England 1-0 Portugal: Chris Smalling spares the blushes with late Wembley winner after three-man attack of Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy falter in final game before Euro 2016

ENGLAND (4-1-2-1-2): Hart 6, Walker 6.5, Smalling 7, Cahill 6, Rose 6, Dier 6.5, Milner 5 (Wilshere, 66), Alli 6 (Henderson, 90), Rooney 5.5 (Lallana, 78), Kane 6 (Sturridge, 78), Vardy 5.5 (Sterling, 66).

Subs not used: Forster, Clyne, Stones, Barkley, Rashford, Heaton.

Goal: Smalling, 86

Manager: Roy Hodgson 6

PORTUGAL (4-3-3): Rui Patricio 6.5, Vieirinha 6, Bruno Alves 4, Carvalho 7.5, Eliseu 6, Joao Moutinho 6 (William Carvalho, 72), Joao Mario 6 (Andre Gomes, 46), Danilo Pereira 7, Nani 6 (Quaresma, 61) Rafa 6 (Fonte, 38), Adrien Silva 6 (Renato Sanches, 72).

Subs not used: Lopes, Guerreiro, Eder,  Cedric, Eduardo.

Sent-off: Bruno Alves

Manager: Fernando Santos 5.5

MOTM: Ricardo Carvalho

Referee: Marco Guida 6

Attendance: 82,503

Ratings by Sportsmail’s Sam Cunningham

How else does one explain the deployment of Wayne Rooney in an advanced, central role that forced Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy to essentially operate as wingers? Or Dele Alli’s appearance on the left flank in a manner that evoked memories of Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard — two other players who on the international stage were too often victims of their own versatility.

Like Gerrard and Scholes before him, Alli is someone an England team should be built around. Not a player squeezed into a position in a side with too many individuals trying to operate out of position.

On a night Hodgson hoped he would see his Euro 2016 plans coming together, plenty of questions remained. Yes, an 86th-minute header from Chris Smalling secured victory against a Portugal side who had been playing with 10 men for more than 50 minutes, and with a 38-year-old centre half, albeit a damn fine one, at its heart.

But this was a far from encouraging performance, with much of the concern focused around a front three that promised much but delivered little.

Hodgson had certainly seemed confident it would work. ‘There is no reason why Rooney, Vardy and Kane shouldn’t work,’ he declared shortly before kick-off. ‘We have tried it in training and have every reason to believe we will have a good game tonight.’

If Hodgson wants to revise that particular opinion, he seemed unwilling to do so afterwards. He appeared to think his side had played well, and defended the need for Kane and Vardy to play on the flanks because they had a responsibility to defend the wide areas. He also stressed that three warm-up games had concluded with three victories.

That is true but it is not necessarily enough to alleviate concerns that will persist in the run-up to that opening Group B encounter with Russia on June 11.

Not once was Vardy invited to run at the Portugal defence in the fashion that proved so effective for Leicester City. Indeed, a touch-map that was published after the game revealed that Vardy had got on the ball on nine occasions — once at kick-off and eight times along the left touchline.

Hodgson is a creature of habit and, having picked 10 of the 11 who started the final warm-up game for the opening game of the last two tournaments, one suspects he certainly went into this game with this side pretty much in mind for the Russians.

Alves was shown a straight red card for his challenge on Kane by the referee at Wembley, Marco Guida

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ENGLAND’S EURO 2016 FIXTURES

Saturday, June 11: England v Russia (20:00, Stade Velodrome, Marseille)

Thursday, June 16: England v Wales (14:00, Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens) 

Monday, June 20: Slovakia v England (20:00, Stade Geoffroy Guichard, St Etienne)

But where does that leave Jack Wilshere, heralded as the best passer of the ball in the squad by Hodgson but now seemingly demoted to the bench?

If he missed out because he lacks sharpness — he goes to France having played only 141 minutes for Arsenal this season —why is he in the squad?

The FA declared all 23 players fit to go to France and if that is the case Wilshere has to be part of the team. Nobody else possesses his skill and vision in the midfield, so he needs to be providing the ammunition for forwards starved of decent service. A midfield comprising Alli and James Milner certainly did not look like the answer, even if it does makes sense to stick with Eric Dier in front of the back four.

This team requires further surgery. Perhaps Vardy returns to the bench, allowing Hodgson to push Rooney alongside Kane and Alli into a more central position. It would make room for Wilshere too.

After just over an hour Hodgson did make changes, with Wilshere replacing Milner and Raheem Sterling coming on for Vardy. And thanks to Wilshere, England were noticeably better, with him immediately getting on the ball to provide the team with a bit of impetus.

Dele Alli (centre) struggled to reach his usual standard as he was placed out on the left to accommodate captain Rooney

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Roy Hodgson (right) has indicated a preference for getting all his best players on the pitch, rather than focusing on a formation

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Kyle Walker (second right) went close from range for England towards the end of the first half against Portugal

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Hodgson expressed some regret that Cristiano Ronaldo was rested for this game when he rather hoped the Real Madrid superstar could replicate the threat Wales’s Gareth Bale will pose to England on June 16.

But the manager was probably relieved in the end that Ronaldo was missing, given how much more demoralising this friendly could have been. There were some positive moments. Early on a nice ball from Kane might have resulted in a goal for Rooney had he not been offside.

But it was not long before one was reminded of the words of Steve McClaren (yes, Steve McClaren). In a rare moment of clarity during his short spell as England manager he spoke of the need to put round pegs in round holes, and the fact those words seemed so relevant here was a measure of how uncomfortable Hodgson’s players seemed.

Not for the first time, Alli displayed a lack of patience, reacting immediately to provocation from Ricardo Carvalho by shoving the veteran defender. Do that in France and he will be in trouble.

The emergence, once again, of Kane as England’s set-piece specialist was similarly troubling. Hodgson defended this on the eve of the game, insisting that of the 23 footballers he is taking to France the Tottenham striker was the best with a dead ball. But would the second best corner taker not be worth employing so the finest finisher can stand among those trying to score?

A stinging 25-yard drive from Kyle Walker raised spirits in a relatively subdued Wembley while the outrageously high challenge that resulted in a 35th-minute dismissal for Bruno Alves had the crowd on their feet. It was extremely dangerous, catching Kane on the side of the head but, to the considerable relief of Hodgson, leaving him unharmed.

Even with one side down a man the game staggered towards its conclusion, with Hodgson opting for further changes after some 78 minutes in the hope of breaking the deadlock.

On went Daniel Sturridge for Kane and Adam Lallana for Rooney, with the formation switching from the diamond to a more orthodox 4-3-3. It ultimately paid off, Sterling providing the decisive cross for Smalling after Walker’s had initially been cleared.

Hodgson seemed to take enormous satisfaction from that, even if there is surely much for the England manager to ponder.

Former United midfield player Nani (right) captained Portugal at Wembley for the friendly against England

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There was a huge sense of anticipation around Wembley as Roy Hodgson’s men hone their preparations for Euro 2016

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Newly appointed Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was in the stands to watch his native Portugal take on England

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