England manager Gareth Southgate backs Phil Foden to ease scoring burden on Harry Kane

Ahead of World Cup qualifier against Albania, Three Lions coach heartened by number of other players who are offering a goal threat

Ollie Watkins, centre, celebrates scoring England's fifth and final goal in the World Cup qualifier against San Marino at the Wembley Stadium on March 25. Reuters

England's Ollie Watkins makes it 5-0. AP

England midfielder Phil Foden controls the ball at Wembley. AFP

England's Dominic Calvert-Lewin celebrates scoring their second goal. Reuters

Raheem Sterling celebrates with Conor Coady after scoring England's third goal. AP

England's James Ward-Prowse goes for goal from a free-kick. AP

San Marino's Dante Rossi and England's Ollie Watkins after their match at the Wembley Stadium, London. PA

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, right, celebrates scoring England's fourth goal. EPA

Raheem Sterling scores England's third against San Marino in London. EPA

Dominic Calvert-Lewin heads home England's second goal. AFP

San Marino goalkeeper Elia Benedettini dives for a shot that hits the post. AFP

Dominic Calvert-Lewin celebrates after scoring England's second. Getty

England's Phil Foden on the attack at Wembley. Reuters

England's striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin scores their fourth goal. AFP

England's Jude Bellingham goes for the spectacular against San Marino. AFP

Gareth Southgate believes Phil Foden is reducing England’s reliance on Harry Kane for goals as he savoured the way he has more scorers than before.

Foden, who opened his England account with a brace against Iceland in November, could be set to start as a winger against Albania on Sunday.

Southgate is without a host of attacking players, with Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish, Danny Ings, James Maddison and Harvey Barnes all injured.

Kane, who was rested for Thursday's 5-0 win over San Marino, will return but Southgate is heartened by the number of other players who have the capacity to find the net as he urged his midfielders and wingers to carry on scoring.

“Phil is very exciting,” he said. “He has the skills to receive under pressure and the movement of his body to take players out of the game with his tight control. He has a lovely range of passing and a disguised pass.

“What has impressed me most is he has a real eye for goal and a hunger to score. From attacking midfield or a wide position, it’s important players chip in with goals. You need goals from different areas.”

“About 12 months ago, when we named a squad outside of Harry, Raheem [Sterling] and Marcus there were very few goalscorers for England and over that period we have been able to name players and those goal tallies are ticking over. Phil has scored for England and Mason [Mount] and Jesse [Lingard].”

Mount has been used as a forward for Chelsea by Thomas Tuchel but Southgate could deploy him as a midfielder.

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England Player ratings in 5-0 win over San Marino

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“That deeper position is one that Mason doesn’t really play at his club but I think it is possible for him,” he said. “He is a very intelligent player, can play 4, 8 or 10 and I think he can adapt as required.”

Dominic Calvert-Lewin struck twice against San Marino to double his England tally and Southgate likes his more prolific streak. “The difference has been goals,” he said. “His link play has always been good but until the last 18 months, he wasn’t finishing those chances.”

Luke Shaw could win a first England cap since 2018 after excelling for Manchester United and Southgate said: “He doesn’t need to do anything differently. First and foremost, Luke is a good defender.

"He is good to defend against one on one and he is getting better at covering his centre-backs.

“It has been great to see him playing on the front foot with his defending and being really ambitious with his attacking. He looks as if physically he is in a good condition to drive forward. There has never been any doubt in our mind of Luke’s quality. He has suffered from injuries.”

Southgate has the option of picking a back four from the Manchester clubs, with United’s Shaw and Harry Maguire and City’s John Stones and Kyle Walker and he said: “That cohesion between units on the field is always helpful. When you don’t have a long time to work together as a team those edges can be decisive.”