Bulgaria 0 - 3 England: England head and shoulders above

The hosts had no answer to a three-goal first-half salvo that means four points from their final two games will book England a ticket to next summer’s finals in Poland and Ukraine.

And Rooney will approach Tuesday night’s Wembley meeting with Wales in fine fettle, grabbing a brace after Gary Cahill’s well-taken opener to end a barren run that had brought him just one goal in his previous 15 appearances prior to kick-off.

Manager Fabio Capello rarely has a fully fit group of players to select from. However, with Jack Wilshere and Steven Gerrard missing, the obvious conclusion from the Italian’s starting line-up, which paired Gareth Barry with Scott Parker in central midfield, is that Frank Lampard’s place in the squad can no longer be guaranteed, let alone the team.

Initially at least, there might have been some relief for the Chelsea man in being excused having to perform on a horror of a pitch, complete with large patches of clover and a copious amount of stones.

Yet, after a tricky start, it became apparent such inconveniences would be trifling to the visitors. Cahill had endured a difficult build-up. After spending the summer being written about as though a move from Bolton was a fait accompli, the 25-year-old discovered he would be staying at the Reebok Stadium, with Arsenal and Tottenham failing to come up with Bolton’s asking price.

He was excellent here. And the manner of his first international goal, chesting down Gareth Barry’s astute chip over a static home defence before nudging the ball past on-rushing keeper Nikolay Mihaylov, justified his selection ahead of Manchester United rookie Phil Jones.

Even though it was only Cahill’s fourth cap – and his first competitive start – Chris Smalling’s shaky debut display at full-back showed why Capello was not willing to start the match with two players of such inexperience in his defence.

After that it turned into the Rooney show. Twelve months ago, the brilliant striker was in the middle of a 12-month dip in form, which it seemed he would never get out of. Now it is as though it did not happen.

Rooney’s confidence even extends to open discussion about his £30,000 hair transplant, which if nothing else provided a talking point as the striker rose above John Terry at the far post to power home Stewart Downing’s 21st-minute corner.

Offered a rare chance to burst forward, Theo Walcott tore into a huge empty space, rolled a pass to Ashley Young, whose low cross presented Rooney with a tap-in. It was the eighth time Rooney had scored twice in a game, yet he still awaits his first hat-trick from a 28-goal haul.

The goal turned the second half into an extended training session ahead of Tuesday’s Wembley showdown with Wales, when victory would take England to the brink of qualification without actually being able to book a place in next summer’s finals. Downing almost bagged a fourth when he floated Walcott’s cross against the far post.

Walcott then fired wide after being set free by Rooney.

It was a minor quibble on a night when nearly everything went right for Capello, even to the extent of Craig Bellamy getting himself booked in Cardiff, thereby ensuring he will not be able to bother him next week.

Bulgaria: Mihailov, Zanev, Bodurov, Milanov, Bandalovski, Ivanov, Georgiev, Martin Petrov, Stiliyan Petrov, Popov, Genkov. Subs: Vladislav Stoyanov, Iliev, Marquinhos, Sarmov, Raykov, Kostadin Stoyanov, Kostadin Stoyanov, Bozhilov.

England: Hart, Smalling, Cahill, Terry, Cole, Walcott, Parker, Barry, Downing, Young, Rooney. Subs: Stockdale, Jagielka, Baines, Milner, Lampard, Johnson, Defoe.