Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, and Aaron Ramsdale all made starts for England in a 10-0 thrashing of San Marino on Monday.
After Arsenal’s trio of England squad call-ups only got one substitute cameo appearance between them in the opening game of the international break against Albania, all three of them started on Monday in San Marino.
Both Aaron Ramsdale and Emile Smith Rowe were making their first starts for the country, and it was Ramsdale’s first appearance altogether.
Bukayo Saka has obviously featured a lot more for England, but it’s always good to see him involved.
On this occasion, Saka was playing at left-wing-back, with Smith Rowe ahead of him on the left. That led to plenty of opportunities for the two Arsenal men to link up.
In the early stages, Saka sent a cross in for Smith Rowe to head goalwards, but it was blocked by the defender.
Not long after that, Smith Rowe set Saka up to score, but the shot took two deflections on the way in and went down as an own goal.
Two goals already – @England have made a fast start in San Marino 🙌
Watch the game live 👇
📱: https://t.co/SZ9sb8s5ai
📺: @ITV pic.twitter.com/r9sDe42Qmg— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 15, 2021
The pair were robbed of a goal and an assist on that occasion, but Smith Rowe got his assist not long afterwards, sending a cross in for Harry Kane to turn home.
An @England goal with north London written all over it 🙌@emilesmithrowe 🤝 @HKane #ITVFootball | #ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/FSj6MlEKmx
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 15, 2021
Saka was involved as Smith Rowe then scored his first England goal, later in the game.
Playing on the right-wing in the second half, Saka split a couple of defenders to find Tammy Abraham in the box, who backheeled to Smith Rowe to finish confidently.
🎶 I la-la-la like it, here we goooo! 🎶@EmileSmithRowe has his first @England goal! 🤩#ITVFootball | #ThreeLions | #AFC pic.twitter.com/zePcOZB0aG
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 15, 2021
That was Smith Rowe’s seventh goal of the season between Arsenal (five), England (one), and the England u21s (one).
With a goal and an assist on his full debut, he came off not long afterwards.
There was still time for Saka to get on the scoresheet too, as he headed home a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross for 10-0.
England have scored TEN in San Marino! 🤯
🍽 @TrentAA puts it on a plate
🙌 @BukayoSaka87 does the rest #ITVFootball | #ThreeLions | @England pic.twitter.com/SBhChLTKa1— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 15, 2021
Ramsdale obviously didn’t have much to do at the other end, but he did have one tricky save to make. A San Marino shot deflected dangerously off Harry Maguire, but Ramsdale managed to read it and get across to palm it wide of the post.
All in all, a good day for the trio, as England qualified for next year’s World Cup.