Monday 9 September 2019 22:51, UK
Gareth Southgate believes England's frontline is as exciting as any in world football.
World Cup Golden Boot winner Harry Kane grabbed a hat-trick in Saturday's 4-0 victory over Bulgaria to move him past Stan Mortensen and Sir Geoff Hurst in England's all-time scoring ranks.
The England skipper not only has 25 goals from 40 international appearances but is complemented by Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford, with teenagers Jadon Sancho and Callum Hudson-Odoi also in Southgate's plans.
"I think that they're as exciting as anything, really," Southgate said of his attacking unit.
"I remember going to Spain and thinking 'well, a really tough game, but actually you look at our front three and their front three on the night and I felt that we were strong'.
"And I've got to say, we've got Sancho and Hudson-Odoi who are going to push, and really push, so I think that it is exciting.
"You need to have players on the field to affect the games, but you need to have players that can come in and have an impact and I think we're in a healthy position."
Asked if the players are beginning to recognise they have the potential to be the best, Southgate said: "It's an interesting comment. I think they have great humility.
"I think they possibly don't, because they sometimes don't view themselves as others do.
"We've also got to remember that as a coaching team. Very often you work with the team and it's easy to find what they can't do well.
"I think whenever we're judging games, all of us look at what hasn't gone well and sometimes we can overlook the brilliant things that they do, that maybe other countries don't have."
Kane's hat-trick against Bulgaria was the second of his international career, and team-mate Danny Rose says the striker is the 'ultimate professional'.
"I don't want to put pressure on Harry but when he is in the team, you are guaranteed goals and a leader who will give everything," Rose said.
"It is a privilege to be with him. He is literally the ultimate professional, the best professional I have ever trained with or played with and his record for club and country is no coincidence."
