Wayne Rooney led England to a famous victory in Glasgow with two second-half strikes, as the Three Lions extended their winning streak to six.
The captain netted a header just after the break, adding to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s first-half goal, before wrapping up the victory late on after Scotland had been given a lifeline through Andy Robertson’s effort.
His goals, the 45th and 46th of his career, edged him to within three of Sir Bobby Charlton's record – and put the icing on an excellent start to the season for Roy Hodgson’s men.
Scotland 1-3 England
Vauxhall International Challenge Match
Tuesday 18 November
Celtic Park, Glasgow
It was the first meeting between football's oldest rivals on Scottish soil for 15 years, and both teams arrived on the back of European Qualifying victories a few days earlier.
The raucous welcome of smoke and fireworks that the players received as they entered the Celtic Park pitch set the tone for a game between the famous adversaries.
Hodgson made six changes to the side that started the 3-1 win over Slovenia at Wembley.
Stewart Downing came into midfield for his first England appearance since May 2012.
Fraser Forster was also given a start at the ground where he spent four successful seasons, before his summer move to Southampton.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain celebrates as he scores England's opener
The visitors were lively from the off, and Danny Welbeck was given an early sight of goal when Rooney played him into the left side of the box.
But the Arsenal man’s shot was straight at keeper David Marshall and Scotland were able to clear.
When Scotland did get on the ball, white shirts were quick to put pressure on to try and win it back early – what Hodgson dubs ‘five-yard furies’.
Gordon Strachan’s team gradually got a foot-hold in the game and were beginning to exert their own pressure on England’s rearguard, but failed to trouble Forster’s goal.
Despite few attempts at either end, the Three Lions took the lead just after the half-hour when Oxlade-Chamberlain bagged his fourth goal in an England shirt.
Jack Wilshere picked the ball up on the left and sent in an inviting cross towards his Gunners team-mate.
Wayne Rooney heads home to put England 2-0 up
The Ox applied the deftest of touches and it was all that was needed to take it past Marshall and send the travelling fans into raptures.
They were given even more to cheer inside two minutes of the second half when Rooney headed home his 45th goal for England.
A free-kick from the right was cleared only as far as Wilshere, who shot towards goal from 20 yards.
The ball was deflected off target but was helped back in towards Rooney on the penalty spot and he rose, generating enough power to guide past Craig Gordon, who had only just come on.
The goal took the wind out of Scotland who needed to find something special to get back into the game. But they rarely threatened, while England kept probing for a third.
It was England's first game on Scottish soil for 15 years
Rooney was looking for more, while Jack Wilshere should have done better with an effort just inside the box.
Then with time ticking away from the home nation, Andy Robertson gave them a lifeline.
A neat one-two just inside the box, the Hull City left-back tucked away past Forster just inside the upright.
It gave the Tartan Army a reason to hope for a comeback, but they were dashed almost instantly when Rooney added the third.
Milner and Lallana linked up wide on the right, and the Liverpool man was released away to the bye-line.
He cut back perfectly for the skipper, who stroked home with glee before somersaulting his way towards the England fans in the corner of Celtic Park.
A well-deserved victory for England, who go into the New Year with their perfect start to the season intact.
Scotland (4-2-3-1): 1 David Marshall; 2 Steven Whittaker, 4 Russell Martin, 5 Grant Hanley, 3 Andrew Robertson; 6 Shaun Maloney, 7 Charlie Mulgrew, 8 Scott Brown (c); 10 Steven Naismith, 11 Ikechi Anya; 9 Chris Martin
Subs: 12 Craig Gordon for Marshall 46; 15 James Morrison for Martin 46; 19 Darren Fletcher for Brown 46; 16 Barry Bannan for Anya 61; 23 Stevie May for Hanley 67; 22 Johnny Russell for Maloney 81
Subs not used: 13 Craig Bryson, 14 Christophe Berra, 17 Graeme Dorrans, 18 Gordon Greer, 20 Chris Burke, 21 Matt Gilks, 24 Lewis Macleod, 25 Craig Forsyth, 26 Callum Paterson
Manager: Gordon Strachan
Goals: Robertson 83
England (4-1-4-1): 1 Fraser Forster; 2 Nathaniel Clyne, 5 Gary Cahill, 6 Chris Smalling, 3 Luke Shaw; 4 James Milner, 7 Jack Wilshere, 8 Stewart Downing; 9 Danny Welbeck, 10 Wayne Rooney (c), 11 Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Subs: 16 Phil Jagielka for Cahill 46; 20 Adam Lallana for Downing 46; 17 Kieran Gibbs for Shaw 65; 19 Raheem Sterling for Welbeck 67; 18 Rickie Lambert for Oxlade-Chamberlain 80; 21 Ross Barkley for Wilshere 87
Subs not used: 12 Calum Chambers, 13 Ben Foster, 14 Jordan Henderson, 15 Theo Walcott, Saido Berahino
Manager: Roy Hodgson
Goals: Oxlade-Chamberlain 32, Rooney 47, 85
Referee: Johan Eriksson (SWE)
Assistants: Mathias Klasenius (SWE) and Daniel Wammark (POR)
Fourth Official: Michael Lerjeus (SWE)
