Arsenal supporters have expressed widespread disbelief after an ITV reporter's post-match interview with Eberechi Eze following England's 2-0 victory over Serbia at Wembley.
The Controversial Question
The incident occurred after Eze, the Arsenal midfielder, demonstrated exceptional quality in the 90th minute to secure England's win with a spectacular strike into the top corner. However, ITV reporter Gabriel Clarke's subsequent line of questioning left many Gunners fans feeling frustrated and bewildered.
Rather than focusing on Eze's brilliant finish, Clarke asked the 27-year-old whether Phil Foden's routine five-yard pass had been the "key" to the goal. This approach prompted immediate backlash across social media platforms, with Arsenal supporters quickly making their feelings known.
Social Media Backlash
One user on X directly addressed the reporter, writing: "No gaslight a 5-yard pass." Another supporter highlighted the perceived double standard, stating: "If Foden scored from an Eze pass, he would never be asked that question."
The reaction continued with a third fan expressing sheer astonishment: "Wow, just wow," they quoted Clarke's comment before adding. Meanwhile, another observer noted the unusual alignment of football loyalties, saying: "I found it incredible that Arsenal fans had me siding with Sunderland last week. Even more incredible that [Gabriel Clarke] has me siding with Arsenal fans. Outrageous."
England's Perfect Record Maintained
The match itself saw England maintain their perfect record in World Cup qualification under manager Thomas Tuchel. Arsenal teammate Bukayo Saka also scored an equally impressive goal against Serbia during the encounter.
Tuchel had made headlines earlier in the week by discussing his approach to team selection, insisting he wouldn't "crowd the starting eleven with big names" but would instead focus on building a coherent unit. This philosophy was evident when he benched both Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden for the Wembley clash.
Foden later received praise for his performance after coming on as a second-half substitute for Harry Kane, operating in an unfamiliar false nine position.
Following the victory, Tuchel reinforced his message about collective strength: "It's not about building a starting eleven, it's about building a team," the German manager stated. "And that means sometimes everyone is an important player at their club, everyone is used to playing, everyone is disappointed. This is normal, but they've got used to building a team and this is what we want."
England, who have already qualified for next summer's tournament in North America, will conclude their qualification campaign on Sunday against Albania.
