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• Neville says England are mismanaging stars, calls for Mainoo to start

  Gary Neville believes England are mismanaging their star players and has called on Gareth Southgate to start Kobbie Mainoo in the Euro 2024 knockout stages.

  England topped Group C as a result of Tuesday's goalless draw with Slovenia, but they were booed off by their fans after producing another flat performance.

  The Three Lions created just 0.8 expected goals (xG) despite enjoying 74% of the possession, the latter being their highest figure ever recorded in a major tournament match where they failed to score (since 1966 for World Cup and 1980 for Euros).

  Southgate's team failed to attempt a single shot until the 30th minute, their longest wait for an attempt in a Euros match since 2000 (35th minute versus Germany).

  The England boss only made one change to the team that toiled in a 1-1 draw with Denmark on matchday two, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold with Conor Gallagher, as Phil Foden and Harry Kane continued to struggle in attack.

  Speaking in his role as a pundit for ITV Sport, Neville said: "England have Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Kobbie Mainoo, Phil Foden… massive, massive talents and we cannot afford to mismanage them," he said.

  "We are the only country in the world who continually ask, 'where can these players fit?'"

  Manchester United midfielder Mainoo had a positive impact when he replaced Gallagher at half-time, and Southgate feels he should start Sunday's last-16 clash, which will pit England against a third-place finisher from either Group D or E.

  "Every time England made a change, they got better," Neville said. "I am certain Mainoo will start the next game. 

  "Southgate thought Gallagher was the option for energy, but it was quite obvious we needed someone on there to get us playing and Adam Wharton is capable of doing that as well.

  "The more substitutions we made, the less rigid we looked. We looked so basic in the first half, it was a struggle to watch that and I think we moved forward in the second half. We did not get the result, but there were glimpses of what we can be."

• Southgate urges England supporters to 'stay with the team' amid Euro 2024 criticism

  Gareth Southgate pleaded for England's supporters to "stay with the team", after venting their frustration following the goalless draw with Slovenia.

  The Three Lions advanced to the Euro 2024 knockout stages as Group C winners, despite winning just one of their opening three games and scoring two goals. 

  Southgate's side, who came under scrutiny following their 1-1 draw with Denmark, did little to silence those critics with another underwhelming performance against the Slovenians.

  Despite dominating large periods of the contest with 74% of possession, it yielded an expected goals (xG) tally of just 0.87, with the front three of Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden registering just two shots on target between them.

  Sections of England fans jeered their team at the final whistle, while hurling empty drinks cups in the direction of Southgate as he applauded them.

  The Three Lions boss empathised with the supporters, but urged them to point the finger of blame at him, rather than his players.

  "I understand it. I'm not going to back away from it," he told reporters during his post-match press conference. "The most important thing is the supporters stay with the team.

  "I understand the narrative towards me, and that's better for the team than it being towards them. But it is creating an unusual environment to operate in. I've not seen any other team qualify and receive similar.

  "[The players] kept composure in a game where they've come into a really challenging environment. Of course, we'd love a couple of goals that sends everybody home happy. But we were definitely an improvement on what we did in the last game."

  "I think the changes we made had a positive effect on the game tonight. We weren't able to find the right pass, the final finish. But we are improving."

  Despite the disappointment at their performance levels, England have managed to avoid the half of the draw that includes the likes of France, Germany, Spain and Portugal.

  The Three Lions will play either the Netherlands, who finished third in Group D, or Group E's third-placed side in the round of 16 in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.

  And Southgate knows a positive atmosphere within the camp will be crucial as the Euro 2020 finalists target another deep run in this competition.

  "You never want to look back having not topped the group and spiral into tough matches where people can then accuse you that, because you didn't win the group, you've ended up with a tougher draw," he added.

  "We have made England over the last three or four years fun again. I think it has been enjoyable for the players, and we have got to be very, very careful that it stays that way."

• Denmark coach Hjulmand ready to go toe-to-toe with Euro 2024 hosts Germany

  Denmark head coach Kasper Hjulmand is relishing the opportunity of facing Euro 2024 hosts Germany in the knockout stages of the tournament this Saturday. 

  The Danes concluded their Group C campaign with a goalless draw against Serbia in Munich, finishing second behind England in the standings.

  "The last seven, eight minutes (against Serbia) were just defending, so I think our defence was really good, Hjulmand said after the game.

  "We had to fight through the game at the end. But I think we showed character and there are so many things from the game that I'm happy about.

  "There are a few things in the attack that we have to tweak in order to succeed but I know that we can we can do that. We have some great players there."

  Denmark drew all three of their group games, finishing ahead of Slovenia based on their disciplinary record, ultimately coming down to Milivoje Novakovic, a member of Matjaz Kek's coaching staff, being shown a yellow card against the Danes. 

  It sets up a meeting with Germany, a side they have failed to beat in their last four meetings, with their last triumph coming in an international friendly in March 2007.

  "I really love football here in Germany and playing against Germany with the Danish team, it can't be better, I can't wait. It's a great team. But we're a great team as well. And when we play the big nations, we always step up," Hjulmand said.