England humiliated by Hungary in worst home defeat in 94 years | Nations League

What a mess. Gareth Southgate knew that he needed a win to restore a measure of calm after a deeply unconvincing start to this Nations League campaign, which had brought two points from the first three ties and one goal; none from open play.

What the England manager got was a new and worrying low – the heaviest defeat of his near six-year England tenure, the nation’s worst home loss since 1928 and a mutiny among the home crowd here at Molineux.

The fans had started to make for the exits when Roland Sallai scored his second goal of the evening to put Hungary 2-0 up, the boos ringing out, and it was at that point that everything fell apart for Southgate’s team.

When Zsolt Nagy drove home Hungary’s third, it felt surreal, the Euro 2020 finalists starring at humiliation. “You don’t know what you’re doing,” bellowed the fans at Southgate, more of them leaving, shouting abuse as they left.

There would be a harsh second yellow card for John Stones, who endured a terrible evening; yet more boos for Harry Maguire when he entered as a late substitute and the final indignity of a Hungary fourth, England’s defence in tatters, the substitute, Daniel Gazdag, running through to finish.

“You’re getting sacked in the morning,” chorused the home fans. Southgate had seen nothing go right from start to finish, the closest England came a 77th minute Harry Kane header that looped against the crossbar. For the manager and every player, there were no saving graces – only worry with just two more matches before the World Cup kicks off in Qatar on 21 November.

It was England’s fourth meeting of the season with Hungary, the previous one having come on the Saturday before last, a game that the Hungary midfielder Adam Nagy had called “the debacle in Budapest.” He was judging it from an England point of view, Southgate’s team having been flat in the 1-0 loss.

Southgate wanted greater energy here, to give the capacity Molineux crowd something to remember, particularly after Saturday’s 0-0 with Italy was watched by only 2,000 school children under the terms of the Football Association’s stadium ban. But what was also needed was composure and incision.

It had started with the usual rancour, the home fans interrupting the Hungarian anthem with a chant telling them they were “racist bastards.” And England would be stunned when Hungary took the lead following a free-kick that was defended dreadfully.

First, Adam Lang leapt with John Stones to bully him and the ball on into the England box and then Harry Kane got his attempted clearance all wrong, miskicking to open up the opportunity for Sallai. He was all alone and, at that moment, England could fear the worst. Sallai’s touch was true; the finish was blasted past the exposed Aaron Ramsdale.

England might have led early on when Reece James, filling in at left-back, surged onto a Kane flick to cross deep. It deflected slightly, which might have been Why Jarrod Bowen appeared to mistime his jump at the far post. Bowen headed back rather than for goal and Nagy blocked.

The nerves in the stands were tangible, together with the sense of foreboding because Hungary – so quick and well organised – are a difficult team to break down. When Stones dwelled in possession on 23 minutes, the crowd howled. Their patience was low. England were on egg shells, knowing what would happen if they misplaced a pass. Stones, in particular, felt the heat. Adam Szalai revelled in the physical duel with him or, indeed, anybody else who entered his vicinity.

It would have been 2-0 in the 27th minute but for an excellent goal-line clearance by James, a whipped Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick having flicked off Kalvin Phillips. James reacted to head clear and it set in motion a fast break, Bowen leading it and with Kane to his left. Bowen, though, did not release it when he had to.

England were booed off at half-time. It is the rule. Their only other moment of note had been when Willi Orban headed a Bukayo Saka cross towards his own goal to draw a save out of Denes Dibusz.

It was a night for Bowen to forget and he was hooked at half-time, Southgate turning to Raheem Sterling. The manager could have substituted several others. He had started in a 4-3-3 system and England did not bring the tempo or the moves. It was 3-5-2 upon the second-half restart, Sterling up with Kane; Conor Gallagher and Jude Bellingham the No 8s, although the former was soon replaced by Mason Mount.

Gallagher was unconvincing on the ball but it was a charge that was easy to level at plenty of his teammates, including Phillips and Bellingham. When England broke in the 50th minute, Bellingham overcooked the final pass to Kane. He did not last too much longer, Phil Foden coming on for him.

Where was the inspiration coming from? Hungary were perfectly happy to maintain their shape, to keep the white shirts in front of them. They did not believe that England had anything to hurt them. They were right.