England condemned to Nations League relegation after dismal defeat to Italy

It was a night when Gareth Southgate desperately needed a mood-changer, something to restore England’s belief, to shrug off the suffocating narratives that have begun to undermine the team – at exactly the wrong time, with the World Cup on the horizon.

Everybody remembers the 4-0 loss to Hungary at Molineux in June, the ugliest blot on the uninspiring four-game start to this Nations League campaign. And the away defeat to them – together with the draws against Germany and Italy. And yet there would only be more frustration here at San Siro, more dead-ends, the absence of creative inspiration.

Italy were deserved winners, condemning England to relegation to the second tier of this competition, the decisive moment coming when the fast rising star, Giacomo Raspadori, killed a high ball and felt Kyle Walker give him too much room before wrapping his right boot around a delicious curler that flew into the far corner. The Napoli striker only made his Italy debut in June. Already, he has four goals.

There were far greater worries than the demotion for England, with the soul-searching set to run long – certainly until the visit of Germany to Wembley on Monday. It is no wins in five now, only one goal scored and that a Harry Kane penalty. The flatness, the lack of direction is casting dark shadows and, when Southgate applauded the travelling fans at the end, they responded with boos – the soundtrack to their last encounter with him at Molineux.

Italy took their cue from a stirring rendition of their national anthem delivered by an opera singer, the players swaying to and fro, arms around each other. They snapped into tackles, pressuring England high up and getting some dangerous balls up the channels or across from the flanks.