One of the most complete England performances under Gareth Southgate finally brought down the curtain on a gruelling season, and suggests the national team could scarcely be in better shape a year out from the European Championship.
A fourth win from as many qualifiers means it is already unthinkable that Southgate’s side will not be in Germany next summer, particularly having already got the toughest game in the group, away to Italy in Naples, out of the way.
There was so much to admire about England’s ruthless dismantling of North Macedonia at Old Trafford, in stark contrast to the last time they went on the road for a home game, the 4-0 defeat by Hungary at Molineux a year ago, which was marked by abuse from the stands and left Southgate considering his future.
After the 4-0 win in Malta on Friday, Southgate had laughed at suggestions that ‘Gazball’ could soon come to rival ‘Bazball’ — the nickname for the England Test cricket team’s high-risk approach under Brendon McCullum — but last night’s performance was controlled, clinical and exhilarating, and should have England’s rivals for next summer’s tournament on alert.
The usual caveats apply about the quality of the opposition but North Macedonia are no Malta; they won in Germany and Italy during the last qualification cycle and England have historically struggled to break them down, managing only draws at home in 2002 and 2006.
What should most concern England’s rivals is the sheer scale of Southgate’s options. At points over the past few years, France’s strength in depth in certain positions has been daunting, but England increasingly have an embarrassment of riches of their own.
Bukayo Saka was the standout player last night, bagging a stunning hat-trick despite playing with a sore Achilles tendon, and has made himself undroppable on the right flank, while Marcus Rashford strengthened his case to play on the other side of Harry Kane with a well-taken goal at his home ground.
Southgate has two Treble-winners in reserve in Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, not to mention James Maddison and Raheem Sterling, who missed the camp through injury and may now struggle to get back in unless he can return to top form with Chelsea.
Jadon Sancho, who was a big part of the conversation ahead of the last Euros, is currently way down the pecking order, underlining the depth of England’s talent.
There is a fresh case that Southgate has the most complete front-three in international football
Certainly, there is a fresh case that Southgate has the most complete front-three in international football, and England were devastating last night, with Rashford and Saka stretching the play with their pace, allowing Kane to drop into pockets of space and dictate the play.
Kane brought up 50 goals as England captain with a simple finish at the far post, and later added the seventh from the penalty spot. He also won the ball ahead of Rashford’s close-range strike from Jordan Henderson’s cut-back to make it 3-0.
All of Saka’s goals were eye-catching, particularly the second, a sensational volley into the top corner after deftly bringing down Trent Alexander-Arnold’s raking, first-time pass. Substitute Kalvin Phillips scored his first international goal with a tap-in.
Alexander-Arnold impressed in midfield again, promising to add another dimension to England, although he will need to be tested against stiffer opposition in the build-up to next summer’s tournament. Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid’s latest ‘Galactico’, is still to come in to last night’s side.
As it stands, the only concern for Southgate will be over Harry Maguire’s lack of minutes at Manchester United, although other options are developing at centre-back, which may decrease the manager’s reliance on the 30-year-old before next summer.
