Smooth for solid crew

JORDAN PICKFORD and Harry Maguire have gone from being solid to spectacular and Gareth Southgate, Steve Holland and the coaching staff deserve a huge pat on the back for realising they have the ability to go beyond what the rest of us see week in, week out.

Managers need to do their due diligence on players.

Are they good tourists? Do they get on with others? Can they raise their mental and physical levels when required? Southgate and Co really have done that.

But players have to take opportunities as well and, in the cases of Pickford (above) and Maguire, they’ve grasped theirs with both hands.