Bukayo Saka scored a hat-trick as England continued their spectacular run in the direction of Euro 2024 with a 7-0 win over North Macedonia at Previous Trafford on Monday.

Saka has turn into an indispensable a part of Gareth Southgate’s aspect since his World Cup brilliance and took his tally to seven targets in his final eight caps to cap off a stellar season for the Arsenal winger.

Harry Kane additionally scored twice, whereas Marcus Rashford and Calvin Phillips scored because the Three Lions maintained a 100% qualifying report after 4 matches.

England is six factors forward of Ukraine on the prime of Group C and ranks first, 9 factors forward of Italy, which has two deferred matches and the primary two factors qualify.

Regardless of an enormous season that ran till mid-June, Southgate took no possibilities as he mentioned it was the strongest crew out there to him.

Manchester Metropolis duo John Stones and Kyle Walker are again in defence, whereas Rashford changed James Maddison from the aspect that thrashed Malta 4-0 on Friday.

The England boss was rewarded with one other show of attacking power and creativeness that underlined fears of fatigue after a protracted marketing campaign.

Kane opened the scoring as he scored his sixth consecutive worldwide to increase his lead because the all-time report goalscorer for England.

Rashford launched his Manchester United teammate Luke Shaw down the left and took Kane’s cross to shoot into the roof of the online and open the gates simply earlier than the half-hour mark.

Good work from Walker and Trent Alexander-Arnold then despatched Saka bursting in from a good angle on his weaker proper foot.

Macedonia goalkeeper Stoll Dimitrievsky made an excellent save from Rashford’s residence purpose after one purpose with Harry Maguire.

However Rashford quickly made amends by scoring his twenty first purpose at Previous Trafford this season from Jordan Henderson’s cross to make it 3-0 at half-time.

Southgate has adopted in Jurgen Klopp’s footsteps in pushing Alexander-Arnold right into a midfield function moderately than beginning at right-back.

With the quantity 10 on his again, Alexander-Arnold confirmed off his outstanding imaginative and prescient with a exact go excessive of the Macedonian protection for Saka, who fired an unstoppable shot into the highest nook two minutes into the second half.

Saka then accomplished his first hat-trick of his profession as Kane’s pinpoint go opened this time up for the guests.

Phillips was then launched as one in every of 4 modifications and had a straightforward activity of tapping into the empty web when Jack Grealish’s cross deflected into his path.

Callum Wilson was ready on the touchline prepared to exchange Kane when the Stones had been introduced down for a penalty with 17 minutes left.

However the England captain made positive of his 58th worldwide purpose earlier than leaving as he volleyed the penalty excessive previous Dmitrievsky.

The Three Lions are already on their approach to Germany subsequent summer season and, on that proof, are the crew to beat inside 12 months.