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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
John Cross

England's exciting fresh start means they might as well book flights to Euros already

Two games into the qualifying campaign and England might as well start booking the flights.

Bukayo Saka was the driving force at Wembley to complete a superb four days for Gareth Southgate.

They saw off Ukraine with relative ease and, having won in Italy last Thursday, they have got one foot in next year’s Euros already.

All the uncertainty following the World Cup now seems a distant memory. That chapter is closed and England are making what feels like a fresh start with renewed energy.

No-one should forget that Italy and Ukraine are easily the toughest opponents in the Group - with apologies to Malta and North Macedonia - and any kind of slip-up could have re-opened old wounds and question marks.

But one thing England are brilliant at is qualifying for major tournaments, they are already in charge of Group C and they can spend the next 15 months getting us excited again for Germany in the summer of 2024.

The nucleus of the team is also looking stronger because Harry Kane extended his England goals record with another to make it 55 and will be as prolific and dangerous as any No9 at next year’s tournament.

It is hard to think of many better centre halves on form in Europe than John Stones, Declan Rice again showed that he belongs on the biggest stage and Jude Bellingham has frightening potential at just 19.

Bellingham was again superb for England (PA)

But it is undoubtedly Saka with his ruthless efficiency and sensational decision making who will really drive this team forward to being among the favourites in 2024.

Winning in Italy for the first time since 1961 was a major hurdle and it felt as if their biggest opponent from Ukraine was the pure emotion of the occasion.

The Ukraine players have been through so much, expended so much emotion and energy because of the war that they deserve praise for rising to every occasion.

England started brightly enough but were beginning to run out of ideas in the face of some resolute defending. Kane missed a couple of chances and James Maddison put a header straight at Ukraine keeper Anatoliyb Trubin.

Saka is a superstar for club and country (PA)

That is when England did what Arsenal have been doing all season. They sent for Saka. Whenever things are a bit tense or tight, Saka just finds a way. It is what has made him such a special player in Arsenal’s title challenge.

Saka cut back inside from the right, switched the ball to his left foot and put a teasing, curling cross to the back post which was an open invitation for Kane.

Kane held off Ukraine defender Oleksandr Karavaev and the ball almost rolled in off the England captain’s shin. Incredibly, it is eight years on Monday since he scored on his England debut - and is showing no signs of stopping.

The 37th minute opener broke the deadlock and, just three minutes later, it was 2-0. Jordan Henderson played a simple ball inside, Saka drifted in from the right right wing before curling a sublime shot into the top corner.

From then on, it was job done. Ukraine just could not find any inspiration. Mykhailo Mudryk was hooked well before the end and Chelsea must be concerned for his form and state of mind while not even Oleksandr Zinchenko could lift them.

The second half was a mere precession. Ivan Toney finally got a cap as a late substitute for Kane which was the bright spot but this camp will go down as a job very well done for Southgate.

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