Martin Keown's big match analysis: Marcus Rashford can be England's Cristiano Ronaldo but midfield must get up to speed for bigger tests

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Harry Kane sent England into the World Cup finals with a last-gasp winner against Slovenia.

The home side had largely frustrated a half-empty Wembley stadium on Thursday night with a stodgy performance.

But the home fans were finally rewarded for their patience when the Tottenham striker found the back of the net in stoppage time to give England victory. Sportsmail's MARTIN KEOWN provides his big-match analysis...

Harry Kane celebrates scoring England's late winner over Slovenia during a poor encounter

Kane gets across Zenit St Petersburg defender Miha Mevlja to score in the 94th minute

The England players applaud their fans after putting them through a match not easy on the eye

RASHFORD CAN BE OUR RONALDO

I like the way Marcus Rashford runs at people and asks questions of defenders. 

All the best players — Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi — started as wingers at some point and Rashford just needs to drift a bit more central and express himself more coming off the touchline. 

I think he'll be a top player, and they don't stay fixed for too long out wide. Outside left should only be his starting position when it comes to the World Cup.

Marcus Rashford was deployed on the left of the forward line and he looked threatening

Rashford showed his confidence when trying an audacious finish when put through on goal

MIDFIELD SLOWDOWN

England have got a real problem with moving the ball through midfield quickly and it needs to be sorted. Gareth Southgate will be concerned. He needs to take Jordan Henderson back to the drawing board. 

When the Liverpool captain receives the ball, it just seems that he takes too long to deliver it forward and a lot of problems come through the slow development of play. 

Henderson and midfield partner Eric Dier need to learn to let the ball roll across their bodies and play a quicker pass. Despite Harry Kane's late goal, we're not getting the ball into him early enough as it stands and he is central to England's hopes in Russia. 

Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson let fly on goal in England's best chance of the first half

Henderson was the preferred choice in midfield with Eric Dier but the play was ponderous

TROUBLE ON THE COUNTER 

Up against better opponents next summer, England could be in real trouble on the counter-attack. 

Even against Slovenia there were cases of the opposition making good runs and England defenders failing to track them. 

When we lost the ball and they got behind our midfield, they had players making runs and we should have been going with them. Better teams will punish that.

Kyle Walker looked to get forward at all times but sometimes left space behind him to counter

Raheem Sterling played in a central role behind Kane during a cagey encounter at Wembley

HART IN THE SPOTLIGHT 

There is a lot of scrutiny on goalkeeper Joe Hart and he got away with one when Slovenia were denied a first-half penalty. 

Southgate has backed Hart but he now has Stoke's Jack Butland providing strong competition. 

If Hart had given a penalty away he might have been on borrowed time. He's very lucky. But credit to the West Ham goalkeeper, late in the game he was brave enough to take a ball in the face for the England cause.

Joe Hart came to England's rescue with a fine double save to keep the scoreline at 0-0

The West Ham stopper gets down to deny Tom Matavz in the closing stages at Wembley

SOUTHGATE'S SHADOWS 

Congratulations to Southgate. He arrived in difficult circumstances and he's got the job done in terms of qualification, but England need more goals and more creativity next summer. 

The manager must try to get the best out of some of these players who are a pale shadow of what we see at club level. 

The likes of Kyle Walker, Rashford and Kane are not really performing to the same level for England and the challenge now is to get our best players performing as they do for their clubs. We have not yet seen that under Southgate. He is unbeaten in competitive games after a year but England have not scored enough goals.

England manager Gareth Southgate watches his side in action against Slovenia on Thursday

Wembley was far from full as supporters opted to stay at home despite the huge incentive