Cole Palmer notched his first England goal in a 3-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in a Euro 2024 warmup clash held at Newcastle's St. James' Park on Monday.
Making his inaugural start for the Three Lions, the 22-year-old Chelsea forward calmly converted a penalty in the second half, showcasing his clinical prowess.
In his third appearance for England, Palmer continued his impressive form from Chelsea, further bolstering his bid for a spot in Gareth Southgate's Euro squad.
Trent Alexander-Arnold also stood out for England, operating in midfield rather than his customary right-back position. The Liverpool player netted England's second goal, capping off an energetic performance.
Harry Kane, returning from injury, came off the bench in the second half and sealed the win with England's third goal in the dying moments of the game.
Southgate expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, stating, "The great thing is we've got through the last few days with no big (injury) problems. We had an opponent that was dogged and determined, so physically it was a good workout."
The victory comes after England's mixed results in previous matches, including a draw with North Macedonia and friendlies against Brazil and Belgium in March.
Palmer, Alexander-Arnold, and Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze enhanced their chances of inclusion in the Euro squad with standout performances.
Southgate acknowledged the contributions of Palmer, Eze, and Alexander-Arnold, stating, "I thought Cole linked the game well for us. Lovely for him to get his first goal. Eze played with that freedom and swagger. And we know Trent's qualities. It's a beautiful finish."
However, Ollie Watkins, Conor Gallagher, and Jarrod Bowen may rue missed opportunities to impress.
Looking ahead, Southgate faces the task of trimming the squad to meet the Friday deadline, with seven players set to be cut from the provisional 33-man roster.
With the Euro opener against Serbia on June 16, England's final warmup match against Iceland at Wembley looms large as the last opportunity for players to stake their claim.
Despite a sluggish start against Bosnia, England's second-half improvement, marked by Palmer's penalty, Alexander-Arnold's goal, and Kane's late strike, provides optimism for the upcoming tournament.
