Ollie Watkins strike gives England scrappy win over Australia

There is unlikely to be any diversion from the tried and trusted when England return to Wembley to face Italy. If Gareth Southgate was hoping to come away from this win over Australia with selection dilemmas, a disjointed display will surely have left him even more certain who will make his starting 11 at Euro 2024.

Not that there were no positives for Southgate, who saw Sam Johnstone keep a clean sheet and Ollie Watkins scored the winner. Elsewhere, though, concern lingered.

Fikayo Tomori was nervy in defence, Jarrod Bowen struggled to show he can challenge Bukayo Saka on the right and, of the many questions to emerge from this performance, perhaps the most intriguing is how Southgate handles the public disapproval that greeted Jordan Henderson after his substitution in the second half.

The booing was surely not only because of England’s confusion in midfield. This was surely a reaction to Henderson moving to Saudi Arabia. Southgate has stood by the midfielder but, watching him chug along here, it was difficult not to conclude that there are better alternatives out there.

After the fury caused by the FA’s refusal to light the Wembley arch in the colours of the Israeli flag or the Jewish prayer shawl, it was a relief to hear the period of silence in memory of the victims of the conflict in the Middle East pass without any disruption. The mood was respectful, nobody daring to spoil the moment, and when it was over it felt easier to switch the focus on to assessing the players hoping to force their way into Southgate’s plans before next summer.

This was a good test for England. Australia were motivated, Keanu Baccus and Jackson Irvine crunching into challenges in midfield, and were hunting for complacency. When they threatened in the 22nd minute, Johnstone saved well after Baccus’s shot took a deflection off Tomori, it was clear that England had to sharpen up.

Their passing was loose. Bowen, handed his first cap since June 2022, had wasted a chance to play Jack Grealish in on the left. Grealish, drifting inside, had sent a shot out for a throw. Australia had hope and they delivered another warning when Tomori, hoping to press his case for a role in central defence, lost track of Mitchell Duke, only for the striker to volley wide at the near post.

There was bite to the visitors. Baccus clearly enjoyed himself when he got into a shoving match with Levi Colwill, who was making his England debut at left-back.

Australia made their physicality count. Kyle Rowles, the left-back, shot over after England failed to clear a set-piece.

Knocked off their stride, England laboured during the first half. Gallagher and Henderson were bypassed in midfield, which was bad news for James Maddison. Finally given a chance to play in the centre, Maddison struggled to see much of the ball, although he would still underline his threat, his pass sending Watkins through to round Maty Ryan and hit a post from a tight angle.

There were flashes from England: a pirouette from Watkins, a slick combination between Bowen and Gallagher. But it was erratic. Henderson and Gallagher, booked for catching Craig Goodwin, were repeatedly out of position. Trent Alexander-Arnold was quiet at right-back and Australia should have led when Martin Boyle released Ryan Strain after turning past Colwill. All that saved England, who were caught out by a simple long ball over the top, was Lewis Dunk clearing Strain’s shot off the line.

In fairness, England were experimenting with Alexander-Arnold drifting in to receive possession in the quarter-back role. The shape in possession was interesting. Colwill moved into a back three, Alexander-Arnold was close to Henderson, and Gallagher pushed close to Bowen on the right. It was not easy to pull off and while Southgate was entitled to cut some new tactical shapes, England still looked congested at the start of the second half.

They ended up having to go direct. After 57 minutes of holding firm Australia lost concentration when Alexander-Arnold lifted a deep cross towards the left. Grealish had time to crack a low shot towards the far post and look distinctly unamused when Watkins slid in to score from yards out.

Was Grealish’s shot going in? Was this a Pure Nugent? It was hard to tell. Either way, a grinning Watkins hardly looked contrite. He embraced an unimpressed Grealish but the apologies could not have been genuine. Strikers need goals and Watkins needs to boost his numbers if he is to push above Callum Wilson, Ivan Toney and Eddie Nketiah in the battle to be Harry Kane’s understudy.

Johnstone would also do himself no harm in goal, saving again from Goodwin. England could make changes. Nketiah came on for his debut and Australia went close again, Connor Metcalfe heading against a post. England’s second string held on.