Italy vs England LIVE: Result, final score and reaction as Three Lions triumph in Naples

If some England players have found it a little odd to suddenly go back to international football after the most intense three months since the World Cup, it hasn’t been like that for Gareth Southgate.

This is the message he’s been drilling into the squad in a “reset meeting” before the team landed in Naples, and he has been encouraged by the “enthusiasm” shown since. This is what it might all be building up to.

Given that the manager almost quit after Qatar, the natural expectation is that this will be his last campaign, and that final opportunity at a first trophy since 1966.

Southgate himself almost made a point of refusing to confirm that but many around him have already sensed a different mood, as it feels like that he is taking every decision for now. The answer when asked if this was the “big one” or the “last one” was telling.

“Well, it’s the next one.”

Here’s the moment Harry Kane become England’s all-time leading goalscorer:

Concerns over supporter safety

A friendly game between England and Italy supporters was cancelled earlier this week amid security concerns.

England men’s supporters’ team boss Garford Beck said he received a “very sinister and threatening” email purporting to be from “Napoli ultras”.

The Italian Football Federation has now informed Beck the game has been cancelled after representations were made with them by the English Football Association.

There were clashes between Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt fans before and after their Champions League tie last week, but Southgate said he has no safety concerns as around 2,500 away fans are anticipated in Naples.

England manager Gareth Southgate makes two changes to the team that lost out to France in the quarter-finals of the World Cup last year.

Phil Foden and Jordan Henderson drop out with Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish starting in Naples.

England XI: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Rice, Phillips, Bellingham, Saka, Kane, Grealish

Shaw vs Chilwell

Manchester United’s Luke Shaw was the only recognised left-back in England’s World Cup squad in Qatar. He has shone for his country in recent years, including opening the scoring in the Euro 2020 final loss, with Southgate’s only other options coming from elsewhere on the pitch as square pegs.

Now, though, he has legitimate competition in the shape of fit-again Ben Chilwell.

The Chelsea defender missed the World Cup through injury but is now in fine form for his club, giving Southgate yet another positive selection headache.

Kane able to break another record

Skipper Harry Kane drew level with Wayne Rooney as England’s all-time leading goalscorer when he scored his first penalty against France in the World Cup quarter-final loss.

He then missed another spot-kick to move clear on 54 goals, with Southgate’s side crashing out to the beaten finalists. Since then, Kane has become Tottenham’s record marksman and will be aiming to find the back of the net in Naples to take the England accolade, too.

Italy targeting victory for Vialli

The visit of England will be Italy’s first game since former striker and coach Gianluca Vialli died in January. The 58-year-old earned 59 senior caps and worked as an assistant to Roberto Mancini as the Azzurri lifted the European Championship trophy at Wembley in 2021.

Mancini has already said he wants to win the game as a tribute to his friend and colleague, while Italy will wear special one-off shirts for the occasion.

The next Southgate cycle

Speculation was rife that Gareth Southgate would step down after England’s World Cup quarter-final exit in December. But, after some soul-searching, the manager opted to remain in place and is focused on leading England to a first major honour since 1966.

A slow start to these qualifiers could see pressure ramp up on the 52-year-old as he aims for the three points to take him to a half-century of wins at the helm.

England defender Ben Chilwell insists he is mentally stronger after returning from an injury which forced him to miss the World Cup.

The Chelsea left-back tore a hamstring just a couple of weeks before the tournament and missed out on going to Qatar.

However, having regained fitness, he has been recalled by manager Gareth Southgate and the 26-year-old is determined to take positives from the experience.

“Of course mentally it is very challenging,” he told a press conference. “All footballers go through periods of their career when things are mentally challenging and you have to be resilient, be strong, go through it and come through the other side stronger.

“That’s the way I’ve tried to look at things like the injuries I’ve had and missing the World Cup.”