Marcus Rashford on point to ensure imperfect England creep past Switzerland

England 1-0 Switzerland: This was a night when the host's positives, even including the result, did not exactly leap out

Marcus Rashford's second-half strike proved to be the difference (AFP/Getty Images)

If Gareth Southgate prefers improving performances to winning for the sake of it, then what to make of this game: a win with little other than that to commend it?

England beat Switzerland 1-0 here at the King Power Stadium, but they were second best in the first half and were fortunate to take the lead through Marcus Rashford when they did. Very little happened after that but it would be difficult to describe as ‘professional’ a display in which England had so little control of the game before they scored.

Yes this was almost an England B side with Southgate resting his key players after Saturday’s tiring dance with Spain. So this should not necessarily be held as proof that England are heading for relegation in the Nations League. Results against Croatia, hammered by Spain tonight, will keep them in the top tier for next time.

But as an audition for these players trying to force their way into Southgate’s first team, there was not much to be said for it. The midfield, England’s biggest issue, struggled to get into the game at all in the first half. None of that trio should start in Rijeka or Sevilla. The bright sparks were individuals: Marcus Rashford scoring his second goal in two games, suggesting that he could keep his place in October even when Raheem Sterling is fit. Danny Rose, the official man of the match, giving England their only purpose and dynamism down the left, keeping the pressure on Luke Shaw.

As a team endeavour, an attempt from these players to play the Southgate way, it was not so impressive. It only took seven minutes for it to become clear just how difficult a task this was going to be for the England team. In the World Cup they had impressed with their careful smooth building up from the back, but not all players are as used to it as Jordan Pickford and John Stones.

Rashford broke the deadlock for England nine minutes after the restart (AP)

When Kyle Walker played the ball back to Jack Butland early on, he knocked a forward pass to Tarkowski. Not knowing what to do on the ball, James Tarkowski dallied and had it stolen from him by Mario Gavranovic. He slid a pass through to Xherdan Shaqiri who should have done better than hit the post, with Butland stranded.

That should have been a wake-up call for England, but it did nothing to address the fact that Switzerland were simply better on the ball than they were in the first half. What followed were spells of Swiss possession that matched anything Spain managed at Wembley on Saturday night. With Shaqiri dropping into the middle, Switzerland always had a spare man and they kept the ball off England with embarrassing ease. England were struggling to keep their heads above water and Gavranovic was causing Tarkowski serious problems. Twice he snuck in behind the Burnley man, getting into dangerous positions he just could not take advantage of.

England's players line up ahead of a free-kick (PA)

The only moments when England threatened came, as at the World Cup, from set plays. Trent Alexander-Arnold curled in one free-kick that Eric Dier headed wide, Rashford hit one over, Alexander-Arnold had one saved. There were six minutes left of the first half when England produced their first shot on target from open play, Rose shooting at Yann Sommer after Rashford had unleashed Loftus-Cheek to cross. Not bad, not enough.

England needed to improve and they did start to see more of the ball, and use it better. But when, nine minutes into the second half, they did take the lead, it felt like an unlikely goal rather than a planned one.

Rose’s outswinging corner kick flew over everyone’s heads, all the way out to Walker wide on the right. His cross came in with the Swiss defence still re-assembling and Rashford was completely unmarked at the far post to tap it in. It was probably less than England deserved on the balance of play but it was a testament to Rashford’s finishing to put it away. He converted one chance but missed a few more at Wembley on Saturday. Every goal he scores is proof that he can cut it at this level.

Danny Welbeck with a chance on goal for the hosts (AP)

From that point any competitive energy there was in this game – and there was not much – started to leak away. Both managers made changes, and while Southgate’s actually improved the side, adding Stones and Harry Kane into the mix, they also disrupted what passed for rhythm in the first half.

The Leicester crowd stayed with the England team all night, though, and they were rewarded seeing another favourite son of theirs for the final 12 minutes, as Ben Chilwell replaced Rose to make his England senior debut. He did well, and his promotion was a moment of pride. But this was a night when England’s positives, even including the result, did not exactly leap out.