Gareth Southgate saw no need to lift Harry Kane after the striker's penalty miss sent England out of the World Cup.
Kane missed a spot-kick late on against France in the quarter-finals, having previously beaten his Tottenham team-mate Hugo Lloris from 12 yards in a thrilling clash that Les Bleus won 2-1.
Yet that failure has not seemed to disrupt Kane's fine season with Tottenham. The 29-year-old has scored 10 goals since the season resumed, with his latest coming against Southampton on Saturday.
And Southgate never felt he had to "pick up the phone" to his captain, who matched Wayne Rooney as England's record goalscorer with his successful penalty against France.
"I don't think it's a big hurdle really," Southgate said of Kane, who has been named in England's squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine.
"I had a good chat with him while we were away. I sent him a message before he went back to his club and then I took a step back and had a look at how it was, and I haven't really felt the need to pick the phone up.
"It is there in his performances for Spurs. Sometimes you can busy yourself and look for a pat on the back by getting in touch with a player but I can't take any credit for what he's done."
Kane became Spurs' leading goalscorer in the club's history when he netted against Manchester City in February, surpassing the great Jimmy Greaves.
"What I've observed is a player still super-confident, still ready to perform, still hungry to score goals," Southgate continued.
"He's obviously gone through the personal landmark with Spurs and then there's this one that he's going to nail with us at some point.
"I actually spoke to him earlier this week, but I've been able to take a step back and let him get on with it. Sometimes there's no need to interfere."
Other players who have overcome a setback while on England duty to thrive at club level this season are Arsenal's Bukayo Saka and Manchester United star Marcus Rashford.
Both enjoyed strong World Cups, having failed to score from the spot in the penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy in the final of Euro 2020.
Saka has scored 10 goals and assisted a further nine in the Premier League for leaders Arsenal, while Rashford has netted 27 times for United.
"[He] makes me smile. You feel a warmth," Southgate said of Saka.
"You feel a fabulous human being who has broken his way into the team at Arsenal at a time they weren't playing so well – and excelled. Now here they are pushing for the title – and he's excelling again.
"He's recovered from the obvious setback with us. He has the warmth of the fans with him who can see what he's about, can see the genuine nature of his personality.
"He's a top player. He's more and more of a goal threat, he's creating chances, he is totally reliable without the ball. He's a proper team player. I can't speak highly enough of him."
On Rashford, Southgate enthused: "You can see the confidence. He is benefiting from the environment at the club.
"He's in that flow that every player and athlete wants to be in. You can't remain in it forever and you have to try to get back into it when you are out of it, but he is definitely in that moment and he must feel super-confident."
Iraola sees Manager of the Season nomination as vindication of Bournemouth's work
Andoni Iraola sees his nomination for the Premier League's Manager of the Season award as something for everyone at Bournemouth to be proud of, vindicating their progress in 2023-24.
Bournemouth welcome Brentford to the Vitality Stadium for their penultimate game of the campaign on Saturday, with a top-half finish still on the cards.
The Cherries have already surpassed their previous record points haul in the top flight, accumulating 48 despite failing to win any of their first nine matches under Iraola – a run which led to suggestions he could lose his job.
However, they have been rewarded for sticking with the Spaniard, who is up against Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, Jurgen Klopp and Unai Emery in the Manager of the Season voting.
"I think it's something for the club. People think that we have done a very good season and it's good to see yourself get this kind of recognition," Iraola said on Friday.
"I think we still have a lot of room to grow and we have to continue improving because, in the end, the Premier League is very demanding.
"I think the other nominees are on another level, I would say. They are the top four teams in the league.
"It's good that a club like us receives this kind of recognition but in the same way it could have gone to Sean Dyche or Gary O'Neil, they are also doing very good jobs."
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has heaped praise on his opposite number, saying: "He's done well this season. Praise to him and everyone around Bournemouth.
"He had a tricky start and it's just another example that there are a lot of good coaches out there and that football is brutal and unpredictable.
"But the best leaders are there with a calm head and a steady hand – they keep going. They've done well in many ways, definitely."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bournemouth – Dominic Solanke
Solanke has opened the scoring in nine different Premier League games so far this season, more than any other player.
His goals have also been worth a league-high 15 points for the Cherries this term – can he fire them one step closer to a top-half finish?
Brentford – Ivan Toney
Toney has failed to score in any of his last 10 Premier League games for Brentford.
Only in his first 11 Football League appearances for Northampton Town in 2013-14 has he failed to find the net in more consecutive league games for a single team. With time running out to impress England boss Gareth Southgate ahead of Euro 2024, he needs to end his drought.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Brentford's last two Premier League games have seen them lose 1-0 to Everton and draw 0-0 with Fulham. They have not failed to score in three or more consecutive league games since a run of four in March and April 2019.
The Bees have, however, kept a clean sheet in their last two away league games against Bournemouth, last doing so on three consecutive visits between 1991 and 1994 in the third tier.
