Bukayo Saka’s stunning strike and a first international goal for Morgan Rogers inspired England in a comprehensive 3-0 win over Wales in Thursday’s friendly.
Thomas Tuchel’s side delivered their second successive dominant display to maintain the feel-good factor after their 5-0 rout of Serbia in a World Cup qualifier last month.
Rogers put England ahead early in the first half at Wembley and the midfielder’s Aston Villa team-mate Ollie Watkins increased their advantage soon afterwards.
With England carving open the hapless Welsh defence at will, Arsenal winger Saka scored the goal of the night with a superb long-range rocket.
It was exactly the kind of swaggering performance that former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss Tuchel had promised when he replaced Gareth Southgate.
The German struggled through a spluttering start to his reign, but England are finally starting to hit their stride.
England’s place at next year’s World Cup is already all but confirmed after five successive wins in Group K.
They could book their spot with a victory in Latvia on Tuesday, depending on other results over the next few days.
The Three Lions need to travel for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico with genuine belief they can win a major trophy for the first time since 1966.
When listless England were beaten by Senegal in a friendly in June, few would have thought that was likely.
To his credit, Tuchel has managed to revitalise his team since their first-ever loss to an African country.
While far sterner tests lie in wait at the World Cup, they appear to be heading in the right direction after a sixth win from seven games under Tuchel.
He will be encouraged that England beat Wales so easily without injured captain Harry Kane, while Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish were all left out of the squad.
Wales, who face a vital qualifier against Belgium on Monday, are in the hunt to reach the World Cup after losing just twice in 12 games since boss Craig Bellamy took charge.
But they had only beaten England once at Wembley in 1977, prompting Bellamy to insist they weren’t coming to the national stadium as “tourists”.
Bellamy’s defiance fell on deaf ears as England took the lead after just three minutes.
With the Wales defence flat-footed inside its own penalty area, Marc Guehi alertly pounced on the loose ball before it could roll out of play.
Guehi quickly guided his pass into the six-yard box and Rogers applied the finishing touch.
England had scored in 17 consecutive matches for the first time in 34 years and Watkins added to the blitz in the 11th minute.
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Wales were guilty of more sloppy defending as Rogers was granted time and space to loop his cross towards Watkins, who poked home from close range for his sixth international goal.
Tuchel’s team were monopolising over 80 per cent of the possession and it was no surprise when they struck again in the 20th minute.
Saka did it all on his own, cutting in from the right flank and curling a sublime finish past Wales keeper Karl Darlow into the top corner from 25 yards.
It was the first time that England had scored three goals in the first 20 minutes since 1987 against Yugoslavia.
England were rampant and Watkins should have scored his second before half-time, but he crashed into the post after failing to convert and had to limp off injured.
That was the signal for England to take their foot off the gas in a low-key second half, with preserving fitness for the trip to Latvia clearly Tuchel’s top priority.
