England vs Hungary LIVE: Nations League result, final score and reaction tonight
Follow all the action from Molineux as the Three Lions play their final game of the summer
This can no longer be written off as meaningless. The Nations League has instead produced England’s worst-ever home defeat to a side from outside the old “home nations”, and worst in all since 1928, as Hungary symbolically surpassed their own famous 6-3 of 1953.
We might well see a similar inquest. This obviously can’t be dismissed as just the Nations League any more. There felt more to it than fatigue or circumstances.
Gareth Southgate has real problems to solve, as his team lost momentum and - perhaps most relevantly - he lost the support of a significant section of a home crowd. It is the first show of the sort of negativity that used to sour so many campaigns and managerial reigns of the past, and this went really toxic.
Southgate and his players were repeatedly booed, with that reaching a crescendo as Harry Maguire was brought on to shore up a defence that had lost John Stones to a red card.
It was that kind of night, where it was hard to settle on what the low point was. It just kept getting worse. Follow all the reaction as England lose to Hungary below:
The documentary England must watch ahead of the Qatar World Cup
A group of young footballers are sitting together in a canteen, talking of “girls” and the game in the way young footballers do, when the conversation turns to something deeper.
“Let me just ask you, what do you imagine freedom to be,” one goes to the table. “Let me have a go,” another responds. “I think freedom means maybe not being under slavery but having access to everything, your movement, free expression.”
“So many immigrants are coming to Qatar to work in search of greener pastures, but maybe a couple of them are not finding this greener pasture. They are staying in Qatar against their will, not directly like you’re being enslaved here. But, it’s like, you can’t go back, so you just stay and work for maybe the small salary.”
Another interjects: “Modern slavery.” “You can call it that.”
The men go on to talk about how they miss just running on the beach, food from home, and even being able to go on a date.
As you can probably guess by now, this certainly isn’t the England players, or any other Nations League squad complaining about four fixtures in this international break. It is actually a scene from a superbly moving documentary called ‘The Workers Cup’, that should really be shown to every team going to Qatar in November.
Miguel Delaney details the documentary every World Cup squad should watch ahead of Qatar 2022:
The documentary England must watch ahead of the Qatar World Cup
In showing the true cost of the tournament, The Workers Cup is as powerful as it is moving. It’s why it must be shown to Gareth Southgate’s squad, writes Miguel Delaney
GOAL! Armenia 1-1 Scotland
Che Adams does really well to hold the ball up in the box and tee up Stuart Armstrong - who finishes low past the keeper to equalise. Just what the Scots needed. His third goal at senior level for the national team.
GOAL! Armenia 1-0 Scotland
Less than ideal start for the Scots as Bichakhchyan puts the home side ahead after just six minutes. A defeat tonight would leave Steve Clarke’s side bottom of the group at the midway stage, having played one game fewer than their rivals.
Armenia vs Scotland - kick-off
We are underway in Yerevan! We’ll bring you updates here on Scotland’s big test, without the likes of captain Andy Robertson against Armenia in Nations League Group B1.
Gareth Southgate praises ‘mature’ Kyle Walker as one of England’s leaders
Gareth Southgate has praised Kyle Walker for maturing into a standard-bearer in England’s growing group of leaders.
There is an expectation around the Three Lions as preparations continue for Qatar having reached the World Cup semi-finals four years ago and then last summer’s European Championship final.
England will be led into the World Cup by captain Harry Kane, who is supported by a number of club captains and trusted lieutenants within the squad.
Southgate likes the leadership make-up of the group and highlighted the way 67-cap Manchester City right-back Walker has developed.
“You notice players maturing,” he said. “For example, Kyle Walker who isn’t captain of his club but he’s such a man within the group, on the pitch, off the pitch, and I think he’s matured a lot over the last two or three years.
“I mean, he’s won the league four times so he’s got confidence from what he’s done as a player.
“He’s been in a World Cup semi-final with us and a European final so he’s got a lot of big-match experience. But he’s definitely one who I think has matured.”
Gareth Southgate praises ‘mature’ Kyle Walker as one of England’s leaders
Three Lions boss Southgate has been impressed with the way the 67-cap Manchester City right-back has developed.
Harry Kane backs Gareth Southgate amid winless run and criticism of England manager
Harry Kane believes Gareth Southgate does not deserve to be criticised for his work as England manager, crediting him as the main reason for their successful runs to the latter stages of major tournaments in recent years.
