Thank you for joining us tonight, and for sticking around this long after a disappointing result.

We'll be with you again in five days - England will play France again, with Emma Sanders the woman on the ground in Saint-Etienne while I will once more be your humble live text messenger.

Hopefully, the result will be more positive for the Lionesses.

See you on Tuesday.

This was England's first defeat in a tournament qualifier since losing to Germany in May 2002 - a run of 22 years.

The girls will be in there believing. They weren't under the cosh and they'll go away and look at how they can hurt France. England will be OK.

England dropped further points at home in their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign following a 2-1 defeat by group leaders France at St James’ Park.

Former Sunderland winger Beth Mead netted the opener in front of the Gallowgate End when she was teed up by Lauren Hemp, but it was cancelled out by Elisa de Almeida’s stunning volley.

Another first-time strike by Marie-Antoinette Katoto in the second half put France in front as they extended their lead at the top of Group A3 by five points.

England suffered an early blow when goalkeeper Mary Earps was forced off injured minutes into her 50th appearance for the Lionesses.

You can read Emma Sanders' full copy from St. James' Park by clicking the report tab at the top of this page.

Image source, Getty Images

England will know they are not far off and obviously as the media we dig deep into it and say we're not going to qualify.

We created chances and if we take them we win the game.

Sarina Wiegman will probably look at the squad and where we are. We have got weaknesses - it is whether both full backs should be bombing forward because teams have probably worked that out. We need to be clear on how we need defend set pieces.

But, ultimately, it is about patience. Are we patient?

Everybody wants to beat the team that wins all the time and that is what is happening with England now. That's not to say England are naive to it but we can't have off days. We can't have two or three players off the pace because players will take advantage of that.

So what happens if England don't finish in the top two in Group A3, thus failing to qualify automatically for Euro 2025?

if they finish third or fourth in the group, they go into the two-round play-offs. In the first round, they would face one of the five group winners and three best-ranked runners-up in League C of this qualifying system. Those are the lowest ranked sides in Europe, so England would fancy their chances.

Get through that, and England would go into the 14-team final round of the play-offs, and would be one of the seven teams seeded for that decisive fixture.

Both rounds of the play-offs are two-legged ties, and the seven teams who win their way through will join the top eight sides in League A, plus hosts Switzerland, at Euro 2025.

So England would be favourites to make it through the play-offs - but really, it would be much safer to finish in the top two of this group.

Easier said than done.

England manager Sarina Wiegman, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "It is very disappointing. We should have won the game. No matter how good the goals were, you have a chance to stop it. The first one was fantastic and so was the second. It is disappointing and we definitely need to tighten up on second balls."

Enough energy after a long season?: "I thought we were energised. We are going to need to be more on Tuesday in France so it doesn't matter. It is the same for them. It's been a long season for everyone that plays international football. That wasn't a factor today. I felt good and I know the players around me did. We were pushing right until the end but we're going to need more on Tuesday."

Must win on Tuesday?: "Yeah, absolutely. Tonight was a must-win in our minds that is why we're disappointed. Tuesday is a chance to go again."

What positives can England take from that game?

Leah Williamson looks firmly back to her best, she controlled her defence well and played some dangerous balls from the back.

England always look to have goals in them going forward too. Beth Mead scored tonight, while both Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo impressed.

So there are some reasons to be cheerful. But admittedly, only a few.

You can see that Sarina Wiegman is trying to protect the younger players because she knows how hugely talented they are but, at the same time, if you take a risk and expose them, what happens if it goes poorly?

England manager Sarina Wiegman, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "I am really disappointed because this is a very unnecessary loss. I thought we played well in the big moments of the game and we create many chances and could have scored more than one. We were unfortunate to concede from a corner but we can't change it. In the second half we controlled most of the game and they weren't that dangerous, except for the corner. I'm really disappointed about that because I think we can do better than that and it was unnecessary. In the end we tried to force a goal but the execution didn't go well enough."

