England’s impressive victory over Italy at Wembley on Tuesday night confirmed their qualification for Euro 2024.
While there are still two qualifiers still to play in November, attention will already be shifting to how England end a 58-year wait for a major men’s trophy in Germany next summer.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the key questions Gareth Southgate will need to answer between now and the start of the finals as he prepares to lead England into a fourth tournament as manager.
Faith no more?
Southgate has always remained loyal to players he feels he can trust and who have not let him down when they have turned out for England.
Among the current crop, former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire and Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips started the win over the Azzurri despite playing a combined total of 186 Premier League minutes so far this season.
Whether their places in Southgate’s plans are sustainable if such a dearth of club football remains is something only the England manager will know – likewise with Jordan Henderson plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League and whether the competition there is enough to keep the former Liverpool man competitive.
The last dance?
There was plenty of speculation that Southgate would leave his position after the World Cup in Qatar.
England were knocked out at the quarter-final stage by France but that did not deter Southgate’s belief that he could achieve something special with the players at his disposal.
His contract, however, expires next year and, having been at the helm since 2016, he may be tempted to seek a new challenge regardless of how England do in Germany and that may be something that will weigh on his mind leading into the finals.
Spring break opponents?
The March international break is expected to see England host two Wembley friendlies in what will be the last chance Southgate has to work with his players in the run-up to Euro 2024.
He will be keen to work closely with the Football Association to make sure the right opponents are found to aid that preparation – especially as, by that stage, England will know who they will face in the group stages.
While morale-boosting wins will be welcomed, Southgate and his coaching staff will also want to test the players against the highest-calibre rivals and striking a balance there could be key.
Who is most able to support Kane?
Captain Harry Kane moved onto an unmatched 61 England goals with his brace in the win over Italy.
The Bayern Munich striker shows no signs of slowing down and will no doubt lead from the front if he is fit and raring to go next summer.
The question remains who will fill the unenviable position as Kane’s deputy within Southgate’s 23-man squad and the boss will be taking a close look at the form of players such as Ollie Watkins, Callum Wilson, Eddie Nketiah and Ivan Toney in the coming months.
Starting positions?
A number of players are seemingly all but assured of inclusion – fitness-permitting – in England’s starting XI for their opener next June, but Southgate does have a couple of issues at both left-back and in central midfield.
Luke Shaw and Ben Chilwell are natural left-backs but both are injured and have history of fitness concerns, meaning Kieran Trippier could be asked to deputise, while Levi Colwill made his debut there against Australia having risen up through the ranks as a central defender.
In midfield, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice have been superb for club and country this year but the third berth is a more difficult conundrum. With Phillips not playing regularly and Henderson now in Saudi Arabia, the door could be open to someone like Conor Gallagher or Trent Alexander-Arnold, who the FA now lists as a midfielder, getting a chance to impress before the tournament.
Manchester City 1-2 Manchester United: Garnacho and Mainoo fire Red Devils to FA Cup glory
Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo were the heroes as Manchester United pulled off an upset to beat rivals Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final.
United boss Erik ten Hag's job was reportedly on the line whatever the result in Saturday's game, but a mix-up between Josko Gvardiol and Stefan Ortega was capitalised upon by Garnacho to hand the Red Devils the lead at Wembley Stadium.
Mainoo's fine finish made it 2-0 shortly after, and though Jeremy Doku pulled a goal back late on, United held firm to claim the famous trophy for the first time since 2016 and deny City a double after they secured a fourth straight Premier League title last weekend.
It now remains to be seen whether Ten Hag will suffer the same fate as compatriot Louis van Gaal, who was sacked as United boss after winning the FA Cup eight years ago.
Pep Guardiola's men started the brighter, though it was United who went close first as Ortega got his body behind Garnacho's fierce strike.
Garnacho was not to be denied with 30 minutes on the clock, though, as he pounced on a calamitous mix-up in the City defence.
A long ball over the top was not dealt with by either Ortega or Gvardiol, who inadvertently nodded it beyond his goalkeeper, allowing Garnacho to tuck home into an empty net, becoming the first teenager to score an FA Cup final goal since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2004.
And another teenager in Mainoo made it 2-0 before the break at the culmination a brilliantly incisive move.
Garnacho was involved again as he burst down the right and cut back for Bruno Fernandes, whose deft pass teed up 19-year-old Mainoo to coolly slot past Ortega.
Erling Haaland nearly halved the deficit when he rattled the crossbar after the interval, before Andre Onana made a superb stop to keep out Kyle Walker's ferocious long-range drive.
