KEIR RADNEDGE at WEMBLEY: The task for England was simple, if any challenge for the Three Lions can be described thus: beat the Republic of Ireland here at Wembley to earn promotion back into the top tier of the UEFA Nations League.

One goal would have been sufficient because of England’s superior head-to-head record against group runners-up Greece. Instead a sensational six-minute, three-goal spell early in the second half led to a 5-0 thrashing with no need for calculators or mathematical miseries.

Returning captain Harry Kane from a penalty, Anthony Gordon and Conor Gallagher transformed what had been a stultifying qualifier into a rout; Jarrod Bowen struck No4 with his first touch after arriving as a substitute and Taylor Harwood-Bellis made it five to mark his debut.

Just what Lee Carsley wanted on the last commission of his interim appointment in the wake of Gareth Southgate and ahead of a new year and new era under Thomas Tuchel. Poignantly Carsley’s finale was against the national team whose shirt he had pulled on 40 times between 1997 and 2008.

Carsley made two changes from the starting line-up in Athens with Kane restored at centre-forward. the Newcastle pair of Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall as fullbacks with Kyle Walker switching into central defence for the injured Ezri Konsa. Along with Gordon this meant a Newcastle trio starting for the first time since David Batty, Rob Lee and Alan Shearer faced Georgia in April 1997.

Coach Heimir Halgrimsoon set up Ireland to ensure hard work for England work, falling back defensively into a 5-4-1 shape which frequently saw everyone except Jordan Pickford packed into the Irish sector. That meant a first half with little to excite the crowd bar a gentle stream of corners and five fiddly bookings.

Everything changed within the opening 13 minutes of the second half.

First Evan Ferguson gave away possession and Kane’s perfect through ball found Jude Bellingham accelerating into the penalty box. Liam Scales, booked in the first half for dissent, tripped the Real Madrid man and Kane sent keeper Kelleher the wrong way from the spot. To add to Ireland’s grief Scales was shown a second yellow card and sent off.

Two more minutes and England were two-up. Livramento stormed up the right wing, Noni Madueke crossed, two Irish defenders muddled the clearance attempt and Gordon swiped home. Three further minutes and Marc Guehi headed on a corner for Gallagher to touch in the third.

Bowen struck his first England goal with his first touch after a left-wing free kick and newly-arrived Harwood-Bellis, on his debut, headed No5 from Bellingham’s right-wing delivery. Only the reflexes of Caoimhín Kelleher saved Ireland from even worse.

Now top that, Tuchel.

The teams:

England: Pickford – Livramento, Walker (Harwood-Bellis 62), Guehi, Hall – Gallagher (Solanke 75), C Jones (Jones 79) – Madueke (Bowen 75), Bellingham, Gordon (Rogers 75) – Kane. Manager: Carsley.

Rep. Ireland: Kelleher – O’Shea, McGuinness, Scales, O’Dowda (Azaz 67) – Collins – Ebosele (Manning 67), Molumby, Cullen (Moran 76), Szomodics (McAteer 87) – Ferguson (Parrott 67). Manager: Hallgrimsson.

Ref: Lambrechts (Bel). Att: 79,969.

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