England’s goal-shy forwards not lacking in belief, says Jarrod Bowen

Jarrod Bowen insists England’s forwards are confident they can weigh in with enough goals to take the pressure off captain Harry Kane.

The Three Lions have scored just once in their three Nations League group games this month – a late Kane penalty in the 1-1 draw away to Germany last week.

That was the 50th senior England goal of Kane’s career, while the rest of the current squad does not have that total combined.

Raheem Sterling, who has guilty of missing a sitter in Saturday’s 0-0 stalemate with Italy at Molinuex, is next up with 19 goals, with Bowen yet to get off the mark having only made his debut in the loss to Hungary at the start of the current international break.

With other attacking talent like Mason Mount, Bukayo Saka and Jack Grealish alongside Sterling, Kane and Bowen, it is a surprise to see England struggling for goals.

Manager Gareth Southgate admitted it was a “concern” how reliant his side are on Kane, with Bowen accepting some of the other players need to pick up the slack.

Asked if the forwards are aware Kane needs support, the West Ham man replied: “Yes, 100 per cent.

“As forwards you look to the goals that you score and the assists you come up with. Speaking on an individual basis, I have had chances and been in positions where I am getting chances.

“I think we are in the right positions and I think (against Italy) we had a few chances as well. It’s just about converting those chances and being really ruthless.

“It’s not that we don’t score in training. The confidence is definitely there. I don’t see why it wouldn’t be.

“It is just fine margins and that final execution. You score two, three goals and the game is a different story.”

Bowen may have only just made his England bow, but he has been impressed by Southgate having worked with him at close-quarters.

Southgate said over the weekend he would not outstay his welcome as he hit back at critics labelling him a conservative manager and Bowen believes any negativity surrounding the 51-year-old is misplaced.

“Yes, 100 per cent,” he replied when asked if the negativity towards Southgate was harsh.

“I think you look at the results that we’ve had these three games, there has been one goal in each game, except for (the Italy game) where it was obviously no goals.

“The margins are really tight and I think that is something I’m learning in international football.

“We’ve haven’t had a big-scoring game since I’ve come here and I think that comes down to the quality of the teams and the margins in it.

“He gave me the opportunity to play for my country, so I will always be grateful to the manager. And like I said, it’s such fine margins in the international game.

“On another day with the games that we’ve had, we’ve had chances, so we would be coming back off three wins instead of not having a win so far. It’s tight.”