The England Under-21 players had the best of both worlds on Saturday: granted the glory of playing at Wembley, they also proffered the pragmatism to win the game.

No one better epitomised the dual benefits of playing for Stuart Pearce’s team than Kieran Gibbs. The Arsenal left back was given the No 10 shirt and displayed a versatility, in foraging behind the forwards, that makes him an outside bet for England’s World Cup squad.

While neither player nor team produced their most fluent form in edging Portugal towards the brink of elimination from the 2011 European Under-21 Championships in Denmark, Gibbs showed the touch and athleticism to indicate that, at this level at least, he can deputise competently "in the hole" or on the left wing.

Fabio Capello indicated last week that, with those attributes, Gibbs represents the future; it is no secret that the England manager wishes to identify players who can play off the main striker.

"What, like Wayne Rooney?" Gibbs responded, almost incredulously, when reminded of this quest. "The gaffer told me he was going to change me around a bit and use my energy to try and stop them from playing. It was more of a 4-3-3, with me in midfield, and [Pearce] just said for me to get up and support Andy [Carroll] as much as possible.

"Because of the way Portugal play, you can’t afford to let them have the ball too much."

So could Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, ask Gibbs, who is featuring for the club at left back after an injury to Gaël Clichy, to play in the hole? "I think he’s got enough playmakers in there . . . unless I’m better than Cesc Fàbregas," Gibbs said.

To be fair to Gibbs, his role was more about defending from the front as Pearce, missing eight players through injury, set about getting a job done against Portugal’s ball-players. "Kieran has played midfield before, although I think his [best] position is at left back," the England Under-21s’ head coach said. "Ryan Bertrand has done outstandingly well for Reading [at left back on loan from Chelsea] recently, and his form forced him into the team, and enabled me to juggle Gibbsy a bit and put him into midfield. He is very athletic, a clever player and good on the ball. I think he can play better. He played his part, but I think there is more to come from Kieran."

England face Lithuania in Vilnius on Tuesday, when victory would enable them to draw level with Greece on points at the top of group nine in the championship qualifiers.

Danny Rose, having earlier headed a difficult chance against the crossbar, scored the game’s only goal when he showed fine control to take Carroll’s header down from Michael Mancienne’s cross with his left foot and deftly placed the ball past Hugo Ventura in the Portugal goal with his right.

Rose later came inside to dovetail more with Carroll and Gibbs reverted to the left wing. Tom Cleverley, on loan from Manchester United to Watford, again beavered away to good effect on the right of midfield while Chris Smalling impressed alongside Micah Richards in the centre of defence. England’s players carried out their duties to the letter — but then it may be wise not to defy Pearce.

When a microphone was squealing with feedback in the Wembley press conference after the game — you don’t get much for £757 million these days — Pearce gave the offending organ such a glare that it suddenly started drooping. "That looks familiar," Pearce quipped, deadpan. "I’ll have to give Pelé a call."

England Under-21 (4-2-3-1): S Loach — M Mancienne (sub: K Naughton, 76min), M Richards, C Smalling, R Bertrand — F Muamba, F Delph (sub: D Gosling, 90) — T Cleverley, K Gibbs, D Rose (sub: J Cork, 76) — A Carroll. Substitutes not used: F Fielding, H Lansbury, D Sturridge, Z Hines.

Portugal Under-21 (4-2-3-1): H Ventura — B Pereirinha, D Carriço, M Vítor, F Faria — A Silva (sub: A Castro, 64), P Moreira — Fredy (sub: T Cintra, 57), R Pedro (sub: J Aurélio, 79), Ukra — Yazalde. Substitutes not used: D Silva, A Pinto, Rabiola, A Santos.