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George Bennett

Italy make decision on Leeds United's Wilfried Gnonto as Kalvin Phillips starts for England

Gareth Southgate has named former Leeds United favourite Kalvin Phillips in his starting XI for England's Euro 2024 qualification campaign opener, while current Whites star Wilfried Gnonto has been left on the bench for Italy.

England open their Euro 2024 qualification campaign with a trip to Naples to face Italy at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in a repeat of the previous European Championship final.

Gnonto has not been named in the starting XI and starts his third straight international game on the bench, after coming on as a substitute in Italy's last two international friendlies.

READ MORE: Leeds United's top 20 players of the Premier League era

The 19-year-old has been a revelation since arriving at Leeds from FC Zurich on transfer deadline day in September. He has been one of the breakout stars in the Premier League this term, and has found the net four times during his debut campaign.

Phillips has failed to register a single Premier League start since joining Manchester City from Leeds back in the summer, but plays in a midfield-three alongside Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham.

The Leeds-born midfielder has played just 55 minutes of league action since the World Cup, although he did complete his first 90 minutes of the campaign in the 3-0 win over Bristol City in the FA Cup fifth round.

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

Subs: Forster, Ramsdale, Trippier, Henderson, Dier, Chilwell, Guehi, James, Gallagher, Foden, Maddison, Toney.

Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Acerbi, Toloi, Spinazzola; Barella, Jorginho, Veratti; Berardi, Retegui, Pellegrini.

Subs: Darmian, Gnonto, Scamacca, Pessina, Emerson, Scalvini, Politano, Tonali, Falcone, Meret, Romagnoli.

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