England hit six in World Cup qualifier

Robert Blackwood: Well done to Mark Sampson & the Lionesses for overseeing and executing an at times blistering display of football.

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England forward Toni Duggan: "We didn't take Russia lightly, they're a great team and they had a great Euros, so to come off the pitch and have won 6-0 against them is a big credit to all the girls."

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England midfielder Jordan Nobbs: "We've been working hard and its been a tough few weeks for us. It was a fantastic performance and I think the 6-0 shows how hard we've been working. We needed a big win today and we're proud of how far we've come. What a great start."

England striker Jodie Taylor: “It is incredible to come back to Tranmere Rovers – the support has been unreal tonight.

“It was important for us to show as a team given what has been going on, to show how close as a group we are.

"We are a team and like to celebrate as a team. It is not just the XI on the pitch, it is the girls on the bench and the staff.

“It was a very professional performance from the team and, in the first half especially, I thought we played some great football.”

England boss Mark Sampson: "It is an important result – we wanted to win our home game and I’m very proud of the performance. The last time we played them was 2013 and we drew 2-2, but we dominated tonight.”

This is a clip that is more likely to make the Fran Kirby showreel.

The Chelsea forward sets up Jordan Nobbs for England's third with a weaving run and a good bit of vision.

Which is a rare cocktail in a player.

It feels almost unfair to feature this, but as she was central to everything good that England did tonight, hopefully she won't really mind.

Fran Kirby's scuffed penalty let Russia off the hook. Momentarily anyway.

As the pundits on BBC Two review England's performance - click through on this page to watch that - and England huddle up for a debrief on the Prenton Park pitch, we can take a look at some of the big talking points.

Here is Jodie Taylor's deft finish for England's second.

A glorious demolition from England. What a way to start the qualifying campaign for France 2019.

We are into time added on, and England are still knocking on the door.

Ellen White and Isobel Christiansen have both been excellent since coming on for England and they nearly combine for a seventh.

Christiansen's perfectly weighted pass is ushered around the goalkeeper by White, but she cannot find the angle required on the stretch, hitting the wrong side of the side netting from the hosts' perspective.

My player of the match has to be Jordan Nobbs. It could have been a few players including Kirby, but Nobbs has been excellent.

England goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain did not even see that one, never mind save it.

Substitute Ekaterina Pantyukhina lets fly with a full-blooded half-volley that flashes past her and thumps back off the crossbar, leaving it ringing like a tuning fork.

England slicker than Gordon Gekko's hairdo coming forward.

Karen Carney scampers down the right wing and sweeps the ball back into the centre for Ellen White.

The linesman's flag flies north, but White was actually just onside.

White's finish was heading wide however before being stabbed home by Isobel Christiansen.

Who was offside.

The second half has just got under way between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

And it is the Republic who lead through an own-goal from Rachel Furness.

Lucy Bronze did well to get away from her marker but she should have tested the keeper, she will be disappointed when she watches that back.

England are peppering the Russian goal with shots.

First Ellen White draws a brilliant save from a sprawling Tatyana Shcherbak as her skidding volley almost sneaks into the far corner.

Then Lucy Bronze blazes high over the top after sneaking into the box and getting to a low cross ahead of a dawdling defender.

Russia's best chance of the game by a wide margin.

A deep corner clears a melee in the middle and finds Anna Belomyttseva's forehead, three yards out.

The speed the ball has come to her may have caught the Russian out however.

She heads into the ground and her effort clears the crossbar on the bounce.

The excellent Fran Kirby departs, embracing coach Mark Sampson on her way to the bench. Manchester City's Isobel Christiansen heads on in her place.