Michael Carrick back in favour with England
Three months ago, Michael Carrick was rounded on by England fans for making himself unavailable for the European Championship.
Three months ago, Michael Carrick was rounded on by England fans for making himself unavailable for the European Championship.
On Wednesday, he was wearing the captain's armband in a friendly win over Italy, speaking positively about his future in the national team and being hailed by some as the answer to England's problems in midfield.
Talk about a change in fortunes.
In the absence of rested pair Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker, Carrick brought composure and an impressive range of passing in England's 2-1 victory in Bern, Switzerland.
One of England's major problems at Euro 2012 was its failure to keep hold of ball, an issue often highlighted at major tournaments over the past decade when compared to the pass-happy midfield units of Spain, the Netherlands and Portugal.