Lee Carsley made a winning start as interim England coach beating Republic of Ireland 2-0 in Nations League Group B2.
Goals from Declan Rice and Jack Grealish secured a 2-0 victory over Ireland, as Angel Gomes and Morgan Gibbs-White made their debuts from the bench.
Carsley, a Republic of Ireland international during his playing career, will hope the result quietens the pre-match furore over his decision not to sing England’s national anthem.
The two-goal cushion proved sufficient for England to begin the post-Southgate era with a win which puts them top of Nations League Group B2 having dropped down from League A in the last edition of the competition.
Rice and Grealish struck in the space of 15 first-half minutes to respond to the boos of the home fans at the Aviva Stadium for having switched allegiance from Ireland to England as youngsters.
Rice declined to celebrate his goal – slammed home from the centre of the box – but Grealish, back in the team after being omitted from the squad for Euro 2024, enjoyed his moment having found the corner from Rice’s cut-back to cap a slick England move.
England fans hoping to see a more attacking style away from Southgate could take encouragement from their first-half display, with Harry Kane and the Anthony Gordon also going close and Trent Alexander-Arnold running the show from right-back
But Ireland, embarking on a new era of their own under new coach Heimir Hallgrimsson, showed improvement after the one-sided first period, with Sammie Szmodics firing a good chance wide after the break having been set up by Chiedozie Ogbene.
England lost their rhythm after half-time but did have chances to extend their lead, with Bukayo Saka denied by Caoimhin Kelleher in stoppage time.
