Three things we learned from England win as team clicks under Thomas Tuchel amid Harry Kane absence | OneFootball

Bukayo Saka’s performance adds gloss to an impressive performance from the Three Lions at Wembley

England made it three wins on the spin as they beat Wales.

The Three Lions were comfortable winners thanks to three goals in the opening 20 minutes at Wembley Stadium.

Morgan Rogers got Thomas Tuchel’s side off to a fast start, before Ollie Watkins and Bukayo Saka struck.

England click as continuity pays off

The main reason for Tuchel largely naming the same squad as he did in September was because he wanted to build on the momentum of the last camp.

England put in their best performance under Tuchel when they dismantled Serbia away from home and Tuchel’s logic was: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.

It meant the likes of Adam Wharton, Jack Grealish, Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden were all overlooked.

Only two new faces joined the group, with Jarell Quansah and Saka in for the injured duo of Noni Madueke and Tino Livramento.

Thomas Tuchel had plenty to be happy about with England’s first half performance

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There is one more game to go in this camp - a trip to Latvia on Tuesday - but Tuchel can, so far, feel justified in his decision to stick rather than twist.

England terrorised Wales in the opening 20 minutes, scoring three times and putting the game to bed.

It was a dominant display, one full of cohesion, and a sign of yet more progress under Tuchel.

Saka shines

Injuries have prevented Saka from playing much under Tuchel and the winger said before this camp how he was eager to make up for lost time.

Before this game against Wales, Saka had featured in just one of Tuchel’s six matches in charge - and that was a disappointing defeat to Senegal in June.

That loss came at the end of a long season and this victory over Wales was a far different proposition.

Saka looked sharp and fresh, with no lingering signs of the hamstring injury that struck him down in August and forced him to miss last month’s camp.

Bukayo Saka scored England’s third goal against Wales

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The 24-year-old terrorised Wales’ left flank and his goal in the 20th minute was a reward for his fine display.

Cutting in from the right, Saka left his defender for dead before arrowing the ball into the top corner.

Wales goalkeeper Karl Darlow stood no chance. The same could be said of Wales’ defence for much of the night.

No Kane, no problem

There are not many rarer sights than an England team without Harry Kane.

The Three Lions skipper has started every game since Tuchel took charge at the start of this year.

He has also played in nine of the last 10 matches, with the only one the striker missed due to injury.

Kane has been struggling with an ankle injury and so he was named on the bench here, with the belief being that he will be fit for Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier in Latvia.

Absent: Harry Kane

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Whether Kane would have ever come on against Wales is up for debate. He did warm up in the first half, but in the end he was given the night off.

England performed well in his absence. Watkins, Kane’s replacement, was on the scoresheet and could have had another, but he collided with the post when he tried to tap home Elliot Anderson’s cross.

It forced Watkins to come off at half time, which was about the only negative on another good night for Tuchel.