The Cherries are winless in their last six league games against Brentford since a 1-0 Championship victory back in August 2014, drawing two and losing four.
With little of substance on the line, it would be no surprise to see this one fizzle out into a draw.
Bournemouth have only won their final home league game in one of the last four seasons, beating Millwall in the Championship in 2021-22 but losing their other three in that span.
Brentford, meanwhile, have seen four of their last seven Premier League matches finish level, their only defeat in that run coming at Goodison Park two weeks ago.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bournemouth – 32.6%
Brentford – 39.1%
Draw – 28.3%
Guardiola shrugs off Rodri's Player of the Season snub ahead of Fulham trip
While Pep Guardiola feels Rodri was deserving of a nomination for the Premier League's Player of the Season award, he expects the midfielder to shrug off that rejection and stay focused on the title race.
Rodri was surprisingly omitted from the eight-man shortlist for the league's top individual prize when it was revealed on Thursday, with team-mates Phil Foden and Erling Haaland making the cut.
That is despite the Spaniard playing a key role as City chase an unprecedented fourth straight league title, and three wins from their last three matches will ensure they edge out Arsenal to retain their crown.
Ahead of Saturday's trip to Fulham, where City have a chance to go top of the table before Arsenal face Manchester United on Sunday, Guardiola said there was no doubt over Rodri's importance.
"He has been one of the best. The nominated players deserve it, other players also deserve it. The winner of the trophy will deserve it, and the ones who don't will too," Guardiola said.
"We know what we think of the importance of him, how magnificent and extraordinary he is as a player. He should not be worried about it.
"When I won [Manager of the Season], it's because we won. It's because your team won a title, won games. The award is not for me – I didn't play one minute."
Fulham caused a stir earlier this week when their social media accounts posted a video of some players flying kites during a training session, sparking fears among Arsenal fans that the mid-table side may be 'on the beach'.
Boss Marco Silva, however, insists that is not the case, saying: "They had one moment after training. It's not even a case to be talked about.
"I have been asked, as we say in England, whether the players are going to be on the beach. It's not the case. If my players are a little bit relaxed, I am the first one to put some pressure on them."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Fulham – Rodrigo Muniz
Fulham's recent drop-off in form has coincided with the goals drying up somewhat for Muniz, who will be looking to return to form on Saturday.
He scored eight times in eight Premier League appearances through February and March but has since netted once in his last six – in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace last time out at Craven Cottage.
Manchester City – Rodri
Rodri has assisted six goals in his last eight Premier League appearances, including two last week against Wolves.
City have not lost any of their last 47 Premier League games in which the Spaniard has featured, the fourth-longest unbeaten run any player has ever recorded in the competition.
MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN
City have won their last 15 meetings with Fulham in all competitions. It is the joint-longest winning run any team has ever managed against another in competitive English football history, with theCitizens also having 15-game sequences against Bournemouth and Watford.
Fulham have only won one of their previous 15 home Premier League games against City (five draws, nine defeats), winning 2-1 under Chris Coleman in November 2005.
They have also gone three home games without victory, drawing with Crystal Palace and losing to Newcastle United and Liverpool in what represents their worst run on home soil this season.
With City unbeaten in their last 20 Premier League games (16 wins, four draws), it's difficult to see a surprise taking place on Saturday.
Guardiola's champions have been truly rampant in recent weeks, winning their last six league games while netting four or more goals in five of them – against Aston Villa (4-1), Palace (4-2), Luton Town (5-1), Brighton and Hove Albion (4-0) and Wolves (5-1).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Fulham – 15%
Manchester City – 61.7%
Draw – 23.3%
'The owners have common sense' – Ten Hag not worried about Man Utd future
Under-fire Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is not worried about losing his job at the end of the season, saying Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have too much "common sense" to sack him.
Ten Hag has faced fierce criticism throughout a dismal season for the Red Devils, who are languishing in eighth in the Premier League table and are in danger of missing out on European qualification.
Monday's crushing 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace was United's 13th in the Premier League this season – their most in a league campaign since 1989-90 (16) – and their 18th in all competitions in 2023-24.
They last suffered more in a single campaign in 1977-78 (19), while their overall tally of 81 goals conceded this term is their most since 1970-71 (82).
With the club preparing to enter a new era after handing control of football operations to minority shareholder Ratcliffe, Ten Hag's future has been the focus of much speculation.
On Friday, the Dutchman was asked if he felt his job could be under threat even if United beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 25.
"No. The owners have common sense," he replied.
"You see we have had 32 different backlines, we've used 14 partnerships at centre-back. When they see we don't have a [fit] left back, they know that will have a negative impact on results.
"It’s a huge FA Cup final. We are happy to be there. It can be a highlight for us this season.
"We know the reason we are underperforming is because of injuries. No team will perform when you have so many injuries in key areas."
Asked if he felt any unease about the fact INEOS had not made a public statement in support of him, Ten Hag said: "This question you have to make to the owners, not to me.
"It's my job to speak to you. I don't care if they do or they don't. I am working on improving and developing my team."
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