It is not so much that Barry and Parker will remain in front of him. That could well change. It is that Gerrard will always be Capello's first-choice midfielder, if fit, and Wilshere will be the foil.

In the new, dynamic 4-2-3-1 formation, which was the default position of Capello's Real Madrid team who won La Liga in 2006-07, it is the more subtle playmaking of Wilshere and Cleverley that will endure. The traditional box-to-box English midfielder suddenly seems a misfit.

For Capello, it is a rare moment to savour his job. He has not enjoyed a night as positive as Friday's performance for two years, when England beat Croatia 5-1 to qualify for the World Cup. Since then the job has been bleak, punctuated by the odd mildly encouraging display.

But recalling that heady night against Croatia should flash some enormous warning signs for England.

Then, as now, optimism was high about a side who might, according to some, be capable of winning the World Cup. But England are always at their best in September, none more so than Wayne Rooney, before the toils and rigours of a Premier League season set in.

They rarely encounter problems against the Bulgarias of this world; it is the likes of Portugal, to say nothing of Spain, who expose the dearth in quality. For the results of that examination we must wait until June.

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