World Cup qualifying: England labour to win over Andorra to stay top of Group K

The hosts claimed a 2–0 victory, yet the performance left much to be desired, continuing a pattern of results achieved without flair or excitement.

England dominated possession from the outset, camped in the Andorran half for long stretches, but struggled to turn control into clear opportunities.

The breakthrough arrived in the first half when Andorra's Garcia turned the ball into his own net under pressure. Despite the goal, Tuchel's men laboured to carve out further chances, often running out of ideas against the visitors' deep defensive line.

Declan Rice eventually sealed the win after the break, arriving at the far post to convert, but by then much of the Villa Park crowd had already filtered out, with the lap of honour at full-time greeted by rows of empty seats.

One of the few bright spots for England was Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, who impressed with energy and invention in the middle of the park.

Still, questions remain over the side's lack of creativity and cutting edge. Critics have branded Tuchel's England as stodgy, arguing that qualification results should come with more conviction given the talent at his disposal.

Nevertheless, the Three Lions sit top of Group K, with wins over Latvia, Albania, and two victories against Andorra yielding just three goals across the latter pair of fixtures. With automatic qualification expected, anything less would be a major failure.

Attention now turns to a far sterner test: an away trip to Belgrade to face Serbia, where Tuchel's team will need greater spark and incision to convince doubters.