The jeopardy had long since ended in terms of whether England would qualify for the European Championship in Germany next summer. It was merely a question of when and where. The answer was here and there was a symbolism about who they beat to do it – the champions, Italy, who they intend to dethrone.
Gareth Southgate had wanted a performance as much as a result; England only needed a draw – something to bolster the collective belief. The manager got it. There was a swagger about England from the outset and an inevitability about the outcome, even after the early concession to Gianluca Scamacca and a few loose first-half moments in defence.
