Malta vs England LIVE: Result and reaction from Euro 2024 qualifier after Trent Alexander-Arnold nets stunner
Malta 0-4 England: Alexander-Arnold, Harry Kane, Callum Wilson and an own goal saw Gareth Southgate’s men cruise to an expected win
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England resume their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign on Friday night as they face Malta away from home with the plan of maintaining their winning start.
Gareth Southgate’s side defeated both of their most likely rivals for a top-two finish, Ukraine and Italy, in their opening two matches in this qualifying campaign while Malta have lost to Italy as well as North Macedonia - who the Three Lions will face next week.
This round of fixtures is quite forgiving for England, especially after such a long season, and Southgate will be expecting his side to take a big step closer to qualifying for the next summer’s finals in Germany.
The England boss will need to make some key decisions in terms of personnel, especially when it comes to his Manchester City stars who only ended their season last week. Eberechi Eze is in mind to make his debut and many of the squad’s fringe or inexperienced players could get the nod in a game England should dominate.
Relive all the action as England thump Malta:
Malta 0-0 England
3 mins: That’s a nice pass from Harry Maguire who threads the eye of a needle to pick out James Maddison on the left flank. He cuts back inside and is clipped by Matthew Guillaumier.
England win a free kick near the halfway line.
Kick off: Malta 0-0 England
Malta kick off the match and immediately spy a pocket of space to send the ball up to Jodi Jones. He spins and drives towards goal but can’t get through England’s back line and the visitors come away with the ball.
Malta vs England
Malta’s National Stadium is packed with many fans inside the ground supporting England as well as the hosts. Harry Kane leads out the Three Lions once again.
The national anthems are sung and kick off is up next.
Pre-match thoughts from James Maddison
James Maddison spoke to Channel 4 ahead of kick off to chat about tonight’s match. He said:
“We debriefed after the [last] game and we talked about the structure and how we played defensively. [Southgate] seemed happy and I came back with that hungry mindset to get myself back in the picture again.
“That’s wants everyone wants, to be playing and starting for their country. You’ve got to relish opportunities like this and take them as they come.”
Can Malta shock England?
Tonight’s hosts are bottom of group C with two defeats from their opening two qualifying games. They lost to North Macedonia and Italy though they gave the European champions a stern test.
Can they surprise the Three Lions at the end of a long and trying season?
No Rashford for England
Word has come through that Marcus Rashford has a slight issue with his hip which is why he is starting on the bench tonight. He could play a part later on or Gareth Southgate could otherwise be saving him for the match against North Macedonia.
Luckless Eberechi Eze in line for long-awaited England debut after setbacks of most brutal timing
It was the England squad that was out of date even before it was announced. Eberechi Eze was out before he knew he was in. His Euro 2020 had ended before he knew he might play a part in it.
As he prepares for a belated England debut, two years after Gareth Southgate had first called him up, it nevertheless marks swift progress for a footballer released by Arsenal at 13, Fulham at 15 and Millwall at 18. Eze has a calmness that has enabled him to deal with setbacks, a quiet assurance that has stemmed from his faith. He has a belief in destiny, that things are meant to be.
It helped him to deal with events of May 2021. “In training we were playing small-sided games, five v five, and I received the ball and went to push off and start running with it and I just felt a pop,” recalled the Crystal Palace midfielder. “It felt like someone had kicked me or someone behind me had stepped on my ankle but I looked around and no one was there. So I knew it was serious.”
Eze in line for long-awaited England debut after setbacks of most brutal timing
Crystal Palace playmaker could make his debut two years after he was first called up by Gareth Southgate
Malta vs England talking points
Can the Maltese cause England a scare?
The bookmakers’ odds underline the task facing the team ranked 172nd in the world. England are 1/50 to win a match that you can get Malta at 80/1 to triumph in at sold-out Ta’ Qali National Stadium in Friday evening.
The Falcons head into the match fresh from last week’s 1-0 win in Luxembourg – a victory which may not resonate worldwide but against a team 80 places above them in the FIFA rankings it suggests quick progress in Michele Marcolini’s three games in charge.
Malta also frustrated Italy, with the reigning European champions only managing a 2-0 win at Ta’ Qali in March.
Malta vs England talking points
New faces to feature?
Eberechi Eze is eyeing a senior debut after being included in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the first time. This opportunity has been a long time coming for the 24-year-old, who would have been involved sooner had it not been for an Achilles injury suffered on the same day as he found he had made England’s provisional Euro 2020 squad in May 2021.
Inspired form in the latter stages of the season under Roy Hodgson saw him included for June’s double-header. There is also a chance of Levi Colwill could make his debut. Part of the England Under-21s squad heading to this summers Euros, he trained with the squad this week after his Brighton team-mate Lewis Dunk was forced to withdraw through injury.
Initially just a training role, Colwill has been brought with the squad to Malta so has a chance of also making his bow.
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