England 7-0 North Macedonia: Three Lions attacking stars provide Gareth Southgate with a welcome selection headache

Bukayo Saka scored the archetypal hat-trick of his elder vocation successful England's 7-0 triumph implicit North Macedonia.

Bukayo Saka's beaming grin was the indicator of conscionable however times person changed for England since they past took their amusement connected the roadworthy astatine home.

The full stadium roseate to Saka erstwhile helium was substituted and did truthful again for England aft a richly-entertaining romp to triumph made it 4 wins from 4 successful their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.

It would instrumentality thing wholly bonzer for England not to qualify, particularly with their toughest crippled done and dusted pursuing triumph against Italy successful Naples.

This was each a acold outcry from the erstwhile occasion, astir precisely a twelvemonth ago, erstwhile England past played a location crippled distant from Wembley.

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It ended successful a 4-0 thrashing against Hungary successful a Uefa Nations League crippled astatine Molineux - a decision and show that produced specified a toxic absorption from location fans that it factored into manager Gareth Southgate's thoughts arsenic helium considered whether to widen his enactment aft the World Cup.

Southgate decided to transportation connected aft England mislaid the quarter-final to France successful Qatar - and conscionable 1 look astatine the prime astatine his disposal makes it casual to spot why.

We indispensable use the accustomed caveat here, though, arsenic the modular of opposition, some present and successful the 4-0 triumph successful Malta connected Friday, was decidedly sub-standard.

It is dealing with elite absorption wherever England's problems person arisen and they whitethorn not get the accidental to genuinely trial themselves until they get to Germany for adjacent year's Euros.

It is inactive possible, however, to respect the prime of England's enactment and it is beyond question that Southgate has scintillating attacking endowment astatine his disposal.

And the prima of this peculiar amusement was Saka, with 1 peculiar narration gathering successful this squad and already showing signs of bringing affluent dividends for England successful times to come.

Southgate's determination to deploy Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold successful midfield was the large experimentation and talking constituent of these 2 qualifiers. It has been a resounding success, particularly arsenic helium appears wholly tuned successful to the aforesaid wavelength arsenic Saka.

They combined successful the build-up to England's archetypal extremity successful Malta and were progressive successful the existent "X Factor" infinitesimal of this triumph against North Macedonia conscionable aft half-time.

As helium did successful Malta, Alexander-Arnold picked retired Saka with a cleanable agelong pass. This clip Saka brought it nether control, successful the 2nd lawsuit with his chest, earlier lashing a spectacular volley past helpless North Macedonia keeper Stole Dimitrievski.

The evident joyousness of his team-mates erstwhile helium completed his treble - and erstwhile they sought him retired with the lucifer shot astatine the last whistle - showed Saka is not conscionable lavishly talented, but highly popular.

Harry Kane, arsenic usual, was connected people arsenic helium broke the deadlock with his 57th extremity for England, past added different with a penalty. Marcus Rashford, truthful unsafe successful the archetypal half, scored from Jordan Henderson's unselfish pass.

Southgate was capable to deploy Manchester City's Champions League-winning duo Phil Foden and Jack Grealish from the bench. The second received a rapturous reception successful the improbable surroundings of Old Trafford, his estimation seemingly enhanced by those, shall we say, enthusiastic celebrations aft the glory of triumph implicit Inter Milan successful Istanbul.

Jude Bellingham, regarded by galore arsenic England's standout superstar of the future, was not progressive arsenic the teenager, who has moved to Real Madrid successful a woody that could beryllium worthy £115m, was retired done injury. He volition travel consecutive backmost successful erstwhile fit.

Southgate present has a blessed dilemma and clip to find the answers, with qualification much of little assured and a existent ambiance of assurance and optimism gathering astir the camp.

The squad that bushed North Macedonia volition signifier the ground of England's squad for the Euros, though Chelsea's Reece James, erstwhile fit, volition situation Kyle Walker astatine right-back.

Harry Maguire volition surely request to beryllium playing regularly, presumably astatine determination different than Manchester United, to support those with eyes connected his spot astatine bay.

Foden and Grealish volition marque their claims for a spot connected the flanks, portion Raheem Sterling volition anticipation to find his champion signifier aft a mediocre play astatine Chelsea.

But it is successful midfield wherever eyes are already being focused aft the occurrence of Alexander-Arnold's power to the precocious presumption helium has occupied much precocious for Liverpool.

Declan Rice volition commencement and Bellingham's spot is non-negotiable, truthful volition Southgate opt for the safer enactment of either Kalvin Phillips oregon Jordan Henderson alongside Rice oregon volition Alexander-Arnold beryllium the answer?

It whitethorn beryllium a thornier occupation for Southgate against amended teams, but it is simply a pleasant occupation to have.

So overmuch depends, precise obviously, connected however adjacent play pans retired but England could not beryllium successful amended signifier to suffice for Germany adjacent summer.

Given England's quality, determination should beryllium nary excuse for them not lone reaching Euro 2024, but going heavy into it arsenic they question to spell 1 amended than their past ace astatine this tourney erstwhile they mislaid successful the last to Italy astatine Wembley.

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