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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Samuel Lovett

Portugal vs Netherlands prediction: How will Uefa Nations League final play out?

Goncalo Guedes scored the only goal of the game as Portugal beat Holland to be crowned the first-ever Nations League champions.

The final in Porto was not a game for the ages as a match billed as a battle between the two captains, Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil Van Dijk, was settled by Valencia forward Guedes on the hour mark.

The 1-0 win was enough for the reigning European champions to add the inaugural Nations League crown to their honours list with victory in front of their own fans. Re-live the action below:

 
Hello and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of today's Nations League third place play-off between England and Switzerland.
 
We'll be bringing you all the build-up, analysis and updates from 2pm so make sure to tune in!
 
Southgate not interested in Chelsea role
 
 

Gareth Southgate says there is “no way” he would return to club management right now – and the England boss is confident assistant Steve Holland remains similarly committed amid talk of a move to former club Chelsea.

A year on from bowing out of the World Cup in an extra-time semi-final loss to Croatia, the Three Lions are again nursing their wounds after Holland inflicted a 3-1 defeat in the final four of the inaugural Nations League in Portugal.

Southgate was quick to focus on his side’s progress and the attempts to win Euro 2020 on home soil next summer – a mouth-watering opportunity that means a return to club management is not in his thinking right now.

“The only thing on my mind is that we’ve got a European Championship next summer and we’ve got to keep improving this team to be the best possible team we can be for the country,” the former Middlesbrough boss, contracted until the 2022 World Cup, said.

Read more:

 
A great opportunity for Gaz
 
There may be little at stake for England today, but that doesn't mean this isn't a great opportunity for Gareth Southgate to learn about his ideal Euro 2020 squad.
 
Jack Pitt-Brooke, our man in Portugal, has written about how there is more to this match than initially meets the eye.
 
 
How England got here
 
A little reminder, from our Chief Football Writer Miguel Delaney, of how England ended up in today's third place play-off.
 
They were sitting pretty against the Netherlands on Thursday night before a defensive capitulation handed the Dutch free passage into the final.
 
 
Rooney urges Southgate to keep calm and carry on
 
 
Wayne Rooney believes England risk "starting from scratch" if they do not persevere with playing out from defence.
 
Gareth Southgate's side saw their Nations League ambitions ended by Holland at the semi-final stage on Thursday after being punished for risky play at the back from John Stones and Ross Barkley.
 
Despite the 3-1 extra-time loss in Portugal, former England captain Rooney has urged Southgate not to ditch his current tactics.
 
"I think that's where England have got a lot better, playing out from the back and having more possession of the ball than we have had in recent times," the 33-year-old told BBC Radio Five Live's Sportsweek programme.
 
"I'd encourage them to keep playing.
 
"Mistakes were made and we lost the game but I'm sure those mistakes won't happen again. And if they do and that's the way the manager wants to play then I'm sure the manager will take responsibility and encourage them to keep doing it.
 
"You can't have a manager saying we want to play out from the back but then you make a mistake and he slaughters you for it. Players can't go 90 minutes, week in, week out, without making mistakes.
 
"If I was in Gareth's position, I would keep encouraging them to keep doing what they are doing and keep progressing because if you throw the blueprint out of the window now then you're almost starting from scratch again."
 
Team news is imminent...
 
 
Gomez defends Southgate's style
 
Joe Gomez is another to come out in defence of Gareth Southgate's football philosophy after England's humbling loss to the Netherlands. 

Both John Stones and Ross Barkley made high-profile mistakes in Thursday's semi-final defeat to Holland, with both blunders leading to goals for the Dutch.

Speaking after the 3-1 extra-time loss, England boss Gareth Southgate said he would continue to ask his players to play out from the back, insisting his side "didn't lose the game because of the philosophy."

Gomez backed up his manager's words and said the change in approach is what has led to two semi-final appearances in the space of a year.

"Clearly you could just play it long, but I don't think that is the way," he told Talksport.

Read more:

 
TEAM NEWS
 
 
And once again for the traditionalists...
 
