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Italy vs England
Italy vs England tonight – Nations League prediction, kick-off time and how to watch
England will take on Euro champions Italy in the Nations League before hosting Germany on Monday.
The two matches are pivotal as they offer England boss Gareth Southgate a final look at players before he selects his World Cup squad for Qatar in October.
It’s the final two games the players can prove to the boss they deserve one of the 26 seats to the World Cup.
One of the vital questions Southgate will be looking to answer, is who will replace the injured goalie Jordan Pickford? The goalkeeper was a key player in England’s Euros campaign, so it’s big shoes to fill.
The two top contenders are Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale and Newcastle’s Nick Pope – Dean Henderson is expected to miss out.
How Southgate will approach play is also up for debate, will he play a back three or four?
If it’s three then Eric Dyer is likely to appear, with Harry Maguire and John Stones to be either side of him and Ben Chilwell and Reece James on the flanks.
If he goes for a back four he might try out the likes of Marc Guehi and Fikayo Tomori.
Kyle Walker could then come in as a more defensive right-back compared with James and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Kieran Trippier is also an option for left back, along with Luke Shaw who’s in poor form at the moment.
Declan Rice is almost a certainty to be in midfield for the next two games. But who appears by his side is another debate. It’s either be Jordan Henderson, Jude Bellingham or James Ward-Prowse. Jude is most likely the faviourite to accompany Rice.
A 3-4-3 would allow Southgate to play his faviourtes three up front – Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane and Mason Mount.
But a 4-2-3-1 could see Mount take up the No 10 role either side of the wide men – Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish or Jarrod Bowen.
There’s also a possibility Ivan Toney could play in Kane’s role – the Brentford star earned his first England call up and will want to make his case for a spot on the plane to Qatar.
STARTING LINEUP
Predicted line-ups
ITA – Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Bastoni, Bonucci, Emerson; Barella, Tonali, Jorginho; Gnonto, Immobile, Grifo
ENG – Ramsdale; James, Tomori, Maguire; Trippier, Rice, Bellingham, Chilwell; Sterling, Kane, Foden
TEAM NEWS, INFO
Italy vs England | Team News, Where To Watch
It’s been 14 months since England faced Italy in the Euro finals at Wembley and the Lions will face the Euro champs on Friday evening for a UEFA Nations League clash A Group 3.
The Three Lions are already guaranteed to miss out on a place at the Nations League finals, whilst Italy sit three points better off.
Italy Nations League news
The reigning European Champions, who stormed to glory at Wembley in 2021, failed to qualify for this year’s World Cup for the second consecutive time. Italy had won 15 games in a row up until last summer – they have now won just four from their last 14 in all tournaments.
They’ve taken five points from their opening three Nations League clashes, and lost to Germany 5-2 during their most recent game, leaving them languishing in third place.
Italy are still able to qualify for the finals, but the Italians have now gone six games without a clean sheet at home.
Only once have the hosts failed to score in a Nations League game on Italian soil, and a Nations League qualification may help the Azzuri get through their November friendlies with fellow teams who didn’t qualify for the World Cup.
Italy team news
Italy have lost a lot of experienced and great players to injury for September’s games, as Lorenzo Pellegrini and Matteo Politano have been forced to sit out alongside Marco Verratti.
Davide Frattesi and Manolo Gabbiadini have been called up as replacements.
Italy’s boss Roberto Mancini decided against calling up Davide Calabria and Nicolo Zaniolo for September’s fixtures, while Leeds United’s Wilfried Gnonto and West Ham United’s Gianluca Scamacca have both made the cut.
Italy have a lack of options out wide, which should benefit Gnonto’s chances of being in the starting lineup, especially after the youngster scored against Germany. Scamacca will likely take a back seat as Ciro Immobile seeks his first international goal in 15 months.
England Nations League news
England’s humiliating 4-0 loss to Hungary has been the talk of the Nations League. It was England’s heaviest home defeat in 94 years and saw England head straight to the bottom of the pile.
Fans and pundits have pointed the finger at organisers and there have been serious questions about scheduling four international fixtures in quick succession after a gruelling domestic campaign.
England is still without a 2022-2023 Nations League win and they cannot finish first in League A Group 3 and only have one goal from their opening four games.
England, unlike Italy, has a World Cup to prepare for as they warm up for clashes with Iran, Wales and the USA in group B, but optimism for the World Cup will be low if England is to exit the Nations League without a win.
England team news
England have called on Brentford’s golden boy Ivan Toney – his first ever England call up, but 50-goal captain Harry Kane is still expected to be in the starting line up as he attempts to close in on Wayne Rooney’s record of 53 goals for England.
Kalvin Philips has withdrawn due to injury (which could see him out of the World Cup selection) and Jordan Henderson has been called up to replace him, despite only recently come back following his own injury.
Goalkeeper and key figure in a successful England squad Jordan Pickford is out with injury which means Aaron Ramsdale is likely to be in the starting lineup.
John Stones will serve a suspicion following his sending off against Hungary and Kyle Walker may be left on the bench as Southgate won’t want to risk losing him for the world cup – he also had a recent injury.
England fixtures
England fixtures
Italy vs England
Date: Friday 23 September
Kick-off: 7.45pm
TV channel: Channel 4, coverage begins at 7pm
Live stream: 4oD
England vs Germany
Date: Monday 26 September
Kick-off: 7.45pm
TV channel: Channel 4, coverage begins at 7pm
Live stream: 4oD
H2H history and results
Italy wins: 12
Draws: 8
England wins: 9
PREDICTION
Italy vs England predictions
Here are some predictions from the sports world.
Italy 1-1 England
Both Italy and England are a far cry from where they were at Euro 2020, so Southgate and Mancini ought to feel that their opposite number is there for the taking this week, and the hosts can play with the handbrake off given their lack of World Cup commitments.
The Three Lions will likely be forced to pack their bags and prepare for life in League B should they fail to win at San Siro, but an out-of-sorts Azzurri are still a force to be reckoned with on home soil, and we can only envisage this one ending level. – SportsMole
Italy vs England prediction: 1-1 draw
This is one is likely to be cagey. England cannot risk getting played off the park in what has been a difficult atmosphere for them over the years. – (Evening Standard)
Italy vs England prediction: 0-0
England had the better of the 0-0 draw between these sides in the reverse fixture in June and if the Three Lions can just be a bit more clinical in the penalty area, then they have the measure of the Italians. – (Manchester Evening Standard)
England 2-0
At WTX Sport we’re remaining a little more hopeful about England’s chances – with so much to prove to get that spot in the World Cup squad and so many great players sitting on the bench, we reckon England might just surprise you all.
UEFA Nations League
MATCH STATS
Italy
England
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