England's final two games on home soil before the 2026 World Cup were supposed to give Thomas Tuchel's men the perfect send-off for North America. However, instead of being waved off with flowers, the Three Lions left the Wembley pitch to the sound of boos following their 1-0 defeat to Japan on Tuesday, which followed their uninspiring draw against Uruguay four days earlier.

The 12 games of the Thomas Tuchel era have yielded mixed results and performances from England. They remain one of the best sides in international football, even if they haven't played particularly well for extended stretches since the Sir Gareth Southgate era. That said, they are among the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup for several reasons.

Anthony Gordon has caused a stir by claiming that rivals Sunderland are "not a very good team" compared to Newcastle, following the Magpies' disappointing derby defeat at St James' Park. Despite scoring the opener, Gordon was powerless as the Black Cats staged a second-half comeback to secure a 2-1 victory and a league double over Eddie Howe's side.

Legendary former Newcastle United striker Alan Shearer has doubled down on his comments regarding Anthony Gordon's absence from the starting XI against Barcelona. After Gordon strongly denied suggestions he was unwilling to play, labelling the claims as "nonsense", Shearer has publicly stood by his initial criticism of the winger.

The drama began when Anthony Gordon was omitted from Newcastle’s starting line-up for their massive Champions League last-16 first leg against Barcelona last Tuesday. Despite the magnitude of the occasion, the winger was only fit enough for a place on the bench, sparking a wave of criticism from high-profile pundits who questioned his commitment and professional conduct on the night, claims to which the Magpies' man has now emphatically responded.