Danny Welbeck continues to partner Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney up-front, after the latter made a scoring return against the co-hosts, meaning Andy Carroll has to wait for his chance from the bench once more.
In midfield, the more defensive James Milner keeps his place ahead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott on the right-wing, with Ashley Young recovering from a shin knock suffered in the final group game to start on the left-hand-side.
The Three Lions have five players that are a booking away from missing the semi-final, should they progress; Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Young.
Cesare Prandelli sticks with the 4-3-1-2 formation used in the 2-0 victory over Ireland in their last group game, with one of the goal-scorers, and last week's headline grabber, Balotelli set to line-up against a number of his Manchester City team-mates.
Antonio Di Natale therefore drops to the bench, while elsewhere Giorgio Chiellini misses out with a thigh injury aggravated in the side's last outing and is replaced by Leonardo Bonucci.
The Italian boss makes one other change which sees Riccardo Montolivo come in for Thiago Motta, who is also struggling for fitness after muscle fatigue which forced him to miss training during the week.
Eight of the Azzurri squad are walking the suspension tightrope this evening, with Balotelli, Federico Balzaretti, Bonucci, Daniele De Rossi, Christian Maggio, Montolivo, Motta and Gianluigi Buffon all one yellow card away from missing their next match.
England (4-4-2): Hart; Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole; Milner, Parker, Gerrard, Young; Rooney, Welbeck
Subs: Green, Butland, Kelly, Baines, Jones, Jagielka, Henderson, Downing, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Walcott, Carroll, Defoe
Italy (4-3-1-2): Buffon; Abate, Barzagli, Bonucci, Balzaretti; De Rossi, Pirlo, Marchisio; Montolivo; Cassano, Balotelli
Subs: Sirigu, De Sanctis, Ogbonna, Maggio, Giaccherini, Giovinco, Nocerino, Borini, Diamanti, Di Natale, Motta
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