Southgate warned last week that he will not “outstay his welcome” in the job after being persistently criticised for a perceived conservatism in tactics and team selection, with former England striker Gary Lineker among those to question him last week.
England have nevertheless failed to win their last three games, their longest run without victory in almost four years, and have not scored a goal from open play in more than four hours during this current international break.
Kane was named captain by Southgate ahead of the 2018 World Cup and has been a mainstay throughout his manager’s five-and-a-half years in charge, scoring 45 of England’s 158 goals over the same period.
“I think when you look at our team, we’ve been one of the most successful England teams there’s been over our history and Gareth has been the main part of that,” the Tottenham Hotspur striker insisted.
Harry Kane backs Gareth Southgate amid winless run and criticism of England manager
Kane also revealed he is in discussion with France captain Hugo Lloris and Denmark skipper Christian Eriksen over a collective response to the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar
More at stake than meets the eye in Gareth Southgate’s final balancing act
Given the experimental selections, exhausted players and empty stadiums bar excitable schoolchildren, England’s end-of-season Nations League games have felt a little like the international friendlies that they were supposed to replace. Case in point: when the final whistle sounded on Saturday’s goalless draw with Italy, not one of Gareth Southgate’s players out on the pitch looked especially disappointed with the result. That was entirely understandable at the end of a long, hard and hectic campaign.
At least this fourth and final outing against Hungary will be the first at home – or Molineux, at least – in front of a full crowd, and the first with a sense of mild peril about it too. Anything less than a win for England and progressing to the Nations League finals this time next year will look extremely difficult. Lose and, ahead of a trip to the San Siro and the visit of Germany to Wembley in September, the prospect of relegation into the competition’s second tier will suddenly feel very real.
Admittedly, that still does not sound too perilous. The Nations League introduced the concept of relegation to international football four years ago and, four years on, it is still hard to take it as seriously as its club equivalent. The whole idea was rather undermined when, a few months after the inaugural edition had finished, Uefa granted a reprieve to those nations who finished bottom of their groups so that they could revamp and expand this new, oddly successful tournament.
More at stake than meets the eye in Gareth Southgate’s final balancing act
Three matches without a win means there is suddenly and unexpectedly a hint of pressure and peril on England’s last game of a long season
Armenia vs Scotland confirmed line-ups
In just 15 minutes, Scotland take on Armenia in one of the day’s first fixtures. The line-ups are in - Scott McKenna, Andy Robertson and John Souttar did not travel to Yerevan with the team due to injury.
Scotland: Gordon, Patterson, McTominay, Hanley, McGinn, McGregor, Adams, Hendry, Gilmour, Taylor, Armstrong.
How to watch England vs Hungary Nations League fixture online and on TV tonight
England will play their final match of the season tonight as Gareth Southgate’s side host Hungary at Molineux in the Nations League.
After three matches without a win, England are bottom of their Nations League group and under pressure to pick up three points.
Southgate hopes a returning crowd will lift the England players after Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Italy was played behind closed doors.
England were beaten 1-0 by Hungary in their Nations League opener last week and also drew 1-1 with Germany.
Here’s everything you need to know.
How to watch England vs Hungary online and on TV tonight
Everything you need to know ahead of the final Nations League fixture of the international break
England have no choice but to win Nations League clash with Hungary, claims Adam Nagy
Hungary midfielder Adam Nagy says England have no choice but to win Tuesday’s Nations League clash following the “debacle in Budapest”.
Marco Rossi’s well-drilled Magyars stunned the Three Lions at the start of their run of four matches in 11 days, with Dominik Szoboszlai’s penalty securing a 1-0 triumph at the half-full Puskas Arena.
England’s first loss to Hungary since 1962 has been followed by draws with Germany and Italy, with Gareth Southgate admitting they need to win Tuesday’s rematch to stand any chance of winning Group A3.
Former Bristol City midfielder Nagy seemingly agrees with those sentiments and expects a response from the hosts in front of a sell-out Molineux crowd.
“The difference is England has to win,” the Pisa player said. “They have no other option following the debacle in Budapest.
“They have sat on their own foot in their first three matches. They have to win.
“I’m sure they’re going to do everything to take the lead and they’re going to put immense pressure on us.”
England have no choice but to win Nations League clash with Hungary, claims Adam Nagy
Marco Rossi’s well-drilled Magyars stunned the Three Lions at the start of their run of four matches in 11 days.
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