Harwood-Bellis starts party as Carsley signs off with promotion

It was an England salvo of devastating power, three goals in five minutes early in the second half and it did more than reframe an occasion that had been flat and forgettable until then.

- David Hytner

It gave Lee Carsley the win that he wanted on his sixth and final game as the interim manager; one to seal England's promotion back into the Nations League's A section. With five wins and just that one off-night against Greece at Wembley, it added up to job well done.

Carsley will hand over to Thomas Tuchel with the team in good health, a new generation also pushed. Carsley had previously given first caps to Angel Gomes, Morgan Gibbs-White, Noni Madueke, Curtis Jones, Lewis Hall and Morgan Rogers. Here, there were two more debuts - for Tino Livramento from the outset and Taylor Harwood-Bellis as a substitute.

What a night it would be for both, especially Harwood-Bellis, who scored with a thumping header with one of his first touches from a Jude Bellingham cross. That made it 5-0. Ireland were long since broken, Harry Kane - who else? - precipitating an alarming crash.

Kane was back in the starting XI after his high-profile omission from Thursday's 3-0 win over Greece in Athens and, after he laboured dreadfully in the first half, it was his sumptuous pass that got Bellingham in to win a penalty off Liam Scales, the Republic of Ireland defender's woe compounded when the foul was deemed to be a second yellow card offence.