Italy vs England LIVE: Nations League result, final score and reaction as Azzurri win to relegate England

Rewind to March and Roberto Mancini was sounding bullish. “The objective is not to go to the World Cup, but to win it,” declared the Euro 2020 winner, writes Richard Jolly.

Then along came North Macedonia. A play-off semi-final when Italy had 32 shots, failed to score and conceded in injury time meant that if Mancini is to head to the World Cup, it will only be as an observer.

For the first time in their storied history, Italy will sit out consecutive World Cups. For the last, too, perhaps. If their recent underachievement reflects a freakish game against North Macedonia, Jorginho’s crucial missed penalties in a group they were controlling and, four years earlier, Giampiero Ventura’s disastrous reign, there is a bigger picture than just Italy’s capacity to veer between triumph and disaster.

Read Rich’s full piece here:

England XI: Pope; James, Walker, Dier, Maguire, Saka; Rice, Bellingham; Sterling, Kane, Foden

Italy coach Roberto Mancini says England remain “one of the best teams in the world” despite their two recent defeats to Hungary.

England, who cannot qualify for the Nations League finals, take on Mancini’s side in their penultimate Group A3 game in Milan on Friday.

Mancini said: “I think England is one of the best teams in the world. It’s full of talent, especially the forwards.

“They have many players apart from Harry Kane, who is an extraordinary player, but the young players around him can make a difference. So it will be a very hard match for us.”

The two sides played out a goalless draw at Molineux in June in their first meeting since Italy’s penalty shoot-out win in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.

Tournaments can draw the curtain down on international careers. If Jordan Henderson looks at some of his midfield sidekicks, he can see that. Steven Gerrard retired from England duty after the 2014 World Cup, James Milner after Euro 2016. Henderson is 32 now, some 13 years older than Jude Bellingham, and the second-oldest player in Gareth Southgate’s squad, three weeks younger than the age-defying sprinter Kyle Walker, writes Richard Jolly.

If there was a temptation to think that he would concentrate on club football after the World Cup, think again. “As a kid, one of my dreams was to play for England, my biggest dream,” he said. “That will never change.”

It’s that attitude which explains his unexpected presence in the England squad – the midfielder was in contact with Southgate during his recovery from a hamstring problem, talking himself back into contention even before Kalvin Phillips was ruled out.

Henderson’s first taste of tournament football came in Euro 2012, sufficiently long ago that while he is the only member of Roy Hodgson’s party who is still playing for his country, two – Gerrard and Scott Parker – have managed in the Premier League this season.

A decade on, he does not see the World Cup as his final opportunity to win silverware with his country. “I hope not,” he said. “I still feel good. I wouldn’t look too far ahead – I don’t think there is any need to – but it is another huge opportunity.”

Jack Grealish says Pep Guardiola wants him to “have balls” in possession as the Manchester City attacking midfielder laughed off Graeme Souness’ latest criticism of him and his style.

It is just over a year since the homegrown Aston Villa star made an eye-catching £100million switch to the Etihad Stadium.

Grealish says the increased pressure and scrutiny is “part and parcel” of representing City and England, with that mentality perhaps explaining why he was able to take Souness’ latest jibes in his stride.

The former Scotland star this week said that the 27-year-old is “not a great player” and should have improved more since joining City, where he thought he would think quicker and move the ball quicker.

“I don’t know what his problem is with me,” Grealish said with a laugh. “He always says stuff about me! But I try not to read a lot of it.”

England must not lose against Italy tonight in Milan if they are to avoid suffering relegation from the Uefa Nations League.

Gareth Southgate’s side come into the international break bottom of Group 3 on just two points, following two shock defeats to Hungary in June.

With the Azzurri on five points, England will be relegated to League B before their final match against Germany on Monday if the Italians manage a draw.

England will also be making any late preparations ahead of their World Cup opener against Iran on 21 November, in what is Southgate’s penultimate match before the start of the Qatar tournament.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Shape of things to come

While the personnel selected by Southgate will be most intriguing, the way he opts to set up his team is another question that needs answering.

Having selected no fewer than 12 defenders in his squad for this Nations League double-header, it hints at the prospect of a back three, which Southgate has often favoured against tougher opponents.

How he lays out his formation at San Siro could go some way to suggesting his plans for Qatar and a quest for a first major men’s trophy since 1966.

The finals countdown

With just 59 days between facing Italy in the Nations League and Iran in the World Cup, Southgate is running out of time to decide upon what he deems to be a winning formula.

Ivan Toney will be pushing for involvement to show what he can do after the Brentford striker’s first call-up, while the likes of Manchester United captain Harry Maguire are aiming to prove they belong in the squad despite club form stalling.

Southgate now has very little room to manoeuvre as he looks to improve on a fourth-placed finish at the 2018 World Cup and defeat in the final of Euro 2020 last summer.

Down and out?

Those four results all came in Nations League matches, losing twice to Hungary while drawing in Germany and at home to Italy.

It means defeat to the Italians on Friday would condemn England to relegation to League B where potential opponents would include the likes of Georgia and Kazakhstan.

Dropping down from the elite League A would also have ramifications for the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, with the prospect of England being unseeded in next month’s draw.

Summer schooled

England played four games in June and, by the time they lost 4-0 to Hungary to end the run with no wins and two draws, Southgate was feeling the pressure.

It was arguably the nadir of his England tenure to date, with fans jeering and chanting “you don’t know what you’re doing” as his team slumped to defeat at Molineux.

He will be keen to correct those results, which came at the end of a long and tiring campaign for his players, ahead of the World Cup.