In his post-match press conference after England's 3-2 win over Spain on Monday night, Gareth Southgate praised his new-look front-three but also hinted that they were under huge pressure before the game.

What did he say?

"I think all three of them (Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling) have understandably had questions asked and all three of them responded with real top performances. We were able to play off them, they retained the ball well for us and allowed us to build...

... As a team, to come here and play the way that they did is a great reference point for the future."

What did he really mean?

The fact that Southgate referenced the recent questions over these three players, especially after the 0-0 draw in Croatia last Friday night, proves that the pressure on them to deliver in Seville was huge in terms of retaining their places in the side.

This would have been particularly pertinent for Rashford, who missed a couple of gilt-edged chances against Croatia, and Sterling who had failed to score for England since 2015 before his double.

As captain, Kane is less likely to be dropped in the future despite not scoring now in his last seven appearances for the Three Lions, but it sounded as though even he needed to prove himself to Southgate in this new formation.

The after-effect

With Southgate then talking about the future and how this performance and result against Spain will stick with his side, it seems as though the front-three of Kane, Rashford and Sterling is here to stay.

This will obviously have an impact on those looking to break into the side, such as 18-year-old Jadon Sancho who made his debut for the senior side against Croatia and looked one of the most creative players on the pitch.

After blowing Spain away so convincingly in the first half, Rashford and Sterling should clearly now retain their places, but Southgate will need to be wary that their inclusion doesn't harm the development of the younger, exciting players that are coming through the system.

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