Gareth Southgate claimed England's 1-0 defeat in Italy was 'a step in the right direction' despite his team being relegated from the Nations League's top tier.
The performance in Turn raised further concern ahead of the winter World Cup. Among the favourites to triumph in Qatar having reached the semi-finals four years ago and the Euro 2020 final, things have gone awry for Gareth Southgate’s side of late.
England failed to win any of their four June fixtures and produced a meek response to their 4-0 Molineux mauling against Hungary, with Giacomo Raspadori sealing Roberto Mancini’s Italy to victory. A fifth straight match without a win means Southgate’s men have been relegated from Group A of the Nations League – a competition they finished third in three years ago – with a game to spare.
