Over on the left, Marcus Rashford was busy softening North Macedonia up with his direct running and mazy dribbles. Further back, Declan Rice was holding his position in defensive midfield, maintaining his discipline and making sure to keep possession ticking over. Meanwhile Jordan Henderson was in ultra-pest mode, all boundless energy as he charged down every lost cause, a one-man pressing machine who appeared to be on a mission to prove that meaning can be found even in a facile mid-June Euro 2024 qualifier played on a Monday night in Manchester.
This was England at their most merciless. There is a remorselessness to the way they squeeze lesser teams, control territory and shut down space now. It was as if they knew there would come a point when Trent Alexander-Arnold, revelling in his new midfield role, would be sweeping a wonderful first-time pass over a ragged North Macedonian defence and Bukayo Saka, cutting in from the right and letting fly with his left foot, would be making it 4-0 by crashing in a stunning shot from 25 yards.
It would be five before long, Harry Kane sliding a rampant Saka through to complete his joyous hat-trick, and at that stage it was interesting to consider the difference between this England side and past, choked generations. After all there was a time when England would have panicked when, to the naked eye, it seemed they were struggling to break down limited but stubborn opposition. The passing would have been in unimaginative straight lines and the runs down the flanks would have been too predictable. Everything would have become angry and frustrated, and the night would have ended in another lament about England’s technical failings.
The danger was clear. England have come unstuck against Macedonia during previous qualifying campaigns, drawing at home with them in 2002 and 2006. Gareth Southgate had warned that Blagoja Milevski’s side, who have triumphed away to Germany and Italy recently, were not to be taken lightly.
In that context Southgate had to be satisfied with England’s patience when the game was in the balance. There was no wasted energy, no loss of shape. England made sure not to force the issue and, with Alexander-Arnold’s passing range allowing them to vary the angles of their attack, the sense was that they would pick the right time to go in for the kill.
It was Rashford who provided the moment of ignition in the 29th minute. Handed a start on his home ground, this was a big game for the Manchester United forward. Much has been made of Rashford’s repeated withdrawals from England camps. It meant he was under pressure to impress after starting on the bench during the 4-0 win in Malta last Friday. Southgate, after all, has more than enough options in attack. There was no room in this squad for Raheem Sterling – can he force his way back in? – and, with Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and James Maddison in reserve, Rashford could not afford to freeze.
Yet it soon became clear that he was in the zone. Rashford terrified his markers every time he had the ball, but his part in the opener was a reminder that speed is far from his only asset. Instead, having repeatedly tried to go down the outside and reach the byline, he slowed down after taking a pass from Henderson and proceeded to open the visitors with a subtle touch, threading the ball through Stefan Ristovski’s legs and sending Luke Shaw through to provide Kane with a simple chance.
The floodgates opened after Kane’s first goal of the night. Southgate must have loved it. The next 12 months are about evolution, about exploring the depth of the options at his disposal before the Euros. A 7-0 win after picking Rashford, Kane and Saka together for the first time was a good sign.
So, too, was the way England went through the gears after going ahead. Soon Alexander-Arnold was popping up on the edge of the area and combining with Kyle Walker. Saka, who is fast becoming undroppable on the right, jinked inside and lashed in the second.
It became a rout. Two minutes before half-time England produced something that may come to be known as Total Gazball, as Rashford played another pass down the left and Harry Maguire rumbled up from centre-back to create a chance. Moments later Henderson set up Rashford for the third.
With Alexander-Arnold retrieving possession and growing more comfortable in midfield, England were devastating. Playing in between Rashford and Saka suited Kane, who kept dropping deep to pick out their runs. Yet England, who did not even have Jude Bellingham, were a multi-dimensional proposition. There was more trickery when Grealish and Foden came on in the second half. Southgate has so many ways of winning a game. It all starts with England’s suffocating control.
