Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana played 66 minutes, with Emre Can coming on as a substitute, as Germany beat England 1-0 in an international friendly on Wednesday night.

Lallana started alongside Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli in support of striker Jamie Vardy as Gareth Southgate set up in a new-look 3-4-3 formation for the first game of his permanent tenure as England boss.

Lallana impresses in attacking role as Can makes cameo from the bench

The 28-year-old performed well, having come into this with three goals in his last three games for the Three Lions, hitting the post on the counter-attack on the half-hour.

Former Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski - on his 130th and final Germany appearance - scored the game's only goal, a thunderous trademark left-footer in the 69th minute as his international career was given a fitting farewell.

Lallana was replaced on 66 minutes, with Liverpool teammate Can replacing him at the same time for Joachim Löw's Germany to help close the game out with a confident and composed cameo.

The hosts claimed a win at Borussia Dortmund's Westfalenstadion that ignored how largely impressive Southgate's England were, though the World champions were notably understrength.

Liverpool's other England international, Nathaniel Clyne, was an unused substitute with Kyle Walker preferred to him in a wing-back role.

But Clyne could be involved when England face Lithuania in a 2018 World Cup qualifier at Wembley Stadium on Sunday evening.

Rumoured transfer targets Julian Brandt, of Bayer Leverkusen, and Timo Werner, of RB Leipzig, both started for Germany but struggled to make any impact.

Alexander-Arnold has a hand in two goals for England U19s

Elsewhere on Wednesday, Trent Alexander-Arnold played a starring role as England Under-19s as they overcame Norway 3-0 at St George's Park in a Euro Elite Round qualifier.

The Reds teenager featured at right-back, lasting 66 minutes, assisting the first goal with a cross for Mason Mount before playing a part in the third goal with his cross into the box eventually leading to Tayo Edun's finish.

Alexander-Arnold and co. next face Spain in qualifying on Friday before a clash with Belarus on Monday, with only the group's top team progressing to the Euro Finals in Georgia in July.

Spain beat Belarus 5-0 in their first game, also at St George's Park.

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About the author
Charlie Malam
Digital Sports Writer at the Daily Express. First-class Staffordshire University Sports Journalism graduate. Formerly VAVEL UK's Liverpool FC editor and Deputy Editor-in-Chief. Contributor since June 2014.