England vs Italy player ratings: Harry Kane makes history but Luke Shaw is sent off in Three Lions victory

England vs Italy player ratings: Harry Kane makes history but Luke Shaw is sent off in Three Lions victory

Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his record-breaking goal in Naples

England held firm amid a second-half Italian onslaught, earning a 2-1 win at Napoli as they got off to a flying start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.

Gareth Southgate’s side were superb in the opening 45 minutes, taking an early lead through Declan Rice before Harry Kane became his country’s top scorer when he fired home from the penalty spot on his 54th goal for England, breaking Wayne Rooney’s record. 

Jack Grealish missed a glorious chance to make it 3-0 before half-time and it almost proved a costly miss as Italy fought back well after the break.

Failed to close the gap but England held on under intense pressure to take three excellent points, with Luke Shaw sent off with 10 minutes to play after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession.

Guardian & Defender

Jordan Pickford (6/10):

Looks nervous with the ball at his feet. I made risky clearances.

Kyle Walker (7/10):

Typically solid, although pressure has increased in the second half.

Harry Maguire (6/10):

Terrible mistake to give Italy the chance to get back into the game. I’ve had a good night so far.

John Stones (8/10):

Well owned. He kept his cool as he fought back in the second half.

Luke Shaw (4/10):

Produced a really weird throw. Caught a little flat for Italy’s goal, then foolishly received two yellow cards in quick succession to send him off.

Midfielder

Rice Declan (8/10):

Great performance, especially in the first half when he showed why he was rated so highly. Capped off his display with a goal.

Calvin Phillips (7/10):

Tired as the game progressed. He looked very leggy after the break but kept up his game.

Jude Bellingham (8/10):

He had some good moments in the first half. He seemed in a class of his own at times. He left wounded.

Attack

Jack Grealish (5/10):

I lacked a babysitter to make 3-0. Not his best night.

Harry Kane (8/10):

Outstanding centre-forward on a night when he became England’s top scorer. Perfect punishment.

Bukayo Saka (7/10):

Worked very hard defensively. Some bright moments ahead but largely kept silent.

Subtitles and managers

Phil Foden (n.d.):

Came on in the second half and was replaced almost immediately following Shaw’s red card.

Kieran Trippier (5/10):

He helped stabilize the ship in the last few minutes after England lost Shaw.

Reece James (n/a):

Presented only in the last five minutes.

Conor Gallagher (6/10):

Good late cameo. He brought much needed energy late. Gareth Southgate (7/10):

Nice result in the end, but another second half as the game went out his way.

Match highlight

How do you rate the England’s or would you simply say they were outstanding? Leave your comments… 

Also read… 

Liverpool chances of signing Jude Bellingham, FSG investment and your transfer questions answered

ECHO’s Ian Doyle hosted a Q&A where he answered questions from Liverpool readers about Jude Bellingham, transfers, FSG investments and more

Injuries, transfer failures and uncertainty behind the scenes are just some of the reasons for Liverpool’s nightmarish season.

Jurgen Klopp’s side chased silver on four fronts in the 2021/22 season and won a domestic cup double as they narrowly missed out on their seventh European Cup and 20th league title. champion. This time, however, it was a radically different story.

Of all cup competitions, the Reds now have a battle to finish in the top four in what can only be described as an inconsistent Premier League campaign. While issues such as transfers, FSG ownership and Liverpool’s form have been widely discussed in recent months. Where has it all gone wrong for Liverpool this season? How do they avoid a repeat in the 2023-24 campaign? Do the Reds need Champions League football to lure Jude Bellingham to Anfield? Exactly how much is the FSG giving Klopp to spend on the transfer market?

Our Liverpool lead writer Ian Doyle, who covers the Reds home and away and is familiar with the whispers in the corridors of power at Anfield, has covered all these points and more in our latest Reds Q&A. And below is a summary of the session that took place on Thursday afternoon.

BigPete8: Hi Ian, that’s easy for you mate. How do you rate our chances of signing Bellingham?

Ian Doyle: I think they are much higher than the naysayers say, but lower than Liverpool’s most optimistic fan base.

Daryl876: Everyone wants expensive players. Why can’t we buy talent that is affordable? Like Mitoma for example.

ID: FSG and Klopp have been working together for years to find good value players. But now they operate in a different atmosphere and immediately improving the squad, as needed in the summer, will not be cheap. There will always be room for smart signings, but as in 2018, it could be a summer where Liverpool will have to spend big. Cgmoore: Hi Ian, thanks for doing this. Do you think the sporting director rumors are false as Edward was looking for a new challenge and Ward was unable to handle the job due to the Arthur affair?

ID: I really think Edwards wanted to rest and change since he’s been doing it for so long, and Ward realized how much work consumed him and was eager to step back.

Boss: I live in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and our LFC WhatsApp supporters number more than 100. One thing we can all agree on is that Klopp’s game plan is the same. No change. There doesn’t seem to be a plan B. How come City, Arsenal, Spurs etc. can score and beat Bournemouth but not us? Klopp’s tactics were devised by opposing clubs two seasons ago.

ID: Liverpool actually had 23 different attacking lines with at least five tactical variations in 40 games this year. Liverpool beat Bournemouth 9-0 earlier this season, don’t forget that. Players make systems and the lack of much availability in midfield has been the problem all season. The Reds couldn’t do much.

