Harry Kane is on his way to becoming England's GOAT - but Trent Alexander Arnold's international future looks uncertain again: Winners & losers from the Three Lions' win over Latvia as Thomas Tuchel's reunion with Reece James bears fruit

No England player had ever scored 70 goals for their country before Kane netted against Albania at the end of last week. His latest strike - a tap-in at the end of a Declan Rice through ball which scythed through the Latvia box like butter - took him to 71, 17 clear of Wayne Rooney in second place, 54 ahead of the closest active challenger in Marcus Rashford.

Sure, goals in games against minnows are bread and butter to the Bayern Munich striker, but you still have to go out there and get them. In the history of the England national team, there hasn't been a single better scorer, no one even close to being as prolific.

Kane said prior to the Albania win that he believed Tuchel intended to use him as more of an outright No.9, which would in turn limit his freedom to drop deep. That game plan went out the window and he found himself involved all over the pitch that night. On this occasion, Tuchel clearly told him to get within the width of the posts again and stay there. There were a couple of chances that came and went before the 31-year-old got on the scoresheet, and this relentless lust for goals paid off with a tap-in at the back post when Latvia's defenders became mentally weary.

There's also another record within Kane's sights - Peter Shilton's top tally of 125 England caps. He is now only 20 matches away from matching that number. Should Kane become both the leading appearance holder and record scorer, he may not even need to win an international tournament to be considered the best Three Lions player of all time.

There's never been much doubt over James' ability as a footballer, his technique or his touch, his proficiency in all three thirds of the pitch. If his body can hold up, then he's one hell of a player and not many better in his position.

The first manager to truly unlock James' potential was Tuchel, who pushed him as both a wing-back and centre-back in his days as Chelsea boss, and there will always be a special connection between the two. When James' fitness issues began to recur at Stamford Bridge, that's when the German's decline began, so it's no coincidence or surprise he's trying to make up for lost time again.

James' stunning free-kick from 25 yards was a neat reminder of what he can bring to the fold. Tuchel knows more than anyone else, but it was a timely wake-up call to those still sleeping on who the Chelsea captain can be.

James' gain is Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kyle Walker's loss. They were Sir Gareth Southgate's preferred right-backs of choice heading into Euro 2024 last summer, though may not get as much of a look if everyone is fully fit.

Walker is perhaps a little lucky to even still be in England consideration having stumbled through a pretty bleak season on a stark decline to this point. Tuchel has maintained he wants experience and leaders in his setup, yet those are the only two characteristics keeping the veteran 34-year-old in the frame.

There's still hope for Alexander-Arnold despite the manager's warning that he isn't afraid to leave star names at home. An astute tactician like Tuchel will find a use for one of the game's most unique right-backs. Let's just hope it's not in a basic midfield role again, eh?

On a similar note, Jack Grealish continues to tumble down the pecking order for his country. His omission from this camp was unsurprising considering his form, which Tuchel confirmed as the main reason for leaving him behind.

"I love Jack," he said earlier this month. "I love everything about him - his personality, I love his quality, the guy has courage, he can take the heat, he is not affected if the Bernabeu whistles him. So is he a player who can be available and have an impact in our squad? Yes - 100 per cent. But lately he simply has no rhythm, and he knows that himself. I think Jack gets better and better the more minutes he plays. He has the character to be the glue in a team, it is easy for youngsters to attach to him."

So when exactly will Grealish find that 'rhythm' again? It almost certainly won't come at a rebuilding Manchester City. Many Premier League clubs will baulk at any asking price and his substantial wage packet.

The hope for Grealish is also his hindrance - Tuchel has leant heavily on the previously maligned Marcus Rashford this past fortnight and clearly sees the Aston Villa loanee as a key building block for next summer's World Cup. Rashford ought to serve as both inspiration for an out-of-sorts Grealish, yet he also represents an obstacle on his path back into the England XI.

England haven't boasted an undeniably world-class centre-back since the days of peak John Terry and Rio Ferdinand. The closest they've come is John Stones, who can hardly stay fit and is more adept at bringing the ball out rather than keeping it away from goal.

It means there's stiff competition for places in the heart of defence, and with two fine performances over the last few days, Ezri Konsa has boosted his stock tenfold. He held debutant Dan Burn's hand on Friday and had to clean up for the messes Marc Guehi was making on Monday.

Konsa's short-lived campaign on the pitch at the Euros also flew under the radar. His only start came against the Netherlands in the semi-final when Guehi had picked up a suspension, and his confident display was the most reassuring of any England defender that tournament. That he was dropped for the final defeat to Spain felt even harsher in hindsight.

Should Tuchel decide to reintroduce the back-three formation which was so successful at Chelsea, then Konsa would still be suited to the system with his ability to defend both wide and central spaces. He's starting to nail down his place in the setup.

Eyebrows were raised when Tuchel plumped for Konsa over Guehi against Albania, but such a ropey performance against Albania has belatedly vindicated the boss' decision that night.

Latvia's two best chances came courtesy of gaffes from Guehi. Firstly, his collision with Jordan Pickford on the edge of their own box allowed Vladislavs Gutkovskis an open goal from a wide angle. Mercifully, the striker fired wide into the side-netting instead. Later in the first half, the defender slipped and afforded Alvis Jaunzems a shot on goal, with Pickford this time coming to the rescue.

Players can have bad games even against weaker teams. It happens. However, Guehi is fighting for a spot in which you have to split hairs to differentiate between options, and such a performance won't sit well with a ruthless coach like Tuchel.

Even despite Guehi's errors, he continues to do Crystal Palace proud on the international stage with appearances in a Three Lions shirt. On Monday, it was club-mate Eze who got the most love however.

Tuchel loves attacking midfielders who can find pockets of space and get at defenders, offering a new dynamic to a game. Before Eze's introduction in the second half, the Three Lions boss made very clear and deliberate instructions as to how he wanted the 26-year-old to play, to feast on tiring Latvian legs. Ultimately, this led to the final goal of the evening, with Eze drifting inside, tangling a couple of bodies together and seeing his deflected effort roll across the line.

For Palace, who had been starved of England representation for many years, this is dreamland. Eze isn't going to drop off the England stage anytime soon, and the world is recognising how good match-going fans have it down at Selhurst Park seeing him play every week.

There will inevitably be critics of Tuchel and the manners of victory in his opening two games - there always are - but most importantly, he's kept the more fierce wolves at bay for another few months. He doesn't have to worry about selections, performances or results until the end of May having navigated this window so easily.

Had England conceded a goal, let alone dropped points, across these fixtures, then there would be a clear point to attack Tuchel and his approach. That didn't happen and he's in the good books of the English public for another couple of months yet.

Who knows? Maybe next summer, Nike baseball caps with the Three Lions' logo may be all the rage a la Southgate's waistcoat. Ancestry may be inundated with requests to search for German heritage. 'Tommy T' may get patented. We're still incredibly far away from such a future, but it's not off the table, is it?