Lee Dixon saw off Croatia’s World Cup opener with a 4-2 win in Dallas and felt England put in a near-perfect performance.
Thomas Tuchel’s side trailed twice after captain Harry Kane scored twice in the first half, but second-half goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford secured them three points in their Group L opener.
Former England defender Dixon told ITV: “They’re a really difficult team to play against and apart from a moment in the first half when they conceded two goals, they pretty much controlled the game.”
“They had that front line, that flair and that run from midfield to the game. They scored four goals. It was a perfect performance, just stopping two guys at the other end.”
“They needed to be tested. Two lousy goals in the first half, but they really came into the game in the second half. They had a great performance in all departments. They had a great performance in all departments.”
“Defensively, they looked a lot healthier, and the rest of them really got better as well.”
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville was impressed by the reaction to Tuchel’s tough team talk at half-time.
Neville said: “He gave them an absolute rocket at half-time because they came on for 20 minutes at the start of the second half and were breathtaking.”
“What I liked about that time was they were resting a little bit and playing a little bit more depth. Then he made a substitution and that substitution had a big impact and we went for the fourth goal.
“Some of the stuff in the first 10 minutes of the second half was great.”
Fellow Red Devils legend Roy Keane believes conceding two goals will benefit England in the long run.
The former United and Republic of Ireland midfielder said: “They’ll be happy to have scored four goals. The attacking players obviously had a big impact, the substitutes did well and we controlled the game, especially in the second half, and we had some good set-pieces.”
“Actually, I think it’s good that they conceded a few goals, because it keeps them on their toes. It’s just a reminder that if you let your guard down, you’ll concede, but overall they’ll definitely be happy.”
United would certainly have had their eye on Three Lions star Elliott Anderson, but they are also thought to be keeping an eye on one of the Croatian star men this summer.
Manchester United eyeing signing of Croatian national team star
In fact, reports in Italy via Sport Witness claim that Manchester United are considering a move for Como midfielder Martin Baturina.
The 23-year-old briefly leveled the score at 1-1 with a stunning goal on Wednesday, but multiple English teams are in pursuit.
Aston Villa are also said to be among the suitors, while Leeds, whose bid was rejected in January, are also expected to show interest again.
The attacking midfielder made 29 Serie A appearances and provided three assists for Cesc Fabregas’ side last season, and many believe he has a brighter future than his highly-rated teammate Nico Paz.
Writer and scout Filipe Souza believes Baturina is “underrated” and could be a long-term successor to club captain Bruno Fernandes, who turns 32 later this year.
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