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Trent Alexander-Arnold insists England must improve their defensive record if they are to stand any chance of winning Euro 2020.

The Three Lions can assure themselves of a place in next summer’s finals if they beat the Czech Republic in their Group A qualifier in Prague on Friday night.

Gareth Southgate’s side are firm favourites to advance after a perfect start to the qualification campaign – including a 5-0 win over their next opponents at Wembley in March.

But, while the attacking abilities of the likes of Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Jadon Sancho are being heralded, England have had some issues at the back of late.

A 5-3 win over Kosovo at Southampton last month did little to paper over cracks that were open for all to see when Holland won 3-1 in the Nations League semi-final in June.

Individual errors accounted for many of the goals shipped across those two games as Southgate continues to strive for a settled – and in-form – back four.

“If we want to be regarded as one of the best teams in Europe and go far in the Euros, and try and win the competition, our clean sheets and goals conceded must be fewer,” Liverpool full-back Alexander-Arnold admitted.

“We have to concede less goals. As defenders, as a team and as a unit we know where to improve and where to work on.

“Some games, it just happens. We will analyse what went wrong and try and make sure it does not happen again.

“Kosovo, really, were an underrated side and we had massive respect for them before the game and we knew they had threats and, luckily for us, were able to outscore them but we were not happy with the goals we conceded and we need to work on it.”

Alexander-Arnold also revealed the players were planning on holding a meeting before the game in Prague and the subsequent trip to Sofia to face Bulgaria three days later.

“As players we analyse our games, we know during the game what’s going right and what’s not,” he said.

“No, we’ve not had the meeting yet but we will over the next few days to make sure it doesn’t happen again. It’s important to look back on our game and see where we need to improve.

“The obvious one is that the amount of goals we conceded was not good. It’s about making sure we get that right this time.”

Champions League-winning right-back Alexander-Arnold will battle with Kieran Trippier for a place in Southgate’s team on Friday night.

The pair have, for the time being, seen off the challenge of Kyle Walker – who has missed out on the last two squads.

It remains to be seen who Southgate opts for in the centre of his defence with uncapped pair Tyrone Mings and Fikayo Tomori pushing more established names such as Harry Maguire, Michael Keane and Joe Gomez for a place in the side.

Callum Wilson is primed and ready to make his mark for England – a level he felt born to play at even when lining up for Kettering and Tamworth.

Like so many of the players Gareth Southgate has relied on during his Three Lions tenure, the 27-year-old is reaping the rewards of taking the path less travelled.

Wilson spent time on loan at non-league sides Kettering and Tamworth before kicking on at hometown club Coventry and helping Bournemouth reach the Premier League – a level both club and player have flourished at.

The striker has netted five top-flight goals so far this term and has quietly gone about establishing himself as an England squad regular, with this his fifth straight call-up.

And while the presence of skipper Harry Kane has restricted him to just three caps to date, there is a hunger and confidence about a player who has risen through the leagues and overcome two serious knee injuries.

“When I get here – train well, wait for my opportunity, be patient,” Wilson said. “Harry is a great player.

“I’m not saying I want to kick him out of the team, but with injuries, things that happen along the way, you have to be ready to grasp the opportunity, whether it is one minute, 20 minutes, the opening whistle.

“It’s not just thinking: ‘Harry is going to play’. Anything could happen and I have to be ready to come on and make a difference. I am fully focused.”

Wilson has learned from Kane’s clinical focus in training as well in matches – a mental edge that complements self-belief that onlookers could have felt strayed into delusion during his time in non-league football.

“I was playing on loan at Kettering and Tamworth, and I said I will play for England one day,” he said when asked if his rise had surpassed expectations. “Everyone calls me self-confident.

“If you don’t believe you can get somewhere you will never get there, that was always the aim to play for the national team, to play in the Premier League.

“When I got there, I felt I had been there before because in my head I had been there.

“I never actually told any of the players, it’s a bit disrespectful when a lot of them players were a bit older and never got that opportunity, they would think: ‘Young, little whippersnapper coming in, saying he’s going to play for England, get out of here’.

“For me, I basically told family, friends, they all said: ‘Yes, go for it’. Some games you would be playing terrible and I’d think: ‘No it’s never going to happen’, but you have to keep that belief there, and here I am.”

Wilson fondly remembers his time in the National League, where the smell of burgers and chips filled the air as he ran up and down the line in front of fans leaning over advertising hoardings.

Those experiences “toughened” up a player now hoping to add to his three-cap haul in the Euro 2020 qualifiers away to the Czech Republic and Bulgaria.

