A COMFORTABLE victory, but hardly a ringing endorsement of England’s credentials ahead of the start of the Euros. On a night when Gareth Southgate would have been hoping to see some of his understudies step out of the shadows, the England boss was instead given a reminder of just how important his star performers are.

Cole Palmer scored his first international goal on his first international start, drilling home a second-half penalty moments before being substituted, Trent Alexander-Arnold volleyed home an excellent second and substitute Harry Kane snaffled his 63rd England goal with one minute remaining.

Eberechi Eze showed flashes of the dribbling ability that lit up Selhurst Park in the second half of the season, and there were second-half debuts for Adam Wharton and Jarrad Branthwaite, so they will certainly look back on England’s visit to Tyneside fondly.

For the majority of a sold-out St James’ Park crowd, however, this was not a night that will live long in the memory. Not that it will matter, though, if Southgate’s side excel when the real business begins in Germany later this month.

While last night’s game was billed as the first of two warm-up matches ahead of the Euros, the reality is that only three members of the side that kicked off at St James’ have a realistic chance of featuring in the team that will start England’s Group C opener against Serbia on June 16.

Jordan Pickford is firmly established as England’s number one goalkeeper, and for once, the Wearsider was only subjected to sporadic boos as he lined up on Tyneside. Even that was disappointing, though, on a night that should have seen club loyalties put to one side.

Kieran Trippier was assured of a much warmer reception as he captained his country on his home ground, and the fact the Newcastle defender was lining up at left-back rather than in his more natural position on the right confirms his status as the likeliest starter on the left of the back four in Germany if Luke Shaw fails to recover from injury.

Alexander-Arnold is far from guaranteed to start against Serbia, but with Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips having finally been jettisoned, there is a gap alongside Declan Rice at the heart of England’s first-choice midfield.

Kobbie Mainoo could fill it after his breakthrough season at Manchester United, but Gareth Southgate appears to have reservations about the teenager’s positional nous. Alexander-Arnold’s pedigree as a full-back means the defensive side of the game should come more naturally to him, but can he flourish as a midfielder in a major tournament?

Last night’s outing was an opportunity to state his case, and the clinical finish that doubled England’s lead late on was accompanied by three or four of the Liverpudlian’s trademark long passes. It was perhaps telling, though, that Alexander-Arnold was at his most effective after he was repositioned to right-back in the second half.

Aside from Pickford, Trippier and Alexander-Arnold, the rest of England’s players were almost certainly auditioning for a place in the final 26-man squad that Southgate has to submit to UEFA before midnight on Friday.

In defence, Marc Guehi and Lewis Dunk are likely to make it ahead of the much less experienced Branthwaite and Jarell Quansah, but Ezri Konsa, last night’s right-back, could be right on the cut line. In a position where England are especially well stocked, this wasn’t a performance that demanded his inclusion in the squad for the Euros.

Conor Gallagher should get a place in midfield, Palmer’s stellar season at Chelsea surely guarantees him a place on the plane, and Ollie Watkins now appears to be firmly established as Southgate’s preferred number two to Harry Kane.

Jarrod Bowen and Eze? They could well be competing with Anthony Gordon, who missed last night’s game through injury but should be available to face Iceland on Friday, and Jack Grealish for a spot in the 26. Eze was the brighter of the pair for most of last night’s game.

Given the patchwork nature of England’s starting side, perhaps it should have been no surprise that much of the home side’s play lacked fluency.

Watkins should have done better when he broke onto Palmer’s ninth-minute through ball and shot straight at Bosnian goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, while Gallagher went close with a curled effort from the corner of the box that flew over.

That was really that in terms of first-half drama, though, bar a couple of eye-catching dribbles from Eze that enlivened an otherwise lifeless contest.

In fact, Bosnia had the best opportunity before the break, which was handed to them by the kind of basic defensive error that has plagued England in countless tournaments. Guehi’s pass out of defence went straight to Haris Hajradinovic, but the Bosnian midfielder’s shot deflected narrowly wide.

In fairness, England raised the tempo in the second half, but while Alexander-Arnold’s through ball released Palmer into the area, the Chelsea forward’s shot was deflected behind. When Bowen fizzed another ball into Palmer’s path moments later, another shooting opportunity beckoned. But Palmer took too long to get his shot away, and the chance disappeared. Southgate, turning frustratedly to his bench, clearly felt a first-time effort would have been the better bet.

Come the hour mark, however, and Palmer was presented with an opportunity he was not going to pass up. Benjamin Tahirovic tugged back Konsa at a corner, and while the offence was initially missed, a VAR review led to the award of a penalty. With Kane waiting to be introduced on the touchline, Palmer drilled nervelessly into the bottom corner.

Alexander-Arnold’s goal came with five minutes left, and was the result of a clinical volleyed finish from Grealish’s cross, and Kane proved his predatory instincts are as sharp as ever four minutes later. James Maddison’s shot was inadvertently blocked by Konsa, but the ball fell invitingly for Kane, who swept home.