Anthony Gordon said he had been eager to play alongside Trent Alexander-Arnold after the Real Madrid defender created his goal in England’s 2-0 win over Czech Republic on Tuesday.
The result came in the second round of the Nations League, with Gordon giving England the lead by heading Alexander-Arnold’s cross beyond the goalkeeper and into the far corner.
Speaking to ITV after the match, Barcelona winger Gordon said England had controlled the game but still needed to improve in the final third.
“I thought the game was good and we clearly controlled it,” he said. “We could have scored more goals in the end and perhaps we had enough quality in the final third.
“There are some things we need to work on. We need to control the game, press strongly and finish matches properly.”
Gordon said the quality of Alexander-Arnold’s delivery made the difference for his goal, praising the courage and technique required to attempt such a pass.
“I make that run over and over again, and very few players have the ability, technique and bravery to make that pass and risk getting it wrong,” Gordon told BBC. “That is why he is an excellent player, and that is why I was so excited to play with him.”
He added: “He has had his own journey with England. He would have wanted to play more than he did, but he was a great character during this camp and I really enjoyed being around him.”
Alexander-Arnold said Czech Republic’s defensive approach made the match more difficult after they were reduced to 10 players, despite England’s numerical advantage.
“I think it was good,” he told ITV. “They had 10 players, which put more pressure on us to win the game, but in reality it made things more difficult because they became more compact and defensive.
“It is very difficult to break down their defence, but we managed to do it early in the second half. That is what we needed.”
The defender explained that he had spoken to Gordon at half-time about making a run towards the far post if Alexander-Arnold found space to deliver a cross.
“I spoke to Ant [Anthony Gordon] at half-time and told him that if I got into those areas, he had to make sure he got to the far post,” he said, according to BBC. “You do not expect the ball to arrive that quickly, but it did and it worked.”
Alexander-Arnold described playing with Gordon as “a great honour” and said he had focused on moving forward and creating opportunities before producing the assist.
“It is great to play with him,” he said. “I tried to get the ball, find the best way to play, move forward and create chances. I managed to get the assist.”
On his return to the England squad, Alexander-Arnold added: “It is a great honour. Representing my country is a huge honour. I have always wanted to play for England, and that is what I believed in.
“It was about proving that at club level. The manager gave me an opportunity, and hopefully he is pleased with my performance.”
