England 1-0 Romania: 5 Talking Points as Marcus Rashford penalty spares Gareth Southgate's blushes

#3 Jordan Henderson returns after 4-month injury lay off

England v Romania - International Friendly

Jordan Henderson made his first competitive appearance since sustaining an injury against Everton in February, as he came on as a second-half substitute. The Liverpool captain missed a penalty, but his return to the side is a massive boost for Gareth Southgate ahead of Euro 2020.

The 31-year-old got valuable game time under his belt in his preferred midfield position, as he kept things ticking and added some much-needed experience to a young England side. The Three Lions have a lot of talented players in the squad, but Henderson is likely to be named in the starting XI against Croatia due to his experience and leadership qualities.

#2 Sam Johnstone impresses on England debut

Sam Johnstone made his England debut, as he replaced Jordan Pickford between the sticks against Romania. The 28-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League and is coming on the back of an outstanding season with West Bromwich Albion despite suffering relegation.

"I got quite emotional when I heard the national anthem and everyone was singing it." 💙Hear from Sam following his #ThreeLions debut 💬
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) June 6, 2021

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Johnstone made two routine saves in the first half and didn't have much to do before the interval, as Romania didn't threaten in front of goal. However, he made an outstanding save late in the game, as he got up quickly from a deflected shot to deny the away side from close range.

One man's loss is another man's gain, as he looks set to make the most of Nick Pope's injury absence to consolidate his position in the England squad.

#1 England's star-studded left-flank looked promising

Gareth Southgate named a second-string squad, but England's left flank boasted the likes of Luke Shaw, Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford. The trio combined efficiently and saw a lot of the ball in the first half, indicating that they could well retain their spots against Croatia.

Grealish is one of the best ball-carriers in world football and was one of the best players on the pitch, while Shaw made several overlapping runs into the penalty area. Marcus Rashford didn't enjoy his best game, but he scored the match-winning goal in the second half and is one of England's key players in the final third.