England vs Netherlands: Gareth Southgate insists his side will learn from Nations League semi-final loss

England’s hopes of a first trophy in 53 years went up in smoke in calamitous fashion as dreadful defending allowed Holland to seal a 3-1 extra-time victory and progress to the inaugural Nations League final

England manager Gareth Southgate has insisted that his side has “learned so much” after crashing out of the Nations League to the Netherlands.

England’s hopes of a first trophy in 53 years went up in smoke in calamitous fashion as dreadful defending allowed Holland to seal a 3-1 extra-time victory and progress to the inaugural Nations League final.

Marcus Rashford’s first-half penalty was cancelled out by Matthijs De Ligt, before an own goal from Kyle Walker and a late finish from Quincy Promes sent the Dutch into Sunday’s final.

It is the second semi-final England have lost under Southgate, but the national team coach has insisted that his side are still moving in the right direction.

“It was an incredible evening with all of the twists and turns of the match,” he said. “I think we have learned so much in terms of playing against a top-quality team that posed us different problems to what we have faced in the past.

“We posed a threat in the game but we have conceded really poor goals. We had opportunities to score but we haven’t taken them.

“At 85 minutes, you think you have scored to put you into a great position to go through, but with that being disallowed and then conceding the second really deflated the team.”

Raheem Sterling meanwhile admitted England were punished for “silly” mistakes after their Nations League semi-final defeat.

“Towards the end of the second half I thought we were the better team but we let in a goal and made some silly mistakes, at this level you get punished for them,” he told Sky Sports.

“They got their pressing right on the night and we made a few mistakes. We tried at times but it didn’t work.

“We have to keep trying, we can’t just stop here. The team was slightly altered today, with a few players missing who normally play. Players came in and did a job, it was only Dec’s (Rice) second game, we have a few new players and everyone tried their best but it wasn’t to be.

England lost in the semi-finals again (EPA)

“We have still made progress to get to this stage, it’s about kicking on and trying achieve the last bit.”

Regarding Lingard’s disallowed goal, which would have put England 2-1 up, Sterling added: “It’s one of those things, one day it might help us but today it didn’t.

“It went on the screen and it said they were checking for offside, so from that moment I realised there might be something there.”

Harry Kane, who came on for the injured Rashford at half-time, denied last weekend’s all-English Champions League final between Tottenham and Liverpool hurt England’s chances.

“I don’t think so, as a squad we’re good enough whoever plays,” the Spurs forward said.

“It’s a stage of the season where the Euros and the World Cup is going to be so it’s where you’re coming to the end but have to pick it back up.

“We had a big game on Saturday but Gareth made his decision and we back whatever he decides. We were a few inches from winning it and unfortunately it didn’t go for us.”

Kane also refused to blame England’s defeat on VAR after Lingard’s late goal was narrowly disallowed.

He added: “The longer it (the review) goes on you start to get a bit worried. It’s what VAR is there for, it’s hard because you celebrate and think you have won but it’s what we all have to get used it.

“We have to take it on the chin.”