You Bet | New era for old England: Sam Allardyce’s charges face Slovakia in opening Fifa World Cup qualifier
The Three Lions are out to put their disappointing Euro 2015 exit at the hands of Iceland behind them and make a positive start on the road to Russia 2018
A new era - yes, another one - dawns for England on Monday morning (HK time) when Sam Allardyce takes charge for the first time in a World Cup qualifier away to familiar rivals Slovakia.
A little over two months ago, the two sides were locked together in a goalless draw at Euro 2016, but within a week of that contest, both had been knocked out.
Slovakia lost 3-0 to Germany and then, in one of the shocks of the tournament, England slumped to a 2-1 defeat against Iceland.
That abject performance opened the door for Allardyce to achieve his long-held ambition of managing England and in he stepped to replace Roy Hodgson.
Little else has changed, however, as Allardyce’s first 23-man squad featured only five players who did not go to Euro 2016 - and two of them are already well past 30 caps.