Zlatan Ibrahimovic accused Thomas Tuchel of making a major mistake that left his side playing at a numerical disadvantage in their World Cup quarter-final against Norway.
The Three Lions were taken to extra-time in an energy absorbing contest, but only after the England head coach was forced into making major changes at the half-time break.
Tuchel raised eyebrows with his team selection which, in part, was forced by Jarrell Quansah’s suspension and a number of fitness issues surrounding his key players.
The decision to start with Noni Madueke on the right wing was arguably the most contentious, especially given Bukayo Saka appeared to be somewhere near back to his best in the win over Mexico in the previous round.
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Saka’s Arsenal teammate struggled badly in the first 45 minutes, however, and it was no surprise when he was replaced at the interval.
Madueke’s afternoon began when he was caught needlessly offside after receiving a cross-field pass from Declan Rice before he was penalised for a handball offence when he failed to control a similar ball that was aimed in his direction.
Despite Madueke’s struggles, England controlled the early stages only for the momentum to shift immediately after the first-half hydration break.
Andreas Schjelderup’s outrageous opener opened the scoring but England found their way back into the contest before the break courtesy of Jude Bellingham’s controversial equaliser.
Norway argued the goal should have been ruled out after the ball hit one of the wires that hit the stadium’s spidercam.
Regardless of the ruling, Ibrahimovic pointedly claimed the inanimate object had more of an impact on proceedings than the former Chelsea winger.
‘It [the hydration break] changed a little bit because Jude Bellingham has been the most active player for England,’ Ibrahimovic told Fox Sports.
‘But I think they’re playing with one player less so far Madueke has been on the pitch, I have to say every time he gets the ball he makes the wrong decision, and he’s walking on the pitch.
‘If I’m Tuchel I change him because he’s done nothing this first 45.
‘Even in the hydration break didn’t help him. He’s played but he’s not started every game, they [England] started with one guy less.’
On the match officials failing to spot the offence that should have seen Bellingham’s fifth goal of the tournament ruled out, Ibrahimovic added: ‘If it touched the cable, it touched the cable.
‘But if it touched the cable the cable had a better performance than Madueke, for sure.’