Elliott Anderson and Ezri Konsa showed they are becoming key players for manager Thomas Tuchel in England’s 2-0 win over Serbia.
England maintained their perfect World Cup qualifying record thanks to a superb volley from Bukayo Saka and a fine finish from Eberechi Eze.
Here, Sky Sports rates England’s players…
Jordan Pickford – 7
Jordan Pickford has seven qualifiers and seven clean sheets. In fact, you can’t ask for more from a goalkeeper. England have only had three shots on target in their last seven games, showing what a strong and brave Pickford defensive unit they have. They are making his life a lot easier by wearing an England shirt.
Reece James – 8
Reece James with the ball during England vs Serbia
Too often England’s full-backs are simply defensive stoppers or creative attacking outlets. James is both and continues to prove how important he is to the balance of this England squad. When healthy and performing well, there are few players in world football who can match his all-round play. He can defend like a centre-back, attack like a winger and play under pressure like a midfielder.
His one-on-one defending was textbook here, and he took the lead with a clever pass to Saka.
John Stones – 7
Once again, Stones never put a foot wrong in an England shirt. He read the danger before it materialized, stepped forward with his trademark swagger and set up England’s play from the back in the way only he could. But what stood out most was the growing partnership with Ezri Konsa. It’s still early days, but the signs are exciting.
Ezri Konsa – 8
Ezri Konsa’s courage and pace of recovery were outstanding
You can’t play brave soccer without brave defenders. And in that respect, there is a quiet certainty about Ezri Konsa.
The Aston Villa defender put in a performance that eloquently illustrated why Tuchel’s high-line blueprint could be so appealing at international level. Handled on the ball, ice-cool under pressure and blessed with a recovery pace that easily erased mistakes, Konsa looked like the modern-day defender England desperately needed. Dusan Vlahovic is a powerful runner who can bully any center back in the world, but Konsa dealt with him without breaking a sweat.
Nico O’Reilly – 7
Nico O’Reilly makes England debut against Serbia
Debut may be difficult. The tension, the pace, the anticipation. But what about Nico O’Reilly? He made it look effortless. It’s rare to see a first-time capped player read the game so comfortably, yet he did it with a naturalness that suggested he’d been here before. He recreated his Manchester City performance.
Declan Rice – 7
Declan Rice’s standards are so high these days that simply being good can feel like something is missing. The Arsenal midfielder wasn’t at his best, dominating the game, but delivered his usual display of balance, leadership, composure in possession and quality from set-pieces.
Elliot Anderson – 8
Mature, composed and capable of playing progressive passes, Elliott Anderson is proof of Tuchel’s belief that he was ready to play at this level. One of the key themes of Anderson’s night was his ability to play up front with a tempo that stretched Serbia. He completed 76 of 82 passes and 21 of them into the final third.
Anderson also has outstanding intelligence. He is not a destroyer of midfielders, but his positional sense and composure to challenges allows him to pick up fouls (4), relieve pressure and maintain rhythm.
Morgan Rogers – 7
The Aston Villa midfielder showed glimpses of what makes him such an attractive player – energy, intention and a natural athleticism that unsettles defenders – but there were also some sloppy moments. Overall, it didn’t sit well with me. Football is often defined by fine margins and Rodgers never quite got it right. England improved when Jude Bellingham came on.
Bukayozaka – 7
Manager Thomas Tuchel told him he should score more goals and, in typical Saka fashion, he listened, took his word for it and gave an answer. Saka doesn’t need a lot of the ball to make a big impact and this performance proved that.
Even on a night when the Arsenal man wasn’t as involved as he should have been, every touch felt risky, every acceleration packed with purpose and pace. And of course, the goal was the execution of a great skill, and he made it look so easy.
Harry Kane – 7
When 9 becomes 10. Kane showed he could almost play as a quarterback in this England team, dropping deep and tearing Serbia apart with passes that ran wildly across the pitch. The two visiting centre-backs could not get close to him. Kane looked as stunned as everyone else when he headed Rice’s perfect corner wide of the post from eight yards out.
Marcus Rashford – 7
Rashford looked to be playing with purpose again. There was confidence in his stride, sharpness on his feet and a willingness to take on defenders that has been lacking in recent years on these shores. Playing on the left at Wembley, he reminded everyone why he remains one of England’s most unpredictable weapons, although his finishing touch didn’t leave behind any fireworks. He cut in twice from 20 yards, but his strikes were easily read by Serbian goalkeeper Predrag Rajković.
sub
Phil Foden (in place of Kane) – 7
He didn’t seem very comfortable playing the false nine position, so he was a little sloppy early on. However, once the game started with Serbia playing up front, Foden enjoyed a drive into space and assisted for the second goal.
Jude Bellingham (for Rogers) – 7
Even off the bench, he played like a man with points, outrunning Serbian midfielders with his usual combination of grace and strength. Tuchel’s handling of him is a bit unconventional, but it may work out in the long run.
Eberechi Eze (played for Rashford) – 8
Eberechi Eze celebrates after scoring England’s second goal against Serbia
He flourished in the space given to him in the final stages of the game against a hopeless Serbian team. His close range finish hit the crossbar and was somehow denied, but he was not denied and doubled his lead with a great finish.
Jordan Henderson (On For Rice) – 7
Plain but stable. We kept things simple.
Adam Wharton (Anderson replacement) – N/A
It’s only a 5-minute broadcast, but we hope to see more of him as the World Cup approaches.
