Gareth Southgate's side go six points clear at the top of Group C with thrashing of North Macedonia at Old Trafford. Harry Kane (twice), Marcus Rashford and Kalvin Phillips joined Saka on scoresheet during impressive win in final game of the season for England.
Hat-trick hero Bukayo Saka helped England sign off the season in style with a 7-0 thrashing of North Macedonia, which maintains their 100 per cent record and top spot in Euro 2024 qualifying Group C.
The Arsenal forward scored two stunners, blasting in from a tight angle for his first before receiving a superb Trent Alexander-Arnold pass and firing in from the edge of the box barely two minutes into the second half. He then completed his first career hat-trick with a perfectly-timed run in behind and cool finish, capping a brilliant individual season of his own, as England ripped their visitors apart.
North Macedonia - a side which beat Italy in their World Cup play-off last year - had put up stubborn resistance initially and it wasn't until Harry Kane turned in Luke Shaw's cutback that it all opened up for Gareth Southgate's team.
Saka fired into the roof of the net soon after and Marcus Rashford capped a superb first-half for England with a close range finish to grab an international goal on his home patch.
Saka's two strikes at the start of the second half had England's supporters bouncing but there was more celebrating to come, with Kalvin Phillips scoring his first international goal and Kane adding another from the penalty spot after John Stones was fouled at a set-piece. "The scoreline is outrageous," England boss Southgate said afterwards. "There was no evidence Macedonia would suffer like that, that the game would be as straightforward as it was."
England's cricketers have been taking the plaudits for their attacking Bazball style - but Gazball from the country's footballers means they now have four wins from four in qualifying and are well on the way towards reaching next summer's tournament in Germany.
Qualification for Euro 2024 is not assured but after playing half their fixtures, England lead second-placed Ukraine by six points, although they have a game in hand and third-placed Italy have only played twice, because of their Nations League commitments in this window.
Player ratings
England: Pickford (n/a or 6), Walker (8), Stones (8), Maguire (8), Shaw (7), Alexander-Arnold (8), Henderson (8), Rice (7), Saka (10), Kane (9), Rashford (9).
Subs: Grealish (7), Foden (6), Gallagher (5), Phillips (7), Wilson (6).
North Macedonia:Dimitrievski (5), S Ristovski (5), Zajkov (4), Velkovski (5), Ashkovski (4), Ademi (6), Bardhi (6), Elmas (6), Alioski (4), Nestorovski (6), Trajkovski (5).
Subs:Betjulai (5), Dorian Babunski (6), Serafimov (6), Atanasov (6), David Babunski (5).
Player of the match: Bukayo Saka
Team news
England made three changes from Friday’s win over Malta, with Man City duo Kyle Walker and John Stones coming in along with Marcus Rashford and Kieran Trippier, Marc Guehi and James Maddison making way. Trent Alexander-Arnold continued in midfield and Bukayo Saka was fit to start.
With the half-hour mark approaching, the game was going to plan for the visitors, who had drawn on both of their previous trips to these shores. But the Man Utd link-up between Rashford and Shaw down the left-hand side of the pitch opened up the defence and there was Kane to score for the sixth international in a row.
Ireland 3-0 Gibraltar
Republic of Ireland claim first Group B win in bid to qualify for Euro 2024. Michael Johnston, Evan Ferguson and Adam Idah scored in second half to move hosts three points behind second-placed Greece. win eases pressure on Stephen Kenny after back-to-back defeats.
Ireland belatedly worked their way to a 3-0 win over Gibraltar thanks to an improved second-half performance that helps to relieve the pressure on manager Stephen Kenny.
Friday’s defeat in Greece left Ireland without a point in Group B and facing an uphill task to reach Euro 2024 after just two matches.
But Gibraltar were the perfect opponents for Kenny’s side having lost all of their previous qualifiers since becoming a competitive international side, and they were unable to halt that record despite Ireland’s sluggish first-half performance.
The hosts were much improved after the break and finally took the lead through substitute Michael Johnston, before Evan Ferguson and Adam Idah powered home headers to finally get Ireland off the mark in their bid to qualify for next summer’s finals in Germany.
Player ratings
Republic of Ireland: Bazunu (6), Collins (6), Egan (7), O'Shea (6), Knight (7), Cullen (8), McGrath (8), McClean (8), Smallbone (7), Obafemi (6), Ferguson (8).
Subs: Johnston (8), Parrott (6), Browne (6), Idah (n/a), Hendrick (n/a).
Gibraltar: Coleing (7), Sergeant (5), Chipolina (6), Lopes (6), Annesley (5), Olivero (4), Ronan (5), Hartman (6), Pozo (5), Britto (6), Hmidi (5).
Subs: Mouelhi (5), De Barr (5), Wiseman (5), Jolley (5), Ballantine (5).
Player of the match: Evan Ferguson
How Ireland belatedly got qualifying campaign off and running
Ireland’s loss in Athens last week followed defeat to France in March and left them six points behind Greece and nine behind Les Blues ahead of Monday’s game at the Aviva Stadium.
Those two teams still occupy the two qualifying spots in Group B but, with France beating Greece 1-0 and Ireland finally claiming their first win, Kenny’s side are now just three points off second place.
Team news
Republic of Ireland made five changes from the side that lost in Greece, with Dara O’Shea, Jason Knight, Jamie McGrath, James McClean and Michael Obafemi replacing Darragh Lenihan, Matt Doherty, Jayson Molumby, Callum O’Dowda and Adam Idah
Gibraltar made just one change, with Dundalk defender Louie Annesley replacing 41-year-old forward Lee Casciaro
The mood was not so positive at half-time, however, with Gibraltar - ranked 201st in the world - holding Ireland to a goalless opening 45 minutes.
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