In Focus: Lions ready to roar to make it five wins from five

England are back at Wembley for the first time since their penalty shootout heartbreak in the Euro 2020 final. 

After an emphatic 4-0 win over Hungary in Budapest on Thursday, the Three Lions head into this evening’s game against Andorra with their 100% record in Group I still intact.

Gareth Southgate’s side are five points clear of Poland and Hungary, who are tied in second place with four matches played. 

On paper, it should be an easy win for the hosts. 

So will Southgate be tempted to use this fixture as a chance to try something different with his team, or is he solely focused on collecting three points?

Stick or twist

Against Hungary, England opted for a 4-2-3-1 shape with Mason Mount operating as the central attacking midfielder. 

The Chelsea man was sandwiched between Jack Grealish on the left and Raheem Sterling on the right. 

All three combined well in what was a fairly fluid attacking system. 

Harry Kane spearheaded the attack and bagged what feels like his customary goal whenever he pulls on an England shirt. 

Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips patrolled the middle third, balancing the team out — and it worked perfectly. 

Yet Southgate has shown previously that he is not married to a particular system. He could easily switch it up for the visit of Andorra and he has the personnel in this Three Lions squad to do so.

A results business

It happens all the time — goals not only change games, they change narratives. 

England failed to have a shot on target in the first half, so the general consensus was the away side had a lacklustre opening 45 minutes. 

But Southgate did not agree. 

Speaking after the game, he said: "I was very pleased with the first half, we were in total control of the game, controlled possession and were playing the right types of passes, just not connecting in that final third. 

“We had so much of the ball, we knew they would tire. We had great chances to score more goals."

The message heading into future fixtures is that England need to have patience but possess the quality to break down stubborn defences.

Jacky boy

Involved in the opener and assisting the final goal of the night, Grealish certainly played his part in the win against Hungary. 

This is an opportunity for the most expensive English player in history to not only claim a starting spot but to make himself a key cog in the way England operate. 

There is already an understanding with Mount and they linked well for Sterling’s goal. 

Andorra might not be the toughest opposition but Southgate values performances in qualification. It is how players catch his eye and force their way into his thinking. 

Another impressive showing tonight could see him leap ahead of the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho in the pecking order. 

Mounting an attack

Mount failed to get on the scoresheet but he was one of the standout performers for the Three Lions. 

He assisted Sterling’s opener, overlapping Grealish on the left before finding the Manchester City winger with a pass into the area. 

The versatile Chelsea man then popped up on the right, playing a first-time pass around the corner to Sterling, who rifled the ball into the box for Kane to nod home. 

The 22-year-old had two shots on the night, a total only Kane could better, and he finished with a pass success rate of 92%. 

Mount was tidy and progressive on the ball — a rare combination but a welcome one.

The full-back situation

If Southgate opts for Kyle Walker and Luke Shaw against Andorra, it will become clear they are his first-choice pairing. 

If he switches it up, however, it complicates things. 

Of course, he needs to try a few things out and players need to have opportunities. But to be successful, the defensive unit needs continuity. 

Chopping and changing the full-backs on a regular basis is not ideal preparation for the tougher tests England will face in the future.