Anthony Gordon starts for England in Nations League as post-Gareth Southgate era gets underway

Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon was criminally underused at Euro 2024 despite loud calls from fans and pundits to play the pacey winger to add impetus to the England attack.

Anthony Gordon was handed just four minutes of game time in the entire tournament even though everybody could see that every game was crying out for Gordon's energy.

In those four minutes he did play, he managed to do more with the ball than Conor Gallagher and even Jude Bellingham had all tournament up to that point (if you ignore Bellingham's headed goal).

It looks like Lee Carsley knows what a player he has on his hands as the former England U21 coach has put Gordon in from the start this evening.

Anthony Gordon and Lee Carsley won the U21 Euros together in 2023

Carsley was England U21 manager in 2023 when Anthony Gordon picked up Player of the Tournament as England won the U21 European Championships.

The two clearly know each other's styles inside out at this point so it makes sense that Carsley would be comfortable enough to start Gordon from the off.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento starts on the bench and will be hoping to make his England debut at some point tonight against Ireland or next week against Finland.

Nick Pope is on the bench for England along with Tino Livramento

Nick Pope also has to make do with a place on the bench as Carsley sticks with Jordan Pickford between the sticks.

It's probably what Pope was expecting, however, as he seems resigned to being the guy who helps the other goalkeepers in training and uses his role as the elder statesman to help the younger players in the camp.

So far, Newcastle's internationals are doing their respective countries proud, so we'll have to see if Anthony Gordon can continue the streak.