The latter match has come under particular focus given the potential for racism, which Wilson saw first-hand as part of the side that won 5-1 in Montenegro to a backdrop of some sickening abuse.

“We know there is a protocol to follow and we will make sure everyone abides by those rules,” Wilson said.

“We are not expecting it to happen but in the modern day it is still happening so we will see what happens when we get there.

“You go through the steps and if it still carries on, you expect UEFA to step in.

“If the protocol has not worked, I am sure they will take us off the pitch. If, after that has happened, we take ourselves off then so be it.”

Daniel James is determined to respond to a difficult time for Manchester United by improving Wales’ Euro 2020 qualification hopes.

United have made their worst start to a top-flight campaign for 30 years after picking up only nine points from their opening eight games.

Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle – who started the day only one place off the bottom of the table – left Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side just two points above the relegation zone.

“It’s important in football to react when things aren’t going so well,” said James, who has been United’s standout performer with three goals since his £15million summer move from Swansea.

“It’s alright when things are going good, but it’s important to deal with things when they are bad.

“It was the same when I was at Swansea and things weren’t going so well. I’ve always dealt with it exactly the same.

“I’ve had a good start personally (at United) and I’m enjoying my football. It’s about taking that into playing for Wales as well.”

James has had a meteoric rise from Swansea bit-part player to United first-team regular in the last 12 months.

The 21-year-old scored the winner on his first Wales start in March – against Thursday’s Euro 2020 qualifying opponents Slovakia – and there is expectation on him now to deliver both at club and international level.

But James says he can handle the huge pressure that comes with being in the United spotlight as well as a fully-fledged international.

“If you’d said a year ago what was going to happen to me I’d have said ‘Don’t be silly’,” James added ahead of the Group E qualifier in Trnava.

“It is massive progress in the space of a year being a Man United regular and playing for Wales.

“But things happen so quickly in football you have to be ready for anything. That goes when things go badly as well.

“A year ago I wasn’t really playing for Swansea and everything just happened so quickly.

“It is just a case of how you grasp that. Everyone who speaks to me just says be yourself and don’t let anything trouble you.

“I think having established myself at Man United so quickly has helped me. There is going to be pressure going into these games this week, but I’m used to that now.

“European football (with United) is similar to playing away in these countries. When you are expected to win the group then going away to any team – Slovakia, Azerbaijan, whoever – with different atmospheres, pitches and cultures, then it is really difficult.”

James recalls being on a family holiday in Spain when Wales made their way to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 in France under Chris Coleman.

Wales – who trail group leaders Croatia by four points with a game in hand – are a much-changed squad three years on, and James is part of an exciting and youthful group who have been given opportunities by manager Ryan Giggs.

“I remember watching it (Euro 2016) in Marbella and it was amazing to get to so far,” James said.

“The expectation now is to get back to the Euros. That’s what we want to do and it would be amazing for me and the rest of the young players to experience that.

“All the youngsters are grasping our roles – Harry Wilson, Ethan Ampadu – and there is a younger generation coming through. It is just a case of whether we can go on and qualify now.

“We’ve got two massive games this week – Slovakia away and Croatia at home – but the gaffer says we are capable of doing anything as a team. If we can go to Slovakia and win that would be a big statement.”

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer apologised to the club’s fans after a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle left them in 12th place in the Premier League.

Disgruntled travelling supporters sang anti-Glazer family chants as Matty Longstaff’s debut goal at St James’ Park left United without an away win in 11 attempts in all competitions.

Manager Solskjaer admitted after the game that they had simply not been good enough.

He said: “We’re unhappy with the results and it’s the results that bring out the mood of everyone, and I’ve got to say sorry to the fans that we’re not winning games.

“But that’s down to that now as well, we have started a rebuild. This is not a similar situation to when I was sat here after Everton last year when I felt people had given up and they don’t give what they have for the shirt.

“These boys give everything they’ve got for the shirt, and we’ll get there again.”

The visitors enjoyed plenty of possession on Tyneside against a Magpies side routed 5-0 at Leicester a week earlier but failed to convert it into meaningful chances, with defender Harry Maguire’s glaring miss on the stroke of half-time as good as it got.

Asked to assess the performance, Solskjaer said: “Very symptomatic of where we are at the moment, disappointing. We don’t create enough chances to deserve to win a game of football – and that’s the short version.

“The first half, I couldn’t see that one coming before the game because it was such a disappointing performance first half.

“The ball, it seemed like we couldn’t control it, it seemed like it was a hot potato and it was bouncing off our feet.

