England player ratings: Awesome Elliot Anderson, Ezri Konsa's bravery sets tone for Thomas Tuchel

Elliot Anderson and Ezri Konsa showed they are becoming key players for Thomas Tuchel in England's 2-0 win over Serbia.

England maintained their perfect World Cup qualifying record thanks to a fine Bukayo Saka volley and excellent Eberechi Eze finish.

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Here, Sky Sports rates the England players....

Jordan Pickford - 7

Seven qualifiers, seven clean sheets for Jordan Pickford. You can't ask more than that from a goalkeeper, really. England have only faced three shots on target in those seven matches, showcasing just what a strong and brave defensive unit Pickford has in front of him. They are making his life very easy in an England shirt.

Reece James - 8

Too often, England's full-backs can be either just defensive stoppers or creative attacking outlets. James is both rolled into one and continues to demonstrate just how important he is when it comes to the balance of this England team. When fit and firing, there are few in world football who can match his all-round game. He can defend like a centre-back, attack like a winger and play through pressure like a midfielder.

His one-vs-one defending was textbook here and he opened the game up with some clever passing into Saka.

John Stones - 7

Once again, Stones hardly put a foot wrong in an England shirt, reading danger before it even materialised, stepping out with that trademark swagger and knitting England's play together from the back like only he can. What stood out most, though, was his growing partnership with Ezri Konsa. It's early days, but the signs are exciting.

Ezri Konsa - 8

You can't play brave football without brave defenders. And there is a quiet assurance about Ezri Konsa in that regard.

The Aston Villa defender gave a performance that spoke volumes about why Tuchel's high-line blueprint can work a charm at international level. Composed on the ball, ice-cool under pressure and blessed with recovery pace that simply erases mistakes, Konsa looked like the modern defender England have been crying out for. Dusan Vlahovic is a powerful runner, capable of bullying any centre-back in the world but Konsa handled him without breaking much sweat.

Nico O'Reilly - 7

Debuts can be tricky. The nerves, the pace, the expectation. But Nico O'Reilly? He made it look effortless. It's rare to see a player on his first cap read the game so comfortably, and yet he did it with a naturalness that suggested he'd been here before. He replicated his performances for Manchester City.

Declan Rice - 7

Declan Rice's standards are so high these days that when he's merely good, it almost feels like something's missing. The Arsenal midfielder wasn't at his marauding, game-grabbing best but he still provided what he always does: balance, leadership, calmness in possession and quality from set pieces.

Elliot Anderson - 8

Maturity, composure and an ability to play progressive passes, Elliot Anderson is vindicating Tuchel's faith that he was ready to play at this level. One of the key themes of Anderson's night was his ability to play forward at pace at a tempo that stretched Serbia. He completed 76 of 82 passes and crucially made 21 passes into the final third.

There's an intelligence about Anderson which stands out too. While he isn't a midfielder destroyer, his positional sense and calm under challenge allow him to win fouls (4), relieve pressure and maintain rhythm.

Morgan Rogers - 7

The Aston Villa midfielder showed glimpses of what makes him such an intriguing prospect: the energy, the intent, the natural athleticism to unsettle defenders but there were some sloppy moments mixed in. It just didn't quite click on the whole. Football is often defined by the fine margins, and Rogers didn't quite get those right. England improved when Jude Bellingham entered the stage.

Bukayo Saka - 7

Thomas Tuchel told him he should be scoring more goals and in typical Saka fashion, he listened, took the words on board and delivered an answer. Saka doesn't need a lot of the ball to make a big impact and this performance proved it.

Even on a night when the Arsenal man wasn't as involved as he should have been, every touch carried danger, every burst of acceleration felt loaded with purpose and pace. And of course, the goal was a fantastic execution of skill - something he made look very easy.

Harry Kane - 7

When a nine becomes a 10. Kane showed he can almost play as a quarterback in this England team, dropping deep to pull Serbia apart with passes that zinged across the pitch with intent. The two visiting centre-backs couldn't get near him. Kane looked as stunned as the rest us of when he headed Rice's perfect corner wide of the post from eight yards out.

Marcus Rashford - 7

Rashford looked like a man playing with purpose again. There was confidence in his stride, sharpness in his feet and a willingness to take on defenders that's been missing from his game on these shores in recent years. Playing off the left at Wembley, he reminded everyone why he's still one of England's most unpredictable weapons although the finishing touch didn't quite follow the fireworks. Twice he cut in from 20 yards but the strike was easily read by Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic.

Subs

Phil Foden (On for Kane) - 7

A little bit sloppy early on as he didn't look overly comfortable playing in the false nine position. However, when the game opened up with Serbia throwing men forward, Foden relished driving into space and grabbed an assist for the second goal.

Jude Bellingham (On for Rogers) - 7

Played like a man with a point to prove off the bench, driving past Serbia midfielders with his usual mix of grace and power. Tuchel's handling of him has been a little unconventional but it may just work in the long-term.

Eberechi Eze (On for Rashford) - 8

Flourished in the space offered to him in the closing stages against a desperate Serbia team. Somehow was denied when his close-range finish bounced back off the crossbar but he wouldn't be denied, swatting home a fantastic finish to double the lead.

Jordan Henderson (On for Rice) - 7

Steady if unspectacular. Kept things simple.

Adam Wharton (On for Anderson) - N/A

Only on for five minutes - hopefully we get to see more of him as the World Cup draws into view.

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