Key takeaways: 

• Mason Mount hit the woodwork for England in the first half.
• England's winless opening to their Nations League campaign continued as an experimental Three Lions team failed to crack down European winners Italy in a goalless tie at Molineux.

This match was played behind closed doors as a penalty for the chaos that preceded the earlier meeting between these two when Italy defeated England in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.

Some thousand excitable schoolchildren in attendance did, however, deliver Gareth Southgate's team a vibrant backdrop in Wolverhampton and nearly got the goal they craved when Mason Mount smashed an effort against the crossbar in the first half.

Raheem Sterling, skipper for the night with Harry Kane among the substitutes, also skewed a superb opportunity over from close range from Reece James' switched delivery after the break.

But the hosts also required goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to be alert on several circumstances to block the Azzurri from inflicting another loss on Southgate's outfit, who stay bottom of Group A3 with two points after three matches.

England too predictable for organized Italy

This was the third of four matches in 11 days for England, after a tie in Germany followed an opening loss by Hungary, and saw manager Southgate make six changes from that result in Munich.