England can book their place at Euro 2024 with as little as a point against Italy on Tuesday night as qualification for next summer's tournament enters its pivotal stages. However, settling for a draw will surely not be on the Three Lions minds as they welcome their conquerors from the Euro 2020 final back to Wembley Stadium.
Just over two years ago England's long wait for major tournament glory was extended when they were beaten by the Azzurri in a penalty shootout, now a second qualifying win over this opponent would not only take them through to Euro 2024 but make it all the tougher for Italy to join them. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:
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Viewing information
- Date: Tuesday, Oct. 18 | Time: 2:45 p.m. ET
- Location: Wembley Stadium, London
- TV: Fox Sports 1 | Live stream: Fox Soccer App, ViX
- Odds: England -150; Draw +260; Italy +450
Storylines
England: With so many places in Gareth Southgate's likely XI for Euro 2024 seemingly nailed down, the available spots have grown all the more contentious. Nowhere is that more the case than in midfield, where Jordan Henderson continues to be a popular pick despite having left Europe for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq in the summer. His presence at Wembley in Friday's friendly win over Australia prompted boos from some supporters after months of criticism for a player who has previously been vocal in his support for the LGBTQ+ community.
Asked whether such external factors would affect the selection of Henderson, who is expected to miss out to Kalvin Phillips on Tuesday, Southgate said: "We'll assess Jordan like every other player. But if I just select on a popularity contest, then our team would look very, very different. I'll always pick the players that I think are the best players to represent the team, that give us the best chance of winning, unless there's something that I feel is not appropriate."
Italy: Qualification to defend the crown they won at Wembley should be fairly routine for Italy over the coming weeks but Luciano Spalletti will surely be keen not to test that idea given the fixtures that lie ahead for the holders. The Azzurri are level on points with Ukraine in Group B, three behind England, but have a game in hand on their rivals for second place.
After Tuesday's game, however, comes the return of North Macedonia, the side who knocked Italy out of the 2022 World Cup at the qualifying stage. There is certainly something of a hoodoo for the Italians, who drew 1-1 in Skopje early in qualifying. With the final match away to Ukraine, Spalletti could really do with a few points in the bank.
Prediction
Given the quality of the players and the motivation for revenge, England should just about shade this one. PICK: England 1, Italy 0
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