In a friendly at Wembley on Thursday, England, led by Thomas Tuchel, easily defeated Wales 3-0 to keep up their winning streak.

Jack Grealish, Jude Bellingham, and Phil Foden were among the high-profile absences from the Three Lions’ team for this month’s internationals, which drew criticism from the manager. However, Tuchel intended to build on the team’s thrilling victory over Serbia in September, and they succeeded in doing so against their inferior neighbors.

Morgan Rogers tucked in Marc Guehi’s cutback, Ollie Watkins tapped home at the back post, and Bukayo Saka curled in a beauty to make it 3-0 as England dominated Wales in the first 20 minutes. In 38 years, England had not reached that scoreline so quickly.

Watkins, who was substituted for Harry Kane due to injury, had another chance, miraculously deflecting the ball over the bar from a yard out before it struck a post with agony. Tuchel hopes to have one of his two standout strikers healthy and ready for Tuesday’s travel to Latvia after the blow took him off at halftime.

After Rogers hit the bar and David Brooks finally put a shot on goal for the visitors on 56 minutes, a series of substitutions slowed down the pace, bringing the World Cup qualifying match and Wales’ crucial home match against Belgium on Monday into sharp relief.

Jordan Pickford was alert to it, though, and then saved well from a Chris Mepham header. The England keeper hasn’t conceded at Wembley for a year; however, he wouldn’t have thanked his defenders for a couple of late lapses in concentration.

Tuchel said England would be ‘underdogs’ at the World Cup. This result won’t transform their prospects nor mean the big names will be permanently shut out. But after an underwhelming start, Tuchel’s England are beginning to put together performances to grow belief. They can seal a World Cup spot in Latvia if Serbia fail to beat Albania on Saturday.

“In the end, England’s explosive first 20 minutes meant their fire burned very brightly, but quite shortly. The second half, after a host of substitutions, was flat – after the game had long since been won.

“Morgan Rogers is probably the England player who will take the most credit from the match, with his first international goal and an assist to boot.

“He might’ve scored again if his second-half shot had been inches underneath the bar. Bukayo Saka returned to the starting line-up and inevitably scored, five years after he’d made his England debut against the same opposition.

“Thomas Tuchel was frustrated in the end, but it was a satisfying performance that maintains the momentum from the 5-0 win in Serbia last month.”

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“It’s very difficult to gauge what’s positive to take from the game for Wales – despite the result, there will be very useful things learned from tonight from Bellamy and his staff. It sounds silly to say it, but further down the line this experience, this level of opponent may prove to be the difference in another game months away.

“I’ve tried to listen and understand when Bellamy talks about his short, medium and even longer-term aims and one thing he isn’t is a knee-jerk kind of person. He’ll have plans, he’ll even have had tonight’s challenging scenario as an outcome.

“This result is not what Wales wanted days out from a crucial World Cup qualifier. But in the days to come this is where we see just how good Bellamy could be. Many believe him to be a serious manager in the making, so trust is required.

“Ideally though this scenario wouldn’t have played out at Wembley. Wales are a work in progress. Their supporters though are not – the highlight bar none and 7,000 people will be hoarse come the morning!”