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Live Reporting

Phil Dawkes

All times stated are UK

  1. Thank you and goodnight

    Qualification for Euro 2024 - check.

    Revenge on the side that beat you in the last Euros final at Wembley in 2021 - check.

    Harry Kane amongst the goals - check.

    Bellingham being brilliant again - check.

    That'll do.

    Night everyone.

  2. 'There is more to come from this team'

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    England

    England manager Gareth Southgate, speaking to Channel 4: "So hungry, so eager to learn, so together. And you saw that in the performance tonight. We said before that mentality was the main thing. The performance was relentless tonight.

    "What was really pleasing was that when we went behind we stayed calm and used the ball calmly from the back. In other big games we have lost the ball too easily. Our forwards worked so hard. When your front players play like that it is a great thing for the team.

    "There were times in the first half we were passive near our own goal. The biggest difference in the last couple of years is that we have more legs and physicality in midfield. You need to be outstanding without the ball against world class teams.

    "They [our forwards] are all different and bring different qualities. We have dribblers, speed in behind and players who can come short. But you always need the work ethic. In the biggest games you can't carry players and that really pleased me in the performance.

    "Ideally, we would have everyone playing regularly, but you can see Kalvin [Phillips] and Harry [Maguire] were both outstanding tonight. They are both important for us. They are up against really good players at their clubs. Kalvin has Rodri and Kovacic to compete with. But every time Kalvin plays for us he does a good job.

    "We need to make sure we are one of the top seeds next month. We need to win our next two games. We want to be in control of that. We need to keep building. There is more to come from this team. This was the toughest qualifying group, with the seedings. People have criticised us for not beating the top teams enough. But we have performed really well."

  3. 'When it is your moment, you have to take it'

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    England

    England forward Marcus Rashford, speaking to Channel 4: "We started the game well. We were unlucky to concede the goal. A couple of times in the first half they caught us on the overload. We kept cool heads and trying to play the football we had played in training and it paid off."

    On Jude Bellingham: "He is an unbelievable player, not just his quality but he is full of energy. He is a joy to play with. He didn't score today but you can see his huge influence, going forwards especially."

    On his own form, best ever for England? "Maybe. I feel like I am ready to kick on. It is about winning as many games as possible for me, whether you start or are on the bench. When it is your moment you have to take it."

  4. 'It just shows the depth in quality this squad has'

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    England

    England midfielder Phil Foden speaking to Radio 5 Live: "It was a brilliant performance, I thought our defensive work in particular was excellent. When you come up against the likes of Italy you have to defend sometimes, they have great quality, and I thought we showed that throughout the game.

    "Delighted with the result. That's where we want to be, beating these big teams consistently.

    On the second goal: "We looked very dangerous on the counter, I thought we could have done that a little bit more in the first half actually. For the goal I managed to find Jude [Bellingham], he did superb, and then it was finished off nciely by Marcus [Rashford].

    "It was a great team goal and I am just enjoying putting the England shirt and playing with great players. Really enjoying my football at the minute.

    On the battle for places in the starting XI: "Bukayo [Saka] is a quality player, every time he pulls on the England shirt he puts in a 7/10 at least every time. If I'm not starting I want to try and come on and change the game, I'm here to help the team as best as I can.

    "It's exciting because it shows we still have players to come back into the side and help us push forwards. It just shows the depth in quality that the squad has."

  5. 'Real Madrid has taken me to a new level'

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    England

    England midfielder Jude Bellingham, speaking to Channel 4: "I am getting a little better each time I play.

    "A really good night for us, we all remember what happened a few years ago when they played us here. You always aim for progression. We are heading in the right direction and a very important win for us.

    "I am loving football at the minute. My management at club and country are giving me freedom to play it how I see it.

    "Since the last few months I have been really working on my timing getting into the box and as I am arriving I am arriving with a big hunger.

    "With the big transfer the fact is I have to deliver, whether it is a goal or assist or a match-winning performance.

    "This is the club I want to be at for the next 10-15 years of my life. I am loving it there. Carlo basically said this position is where he sees me."

    Moving to Real Madrid improved you? "100%. When you are around those mentalities and quality of players every day... it takes you to a new level mentally, physically and technically."

  6. 'He's better than everyone else and he knows it!'

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    Rob Green

    Former England goalkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Bellingham is just better than everyone else, and he knows it!

    He just thinks, 'I tell you what, I can run this game.' And he just goes and does it.

    He is one of the few players in the world that can identify the smallest of spaces and just beat an entire midfield. He has the drive, the power, the determination.

    His run and energy provided the spark for the penalty for the first goal, he bought Rashford space for the second goal by dragging defenders away.

    Just an all-round fantastic performance.

    Bellingham applauds the fans as he leaves the field.
  7. 'I scratch my head at how Jude gets better and better'

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    England

    England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, speaking to Channel 4: "We knew it was a massive game. I think the result epitomises what we are all about.

    "With this England team we are always going to start well because we have such good players on the pitch but when we get a setback we have the driving force of Jude [Bellingham] and Harry [Maguire] and the trickiness of Marcus [Rashford] to come into the side.

    "I scratch my head sometimes and wonder how is Jude getting better and better. He is very humble and very level headed. Marcus is the same."

    On Phillips' performance: "I kick myself when I made that challenge, I knew it was going to be a yellow card. It is probably a lack of minutes at club level. I was maybe lucky not to get sent off.

    "As a football player you always want to be playing. I want to be playing as much as possible but I haven't done that for a year and a half. I always try and make sure I am ready for whatever comes.

    "I want minutes, I want to go the Euros. We will see what happens."

  8. The Italian job

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    England have now won consecutive games against Italy for the first time since 1949, under Walter Winterbottom.

