SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 21:20 British Summer Time 7 June
England 0-1 Iceland
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The Crystal Palace forward has replaced Cole Palmer.
England concluded preparations for Euro 2024 with a dismal performance in defeat by Iceland at Wembley.
Manager Gareth Southgate rang the changes after Monday’s win against Bosnia-Herzegovina at St James’ Park in Newcastle but will have been bitterly disappointed with a pedestrian performance.
Iceland - infamous conquerors of England at Euro 2016 - cut through poor defending and keeper Aaron Ramsdale, in for Jordan Pickford, may have done better with Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson’s low shot after 12 minutes.
Harry Kane missed a great chance for England while Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, one of the brighter performers, also had opportunities but Southgate’s side look rusty as they finalised plans for their opening Euro 2024 game against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on 16 June.
England also looked vulnerable at the back throughout, with Iceland also having chances to extend their advantage after the break.
Key defender John Stones was substituted at half-time after taking a heavy knock early on and Southgate will be desperately hoping there is not a serious problem with his regular defensive partner Harry Maguire ruled out of the tournament in Germany because of injury.
If this was designed to be a glorious send-off for Southgate and his players before they head to Germany then this was a plan that went badly awry.
England can have no complaints about this embarrassing loss to the side ranked 72nd in the Fifa rankings and the loud jeers that greeted them at half-time and the final whistle were a fair reflection of a poor performance.
If Southgate was looking for any more clues to his Euro 2024 starting line-up here, then they were negative.
Palmer did show some bright touches, even though he missed a couple of second-half opportunities, and Anthony Gordon also impressed in flashes.
Elsewhere, Phil Foden could not flourish in the number 10 role and there was rarely a time when the Iceland goal was under sustained pressure - England had one shot on target.
Indeed, Iceland had chances to increase England’s pain in the second half but could not take them.
Of course, this game was all about preparation, looking at his squad and coming through unscathed before the serious business starts next week - but even so there is little good news about losing to international minnows such as Iceland at any time, especially at Wembley.
Iceland might even be starting to regard themselves as England’s bogey side after they dumped them out of Euro 2016 at the last-16 stage.
England’s players went on a lap of appreciation at the final whistle as a farewell before they go to the Euros - it was a measure of this limp and laboured effort that there was hardly anyone left inside Wembley to show any appreciation.
Southgate will hope this night knocked off a few elements of rust in England, but it was hardly the stuff to send them into Euro 2024 bursting with optimism.
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Manager: Gareth Southgate
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Åge Hareide
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Gareth Southgate
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Åge Hareide
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
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England have won their last two matches against Iceland, both in the UEFA Nations League in September and November 2020. On home soil, England have won both games against them by an aggregate score of 10-1.
Iceland’s only previous victory in five attempts against England (D1 L3) came in a famous 2-1 victory at EURO 2016, coming from 1-0 down to win 2-1 and eliminate the Three Lions.
This is England’s final game before they start their European Championship campaign against Serbia on June 16th. The Three Lions haven’t lost their final match before any of their last 20 major tournaments (W15 D5) since a 1-0 defeat at Germany ahead of EURO 1968.
Iceland have won three of their last four international matches (L1), as many as in their previous 17 games combined (W3 D5 L9).
England are unbeaten in all 11 of their international matches against fellow European nations (W8 D3) since losing 2-1 to France in the quarter-final of the 2022 World Cup.
20-year-old Adam Wharton completed all 36 of his passes on his England debut against Bosnia and Herzegovina last time out – he is the only midfielder to attempt 30+ passes on his debut for the Three Lions and have a 100% accuracy since Opta has detailed passing data (August 2008 onwards).
Harry Kane has scored 12 goals in his last 12 international matches for England – against Bosnia and Herzegovina, he netted his fifth goal in 13 appearances as a substitute for the national side, with only Jermain Defoe scoring more as a sub (seven in 35 apps).
Gareth Southgate has handed debuts to 66 different players as England manager, with Adam Wharton and Jarrad Branthwaite taking him ahead of Sir Bobby Robson (64 debuts). It’s the most by an England boss since Sir Alf Ramsey handed 82 debuts in his time in charge.