Bukayo Saka volleys away Thomas Tuchel’s criticism as England see off Serbia in World Cup qualifying

Eloquent as Thomas Tuchel is, pointed as he can be in his comments, he must wish his words had such a swift impact on all his players. A manager who pronounced himself surprised that Bukayo Saka had only scored 13 goals for England got the desired answer. Now Saka has 14 and Tuchel’s England retain their 100 per cent record in World Cup qualifying. With Eberechi Eze also scoring, it was Arsenal 2 Serbia 0.

That Saka had agreed with Tuchel’s observation was telling. Criticism can be constructive and, in this instance, it was taken in the right way. It is harder to make the same claim when Tuchel had said his mother found Jude Bellingham “repulsive” – a remark for which the England manager apologised – but as the Real Madrid man made his first international appearance since that strange summer saga, it was with a policy of gradual reintegration.

Saka was a starter and scorer and Bellingham a substitute but perhaps the more meaningful international comeback belonged to another of Tuchel’s band of No 10s. Phil Foden came on with Bellingham as Harry Kane’s new understudy. The merits of using a flair player as an auxiliary No 9 were shown in two chances, each falling to Eze and coming from the same combination of players: Bellingham to Foden to Eze. For the first, with Foden supplying a lovely flick, Eze had a shot tipped on to the bar. For the second, he curled a shot into the top corner. Tuchel was wondering if or how he could take them all to the World Cup. He got an answer of sorts if Foden goes as a striking alternative and Eze as a possible left winger.

And the greatest significance of a largely forgettable night may be in the memories Tuchel takes of it. Those reading the World Cup runes may take a lesson or two. Bellingham was only a replacement, emerging for the last half-hour, with Morgan Rogers the starting No 10, even if it is hard to imagine selection would have been the same were the opposition Brazil or Argentina in July. Rogers, so impressive in his previous England outings, was underwhelming. His fellow Brummie then looked a class above him.

Bellingham’s arrival brought one of the night’s biggest cheers. There was a greater frisson of excitement when he came on, even if some of that could be attributed to Foden’s introduction. England had more energy thereafter and, for a couple of those who went off in the quadruple change, there may be the fear that they were upstaged by their replacements.

Marcus Rashford, who was taken off for Eze, was a case in point. The Barcelona loanee was not poor: he twice directed a shot at Predrag Rajkovic and produced a lovely nutmeg to fool Nikola Milenkovic. But if the initial question was whether he has dislodged Anthony Gordon from Tuchel’s preferred team, he may end up leapfrogged by Eze.

And Tuchel will be paid in part for his leftfield thinking. Behind Rashford, Nico O’Reilly’s swift rise was capped by a debut. The Manchester City man hit the post, but with a deflected cross, got forward energetically and reasonably effectively and slotted in well. Left-back remains a position that is up for grabs. O’Reilly did his cause no harm.

He played a part in the opening goal, too, even if his contribution could scarcely be called an assist. The newcomer’s shot was blocked and looped up for Saka, whose opportunistic striker was volleyed in with precision and technique. In the context of both the move and the match, it came out of nothing. England had barely threatened, with 18 minutes elapsing before their first shot of note, which came from Saka but went wide.

There had been a subdued start, Tuchel cutting an animated and seemingly frustrated figure during a break in play that allowed him to lecture his charges. Tuchel had complained about the sound at previous England games. Here the sight may have depressed him, with thousands of empty seats. Some of those who did turn up took the opportunity to throw paper planes.

But the drama had been stripped from the occasion, in part because of the 5-0 win England secured in Belgrade that eased their passage to the United States. Serbia’s prospects of joining them are over. Jordan Pickford, who has not conceded for England for over a year, made a fine save from Filip Kostic. Dusan Vlahovic improvised a flick wide but Serbia only really stirred in the latter stages. And by then, they were facing Foden, Bellingham and Eze. They were indications of England’s strength in depth, men who gave Tuchel much to ponder.