Including play-offs, North Macedonia have lost two of their three qualifying matches (W1), as many as they had in their previous 14 (W9 D3).

They led Ukraine 2-0 at half-time in their last game, only to end up losing 3-2.

This is England’s first game at Old Trafford since a 1-0 defeat to Spain in a friendly in February 2007.

The Three Lions have won eleven of their 17 games at the home of Manchester United, although haven’t won either of their last two (D1 L1), one of which was against North Macedonia in October 2006.

England have lost just one of their last 60 qualifying matches for the World Cup/European Championship (W48 D11), losing 2-1 at Czech Republic in October 2019.

At home, the Three Lions are unbeaten in 34 such matches (W30 D4) since a 3-2 loss to Croatia in November 2007.

If ever there was a night to try things, it was this, and so it was for Trent Alexander-Arnold. Playing in a role that was more quarterback than that associated with the No 10 on his shirt, the Liverpool star decorated an otherwise drab 4-0 win over Malta with a series of sublime balls. One of those was a brilliant strike to make it 2-0, as Alexander-Arnold at least gave Gareth Southgate something to think about from a game almost everyone else will instantly forget.

There is of course a danger in reading too much into a game as utterly routine as this, but you might say it’s a start. That’s actually been rare enough with Alexander-Arnold for England, since this was remarkably only his 19th appearance.

If these sort of matches have always provoked debate about whether they should even be taking place, such is the extent of the mismatch, the one element of tension is how long it will take the superior side to score. Southgate had direct knowledge of that given it was his last match in this stadium that was one of his most dismal nights with England. A goalless first half led to away fans booing and cries that the team were “sh*t”.

England have won their last eleven home European Championship qualifiers by an aggregate score of 40-4.

This century, England have won 19 out of 24 home Euros qualifiers (drawn four, lost one), although two of the five home games they have failed to win have been against North Macedonia in 2002 and 2006.

England have never lost a game against North Macedonia (won two, drawn two), with this the first meeting between the nations since a goalless draw at Old Trafford in October 2006.

North Macedonia have never lost an away game against England, drawing 2-2 at St Mary’s in October 2002 and 0-0 at Old Trafford in October 2006, both in European Championship qualifiers.

Gareth Southgate makes just two changes to the England side that defeated Malta on Friday. John Stones replaces Marc Guehi and James Maddison drops out for Marcus Rashford.

Bukayo Saka is fit to start.

England XI: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Alexander-Arnold, Rice, Henderson; Saka, Kane, Rashford

Southgate’s men conclude their season with the fixture at Old Trafford, three days after beating Malta 4-0 away to make it three victories from three matches in Group C.

Southgate told a press conference on Sunday regarding North Macedonia: “They should have won the other night against Ukraine, really.”

The match against Malta was surprising for how well Trent Alexander-Arnold performed in creative midfield role but Southgate says that he was in no doubt the Liverpool defender was up to the task.

“There’s never been any doubt in my mind that he can do it,” revealed Southgate after the match on Friday, “Tonight was slightly different to with his club, but I think it really suits his game as he’s able to get wide and he’s in all the areas that he gets in when he attacks as a right-back.

“Defensively it’s a slightly different role for him but he’s still learning that and it’s going to take a bit of time. He’s excited about it, we know the quality that he can bring and it gives us something different.

“We’d like it to be an option, he has a different profile to our other midfielders and I’m really pleased for him. We spoke about it around four weeks ago and he was excited about it and eager to learn about it.

“He scored a great goal, a great pass for the first and he was involved in the third.”