Malta 0-4 England: Three Lions cruise to Euro 2024 qualifying win as Trent Alexander-Arnold impresses

Trent Alexander-Arnold, unusually wearing number 10 for England, put them 2-0 up in Ta'Qali with his second international goal

England continued their perfect record in Euro 2024 qualifying with a comfortable win at Malta.

Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold - who started in central midfield - scored a fine 25-yard strike between an own goal, and two penalties from Harry Kane and Callum Wilson.

Gareth Southgate's side had little trouble dispatching the side 172nd in the Fifa rankings.

The Three Lions are next in action against North Macedonia on Monday.

Their qualifying campaign to reach Germany next summer is going to plan with nine points from three games - six ahead of Ukraine, North Macedonia and reigning champions Italy.

The three points at Ta'Qali National Stadium were sealed inside the first 31 minutes as Ferdinando Apap turned past his own goalkeeper before Alexander-Arnold's impressive strike.

Just 96 seconds after Alexander-Arnold's goal, Kane made it 3-0 from the penalty spot after being fouled by Matthew Guillaumier. It was his 50th competitive England goal, and means he has now scored in 11 straight Euro qualifiers.

Kane was replaced in the second half, allowing Wilson the chance to score from the spot when his cross was handled by Malta captain Steve Borg and a penalty was awarded by VAR.

Alexander-Arnold impresses as England's number 10

Wearing number 66 for his club side, Alexander-Arnold is no stranger to an unusual shirt number. Regardless, the sight of the right-back wearing 10 in central midfield for England was guaranteed to catch the eye.

Southgate deploying Alexander-Arnold there is not an entirely new idea - he was used as a playmaker against Andorra in 2021, albeit to limited effect.

Here, against similarly limited opposition, Alexander-Arnold was much more effective - his quick and accurate through-balls for Bukayo Saka and James Maddison causing no end of issues for the Maltese defence.

It was via this route that England took the lead - a great Alexander-Arnold ball over the top from deep for Saka to cut back towards Kane. Covering Malta defender Apap had no option but to try and intervene and he could only steer the ball into the roof of the net.

Playing further up the field also allowed England to exploit Alexander-Arnold's long-range shooting ability, so often seen at free-kicks. Here, he found space 25 yards out in open play midway through the first half and curled an unstoppable effort past Henry Bonello.

The real test of Alexander-Arnold as a viable midfield option will come if he plays there against stronger opponents - but as an experiment, this game was a success.

Eze earns England bow

Southgate resisted the temptation to try much more experimentation. Maddison started in the front three and produced some good touches, as he continues to be monitored by several Premier League clubs following Leicester's relegation.

He was replaced midway through the second half by Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze, making his long-awaited debut two years after he was denied a place in the provisional Euro 2020 squad by a major Achilles tendon injury.

Trips to Malta have not always been a summer holiday for Southgate's England - a World Cup qualifier here in 2017 saw them fail to score until the 53rd minute before three late strikes put some undeserved gloss on that 4-0 scoreline.

This was a much more comfortable experience, with only a couple of minor worries. Among them was Saka requiring treatment to his ankle after a tough first-half challenge. He was replaced by Phil Foden at the interval.

Ultimately there are tougher qualifying challenges lying ahead. North Macedonia's 2-0 win over Ukraine on Friday night is proof of that, before England then face Ukraine away and Italy at home in September and October respectively.

Line-ups

Malta

Formation 3-5-2

1Bonello

13Apap4Borg22Muscat

7Mbong19Kristensen6Guillaumier10Teuma2Attard

9Nwoko11Jones

1Bonello13Apap4Borg22Muscat7Mbong19KristensenBooked at 49minsSubstituted forMuscatat 60'minutes6GuillaumierSubstituted forYankamat 45'minutes10Teuma2AttardSubstituted forCorbalanat 87'minutes9NwokoSubstituted forSatarianoat 60'minutes11JonesSubstituted forDegabrieleat 77'minutes

Substitutes

3Camenzuli5Shaw8Grech12Grech14Satariano15Corbalan16Debono17Muscat18Degabriele20Yankam21Dimech23Borg

England

Formation 4-3-3

1Pickford

2Trippier5Guéhi6Maguire3Shaw

10Alexander-Arnold4Rice8Henderson

7Saka9Kane11Maddison

1Pickford2Trippier5Guéhi6Maguire3ShawSubstituted forMingsat 60'minutes10Alexander-Arnold4Rice8HendersonSubstituted forRashfordat 60'minutes7SakaSubstituted forFodenat 45'minutes9KaneSubstituted forWilsonat 60'minutes11MaddisonSubstituted forEzeat 70'minutes

Substitutes

12Walker13Ramsdale14Stones15Phillips16Grealish17Mings18Rashford19Gallagher20Foden21Eze22Johnstone23Wilson

Live Text

Match ends, Malta 0, England 4.

Second Half ends, Malta 0, England 4.

Attempt missed. Callum Wilson (England) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Phil Foden with a cross following a corner.

Substitution, Malta. Juan Corbalan replaces Cain Attard.

Corner, England. Conceded by Joseph Mbong.

Attempt blocked. Eberechi Eze (England) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Phil Foden.

Attempt saved. Marcus Rashford (England) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Eberechi Eze.

Goal! Malta 0, England 4. Callum Wilson (England) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

VAR Decision: Penalty England.

Penalty conceded by Steve Borg (Malta) with a hand ball in the penalty area.

Hand ball by Callum Wilson (England).

Attempt blocked. Marcus Rashford (England) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Eberechi Eze.

Hand ball by Alexander Satariano (Malta).

Substitution, Malta. Jurgen Degabriele replaces Jodi Jones.

Hand ball by Callum Wilson (England).

Attempt missed. Harry Maguire (England) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Phil Foden with a cross following a corner.

Corner, England. Conceded by Ferdinando Apap.

Foul by Declan Rice (England).

Alexander Satariano (Malta) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Player of the match

Alexander-ArnoldTrent Alexander-Arnold