England thrashed Iran 6-2 on Monday in an emphatic World Cup opener with Arsenal forward, Bukayo Saka, scoring two goals for the Three Lions.

Jude Bellingham and Raheem Sterling got a goal each before substitutes Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish rounded off the rout.

England had come close to taking the lead in the Group B opener with Harry Maguire heading against the crossbar, before 19-year-old Bellingham steered in a header from Luke Shaw’s cross in the 35th minute.

Eight minutes later, England doubled their lead when Maguire climbed highest from a corner to head down for Saka to score.

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Sterling flicked in a cross by captain Harry Kane in first-half stoppage time before Saka bamboozled Iran’s defence and made it 4-0 in the 62nd minute.

Mehdi Taremi narrowed the gap for Iran three minutes later but Rashford made it 5-1 and Grealish, also coming off the bench, scored England’s sixth.

Taremi scored a consolation second goal for Iran from the penalty spot in the dying seconds.

England are now the early leaders in Group B, with Iran propping up the table behind Wales and USA, who play later on Monday.

England face USA in their second group game on Friday, while Iran take on Wales on the same day.

The winners of Group B will face the runners-up from Group A, containing Netherlands, Senegal, Ecuador and hosts Qatar, while the runner-up in Group B will face the winners of Group A.

The Star