“Second half was better, we dominated more – but you could still see a couple of counter-attacks coming, especially just before the goal as well.”

Newcastle’s Geordie head coach Steve Bruce was thrilled at the response of his players to their humiliation at the King Power Stadium as he enjoyed the first win of his managerial career over the club for which he played for eight-and-a-half years.

He said: “Especially against who the visitors were… It’s been a long time coming, probably too long.

“It’s been a difficult week in particular, but that result gives everybody a lift, and let’s just hope now they all come back from internationals and we can stay a bit injury-free.”

Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate was fuming with his players after the  2-1 Sky Bet Championship defeat at Birmingham.

The Teessiders were a distant second best as Fran Villalba and substitute Odi Bailey deservedly ended City’s three-match losing run.

Daniel Ayala equalised for Boro with three minutes to go, only for Bailey to win it – and anything other than a Birmingham win would have been unfair as they dominated the contest.

Woodgate did no’t spare his sorry side as they made it four games without a win, remaining 20th in the table.

He said: “I wish I could put my boots on and play, and head a few balls out or tell my full-backs to stop crosses.

“The players need to roll their sleeves up and have a long, hard look at themselves in the mirror.

“I’ll be the first to do that. To perform like that, especially first half, was not good.

“You can imagine exactly what I said to them at half-time, and full-time. Have I raised my voice to them? They need to be told it’s not good enough.

“They need to do the dirty things better – stopping crosses and winning headers because in this league, you’ve got to battle. But Birmingham were a lot better than us.”

Blues caretaker head coach Pep Clotet paid tribute to his youngsters who won the match – Villalba is 21 and Bailey 19 – along with 16-year-old Jude Bellingham.

He explained: “I am very pleased because this shows the work of the whole club.

“First we need to find the players, second we have to bring them in, third, we have to develop a plan for them and fourth, give them space in our team.

“We have done that and they have managed it very well.”

He also hailed the team performance, adding: “I think that was the best since I have been here.”

Birmingham were only prevented from taking the lead by their former goalkeeper Darren Randolph, who threw  himself high to his left to tip aside Villalba’s venomous volley.

The chance – like many as Birmingham looked to expose their former defender Ryan Shotton at left-back time and again – came after a deflected cross from right-back Maxime Colin sat up perfectly for the Spaniard.

Randolph was in action again soon after, tipping over to save the blushes of centre-back Dael Fry, who diverted the ball goalwards.

Randolph got his fingertips to Colin’s goalbound cross – which looped up off Shotton – before punching Villalba’s corner behind.

Middlesbrough’s only other real threat came when Marcus Tavernier’s curling free-kick was palmed behind by Lee Camp.

But Blues returned to the attack to take a wholly deserved lead.

Villalba spread play to Colin down the right and went for the return, the Spaniard sweeping a neat side-footed effort into the bottom corner from just inside the area.

Randolph then got his hands to headers from Kristian Pedersen and Harlee Dean, before Bellingham’s deflected shot dropped just wide.

Another Pedersen header hit the bar and was frantically scrambled away.

Birmingham continued to be stronger after the break, and Gardner hit the inside of the post with a 20-yard shot, while Ivan Sunjic whistled a drive just wide.

Boro scored a barely deserved equaliser when Ayala forced the ball home from Britt Assombalonga’s cross – but the hosts regained the lead in the 90th minute when Bailey stabbed home Dan Crowley’s deep cross.

Unai Emery saw his Arsenal youngsters dismantle Standard Liege in the Europa League before insisting they were more deserving of a place in his side than outcast Mesut Ozil.

Ozil, the highest-paid player in the history of the club, was again left out of the matchday squad as Gabriel Martinelli hit a brace in a 4-0 Group F victory.

The 18-year-old netted twice in three first-half minutes before setting up Dani Ceballos to score his first goal for the club, with Joe Willock having already added the third.

Emery made 10 alterations from the side that drew at Manchester United on Monday night with Ozil not making the matchday squad on either occasion.

The 30-year-old has had a difficult relationship with Emery since the head coach’s appointment last summer and the Spaniard’s claims that he did not deserve a place in his side on Thursday night is the latest suggestion Ozil could be moved on sooner rather than later.

“I am thinking every time to decide the best players for each match and the best players in the squad to play and to help us,” Emery replied when asked about Ozil’s omission.

“When I decided he shouldn’t be in the squad it’s because I think other players deserved it more.

“He needs to continue working. Tomorrow we have training with the players who didn’t play, and on Sunday we have another match, and we are going to decide the same.

“Our target is to win on Sunday against Bournemouth, and we want to carry on our same way in each match.”

