England vs. Italy: Impact Players to Watch in Final Euro 2012 Quarterfinal

Sunday's final quarterfinal match of Euro 2012 will feature two world football powerhouses in England and Italy squaring off for the right to play Germany in the semifinal.

Both teams were unbeaten in the group stage, but the English won Group D, setting up a quarterfinal showdown with Group C runner-up, Italy, who drew in their first two matches against Spain and Croatia. 

There is no clear favorite as both teams rarely make costly or fatal mistakes and force the opposition to play above and beyond to beat them.

That being the case, here are a few impact players who are capable of providing the difference on Sunday:

Steven Gerrard

The Liverpool midfielder has three assists in three matches at Euro 2012. Steven Gerrard has been by far the best playmaker thus far for the English and among the best at this summer's tournament.

With Manchester United forwards Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck both having scored already at Euro 2012, it seems Gerrard is content to feed excellent balls into the box and dictate for the English. 

Mario Balotelli

Twenty-one-year-old Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has already found the back of the net once at Euro 2012 and has the talent to find it again in the knockout stage. Balotelli has taken 10 shots in three games, proving to be one of the more aggressive-minded forwards in the tournament.

Balotelli's superb goal against Ireland shows why he is a critical component to the Italian effort this summer. If anyone on Italy's squad can beat the fabulous Joe Hart in goal, it's the gifted Balotelli. 

Wayne Rooney

The face of English football, Wayne Rooney bounced back from suspension beautifully last week, scoring on an easy header against host nation Ukraine to give England three points and the group. Though it will take some time before Rooney gets into ideal form, he is still one of the best finishers in the world. 

Rooney took four shots against Ukraine, but will need to pick it up against Italy if the English are to advance. Rooney is a superstar and must play like one on Sunday. 

Follow Patrick Clarke on Twitter for more on the knockout action at Euro 2012.