari Hutchinson and Jaden Philogene then scored either side of Carlos Borges’ strike as England came away with one victory from the international window.
Carsley will next see his side in action at the European Under-21 Championship this summer and thinks there will be plenty to be excited about.
He said: “We won’t play a game before we go out to the tournament so it was important that we tried to get something out of this window.
“We could have won that game really comfortably, played with a lot more control than we did, but it’s the first time that myself and the staff have worked with the players in a year so excited for the future with them.
“We are a bit transitional and a bit ‘basketbally’ which won’t work in the summer. Because they’re so attacking and enthusiastic I don’t want to dampen that too much because I don’t think we’ve got enough English players like that.
“I think you’re going to see some exciting games and hopefully I want them to play with that belief.”
Nwaneri has been impressive for Arsenal this season and showed what he can do in England colours as it took him just 10 minutes to open his Under-21s account on his full debut.
Carsley added: “It’s definitely a finish he’s got. Everyone knows exactly what’s going to happen but you cannot stop it.
“He took his goal so well but we have to keep remembering he’s 18, unbelievable isn’t it?
“But what an impression he has made, it’s important we look after him.”
England will go into the summer’s tournament with a real chance of retaining their crown but Carsley knows the competition is also just as tough.
He said: “I think we’ve got a really good chance regardless of the squad we take.
“We’ve got some outstanding talent but we forget Spain are quite good as well, Italy are good and Portugal are good and we have to be respectful of that.”
[(Shimizu S-Pulse) Weakness]: 1. Shimizu S-Pulse are 13th in the J1 League table. Facing 2nd-placed Kashima Antlers, they will find it hard to win this match due to their declining form, indicating doubtful motivation.2. Shimizu S-Pulse defender Yuji Takahashi and forward Sena Saito will miss this league game due to injuries.3. Shimizu S-Pulse were winless with 2 draws and 3 losses in the last 5 g...
Liverpool table fresh Guehi bidAccording to The Athletic, Liverpool have submitted a fresh bid worth £35 million ($47m) to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace. The Reds had earlier seen two bids rejected by the Eagles, but they remain hopeful that this time the offer will be accepted.Fenerbahce eyeing move for EdersonTurkish Super Lig giants Fenerbahce are eyeing a move for out-of-favour Manc...
Roma medical for Liverpool fullback TsimikasAS Roma are holding a medical for Kostas Tsimikas today.The Liverpool fullback is leaving Anfield after finding himself third-choice this season behind fellow left-backs Andrew Robertson and Milos Kerkez.La Gazzetta dello Sport says the Greece international is expected in Italy today to finalise his move.Tsimikas will undergo a medical ahead of signing a...
FBL-ENG-PR-CHELSEA-FULHAMMarco Silva has demanded an explanation from the Premier League after lambasting three "shocking" refereeing decisions in Fulham's 2-0 Premier League loss at Chelsea.WHAT HAPPENED?The Whites thought they had taken the lead against their west London rivals Chelsea when 18-year-old Josh King coolly slotted past Robert Sanchez. However, the goal was chalked off by referee Rob...
[(Shonan Bellmare) Strength]: 1. Shonan Bellmare are one of the bottom teams in the table, taking 25 points and being in the relegation zone. They are strongly motivated to grab points.[(Shonan Bellmare) Neutral]: 1. Shonan Bellmare drew the last 4 home games, revealing mediocre home performances.[(Shonan Bellmare) Weakness]: 1. Shonan Bellmare lost 1-0 to Fagiano Okayama on the road in the last g...
Manchester United Training Session And Press Conference - UEFA Europa League Final 2025Chelsea have completed the signing of Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United.WHAT HAPPENED?Garnacho has signed a seven-year contract with the Blues after the two Premier League clubs agreed a deal worth a fixed £40 million fee ($54m) with a 10 per cent sell-on clause, Goal understands. The 21-year-old ha...
Marc Guehi Crystal Palace 2025-26Liverpool have launched a fresh bid for Marc Guehi as they hope that Crystal Palace will finally accept their proposal and agree to sell their star defender before the summer transfer window closes on Monday. The Reds have been linked with a move for the England international throughout the summer and the champions are determined to secure his signature.WHAT HAPPEN...
West Ham United v Lille OSC - Pre-Season FriendlyAston Villa are close to signing West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta on an initial loan with an obligation to buy next summer.WHAT HAPPENED?Villa are on the brink of agreeing a £47 million (€54m/$63m) package for Paqueta which includes a loan fee and add-ons, according to Fabrizio Romano. The report also states the 28-year-old has ac...
[(Nagoya Grampus) Strength]: 1. Nagoya Grampus currently have only 28 points and are near the bottom of the league table. To avoid relegation, they need to earn points.[(Nagoya Grampus) Neutral]: 1. Nagoya Grampus' 7 successive games ended with OVER.[(Nagoya Grampus) Weakness]: 1. Nagoya Grampus lost 2-4 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their last Emperor's Cup game, with poor performance.2. In the lates...
Cody Gakpo Liverpool 2025Premier League champions Liverpool have confirmed that star attacker Cody Gakpo has put pen to paper on a new long-term contract, which has extended his stay at Anfield beyond 2028. The Dutchman who joined the club in January 2023, during the Jurgen Klopp era, has established himself as a regular starter under new boss Arne Slot and has now committed his future to the Reds...
