CITY STARLET PALMER SETS CARSLEY ON RIGHT TRACK

NONI MADUEKE sat at St George’s Park last week proclaiming that while this is an exceptionally talented england squad, it is one that will probably fly under the radar. Not all of the names in Lee Carsley’s first under 21 squad are overly recognisable to the public. What Madueke, the exciting PSV eindhoven winger, might not have accounted for was one of Carsley’s relative unknowns Cruyff-turning his way to a magnificent debut goal with the sort of impish cheek that draws gasps. The young midfielder worth remembering in this case is Cole Palmer, at 19 a product of Manchester City’s academy, whose reputation is soaring to such a degree that Pep Guardiola insisted he would not go out on loan this season. The last one Guardiola made this much fuss about was Phil Foden. and that worked out fairly well. Palmer’s goal — stopping his marker dead, sending him packing with one change in direction and eventually fizzing home from an acute angle — came 27 minutes into the new Carsley era. as announcements go, Palmer’s was not bad at all. england were already 1-0 up by that point, Rhian Brewster’s early penalty settling nerves in a team including a fair few who endured the ignominy of a european Championship group-stage exit under aidy Boothroyd in March. There cannot be an awful lot to glean from a home victory in qualifying given you have to travel back a decade — 46 matches — for an england defeat. kosovo arrived with the potential to frustrate but were dealt with professionally, particularly by captain Marc Guehi and his authoritative centre-back partner Taylor Harwood-Bellis. it will ease the pressure on Brewster, whose first under 21 goal came on his 13th appearance. The penalty, manufactured by an incisive Max aarons pass from right back, was struck confidently and will help the Sheffield united striker who has found hitting the net a struggle since leaving Liverpool. Perhaps time with Carsley’s Young Lions will benefit his club form. The signs of what Carsley wants to achieve with this group of players was evident all evening — and the trust in those who are yet to make their mark at club level is an indication of his policy. He has previously worked with Palmer at City and substitute Folarin Balogun with england’s lower age groups. despite their fleeting appearances for City and arsenal, both are considered up there with the best on offer. ENGLAND (4-2-3-1): Bursik 6.5; Aarons 7.5, Guehi 7, Harwood-Bellis 7, Thomas 6.5; Skipp 7 (Doyle 82min), Garner 6.5; Madueke 7.5 (Livramento 82), Gallagher 7.5, PALMER 8 (John-Jules 72, 6); Brewster 7 (Balogun 65, 6). Scorers: Brewster 11 (pen), Palmer 27. Manager: Lee Carsley 6.5. Referee: Oskari Hamalainen 6. Attendance: 5,781.