England coach Gareth Southgate is ready to risk his job and reputation, not to mention his team’s fortunes, just to show support for his troubled defender Harry Maguire. Even though Manchester United man is out of the starting eleven at Old Trafford, the national team’s tactician is willing to place his confidence on the often-ridiculed defender.Questions have been asked, with the 2022 World Cup fast approaching, of whether Maguire should still be a go-to option for the Three Lions, but Southgate insists he has full faith in a player that has grown accustomed to silencing doubters.”Whatever reputation I have, I’m putting it on there. You always have to back your judgement, and we feel he is an important player. He is our most dominant aerial centre-back. He and John Stones are incredible with the ball. There is a huge amount more pressure on our centre-backs to use the ball well, and those two are as good as any in world football at doing that.”Southgate will have a chance to show his faith tonight when Italy host his team in a UEFA Nations League fixture at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan.🏴 Harry Maguire this season:👤 4 apps📉 4 losses❌ 8 goals conceded🧢 Picked for England squadGareth Southgate, football genius 🤥 pic.twitter.com/uoZJhTw5hZ— ODDSbible (@ODDSbible) September 15, 2022 Italian coach Roberto Mancini, who was successful as Manchester City’s boss a decade ago, heaped praise on their opponents.”The English team is a great team. It was a great team in Euro 2020 and it was a great team before. I think England is one of the best teams in the world. It’s full of talent, especially the forwards. They have many players apart from Harry Kane, who is an extraordinary player, but the young players around him can make a difference. So it will be a very hard match for us.”If you slate Maguire on Twitter – you’re an idiot, says young Manchester United defenderTaking five points from their opening three Nations League clashes was a good return for the team that’s still coping with missing out on a place in Qatar, but Mancini’s side were torn to shreds in a 5-2 defeat to Germany during their most recent game, which leaves them languishing in third place in the standings. Qualification for the finals is still within the Azzurri’s reach, but the previously steadfast Italian defence have now gone six games without a clean sheet at home.Italy have already lost a trio of experienced players to injury, as Lorenzo Pellegrini and Matteo Politano have been forced to withdraw alongside Marco Verratti. Davide Frattesi and Manolo Gabbiadini have been called up as replacements. Mancini controversially decided against calling up Davide Calabria and Nicolo Zaniolo for September’s fixtures, while Leeds United’s Wilfried Gnonto and West Ham United’s Gianluca Scamacca have both been called up in attack.##NAJAVA_MECA_6667972##For the visitors, Kalvin Phillips has been forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury. Jordan Henderson has been called up in his place but should be kept in reserve, having just come back from his hamstring injury. The absence of number one Jordan Pickford should allow Aaron Ramsdale to prove his worth to Southgate.UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE – GROUP STAGE, ROUND 5Division AThursday Croatia – Denmark 2-1 (0-0)/Sosa 49, Majer 79 – Eriksen 77/France – Austria 2-0 (0-0)/Mbappe 55, Giroud 64/Belgium – Wales 2-1 (2-0)/De Bruyne 11, Batshuayi 38 – Moore 50/Poland – Netherlands 0-2 (0-1)/Gakpo 14, Bergwijn 60/Friday21.45: (1.33) Germany (5.90) Hungary (9.50)21.45: (3.05) Italy (3.15) England (2.65)Saturday21.45: (4.80) Czech R. (3.50) Portugal (1.91)21.45: (1.50) Spain (4.20) Switzerland (8.00)21.45: (2.90) Austria (3.40) Croatia (2.52)Sunday21.45: (3.60) Denmark (3.40) France (2.24)21.45: (2.40) Netherlands (3.50) Belgium (3.10)***odds are subject to change
