Twitter explodes as Bukayo Saka brace helps England thrash Iran 6-2 in their opening 2022 FIFA World Cup game

Twitter exploded as England battered Iran 6-2 in their opening Group B fixture of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Monday (21 November).

Jude Bellingham opened the scoring for the Three Lions with a looping header. Bukayo Saka made it two with a smashing finish after Harry Maguire brought the ball down from a corner.

Raheem Sterling scored an exquisite third from a magnificent Harry Kane pass before the half time. Saka kept the goals coming after the break and scored his team's fourth.

Mehdi Taremi pulled one back for Iran with a stunner. However, substitute Marcus Rashford made an immediate impact as he found the back of the net in style. Substitute Jack Grealish would then make it six for Gareth Southgate's side.

Taremi added a second for Iran as he converted from the spot in the dying moments of the game.

Fans on Twitter reacted to England's spectacular performance. Here are some the best reactions after the opening Group B fixture of the 2022 FIFA World Cup:

England manager Gareth Southgate asked fans to enjoy football at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

England v IR Iran: Group B - 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar

Manager Gareth Southgate stated ahead of England's opening Group B fixture that their fans should enjoy football and added that he has tried to distance himself from the negativity regarding Qatar's human rights record.

He said (via The Guardian):

“The brief time I’m looking at what the headlines are in the mornings I’m generally burying it anyway because it’s not going to help me. Even more than ever because everything understandably has a slight negative feel about the tournament in general. That’s not a space I want to be in personally, because I can’t afford to be. I’ve got to be thinking about how we win this for our country.”

Southgate continued:

“I genuinely don’t know what the reality of that back home is, I know how everything seems to be being steered but I don’t know if that’s how the public feel. Without being in the pubs and bars and working man’s clubs, I don’t know. I would imagine a lot of them are just hoping to get on with the football."

Explaining his players' approach to the tournament, Southgate said:

"It would be wrong to say that is definite. We are looking forward to it, the players are hugely motivated for it. They recognize everything else. But they should not be embarrassed about being excited. It’s not their decision that we are playing here. They should now focus on what they can control and that’s our training and performances.”