Italy captain Leonardo Bonucci said England's visit to Milan will help show where his squad are in their "rebirth".

"After failing to qualify for the World Cup the coach has changed many players, so on Friday we will understand where we really are, where we need to improve and if there is something to improve," the 35-year-old Juventus defender said.

"It's going to be a very important match because it will tell us where we are in this rebirth, let's say.

"But I think this will be the best match possible to start again and to build something new and important for the future.

"England are a great team so we need to pay attention to their individual qualities because offensively they have very talented players, who can change the match in the blink of an eye."

Image source, Getty Images

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Milan

England meet Italy here in Milan 439 days after the Euro 2020 final at Wembley that brought despair on the pitch accompanied by bitterness and recriminations off it and with both now seeking to regain lost momentum.

The bare facts state that England suffered the familiar fate of defeat on penalties after a 1-1 draw, the disappointment sharpened by the loss being on home turf and after a 55-year wait to reach a major final.

England and Italy now reconvene in one of world football's most iconic arenas, the San Siro, with that Euro final seeming an age away and both countries hoping to banish memories of poor results in their last games.

Gareth Southgate's England can at least use these two Nations League games against Italy and Germany to avoid the embarrassment of relegation from their group but also as sighters for the forthcoming World Cup in Qatar in November.

In contrast, Italy's fall from grace after their deserved night of Wembley glory has been so swift and painful it will see them watching the game's biggest showpiece from afar after losing a World Cup play-off to the minnows of North Macedonia in Palermo.

Read more here.

England have only lost two of their last 26 matches, both against Hungary in June.

The Three Lions are winless in four matches, however, only scoring once in that time.

They last had a longer winless run in June 2014 with one of those five games a 2-1 defeat by Italy at the World Cup.

Rob Elmore: Kyle Walker, arguably the best right back in the world, starting at left back?!

Tom Shepherd: Toney not making the bench when Luke Shaw does (and Maguire starts) is a bit of a joke. I get that Southgate is loyal but can’t understand these decisions.

Taylor Buller: Englands back 4 for tonight is the worst back 4 I have ever seen in an England shirt. James is the only player who warrants a place in that back 4. Can’t see Bellingham flourishing in that 2 with Rice in front of such a fragile back 4!

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer in Milan

England manager Gareth Southgate spoke with conviction here last night about his faith in Manchester United's Harry Maguire despite the fact that he has been dropped by manager Erik ten Hag after a dreadful start to the season.

And he proves it by starting him against Italy tonight, while Newcastle United keeper Nick Pope gets the chance to show he can be the World Cup deputy for injured Jordan Pickford, who will be fit again shortly.

Jude Bellingham gets the start so many observers want while Brentford's Ivan Toney must wait until Monday's game against Germany at Wembley to prove his England worth.

Mild night in Milan. Perfect conditions at the San Siro.

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Howell
BBC Sport

Image source, .

It is fair to say that there were a number of talking points when Gareth Southgate named his England squad last week.

Read about some of them here including...

• Why no White?
• The full-back dilemma
• Will Kane peak in December?
• A lack of goal-scoring creativity?

England captain Harry Kane to BBC Radio 5 Live: "We want to bounce back and win games.

"Ideally, we would love to win both games and go into the World Cup full of confidence [and] on the up.

"I’m not going to panic too much if that’s not the case.

"We have got a great team, we have had two great major tournaments in a row and ultimately that is what we are going to be judged on.

"We are going to use these two games to try and perform and to try implement the things we have been working on.

"Of course results are important to try and win the two games, but one way or another, ultimately it comes down to what we do in November."

Image source, .

England have launched their kit for this summer's, sorry, winter's World Cup in Qatar.

The home kit is inspired by designs from the 1992 and 1996 European Championships. It uses the traditional colour template, says the England Football website, but adds a distorted Three Lions graphic on the shoulders, with angles and lines that are designed to look like claw marks.

Have your say on how it compares to other recent England kits here.

"Wow, I'm actually going to play with the England squad."

This was Brentford striker Ivan Toney's reaction to his first Three Lions call-up.

Sadly after all that he has been left out of the matchday squad tonight.

There will be live commentary of this game on BBC Radio 5 Live - available on this page.

The other game in England's group sees Germany host Hungary.

The visitors could secure a place in the Nations League play-offs - and earn a chance to win the trophy.

Germany would move into pole position for that place, ahead of the final games on Monday, with a win.

BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, .

Listen to last night's BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily where Emma Saunders, James Collins, Neil Taylor, Matt Upson and John Murray discussed Wales' defeat against Belgium and England's game tonight,

The teams are out. Nick Pope starts instead of the injured Jordan Pickford and Eric Dier is back in an England team.

Have your say on that XI using #bbcfootball or by texting 81111 (UK only, standard network rates apply).

Image source, .

England have been in the top tier, League A, for all three editions of the Nations League - reaching the finals the first time.

But if they lose to Italy at the San Siro tonight they will drop to League B in 2024. Only a win keeps it in their hands.

If they get relegated they could be in a group with teams like Albania and Kazakhstan next time out... and potentially in a lower division than Wales and Scotland.

Image source, Getty Images

Here is a list of things that have never happened...

• Man stepping foot on Mars
• Somebody really seeing a monster in Loch Ness
• A supermarket self-service checkout working without incident
• A hotel toaster toasting your bread the right amount
• The England men's football team being relegated

Tonight one of those things could leave that list - and, spoiler alert, it's not going to be somebody getting good toast.