Palmer scores on full debut as England ease past Bosnia

England secured a victory in the first of their Euro 2024 warm-up games with a 3-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Newcastle.

In a tepid first half, Ollie Watkins had the best chance for England, when his turn and shot was well saved by Nikola Vasilj.

It took until the hour for England to break through, with Cole Palmer converting a penalty after a foul on Ezri Konsa.

An adroit volley from Trent-Alexander Arnold followed by a close-range shot from Harry Kane, both in the closing minutes of play, added some gloss to a largely underwhelming performance.

England’s second and final warm-up game will be against Iceland at Wembley on Friday.

After seven years and three tournaments in the job, Gareth Southgate knows most of his players inside out but there are a couple of outsiders who might have forced their way into his thinking.

It seems unthinkable that Cole Palmer won’t go to Germany after the season he’s had with Chelsea, and his coolly taken penalty tonight will add to his case. One thing Southgate’s squad lacks is a really devastating dribbler, so Eberechi Eze’s performance tonight may have caught his eye. In the land of Waddle, Beardsley and Gascoigne, Eze ghosted past opponents with ease on several occasions.

The real conundrum for Southgate however is in filling the space between Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham in midfield. Kobbie Mainoo was Player of the Match in the FA Cup Final nine days ago, while the more experienced Alexander-Arnold was the star turn tonight. It’s a tough choice for Southgate, but it’s one of those good problems to have.

If there was any scintilla of doubt about his place at Euro 2024 it is surely gone after his second half performance. Alexander-Arnold pushed England forwards and opened up the visitors with some slick passing, before capping his performance with a fine goal.

England: Pickford 6; Konsa 7, Trippier 6, Guehi 5, Dunk 6; Gallagher 6, Alexander-Arnold 8, Palmer 7; Bowen 6, Watkins 5, Eze 7. Subs: Gomez 6, Branthwaite 5, Grealish 7, Maddison 6, Kane 7, Wharton 6

Bosnia & Herzegovina: Vasilj 7; Ahmedhodzic 6, Bicakcic 6, Katic 6; Gazibegovic 5, Gigovic 6, Tahirovic 5, Saric 6, Radeljic 5; Demirovic 6, Hajradinovic 5. Subs: Hadzikadunic 6, Huseinbasic 6, Tabakovic 6, Mujakic 6, Burnic 6, Muharemovic 6

9′ CHANCE! Palmer slides a pass through to Watkins in the penalty area. Watkins rolls Katic and he’s in, but his shot is smothered by Vasilj and then cleared.

59′ PENALTY! Tahirovic had a handful of Konsa’s shirt and hauled him to the floor. That earns him a booking, and England a penalty. Up steps Cole Palmer…

60′ GOAL! England 1-0 Bosnia (Palmer): On his full debut Palmer scores, low to the right. Vasilj got a hand to it, but couldn’t keep it out.

85′ GOAL! England 2-0 Bosnia (Alexander-Arnold): Oh he’s deserved this. Grealish lifts a high cross to the back post, where a totally unmarked Alexander-Arnold waits for it to drop out of the sky. When it does, Alexander-Arnold guides a low volley across Vasilj and into the bottom corner. That’s a superb finish.

89′ GOAL! England 3-0 Bosnia (Kane): What a scramble! Konsa gets in the way of a goal-bound shot from Bowen from close range. The ball drops to Kane, who hammers a low shot through Vasilj for his 63rd international goal.

• This was the first time since November 1994 that England began a match without a player from Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur in the starting XI.