England were beaten 3-2 by Croatia at Wembley on this day in 2007 to end their hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008 and seal the fate of manager Steve McClaren.

Their failure to qualify for the Euros meant the writing was on the wall for McClaren, who was dismissed as boss a day later after 18 months in charge.

McClaren had watched the dismal defeat unfold in the pouring rain at Wembley from under an umbrella and was dubbed the “wally with a brolly”.

England only needed a draw to book their place at the finals in Austria and Switzerland but found themselves two goals down at the break, Scott Carson letting Niko Kranjcar’s 25-yard effort slip through his grasp for the first before former Arsenal striker Eduardo made it two.

David Beckham came off the bench for his 99th cap and inspired an England comeback as he set up Peter Crouch for a superb equaliser shortly after Frank Lampard had converted a 56th-minute penalty to put England on course for qualification.

But the fightback proved in vain as Croatia substitute Mladen Petric beat Carson from 20 yards 13 minutes from time to end England’s hopes.

After the match McClaren declared he would not be stepping down, but the Football Association took the decision out of his hands by sacking him after just 18 games, making him the shortest-serving permanent England boss in history at the time.

McClaren’s reign heralded just nine wins and ended with the team conceding three goals on home soil for the first time in 35 years.

“I feel I have let the fans down and the country down,” said McClaren.

“I knew that if we didn’t qualify that would put the board in a difficult position.

“I can understand the decision, the reaction and the criticism. It hurts and disappoints me, but that is football and it will make me stronger in the future.”

England turned next to Fabio Capello, while McClaren rebuilt his reputation by leading Dutch side FC Twente to the Eredivisie title in 2010 and had further spells at Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest, Derby, Newcastle and QPR and is now on the coaching staff at Manchester United.

Middlesbrough announced they had sacked Gareth Southgate as manager on this day in 2009.

Southgate was appointed as Steve McClaren’s successor just weeks after captaining Boro in their UEFA Cup final defeat to Sevilla in 2006, his final match as a player.

The former England defender kept the club in the Premier League with 12th and 13th-placed finishes but Boro slipped into the second tier in 2009.

Southgate’s dismissal came just hours after the Teessiders ended a run of three successive home defeats with a 2-0 victory against Derby, which left them one point off the top of the Championship table.

In a statement released on the club website, chairman Steve Gibson said: “This has been the most difficult decision I have had to make in all the time I have been in football.

“Gareth has given Middlesbrough magnificent service as a skipper and, in very difficult circumstances, as manager.

“I appointed Gareth in a situation that was greatly unfavourable to him. He is a good man and has all the qualities and integrity that we wanted in a manager. However, the time is right for change and that change has had to be made.

“Gareth will always be welcome at our football club. English football needs people of his stature and we feel certain that this experience will serve him well.

“Gareth deserves another opportunity once he has had the chance to rest and refresh himself.”

Southgate then moved to the England set-up, managing the Under-21s before taking charge of the senior team in 2016.

He led England to a fourth-placed finish in the 2018 World Cup and reached the final of Euro 2020 where they were beaten by Italy in a penalty shootout at Wembley.

Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has saluted Erik ten Hag's personal touch and revealed how the new management team have lifted flagging morale.

United posted four successive Premier League wins before last week's trip to rivals Manchester City, where hat-tricks from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden condemned them to a comprehensive 6-3 defeat.

However, Ten Hag's side bounced back with a 3-2 victory over Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League on Thursday, boosting their hopes of progressing from Group E.

McTominay came off the bench during United's trip to Cyprus but has started six of seven league games under Ten Hag despite the arrivals of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.

Speaking to United's website, the Scotland international made a favourable comparison between Ten Hag and his predecessors, saying of the Dutch boss: "On tour [in pre-season] he asked me about my family and how they were and how they're getting on.

"That was a real good touch because I felt like I could then trust him, and want to play for him and be in a team with him, where he's pushing me.

"I obviously want to be making sure I'm doing my best for him because he's got a real understanding about my personal life as well, which is massive in terms of a player. I've never really, properly had that before.

"[I've had] other bits from other coaches, but I feel like he's really, really, good in that aspect."

With United failing to win a major trophy since Jose Mourinho's team captured the 2016-17 Europa League, McTominay felt sweeping changes were required at Old Trafford, and he highlighted the role of Ten Hag's backroom team in implementing them.

"There's a lot of change, obviously," he said. "I think it's clear to notice that on the pitch, in terms of the way we set up and the different ideas the manager has got."

He pointed to the influence of assistant boss Mitchell van der Gaag and technical director Darren Fletcher, and also highlighted the role of former England boss Steve McClaren, a notable recruit to Ten Hag's coaching staff.

"Steve McClaren is literally one of the best guys you can have in football because he keeps everybody alive, he keeps everyone together and that is so good for players, in boosting their confidence," McTominay said.

"I feel like some players needed that at the end of last season. They needed lifting and that energy bringing into the group, and they've most definitely done that."

United travel to Everton for their next Premier League outing on Sunday, looking to improve on their dismal record in recent away games.

The Red Devils have lost eight of their last 10 Premier League away matches, and scored as many goals in last week's defeat to City as they had in their previous eight road trips.

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