Football

England vs North Macedonia Player Ratings: Three Lions score seven at Old Trafford

June 19, 2023 10:14 pm
England vs North Macedonia Player Ratings: Three Lions score seven at Old Trafford
England's Bukayo Saka celebrates scoring their side's second goal of the game during the UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifying Group C match at Old Trafford, Manchester. Picture date: Monday June 19, 2023. - Photo by Icon sport

  • England secure mammoth 7-0 victory over North Macedonia at Old Trafford.
  • A Bukayo Saka hat-trick, two from Harry Kane and a goal apiece from Rashford and Phillips gave Southgate’s men a famous win.
  • The win leaves England six points clear at the top of Group C in the race for Euro 2024 qualification.

England Player Ratings: England’s forwards enjoy a night to remember

Jordan Pickford 6/10 – Wasn’t tested at all and may as well have sat in the Stretford End.

Kyle Walker 7/10 – Enjoyed being able to bomb forward without fear and got himself an assist for Saka’s first goal.

Harry Maguire 7/10 – Against opposition like this, Maguire looks every inch a top-level player. Given space, he can pick out a pass perfectly.

John Stones 7/10 – Although he was meant to be playing more of an orthodox centre back, Stones found himself in midfield for much of the night due to how much possession his team had.

Luke Shaw 8/10 – Looked very much at home bombing down the left wing at Old Trafford. Linked up well with Rashford, as you would expect, and set up Kane for the night’s first goal.

Declan Rice 7/10 – An easy night in midfield for Rice who will now enjoy a well-deserved couple of weeks off. When we next see him play, could it be in the red of Arsenal?

Trent Alexander-Arnold 7/10 – Against the likes of Malta and North Macedonia he looks a natural in midfield. Jury will remain out until he faces sterner tests but no one can doubt his technique.

Jordan Henderson 7/10 – Kept things ticking over nicely in midfield for England which allowed his team to sustain attacks.

Marcus Rashford 9/10 – Linked up incredibly well with Shaw, Kane and Saka. With a new contract at United imminent, he could take things to a new level again next season.

Harry Kane 9/10 – Looked at home on the Old Trafford turf – if he gets his move to United then the potential link-up with Rashford on a weekly basis could be devastating.

Bukayo Saka 10/10 – A night he will never forget as he netted three goals for his country. All three goals were impressive but the second was the pick of the bunch.

Substitutes

Conor Gallagher 6/10 – Kept things ticking over in midfield.

Jack Grealish 6/10 – Probably only just recovered from his post-Istanbul partying and looks ready for a break after a long season.

Kalvin Phillips 8/10 – Got a goal to round off the evening.

Phil Foden 7/10 – Kept the intensity of the team up when he came on.

England vs North Macedonia Match Summary and Highlights 

England ran riot at Old Trafford on Monday night as they made another big step forward to securing their place at Euro 2024 in Germany next summer. After beating Malta on Friday via a professional performance, it was party time in Manchester on Monday.

After breaking the deadlock via a Harry Kane goal in the 30th minute, the floodgates then opened and Southgate’s men took a 3-0 lead into halftime. After the break, Bukayo Saka very quickly secured his first ever hat-trick as a senior professional before Southgate brought on some fresh faces.

The changes didn’t seem to stop England’s flow, however, as another two goals quickly followed from Kalvin Phillips and Harry Kane. With their work now done until September, the players can look forward a well-earned break after a gruelling season that for many of them has been non-stop since early August.

Player of the Match: Bukayo Saka

After ending the season poorly for Arsenal, the young winger was back to his very best tonight as he netted a memorable hat trick at Old Trafford. His first was a thunderous strike into the roof of the net with his right foot and his third was a cool finish from a one-on-one situation. The second, though, was a thing of complete beauty. After picking up the ball on the right-hand side, he flicked it over a defender’s head with his first touch before thumping the ball past the goalkeeper on the volley from outside the box.

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