On conceding from corners: "We prepare for it but all these things happen in a game. The second one came in the second phase. The first came from another corner or two and we dealt with the first ones really well. It falls good for them and goes inside the post but we really want to get pressure on the ball, that's what we want to do. I'll have to look back, it's really hard to see from the side what we can do better but I think somebody needs to be closer."

On Mary Earps: "I can't say anything about that at the moment because I haven't spoke to her or the doctor yet. I hope she's alright but I really don't know."

On the group: "We have to win out in France if we want to be in a good position in July. Today we wanted to go and win and most of the time we played well. As a team and in defence we did pretty good. We'll review tomorrow. We're very disappointed now, that is very clear because really we all feel it was very unnecessary but then we'll move onto Tuesday."

Martin

I thought England's confidence would grow once they took the lead and their would be onslaught, but let's get it right, France don't concede very often either. They are a resolute side and make it very difficult.

Set pieces and second phases were as a result of our own poor decision making or some sloppiness. It is disappointing because if anything England should have probably come away with a win or draw.

England manager Sarina Wiegman, speaking to ITV Sport: "Frustrating. I think we played pretty well. We conceded two goals from set plays which we have to do better. In these matches you don't get too many chances, in the first half we created multiple chances and we scored one. In the second half we were dangerous, the final pass needed to be better. Then we conceded a goal from a corner. In the end we wanted to force a goal but that didn't go very well."

On taking a while to get going: "It was a strange start of course. Mary got injured and that took about five minutes then we got started then she went down again and had to be substituted. We had to get organised again. Then later on we got it and started playing a lot better."

On Mary Earps' fitness: "I can't say anything because I haven't spoken to anyone yet."

On how England will react before Tuesday's game: "We're going to recover, review the game then we get ready for Tuesday. This is disappointing then tomorrow it's done and we continue to Tuesday and a new chance to play a good game and win a game."

David

Mike, Cornwall

England forward Beth Mead speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "It is disappointing. I thought we started a bit slow but grew into the game really well. I would argue that we were the better team in the game overall but ultimately two very good teams and it comes down to small margins and they scored from two set pieces which is obviously really frustrating.

"Over the two set pieces they were sharper but at the same time defensively I thought we defended really well and gave them few very chances bar the two goals. It is really frustrating."

On her goal: "It is a little different having previously played for Sunderland but the atmosphere was amazing when the ball went into the back of the net but just a shame the goal didn't count towards a win today."

On the group as it stands: "A lot can happen. We've just got to look at each game and just hopefully trying to get the wins and three points on the board. It is a tough group so we'll have to keep trying to go each game at a time."

Let's keep in mind that this is not over yet, there are still opportunities to put this right. All is not lost, let's make that clear.

The performances are going to have to improve in terms of the tidiness - we saw a lot of sloppy passes and the decision-making is not what we'd expect it to be.

In front of goal, can we be more smart? Cross the ball along the floor and I don't think we really thought about that level of detail on the pitch.

Abi

Josh

Mark

England forward Beth Mead speaking to ITV Sport: "Disappointed, frustrated. I actually thought we were the better team, created more chances. Ultimately we got beat on two set pieces and that's something we need to look at and rectify."

On France's goals coming from set pieces: "It's a really tough game, a lot of quality on show. Small margins won them the game today."

On struggling to find rhythm: "I thought Hannah [Hampton] came on, made an amazing save, was amazing with her feet. We need to get our rhythm early and set ourselves to play better across the 90 mins."

On what needs to improve on Tuesday: "We've got to get straight into recovery, watch and analyse the game. Not give away set pieces, not concede from set pieces. We've got to rectify that."

Lots of hugs and smiles in the France team as they win at St James' Park. They head over to a smattering of fans in the corner to celebrate with them.

England looked deflated as they huddled in a circle in the middle of the pitch.

We didn't look as fluid and composed as we usually do. France were more clinical and they took their chances. It's now a lot of work for the girls to get to the position they want to be in which is ultimately at the top of the group.