Mount seals weird ’ n wonderful comeback

bench due to a muscle strain. Southgate recalled Jordan Pickford in goal, ignored the clamour to keep in- form Jack Grealish in his team and named three right- footed defenders in his back three, including Kyle Walker, who won his 50th cap.

Southgate also opted for Trippier at left wing- back again instead of the more natural alternatives of Bukayo Saka and Ainsley MaitlandNiles. In fact, the only left- footed player on the pitch was in goal.

His line- up did smack of caution, but he would argue he knows what he is doing and point to the fact England had kept a clean sheet in each of their last six games. Another one here would be the longest run of games without conceding a goal in the team’s history.

But this was Belgium, not Belarus, the best team on the planet and one containing supreme threats like Kevin De Bruyne, Lukaku, Thomas Meunier and Yannick Carrasco. At least Eden Hazard was unavailable due to a thigh problem.

And home hopes of another shutout were soon ruined when a lightning counter- attack from Belgium saw Eric Dier trip Lukaku to concede a penalty.

Lukaku, who bullied the England defence from start to finish, picked himself up to beat Pickford with ease and give the visitors a deserved lead with his 53rd international goal in the 16th minute.

De Bruyne and Meunier then went close as Martinez’s men began to school their hosts and exploit a left- hand side full of right- footed players. Who’d have thought it?

The gap in the world rankings might have been only three places, but it might as well have been 30.

But then England were offered a lifeline out of the blue when Meunier dragged down Jordan Henderson to concede a spot- kick at the opposite end, which Rashford dispatched in the 39th minute.

The Three Lions then grew in confidence to enjoy some parity and Mount sealed the unlikely win when his shot deflected off Toby Alderweireld before looping over Simon Mignolet to provide a strange ending to a strange game.