Rome - England face Italy in Turin this evening, coming off the back of seven straight wins since their untimely exit from last year’s World Cup. The contest between these two footballing giants will be the first since the Azzurri inflicted a crushing blow to England’s chances in Brazil, with a 2-1 victory in the opening match of the group stage.

 Tonight’s fixture will offer both managers a chance to see how their teams have progressed in recent months. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since the World Cup, with the current Italian side under Antonio Conte almost unrecognisable from Cesare Prandelli’s team, which joined England in crashing out of Group D in Brazil.

 Supporters of the three lions are now daring to show a modicum of optimism after a string of positive results. This could be seen on Friday evening as Wembley sold-out for the European Championship Qualifying match against minnows Lithuania, a far cry from the 45,000 empty seats that grabbed the headlines following England’s friendly with Norway in September.

 There is a definite sense amongst England’s fans that the feel-good factor has returned to their national side. The likes of Sterling, Clyne, Welbeck and Kane have provided a much needed injection of youth, with Messrs Cahill, Carrick and Rooney, the team’s experienced heads. With 15 goals scored and only a single goal conceded in their five European Championship qualifying games so far and an excellent 3-1 win against Scotland at Hampden Park in November, England’s return to form has been nothing short of impressive.

 The same can not be said of Italy however. Manager Antonio Conte’s relationship with the Italian clubs has become increasingly strained in recent times and the former Juventus coach even received death threats from angry fans, following midfield lynchpin Claudio Marchisio’s training ground injury last week. Italy managed to salvage a 2-2 draw against Bulgaria on Saturday, however the unpredictable performance was symbolic of their recent fixtures.

 After taking the decision to omit Mario Balotelli from recent squads, Conte has been forced to rely on the striking duo of Ciro Immobile and Simone Zaza, however goals have been hard to come by for the pair, with the former only netting three times for Dortmund in the Bundesliga this season. On a more positive note, the Italian side has vast experience at the back in the form of Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini, who will provide a tough test for Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane.  

 England will be hoping that their new generation can rise to the challenge in Turin, and continue their fine form against a much changed Italian team. Indeed, Chiellini, who was the target of Luis Suarez’s infamous bite during the World Cup, will be the only member of tonight’s starting XI who began the match against England in Brazil. Nonetheless, for Antonio Conte, the fixture provides an opportunity to show that he hasn’t bitten off more than he can chew, with the prestigious job as Azzurri manager.