Italy look to Gianluca Scamacca and debutant Federico Gatti, with Manuel Locatelli in midfield, as England start Roma hitman Tammy Abraham and Milan‘s Fikayo Tomori in the Nations League clash.
Technically it is behind closed doors at Molineux in Wolverhampton, as punishment for crowd trouble in the EURO 2020 Final – which Italy won on penalties at Wembley – but there will be circa 3,000 children with accompanying adults in the stands.
Roberto Mancini continues his revitalisation of the Azzurri with yet more changes from the sides that drew 1-1 with Germany and beat Hungary 2-1.
Juventus midfielder Locatelli joins Milan’s Sandro Tonali, with Federico Dimarco getting his full debut at left-back.
Gianluca Scamacca is flanked by Matteo Pessina of Atalanta and Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, while future Juventus defender Federico Gatti gets his debut in defence.
England have stuttered so far in the Nations League, losing 1-0 to Hungary and a late Harry Kane penalty holding Germany 1-1.
Kane is rested in favour of Roma striker Abraham, who has shattered records for an Englishman in Serie A this season with 17 goals.
There are changes elsewhere too, including Jack Grealish in the starting XI rather than a super-sub, with Milan centre-back Fikayo Tomori getting his chance.
England: Ramsdale; James, Tomori, Maguire, Trippier; Ward-Prowse, Rice; Mount, Sterling, Grealish; Abraham
England bench: Pope, Pickford, Stones, Walker, Guehi, Coady, Bowen, Phillips, Bellingham, Kane, Gallagher, Saka
Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Gatti, Acerbi, Dimarco; Frattesi, Locatelli, Tonali; Pessina, Scamacca, Pellegrini
Italy bench: Gollini, Meret, Luiz Felipe, Calabria, Florenzi, Gnonto, Cristante, Politano, Barella, Scalvini, Raspadori, Esposito
Ref: Marciniak (POL)
Acerbi…. SMH.
Why GNONTO not starting ???
Can we give them Acerbi and we take Maguire for this one?
I write this after this horrid, error prone, season Maguire had with ManU.
Acerbi provided experience. You can’t have two young cbs playing at the sam’s time. Look how that turned out in the world cup qualifiers with Bastoni and Mancini being the cbs.
Acerbi provides experience. You can’t have two young cbs playing at the sam’s time. Look how that turned out in the world cup qualifiers with Bastoni and Mancini being the cbs.
Remind me which Qualifiers Bastoni and Mancini played, please.
The issue in Qualifiers was lack of goals post-Euro, except against minnows Lithuania.
Nothing to do with the CB paring.
When was the last time a Striker scored for Italy? Even when Ciruzzo isn’t there, our Strikers have not scored.
They put Tomori next to that … thing called a defender and expect him to do a good job?
Problem with Italy was attack! And it has been even before the euros…the strikers are rubbish! Belotti and immobile! Just not upto the level irrespective of domestic goals! Not quite sure who will fill that void but it needed addressing years ago
Defense line is controversial, but I like the line up in midfield and attack. We should crowd the pitch with our good midfielders. They are all runners.
I know it’s a pointless spot but why is Gollini in the squad? the guy barely played and wasn’t even that good with Atalanta. Vicario and Provedel both had amazing season and they weren’t even included. 2 bench warmers as Donnaruma’s backup is just asking for trouble if he was ever injured.
Gollini is brutal.
The Spurs fan board I lurk on once in a while lambast him the few times he plays (like the Conference League).
With Lloris re-signing he needs to find himself a club to play every day.
Does Mancini have a choice though? There are no Italians in the top fljght and he figures at least he has age on his side.
Vicario and Provedel are young enough and among the two best keepers in the league this season. I’d even argue Vicario was probably the best in Serie A from September to January. Audero and Silvestri had a strong finish and were among the most in form goalie in the last month. Honestly goalkeeper is one position that Italy don’t lack depth.