ENGLAND comfortably beat Andorra 2-0 to take another step towards World Cup qualification.
Thomas Tuchel’s sleepy lions still didn’t look like a team wanting to excite, but they got the job done with relative ease.
It took a first-half headed own goal from Christian Garcia to put the hosts ahead off the back of a Noni Madueke cross.
While Madueke’s Arsenal teammate Declan Rice doubled England’s lead with a headed finish of his own in the 80th minute.
Rice guided a delightful Reece James cross into the back of the net to give the Villa Park crowd something to sing about.
Here’s how SunSport’s Tom Barclay rated each individual England performance…
JORDAN PICKFORD – 6
Predictably had next to nothing to do on his 77th cap, though he did give fans a few kittens with an unnecessary keepie-uppie when under pressure before smashing the ball away.
REECE JAMES – 7
Beautiful cross for Declan Rice’s header in the second half. It was absolutely on a plate from the Chelsea full-back as he continues his England revival under the manager who got the best out of him at club level.
MARC GUEHI – 6
Fine. Little to trouble him on what was his first appearance since being denied a dream deadline-day move to Liverpool.
DAN BURN – 5
There has been little to excite fans from the Tuchel era but one man who has really benefited from the German’s arrival has been big Dan Burn.
The jury remains out after three caps, though, on the 6ft 7in Newcastle star, as to whether he has sufficient quality to be England’s starting centre-back at the World Cup.
MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY – 6
Has not been able to get a game for Arsenal since the season started but slotted back in for England here.
Perfectly adequate display from the 18-year-old – yet do not be surprised if Luke Shaw comes back into the fold soon if he keeps up his fitness, given how Tuchel favours experience.
ELLIOT ANDERSON – 7
Given it was his debut, this was largely encouraging stuff from the Nottingham Forest man.
Combative in the tackle, neat in build-up and telling team-mates where he wanted the ball, he looked comfortable playing for his country, albeit against poor opposition.
Should have scored when Kane laid it off to him, though.
DECLAN RICE – 7
With Anderson alongside him, and the level of Andorra, you might have expected more from Rice going forward in most of this game.
But just before he came off, the Gunners midfielder burst into the box to plant a well-aimed header into the corner to ensure the three points.
NONI MADUEKE – 7 (STAR MAN)
The only real bright spark for the hosts. Madueke – one of four starters for Arsenal, the first time that has happened since 2014 – caused Andorra problems throughout with his dribbling.
Every time he cut inside his full-back he caused problems and it was his deflected cross that forced the opener.
MARCUS RASHFORD – 5
Had a golden chance to put England 2-0 up shortly after the break, following up a saved Eze shot, but somehow missed the target.
The Barcelona loanee was full of running, in fairness, but lacked the guile to cause problems, which is a concern if Tuchel is going to persevere with him.
EBERECHI EZE – 4
With no Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden or Cole Palmer, it was on Arsenal’s new man Eze to provide a bit of magic from No10.
But it was in short supply from the 27-year-old who looked crowded out at times from Andorra’s low block, while the few shots he had could not beat the keeper.
HARRY KANE – 4
Largely anonymous on his 108th cap, which drew him level with Bobby Moore.
He had no service in fairness, and would at least have had an assist had Anderson converted his cut-back.
SUBS
Tino Livramento (for James, 68) – 6
Morgan Rogers (for Rice, 68) – 6
Anthony Gordon (for Rashford, 68) – 6
Ezri Konsa (for Guehi, 76) – 6
Morgan Gibbs-White (for Eze, 78) – 7
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