Onana should have done better in the 87th minute, though. United's goalkeeper got down to Doku's hopeful attempt, but could only parry it into the corner.
Yet United ensured Onana's mistake did not prove costly, as City's hopes of a double were dashed and the Red Devils claimed a stunning victory in what could have been Ten Hag's final game at the helm.
United's teenage daydream
United went into the game as outsiders, a fair view considering the 31 points that separated these city rivals in the Premier League table, but the Red Devils' youngsters turned up in some style at Wembley to lead their side to glory, as well as securing European football next season.
Garnacho scored with one of his three shots on target, more than any other player on the pitch, while Mainoo's performance did no harm to his chances of making Gareth Southgate's final squad for Euro 2024, ruthlessly finishing his only big chance and again having an impact in both defence and attack.
Mainoo's goal also made him the first English teenager to net in an FA Cup final since Steve MacKenzie for City against Tottenham in 1981, and he looks set to be a big fixture for both United and England for many years to come.
De Bruyne's dismal derby day
Kevin De Bruyne finished the Premier League season with 10 assists and four goals in just 18 appearances, but he, alongside many of City's stars, looked well off the pace here.
De Bruyne completed an uncharacteristically low 71 per cent of his passes before Guardiola had seen enough, hauling off the Belgium international for Julian Alvarez with over half an hour left.
City ended their league campaign with nine straight wins to seal the title, but they looked a shadow of that side this time out and will finish the season with just one trophy, after claiming a treble last term.
Doku did make an impact after his half-time introduction, but though he managed to cut into United's lead, it was too little, too late.
Man Utd's Garnacho and Mainoo become first teenagers to score FA Cup final goal since Ronaldo
Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo have become the first teenagers to score in an FA Cup final since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2004.
In the first half of Saturday's FA Cup final against Manchester City, 19-year-old Garnacho capitalised on a mix-up between Stefan Ortega and Josko Gvardiol to become the first teenager to net in the competition's showpiece match since Ronaldo did against Millwall in 2004, also for the Red Devils.
Garnacho's goal made him the third teenager to score for United in an FA Cup final after Ronaldo 20 years ago and Norman Whiteside back in 1983.
Then, just nine minutes later, a brilliant United move ended with Bruno Fernandes laying Garnacho's pass into Mainoo, who coolly finished to double United's lead at just 19-years-old.
Mainoo's finish means United hold a 2-0 lead at half-time against the Premier League champions, while it's also the first men's FA Cup final to see two different teenagers net. Aged just 19 years and 36 days, Mainoo is the youngest English goalscorer in the game since John Sissons for West Ham in 1964.
Mainoo is also the first English teenager to score in an FA Cup final since Steve MacKenzie for City against Tottenham in 1981.
Buttler 'always' going to return as England T20 captain
Jos Buttler was "always" going to return as England's limited-overs captain despite the team's poor ODI World Cup defence in India.
After England won the 2019 ODI World Cup in epic fashion by beating New Zealand in a Super Over at Lord's, their defence of the title in India last year saw them fail to advance from the group stage.
With England looking to put in a better defence of their T20 World Cup crown in the upcoming tournament in the West Indies and the United States which gets under way in June, Buttler says he was always going to remain limited-overs captain, though he acknowledges he made mistakes in India.
"My first priority at the moment is being England captain and trying to prepare as best we can for a world tournament," Buttler told Sky Sports. "So I always said to Rob [Key, England managing director] I would definitely be coming back as England captain, and he's made the call on the rest of the players.
"It's a chapter in the book. It was obviously a really disappointing World Cup, and your pride's dented, your confidence gets dented a bit, but time moves on and there's a really exciting opportunity now.
"I think sometimes you try and let players play with freedom and you don't want to step in too much but making sure you don't miss things.
"Maybe more communication at times to make sure people are clear on what is needed from them, on what they want from me or the coach."
England were due to kick off a four-match T20I warm-up series against Pakistan at Headingley on Wednesday, but the game was abandoned because of rain without a ball having been bowled.
England will get their T20I World Cup under way when they face Scotland in Barbados on June 4.
Buttler feels some of the newer faces in the England squad have the potential to lead the team to an improved showing on what was seen in India, saying: "I think we've got a really nice, blended squad, actually. We've got a lot of experience but some guys who are really on the upward curve with the likes of Phil Salt, Will Jacks.
"Harry Brook is still very early in his international career and those guys I really see trending in the right direction and pushing this team forward."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
