England win battle on all fronts

England 3 Scotland 0: On a day when both teams took on FIFA and won, the 113th match between England and Scotland ended, as it has done rather often in recent history, with three points for the men in white but frustration for those north of the border who left Wembley ruminating on missed chances and wasted opportunities.

Gordon Strachan’s men, for long periods of this World Cup qualifying game, put on a vibrant and hard-working display against a home defence that looked incapable of coping; but missed chances cost them dear as England, more ruthless in their finishing, won with three headed goals from Daniel Sturridge, Adam Lallana and Gary Cahill.

The result sees England sit comfortably top of World Cup qualifying Group F with 10 points and will almost certainly result in caretaker manager Gareth Southgate being given the job full-time. It also puts them 48-41 ahead against Scotland in the all-time standings and, barring an unprecedented disaster, on their way to Russia 2018.