England earned another win in their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a ruthless display against North Macedonia at Old Trafford. The visitors had never lost in England and for 20 minutes looked up to the task of keeping the Three Lions quiet despite the gulf in quality.
Harry Kane’s opener, turned in from a Luke Shaw pass, opened the floodgates and Gareth Southgate’s men feasted on a plethora of chances. No more so than Bukayo Saka, the brightest rising star of England’s next cohort. He opened his own account with a fine twist and finish inside the box before adding two more after half-time to earn a first career hat-trick.
He is forming a cut-throat partnership with Trent Alexander-Arnold, once again pushed into midfield, which could become the foundation stone of Southgate’s next European Championship campaign.
There were impressive performances elsewhere too. Marcus Rashford was a constant threat on the left and became the first Mancheser United player to score for England at Old Trafford since David Beckham. He made a strong case to start ahead of Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling tonight and there was also a first international goal for substitute Kalvin Phillips who was left with a tap-in inside the box.
Relive all the action as England battered North Macedonia at Old Trafford:
