England winger Jack Grealish owes Trent Alexander-Arnold £500 after the Liverpool defender scored a superb free-kick in the 3-1 Nations League victory over Finland.
Leading 1-0 through Grealish’s first-half goal, Alexander-Arnold whipped home a 74th-minute set-piece to give Lee Carsley’s side some much-needed breathing room.
“I said, as a joke, if you score this I’ll give you 500 quid – and he just slapped it in the top bin. I owe him,” Grealish told ITV1.
Declan Rice added a third goal with six minutes to go before Arttu Hoskonen scored a late consolation for the hosts as England returned to winning ways after the upset at home to Greece.
“I think we could have had a few more, especially towards the end when the game opened up,” added Grealish.
“It was difficult at times in the first half. At the end I think we are bit gutted as players to concede from a set-piece. We needed a win today so happy with that.”
Grealish was England’s most threatening player in Helsinki as he returned to the team after a knock kept him out of 2-1 loss to Greece.
Rice believes the Manchester City winger has got something “really special”.
“Do you know how good Jack Grealish is?” he said on ITV. “Honestly, you watch him in training and in games, and he’s got something that’s really special as a football player.
“I’m not saying that because he’s one of my best friends in football; the way he takes the ball under pressure, takes touches, relieves you of pressure as a team is just incredible.
“For him to score again for England, and he’s been playing loads at Man City as well, he’s looked really confident.
"Do you know how good Jack is?!" ☝
Declan Rice full of praise for his England teammate Jack Grealish #ITVFootball | @gabrielclarke05 🎤 | @_DeclanRice pic.twitter.com/VJPp1NA9io
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) October 13, 2024
“I’m buzzing for him – when we’ve got a Jack Grealish who is happy and smiling and playing well, he’s a massive boost for England and I think everyone can see that.”
Carsley’s position as interim boss is no clearer after he suggested he was not ready to take the job on a full-time basis, before intimating he has not ruled himself out.
While Carsley’s future remains uncertain, Rice says the squad are loving his approach.
“Since he has come in he has been so refreshing, so honest, so up front, he just wants us to go out and play with freedom and I think you can see us, we are playing really well out there,” he said.
“We are really enjoying our time under him, especially with Ashley Cole and Joleon Lescott, the whole team is really buying into what they are trying to do.
“There’s always going to be bumps in the road, he has got a way of playing and he always wants us to stick to that.”