England vs Italy. International Match.
Wembley StadiumAttendance82,598.
Tuesday 27 March 2018 20:00, UK
Goalkeeper Jack Butland will start for England against Italy at Wembley on Tuesday (kick-off 8pm), while Gareth Southgate is prepared to make more bold changes.
Southgate started with three centre-backs in the 1-0 win over Netherlands on Friday evening, with Kyle Walker starting in central defence in what was an unexpected move.
England, whose unbeaten run stretched to seven games, have also kept a clean sheet in each of their last five internationals, going 537 minutes without conceding.
"What we've got to do is allow this young team to perform," Southgate said. "There's some super-exciting young players. The reason there has been a disconnect with the team is not because of what they've done. It's because of what teams I played in did and historic stuff.
"We've got to give them the freedom to grow and improve and learn together. They don't have 50, 100 caps [each]. There's still years ahead of them as a group and they can get better and better."
Italy have failed to score in their last three internationals, and lost 2-0 against Argentina in Manchester on Friday evening.
The Azzurri, who have four world titles, will not be going to this summer's World Cup, the first time they have failed to qualify for the competition since 1958.
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere will not return to the England squad after picking up a minor knee injury, but Southgate said he may be back for Arsenal's clash with Stoke at the weekend in the Premier League.
Liverpool's Joe Gomez withdrew from the squad on Sunday due to injury, while Ryan Bertrand is also ruled out. Leicester defender Harry Maguire will face a fitness test.
Southgate also said he is yet to decide who will captain England.
Luigi Di Biagio is also likely to make some changes to the Italy side that lost against Argentina, but Giorgio Chiellini remains sidelined.
England and Italy last met in March 2015, a 1-1 draw in a friendly in Turin - they have won just one of their last seven matches against them (D3 L3).
This will be the first home meeting for England against Italy since March 2002, when they lost 2-1 at Elland Road in a friendly - Robbie Fowler scored for England before a brace from Vincenzo Montella won the game for the Italians; both Gareth Southgate and Luigi Di Biagio started that match.
Italy haven't visited Wembley to face England since February 1997 in a 1998 World Cup qualifier - they won 1-0 with a goal from Gianfranco Zola. In fact, the Italians have beaten England more often at Wembley (twice) than England have beaten them (once).
England have drawn their last two home matches goalless, against Germany and Brazil; they last failed to score in three consecutive home matches in May 1981 (a run of four).
England have never drawn three consecutive matches at Wembley, or indeed three consecutive home matches, in their entire history.
Meanwhile, Italy have failed to score in their last three internationals (D1 L2). The Azzurri have never previously gone four games without a goal.
The Italians are also looking to avoid back-to-back defeats for the first time since the 2014 World Cup.
