On Monday evening in Volgograd, Gareth Southgate needed someone to make a name for themselves as Tunisia refused to buckle under English pressure.

Up stepped Harry Kane.

Kane gave the Three Lions the lead in the 11th minute, turning the ball home after Mouez Hassen made a fantastic save from John Stones' goal-bound header.

Tunisia threatened to spoil the party as Ferjani Sassi equalised from the penalty spot later in the first half, as numerous penalty shouts for Southgate's men were turned down by Colombian referee Wilmar Roldán.

But Kane was there once again at the back post to guide the ball in with his head in stoppage time to send a nation into raptures.

It led to pundits and fans alike showering the 24-year-old with the praise he deserved for turning just one point into three, when it seemed like the Eagles of Carthage wouldn't budge as they played for a draw.

Paul Merson though, capped 21 times by England, was far from pleased with what he saw from the number nine.

"If I'm being honest, and i'm one of his biggest fans, I thought he was poor," said Merson to Sky Sports.

"He scored two goals but he brings more to the team than that. He's not a Gary Lineker, he was a 'touch the ball twice and score two goals', that's what he brought to the team.

"They need Harry Kane to hold the ball up and bring other players into the game and I don't think he did that, but I'm thinking more towards the knockout stages now."

So it seems Merson is confident of England's progression into the last 16 of the tournament, but despite the brace, the former Arsenal man wasn't thrilled with the Spurs hitman's overall play during the 90 minutes.

Leave it out Paul, Harry is the hero this nation deserves!

Kane will be out to prove Merson and his other critics wrong and to continue his exceptional scoring form against Panama on June 24, before a clash with fellow European giants Belgium awaits on June 28.