When Harry Kane scores seven goals in training at St George’s Park, Marcus Rashford imagines scoring eight. The reality against Bulgaria was somewhat different and the imagination is likely to remain where the Manchester United forward outscores the England captain given their respective roles in Gareth Southgate’s side. Kane’s hat-trick, however, did not disguise the reality of how important Rashford is to England. He was goalless, frustrated but crucial to breaking Bulgaria and maintaining Southgate’s stroll towards Euro 2020.

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Stationed on the left against a five-man defence and without opportunity to even argue over penalty-taking duties for his country, unlike for his club, the United striker had no option but to leave thoughts of hat-tricks and headlines to the man in the centre. But Rashford’s selflessness was not lost on Kane or the manager. In trying contests such as this, when opponents retreat en masse in recognition of England’s varied attacking options, the pace, movement and awareness of the 21-year-old can prove invaluable. He may have lacked the goals of Kane or the finesse of Raheem Sterling but Rashford responded impressively to the internal competition for places that is currently fiercer than England’s Group A rivals. As Kane reflected: “When I’m playing with players like Raz [Sterling] and Rashford they’re going to create so many chances. They are so good one v one and so skilful that they’re going to win penalties.”

By the barometer of current form Rashford might have been considered fortunate to start given Jadon Sancho’s early-season impact for Borussia Dortmund. But the England manager, as he made clear in the buildup to the first international of the season, is not in the business of experimentation. Visions of a Euro 2020 final appearance at Wembley next summer or of qualifying matches being a testing ground for young potential are for other people to ponder, Southgate had insisted on Friday. He was good as his word in selecting players who have delivered results in an England shirt.

Rashford was therefore in on merit, having scored four times in his previous seven internationals. Sancho, despite returning three goals and four assist in five outings for Dortmund this season, had to bide his time for another opportunity to impress. He may have had some sympathy for England’s forwards given the red wall Bulgaria built from the first whistle.

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Krasimir Balakov deployed a 5-4-1 formation in which the only room for manoeuvre was for the addition of an extra defender when Rashford or the immaculate Sterling gained possession. The new Bulgaria coach’s negativity was understandable given the team have not won in seven matches and sit bottom of Group A. “There is an enormous difference in the levels of the two teams and so we wanted to be compact,” Balakov admitted. But it made for a desperate spectacle. Rashford evidently thought so too, with frustration prompting a wayward shot from 30 yards after 23 minutes of stalemate and running into disciplined cul-de-sacs. The merciful release of Kane’s first goal arrived from the subsequent goal-kick and goalkeeper Plamen Iliev’s brain freeze.

Rashford’s patience was stretched before the breakthrough allowed the game to follow suit. The 21-year-old regularly dropped deep in search of possession and an escape from Bulgaria’s packed lines but to limited effect. Sterling, by contrast, stayed on the last man when England probed, backing his speed and evasiveness to inflict damage on the visitors’ back-line. His judgment was correct throughout.

Once England were ahead and gaps appeared in the Bulgaria ranks, however, the United forward showed precisely why he retains the confidence of his manager. Rashford drove at the Bulgarian defence whenever the opportunity arrived. In the first half that ambition was stifled by the number of red shirts in front of him or Nikolay Bodurov pulling his white one when he looked to launch a counterattack. But seconds after Jordan Pickford prevented Wanderson equalising early in the second half Rashford’s perseverance was rewarded when he burst into space down the left, checked back inside Bodurov and was felled for a clear penalty. In contrast to the confusion over penalties at club level, Rashford dutifully stood aside as his captain doubled England’s advantage from the spot.

Another driving run from Rashford and well-timed lay-off to Kane produced England’s third for Sterling. Now, with the game won, it was Southgate’s time to introduce Sancho and Mason Mount. The two exciting young prospects were greeted with jubilant fanfare but Rashford, rightly, remains the man in possession of the shirt.