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Tyrone Mings insists England can take positives from Belgium defeat

Tyrone Mings insists England can take positives from Belgium defeat
© Reuters
England's Nations League hopes were ended away to the world's top-ranked team.

Tyrone Mings tried to focus England's building process following their stinging Nations League loss to Belgium.

The Three Lions finished third in the inaugural competition but will not be present at next year's finals following a frustrating night in Leuven.

England dominated large periods, especially in the second half, but lacked the cutting edge required to respond to Youri Tielemans' deflected strike and a Dries Mertens free-kick as the match ended 2-0.

Those goals stuck in the craw after a positive performance at the world's top-ranked side, but Mings know they need to remember the bigger picture with the rearranged European Championship looming large.

Tyrone Mings cut a frustrated figure after England's Nations League loss in Leuven
Tyrone Mings cut a frustrated figure after England's Nations League loss in Leuven (Dirk Waem via Belga/PA)

"I think we look at the goals and they're disappointing in the way that they went in," Mings said.

"So, it's important to not dwell on that too much and of course for our progression and process that we're going through at the moment, it's important to look at the overall performance. Absolutely.

"And there are a lot of good things in there. There are a lot of things that we can be proud of but of course we're disappointed with the scoreline.

"Obviously I don't enjoy conceding goals, I don't enjoy losing, so it's hard to sit here now and say 'yeah, there are positives' but I know they are.

"I know that the performance of the team for large periods of it was good, on the ball, off the ball, so for sure we'll take positives, I guess, when the dust settles."

Mings' deflection inadvertently took Tielemans' strike just away from Jordan Pickford for Belgium's opener, while Declan Rice was bemused by the referee's decision to give what proved to be a costly free-kick.

Mertens fired the resulting set piece over the wall and into the top corner, leading outspoken former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane to criticise Aston Villa defender Mings for not jumping.

Belgium's Dries Mertens celebrates after scoring a free-kick
Belgium's Dries Mertens celebrates after scoring a free-kick (Francisco Seco/AP)

"The decision for the free-kick is probably questionable," Mings said. "I haven't seen it back but I don't want to sit here and dwell on refereeing decisions too much.

"I think the defending of the wall is a strange question. The ball went over.

"You could argue should we or shouldn't we have jumped or, yeah, I guess on another day it hits us and it doesn't go in.

"But it was, like I said, a game of fine margins and unfortunately we came out on the wrong side of that."

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England's Harry Kane in action with Belgium's Toby Alderweireld in the UEFA Nations League on November 15, 2020
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Group A

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Q Germany Germany32107
Q Switzerland Switzerland31205
3 Hungary Hungary31023
4 Scotland flag Scotland30121

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Q Italy Italy31114
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4 Albania national flag Albania30121

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Q France France31205
Q Netherlands Netherlands31114
4 Poland Poland30121

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