On a positive night for the Gunners, Rob Holding, Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin – who captained the side – all came through 90 minutes as they continued their comebacks from injury.

Martinelli, who scored two goals on his full debut in the Carabao Cup win over Nottingham Forest last week, followed it up with another double here and Emery has been impressed by his start to life in England.

“I saw him in pre-season and he was working and in each training showing us his hunger,” added Emery.

“In pre-season he was perfect all the time with us in training, and I spoke to him to be calm because when he arrived with an opportunity to play like tonight, if he continues with this hunger then I think he will do well. Tonight confirmed that.

“The first thing in his mind is to help us and receive some minutes with us in the team. Tonight I think his performance and attitude was amazing.”

Standard Liege head coach Michel Preud’homme had preempted a strong showing from Arsenal’s young talent and was left frustrated by his own side’s performance.

“We showed them too much respect,” he said. “They were quicker than us all over the pitch and we lacked aggression.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists he was not overly concerned after squandering a three-goal advantage against Red Bull Salzburg as he had faith in his players’ strength of character to bounce back.

The Reds raced into a commanding lead with goals from Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah inside 36 minutes but started to go backwards when Hee-Chan Hwang pulled one back just before half-time.

Takumi Minamino set nerves jangling 10 minutes after the break and when substitute Erling Braut Haaland scored his 18th of the season four minutes after coming on, it appeared the European champions’ homecoming would fall flat.

However, Salah took his tally to 12 in 13 Anfield Champions League appearances to secure a first victory in Group E.

“That we showed character, I would be the last one to be surprised by that,” said Klopp.

“That’s why I was not overly concerned at the moment of 3-3 because I knew we would have moments again.

“It would be silly if that were not possible because we did so many good things so we should not lose complete faith in ourselves in the moment when it becomes a bit difficult.

“It was far away from being a perfect game but it was a typical Liverpool game, very exciting. I thought after the game maybe I am angry but I realised I am not angry, so why should I show up as if I am angry?

“I respect the performance of the opponent and saw a lot of good things from us. We can do better. We will do better. That’s it.”

Liverpool conceded three goals for the first time since their Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona in the Nou Camp last season and only the second time in all competitions since losing to Real Madrid in the 2018 final.

With third-placed Leicester arriving at Anfield on Saturday, Klopp knows his players have to fix the problem and tighten up.

“I am sure Brendan Rodgers thinks if we defend like we did tonight then probably Jamie Vardy will run five times alone with the goalkeeper,” added Klopp.

“It was a very important lesson for us tonight. We will learn but we have to learn quick. I knew before that we have to improve a lot but now everybody knows it probably.”

Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch felt his side proved a lot at Anfield, having opened their campaign with a 6-2 win over Genk, who subsequently held Napoli to a goalless draw.

“We have seen, we can play at this level. When we play our football, we always have a chance,” he said.

“Of course we had the hope for a point after getting it back to 3-3, we were close. I am very proud of the team and it is important that we learn from this evening.”

Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde felt his side’s improvement in the final third was the reason behind their comeback win over Inter Milan in the Champions League.

The hosts were up against it at the Nou Camp after Lautaro Martinez struck in the second minute for the Serie A leaders.

But Barca improved, with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez taking centre stage in the second half.

Suarez netted twice, the second coming in the 84th minute following a fine run from Messi, to seal a 2-1 win which put the Spanish champions level with Borussia Dortmund in Group F, three points above Slavia Prague and Inter.

Valverde told Marca: “We needed to transform the match going forward. We controlled the play with (Sergio) Busquets, Arthur (Melo), (Frenkie) De Jong, but we didn’t have any space to play.

“We needed to be more of a threat in their area and be more decisive in the final third. They kept us far away from their goal and we were able to come back.”

Barcelona were fortunate to only be one goal down at half-time after Inter missed several chances to add to Martinez’s fine finish.

Antonio Candreva had a goal disallowed for offside, Nicolo Barella saw a shot blocked and Martinez was denied by a fine save from Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.

“(Lautaro’s goal) really put the game in their favour and strengthened their situation a lot,” Valverde said.

“They’re a powerful team, they’re first in the Italian league (after) winning all their matches. They made our lives difficult, but we were better in the second half.”

The defeat for Inter, who return to league action against champions Juventus on Sunday, was their first this season under Antonio Conte.

Midfielder Barella told Sky Sport: “We came here and demonstrated that we’re capable of matching them and winning: this is what Conte asked of us.

“We also showed this after the equaliser, but they found the winning goal. It’s disappointing, but now we go forward and start thinking about the next game.”