Italy vs England LIVE: Kalvin Phillips STARTS ahead of Jordan Henderson as Three Lions kick off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign in Naples with rematch of Euro 2020 final
Follow Sportsmail’s live blog as England get their Euro 2024 qualification campaign underway against Italy.
Host commentator
Just 60 minutes until England’s Euro 2024 campaign gets underway.
Game faces: 🔛 pic.twitter.com/9N3Vc8hJKs
Arsenal midfielder Jorginho lines up against team-mate Saka.
Starting XI: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Acerbi, Toloi, Spinazzola; Barella, Jorginho, Verratti; Berardi, Retegui, Pellegrini.
Mancini's men for our first #EURO2024 qualifier 📋#ITAENG #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/BAgD6mJIp6
It’s Rice and Phillips behind Bellingham in midfield with Grealish and Saka on the wings. Maguire retains his place at centre-back alongside Stones with Walker and Shaw occupying the full-back positions.
Unsurpringly, Kane leads the line.
Starting XI: Pickford; Walker, Maguire, Stones, Shaw; Rice, Bellingham, Phillips; Saka, Kane, Grealish.
All set to face Italy! 👊 pic.twitter.com/L6lPsqeRvi
The England captain drew level with Wayne Rooney as England’s all-time leading goalscorer at the World Cup when he scored his first penalty against France at the World Cup.
Sadly for the Three Lions he missed his second as England crashed out in the quarter-final.
He remains level with Rooney on 53 and can stand alone with a goal tonight.
Jorgi in Naples 👋📍#ITAENG #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/7vlMW8vFwQ
Pre-match views 📷#ITAENG #Azzurri #VivoAzzurro pic.twitter.com/Wvuq7Gi8Jc
Italy to win – 17/10
England to win – 13/8
Draw – 11/5
Odds via Paddy Power
Fans are starting to arrive and excitement is building…
We're ready. 🏴#threelions pic.twitter.com/mQyAfXfVcy
Heading into the international break, Southgate believes that his players are up for a ‘humdinger’ game against Italy.
The England manager also gave his thoughts on his recent squad selection.
‘That is the big challenge we have got. To go to a World Cup, everyone wanted to be there and the fight for places was immense, the hunger was there and it was clear. Now you have to start again,’ Southgate said at the live squad announcement last week.
‘I know exactly where our most senior players are with that challenge: they are ready. The Hendersons, the Kanes, they set the tone for that sort of mentality that is going to be needed.
‘We have basically a couple of days on the training pitch to prepare for a humdinger of a game in Naples so we have got to make sure we are ready for that but I think the players will be ready for that. I know we are as a group of staff and it is a good test for us. These are the sorts of games where we have to show we can go to these places and win. That is the next step for us as a team.’
The city of Naples is dressed in a deeper shade of blue than usual… @Azzurri #EURO2024 #EuropeanQualifiers pic.twitter.com/nWh3sE3Tib
Mancini included three uncapped players in a 30-man squad ahead of their Euro 2024 qualifiers with the Three Lions and Malta. Wladimiro Falcone, Alessandro Buongiorno and Mateo Retegui will all be looking to make their debuts against the Three Lions.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Gianluigi Donnarumma is expected to feature from the off in goal.
Leonardo Bonucci looks set to lead the backline – with Francesco Acerbi and Rafael Toloi on either side of the Juventus defender.
Heading into tonight’s game, Southgate already has a few problems to deal with.
Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Nick Pope have all withdrawn from England’s Euro 2024 qualifiers with Italy and Ukraine.
Rashford suffered a knock during Manchester United’s 3-1 win over Fulham in Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final.
Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope has also withdrawn due to a minor injury and has been replaced by Tottenham’s Fraser Forster.
In Rashford’s absence, Manchester City’s Phil Foden and Jack Grealish will both be in contention to feature from the off.
The two teams kick off their European Championship campaign the same way they ended the last one.
The Three Lions were famously beaten on penalties by the Azzurri in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley in 2021.
England fans will not be too optimistic heading into the game, having lost of their last five meetings with the Azzurri.
Their last win against Italy came in a friendly back in 2012 – with Phil Jagielka and Jermaine Defoe both scoring in a 2-1 win.
The two sides last met in a UEFA Nations League match last year – with Giacomo Raspadori scoring in a 1-0 win for Italy.
🤩🤩🤩 The Road to Germany starts here!
Which nation are you hoping to see at #EURO2024? 👇 pic.twitter.com/S0I7nGKIvw
Tonight’s match takes place at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, home of Serie A leaders Napoli.
And welcome to Sportsmail’s live coverage of Italy vs England.
The Three Lions begin their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a rematch of the Euro 2020 final in what is their first match since the World Cup.
Team news to follow with kick-off at 7.45pm.
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