England (4-3-3): Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Maguire, Gomez, Rose; Delph, Dier, Alli; Lingard, Kane, Sterling.

Gareth Southgate's England men line-up against Switzerland at 2pm for the Nations League third place play-off.

Many people believe this match to be unwanted and unnecessary, especially after a difficult season of football for most of the squad. 

Southgate, however, isn't one of them.

"No England international is a practice match. Every time you wear the shirt there is importance for you, the country and the supporters," he said.

"Individuals have opportunities to impress to make sure their performances keep them involved in the squad.

"We want to finish the season on a good note with a healthy performance. A lot of aspects of our game the other night were very good."

 
Starting XI for Switzerland
 
Team changes
 
Two changes for Switzerland from the side that lost to Portugal on Wednesday. Nico Elvedi and Edimilson Fernandes come in for Steven Zuber and Denis Zakaria.
 
 
 
Team changes
 
England, meanwhile, make seven changes. Harry Maguire is the only player to start against the Netherlands that remains in the back line. Liverpool's Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold come in for Kyle Walker and John Stones and Danny Rose gets the nod over Ben Chilwell. 
 
In mid-field Jesse Lingard gets a starting place replacing Jadon Sancho and Eric Dier comes in for Declan Rice.
 
Captain Harry Kane starts, as does his Tottenham teammate Dele Alli, Marcus Rashford and Ross Barkley the players dropped to the bench.
 
 
 
 
What a record!
 
England are on a great run of form against Switzerland. They've lost just three times in 25 games with the last loss coming in May 1981. 
 
They've won 17 times and five games have finished with a draw.
 
 
 
It was a familiar story line for England on Thursday night. Score early, take the lead then lose the plot and the match.
 
They must find a way to keep the ball better with the players that they have – otherwise they’ll never break through their glass ceiling.
 
Read more:
 
 
The three lions aren't the only ones with in action today. England's ladies also kick start their run in the Women's World Cup.
 
They face Scotland at the Stade de Nice in their Group D opener, kick off at 5pm. 
 
 
Swiss perfection?

He knows that history isn't on his side and Switzerland coach Vladimir Petkovic believes his team will have to be faultless to beat England.

"We need to be perfect against opponents like Portugal and England to win these kind of matches," he said.

"It is the players that they (England) have at their disposal. I assume they may also make some changes to their starting line-up as they have 23 players that are on an equal level.

"They are quite dangerous in the final third of the pitch, very fast, quite aggressive but they also have moments where they are in trouble and we were able to show that in the friendly match against them last year."

 
 
Gareth Southgate on the team changes:
 
"There are things that we obviously have to do better and in one or two cases there were some good performances but I think the fuel tank could be a bit lower so really we wanted to stimulate the opportunity to get the best possible performance today.
 
"[Gomez and Alexander-Arnold] are pushing. I think in all positions on the pitch we've got great competition for places, in the instance of those two boys they were obviously involved in the Champions League final so it was impossible really to involve them in the game the other night as they'd only had a days training with us. They're young defenders who have already got some good experiences, have played well with us in the past and are in really good form. 
 
"I think there's a couple of factors in [John Stones missing out]. One is that he hasn't played a lot of football so physically I think there were mistakes made because of fatigue and I think his next game in an England shirt needs to be when he's had a few games with his club and he's feeling in a good place and more confident. I think if we put him in today every action he took would be under the spotlight so he understands where we are with it and that we're strong in supporting him.
 
"We've had a fascinating couple of days internally. The reaction I've like because we've reached two semi-finals but there is a recognition that none of us are happy with that and that's not enough. I've liked the fact that the players are responding to that, they've had a voice, they want to be pushed further and today we've got to get a response."
 
 
 
A little over five minutes to go until kick off. The players are in the tunnel and look ready to go. What will we see from England today?
 
Switzerland 0 - 0 England
 
Kick off: The Swiss start the match, they work the ball out to the left side of the pitch before sending it inside to Mbabu who hits it first time and sends it way, way over the bar.

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