Ruben Loftus-Cheek could flourish at Chelsea, but needs a manager to share his vision

This was a 0-0 classic. The sort of match that not only gave you a rousing glimpse of the future, but also the here and now. Here was a full international between two ancient sporting enemies that felt like an Under-23 match with a few older heads wheeled along to drink from the fountain of football youth in a rather curious generation game. And how 81,381 fans lapped up the stalemate under the Friday night lights of Wembley.

So much for the claim that friendly fare is turgid. These enlivening 90 minutes on a nippy November night filled you with a warmth that would have provided enormous pleasure for the national coach Gareth Southgate, a manager who should garner more goodwill for his side’s performance against Germany than the final six or so matches he negotiated in a successful, but ultimately languid World Cup qualifying campaign.

England were without Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Harry Winks among others, but the glistening Spurs triumvirate were hardly hankered after at the adopted home of Tottenham. The 23-year-old Eric Dier produced a performance of real substance in central midfield wearing the captain’s armband with as much ease as Bryan Robson, almost providing the opening goal on 58 minutes from a Ruben Loftus-Cheek pass only for the superb visiting captain Mats Hummels to knock the ball over the bar.

But that should be expected from a youthful yet time-served tradesman like Dier. The surprise successes for England came in the form of lofty debutant Loftus-Cheek in the classic No. 10 role and the young Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, whose frame is hardly going to be underworked at Goodison Park this weather. It is easy to see why Everton handed over a whopping £25m to land him from Sunderland.

To understand the ongoing and quite astonishing excellence of Germany, it should be noted that Joachim Low’s world champions fielded more players under the age of 23 than England. Which suggests they will hardly be shortly of options as they set about defending the World Cup trophy in Russia.

They also possess the Premier League’s most potent performer in the form of the slippery and enterprising Leroy Sane, who almost invoked the spirit of the World Cup final in 1966 in the first half when he thundered a shot at goal from distance only for the ball to bounce back off the underside of the bar and back out with Pickford well beaten.

Sane will be rampant in Russia, but A special mention should also go to Mesut Ozil, who seems to discover extra space representing Germany that is denied him at Arsenal. The influence of Ilkay Gundogan helps, but he appears less constricted with his national team.

On this evidence, the German machine is well oiled even with seven months to go until they begin their defence. They remain the hallmark of excellence in the world game, and Low must be licking his lips at their prospects of back-to-back World Cups.

Yet in such experimental environs, England have at least unearthed 21-year-old Loftus-Cheek and a goalkeeper in Pickford who could soon be removing Joe Hart from his position as number one.

Without Pickford, England would have been played out of this match in the first half as he made eye-catching stops from Timo Werner amid a handling and distribution exhibition the equal of Marc-Andre ter Stegen at the other end.

"If the kids are united, then we will never be divided," sung the punk band Sham 69 at about the same time England last fielded such an inexperienced side. Apparently that came under Ron Greenwood in Australia back in 1980. A match billed as some of sham was a thing to behold. There is no substitute for inexperience.

Even Joe Gomez and Jack Cork arriving from the bench did not endanger the feeling that England are onto something with their new generation, if not the golden one. Five debutants was the most England fielded in a single match since a meeting with Sweden five years ago, and they added a thrilling rawness to happenings.

If Chelsea feel it made sense to farm Loftus-Cheek out to Crystal Palace, it does make you wonder what future the boy has at Stamford Bridge. Antonio Conte has apparently bemoaned being denied a level of finance to furnish his squad with riches during the summer transfer window. But was it wise to let a creative force such as Loftus-Cheek move to Palace on loan?

This is a kid who is easily good enough to play for the English champions. He is described as a shy lad yet he is a menacing 6ft 4in figure at No. 10. He is the modern footballer: he floats, dribbles and can pierce defences with an elegant gait. He was close to scoring a deflected opener at the end of the first half.

His on-loan Palace companion Tammy Abraham was busy on his debut, almost connecting with a Jamie Vardy cross in the opening seconds, but it was Loftus-Cheek who was the evening’s most poignant figure, rightfully winning the game’s man-of-the match award for his vision and creative instincts.

"He is capable of anything. He has the physical attributes and can handle the ball," said Southgate. "He will gain huge confidence from it."

It should be interesting to see how he holds up against Brazil in the last friendly of the year on Tuesday, but what is more fascinating is the longer game in how he can develop.

In a summer when England's bright young things won the U20 World Cup, the U17 World Cup, the U19 Euros and the Toulon tournament, the biggest doubt is not whether this crop are skilful enough to cut it in such febrile atmospheres, but whether they will get a chance to progress in the Premier League.

Finding a manager to trust them is the greatest challenge of all. For that alone, by accident or design, Southgate's support structure should not be undersold.