    This was Italy’s first away defeat against England since November 1977, having been unbeaten in their previous five trips to face the Three Lions before tonight (W2 D3).

    England players celebrate as a flag is waved in the crowd.
  9. Get Involved

    #bbcfootball, text 81111 (UK only - standard rates apply) or WhatsApp 03301231826

    Matt: Gotta love all these, presumably very young, critics of Southgate. The last 5 years have been the best consistent time to be an England fan in my nearly 50 yrs. These young pups don't remember the nil-nils against Moldova.

    Howard: What England are like now is what we used to think England were like 20 years ago.

  10. 'England's physicality and intensity interrupted Italy'

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    James Horncastle

    Italian football expert on BBC Radio 5 Live

    Italy rode out the storm in the first 10-15 minutes, picked their moments and went into the interval with some positives, chiefly the goal from Scamacca.

    But it did come against the run of play.

    We've seen with Spalletti teams in the past, most recently at Napoli, that they like to have a grip on the game. They like to play a possession game, but England's physicality and intensity stopped them from doing that.

    The result tonight puts them in a really difficult position. The game against Ukraine almost certainly now becomes a playoff to avoid a playoff. And Italy haven't had a great record in playoffs.

    Donnarumma trudges to applaud the travelling fans at full time.
  11. 'We made qualifying look easy where other big nations have struggled'

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    England

    England captain Harry Kane speaking to Radio 5 Live: "I feel like sometimes we make qualifying look easy, so credit to the boys because it's not. We've had one of the toughest groups, you've seen over recent years some big nations not going to major tournaments, so to do it [qualify] with two games to spare just shows the path we are on.

    "We can enjoy it, it was a really good performance from everyone, even when we went one nil down there was no panic. We stayed calm and carried on doing what we have done the whole campaign and obviously got the rewards in the second half.

    On surpassing Bobby Charlton's record of goals scored at Wembley for England: "I love playing here at Wembley. I love playing for England full stop. To do it here at home is always special, perform in front of our fans, to wear the badge, to lead the boys out, and of course to score as well is one of the best feelings ever.

    "I enjoy the records but we go onto the next one and see how far we can go. This group wants to keep pushing standards. Now we will have to see how far we go next summer.

    On winning home and away v Italy: "We've beaten big nations quite consistently over the last few years. To win in Italy is one thing, but to back it up here too, with the performance, 3-1, comfortable for us, I think we showed a real maturity out there.

    "We won't get carried away. Enjoy the next camp, two more games to work together. Then these tournaments come around quick. Before we know it we'll be in March and on the eve of the next tournament."

  12. More Kane records

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    Harry Kane’s brace tonight saw him overtake Bobby Charlton (23) to become England’s all-time top scorer at Wembley (24 goals).

    This was the 11th time that Kane has scored a brace for England, with only Nat Lofthouse (12) netting two or more goals in a game on more occasions for the national side.

    Kane has been directly involved in 33 goals in his last 30 appearances for England (27 goals and six assists), including either scoring or assisting in each of his last 10 games for the Three Lions.

    Kane reacts to scoring his second goal of the game.
  13. 'We stayed calm'

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    England

    England captain Harry Kane, speaking to Channel 4: "Qualifying is never easy. Sometimes we are just expected to go to the big tournaments but we have seen in the past it is not as easy as it looks.

    "We went 1-0 behind and stayed calm. We knew we coiuld get the winner and we have done it."

    Love scoring at Wembley? "I do! It is our home. We have made it a real fortress over the years. We want to repay our fans with victories and we have done that today."

    On his second goal: "I showed a bit of pace which is not normally my strength. To qualify with two games to go, credit to everyone involved."

  14. Get Involved

    #bbcfootball, text 81111 (UK only - standard rates apply) or WhatsApp 03301231826

    SMS Message: Great win. Will be nice to see us use the remaining matches for squad player to gain some caps. from Matt in NZ
    Matt in NZ
    SMS Message: We will win the euros despite of Southgate not because of him. Our players are just that good. from Rich
    Rich

    Martin: Excellent comeback by England. Our world-class players made the difference. Now we have to keep winning games like that if we’re going to have any chance of fulfilling our potential.

  15. 'A patient, calm and professional job'

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    Matt Upson

    Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live

    A really patient, calm and professional job from England tonight.

    Gareth Southgate will be very pleased, particularly with that second half.

    The breakaway goal from Rashford was top class and from thereon in it only looked like England's game.

    A good performance, especially in the second half.

    Pickford fist pumps in celebration.
  16. Post update

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    There's nothing like a half-hearted rendition of 'Sweet Caroline' from a half-empty stadium to really bring it home that you've qualified for a major tournament.

    Seriously, though, it is a sign of just how big the targets now are for this England side that this is a low-key celebration. It's pleasing, but there's still work to be done.

    Phillips raises his hands as the crowd sing 'Sweet Caroline'
  17. Post update

    FT: England 3-1 Italy

    Alex Howell

    Football reporter at Wembley Stadium

    Gareth Southgate is working his way around his coaching staff shaking hands now that qualification is secured.

  18. Post update

    FT: England 3-1 Ukraine

    England have qualified for the Euro 2024 finals with two Group C Games to spare.

    They've done it by beating the team that denied them winning the trophy in 2021.

    England fans celebrate the team's qualification for Euro 2024
  19. FULL-TIME

    England 3-1 Italy

    The Wembley scorebaord shows England's qualification.

    Job done!

    Germany can expect England next summer.

  20. Post update

    England 3-1 Italy

    Great block!

    Moise Kean is found in space on the left and cuts inside for a shot that Marc Guehi dives in front of to save Jordan Pickford a job.