North Macedonia vs England LIVE: Euro 2024 qualifier score and updates as Ollie Watkins and Rico Lewis start – UK Times

3 mins: Close! There’s already more of a zip to England’s play in comparison to the match against Malta. They bring the ball down the right side through Bukayo Saka who sends it across the middle.

Declan Rice and Jack Grealish combine for a lovely one-two on the opposite side of the box with Grealish making the run in behind. He looks for a short pass to Ollie Watkins who tries to turn it home at the near post but his touch it deflected out for a corner.

England get the ball rolling against North Macedoina. This is the first of three matches for the Three Lions before the squad is named for Euro 2024.

Who will impress Gareth Southgate tonight?

Harry Kane has either scored or assisted a goal in each of his last 11 appearances for England in all competitions (11 goals, 3 assists).

With two goals in this game, he would be the first ever European player to score 10-plus goals in three consecutive qualifying campaigns, having netted 12 in qualifying for both Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.

Bukayo Saka has been involved in 10 goals in his last 11 competitive games for England (7 goals, 3 assists), setting up Harry Kane’s strike against Malta last time out.

He also scored a hat-trick in the Three Lions’ home fixture against North Macedonia in June.

England striker Ollie Watkins speaking on Channel Four: “Obviously goals is the main thing [that will help me get selected for the Euros]. As a striker I need to score goals.

“But also bringing a different dynamic to the team, stretching defences, bringing a different energy.

“You’re going to get games like that. Malta made it difficult and we still came away with the win. Hopefully we’ll see a lot more fluid a performance with a lot of goals and we’ll bring some energy and excitement tonight.”

Declan Rice went to the World Cup surrounded by England team-mates who had won the biggest prizes in the game – now he is a £105million player who insists he is not fazed by the price tag having lifted European silverware and instantly taken to Champions League football.

The 24-year-old admitted a year ago in Qatar that he wanted to play at the highest level and left West Ham in the summer after captaining them to Europa Conference League glory.

Rice moved across London to Arsenal, joining the Gunners for a club-record fee and has hit the ground running with a run of fine performances for Mikel Arteta’s side.

England have won eight of their last nine games in all competitions (one draw) since losing against France in the 2022 World Cup.

Victory here would mean their highest-ever win rate across a single calendar year in which they played at least 10 matches (90%).

North Macedonia have won just one of their last six European Championship qualifiers (one draw, four defeats), conceding 17 goals across those four defeats.

Since drawing 0-0 at Israel back in March 2007, England have scored in 19 consecutive away European Championship qualifiers, the longest run of any nation in qualifying history.

They have netted 55 goals in those games, an average of 2.9 per game.

Rico Lewis is hoping his versatility will work in his favour as he aims to make a late charge to Euro 2024.

Gareth Southgate will name a 23-man squad for next summer’s finals in Germany, having been able to pick 26 players for both Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.

That means competition for places will be more fierce than in recent years, with Southgate admitting those who are more adaptable could have the edge.

Manchester City’s Rico Lewis turns 19 tomorrow. Given England’s lack of options at left-back and Lewis rising star status with the Premier League champions he is a given to start in that position tonight.

It’ll mark the teenager’s senior debut for England. Some birthday present.