Lioncity: Hi Ian, both Ward and Graham decided to leave because they no longer felt empowered to do their jobs to the best of their ability as reported?

ID: Not that I know of. Jivebunny: Hello! 1) Will media speculation everywhere about Jude Bellingham take a toll on a still very young player? 2) If the bottom three clubs are relegated, leading to a massive sale/exit, who should we turn to? 3) Alisson has lost an international cap: what are the chances of him going elsewhere and if he does, would Kelleher stay? (I really like Big K, but I can totally understand that he wants more play time).

ID: If Bellingham can’t handle the media pressure to move to Liverpool, how will they fare if he ends up at Real Madrid? He played for Dortmund for several years, played in the World Cup and the Champions League – I’m sure he will be fine. As for the bottom three, Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse would be useful at the right price, but West Ham midfielder Declan Rice could be too much. One of the Hammers goalkeepers could come in handy. I guess Kelleher is leaving this summer for the sake of his career but if Alisson wants out it would be a big, big surprise and it would send friction around the club. Mind you, he would make Liverpool a lot of money. Chandm: Hey Ian, I just wanted to know what the situation was with Ryan Gravenberch after the report said it’s a done deal. THANKS.

ID: He is one of many, many, many players that Liverpool are watching.

Dannylee9: Hey Ian! What is Liverpool’s summer transfer budget? Who do you think they will sign?

ID: Hi Dannylee9. As I’ve answered elsewhere, there are currently too many variables to know the budget. And that affects who they sign. So that would just be a guess at this point. But speaking personally to my opinion based on nothing but my feelings on the matter, I wouldn’t be surprised if they signed at least Bellingham and Nunes.

SiSenor97: If Liverpool don’t sign Jude Bellingham, do you see him as a catalyst to finally get the owners out? Lost seasons for a player not to sign him is ridiculous.

SiSenor97: If Liverpool don’t sign Jude Bellingham, do you see that as a catalyst to finally get the owners out? Lost seasons for a player not to sign him is ridiculous.

ID: If Liverpool don’t sign Bellingham, I’m sure it won’t be the owners’ fault. And Bellingham never left Dortmund until this summer anyway. In the end, Klopp wanted Tchouameni last year and that didn’t happen, so he looked at other areas of the squad. Ian11: How close are we to an investment Ian? and what amount do you think will be available for the summer period or does it depend on getting the first 4…

ID: I like your name. As far as investments are concerned, only FSG knows and it would be counterproductive of them to say anything. But the fact that John Henry recently told ECHO that Liverpool have identified a number of potential investors suggests they are at least on the right track. Sean1993: Hi Doyle, what will be the future of our club especially with the Sheikh of Qatar set to take over from Man United? Surely most fans are more worried about that after recent news broke that the club are unlikely to sign Jude Bellingham due to the high asking price? Please share your honest opinion with us.

ID: Hello Sean1993, It’s been a good year. There is no news on Jude Bellingham, everyone knows he is going to be expensive and other clubs are interested. It is probably unwise to assume who will become the new owners of Manchester United. They are still in this process and very interested.

Nanjelouis: Can we have a Liverpool WhatsApp group to chat and update other fans around the world?

ID: It’s a bit out of my jurisdiction, sorry.

Ynwa1986: Hi Ian. I won’t question Jude Bellingham, but is there any truth to the interest in Asensio? ID: It’s a name I haven’t heard of yet. It is worth mentioning that Liverpool have a longer than usual list in terms of goals due to the increase in the number of variables – where they end up in the table, the funds they have, requests from other clubs, the impact of the World . So backers may need to keep an open mind in the coming months.

Gordonlechef: Why do you suspect that the search for the sports director took so long? If we are to believe that Ward’s work will continue until the end of the year, Klopp and company will then take into account their player profiles, will the new sporting director have nothing to say about those players? Seems like odd timing based on the information we’ve gotten so far.

ID: Liverpool are continuing to assess the best match for the sporting director role, with the process overseen by Klopp and CEO Billy Hogan. Anfield sources have long insisted Paul Mitchell, who is set to leave Monaco, is not being considered for the role. It’s also worth pointing out that Julian Ward will continue to work on player recruitment until he departs in the summer and that most of the deals signed in the next transfer window will likely be largely down to Ward’s bases. Klopp has the final say on signing players, with the recruiting team focusing on them. Ezramorrison: Useless discussions and parleys. It doesn’t change the fact that we’re still going to catch up for each window. And after these questions and answers? Is Klopp providing the necessary funds? Will the FSG change its approach? Will Liverpool have new owners capable of competing in the market? The answer is no. But status quo.

ID: One day Liverpool will have new owners. Klopp will receive funds this summer, but as I don’t know the exact funds he wants, I can’t respond on his behalf. Conversations and discussions are never useless as long as they get things done. Klopp explained a few weeks ago that Liverpool had been talking about the summer transfer window since September.

Stilly: I’m sick of the constant Bellingham clickbait messages. never happened We only pay the money if he has £60m. Why the constant fantasy? We need 4-5 players this summer. What planet is the Frugal Sports Group spending so much money on? would like to see it #FSGOUT. ID: Hi Stilly. Liverpool have been interested in signing Jude Bellingham for almost a year. It’s not fantasy – it’s a fact. Although Liverpool will need a number of new players this summer, the departure of many big earners should not pose salary problems, and of course transfer fees can be spread over several years. I wouldn’t be too downcast just yet – Liverpool know they need a big summer in the transfer market.