Ireland vs England Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 UEFA Nations League | League B Group 2
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
There is plenty of narrative for this game with Lee Carsley taking charge of his first England game against the country he used to play for but Ireland are also beginning a new era under the management of a ghost of England past: Heimir Hallgrimsson.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 7th September, 2024 - UK – 5:00pm / US ET – 12:00pm / US PT – 9:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – ITV / US – FOX Sports
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – ITVX / US – FOX Sports streaming platforms
IRELAND PREVIEW: SUITED STYLE
Ireland have spent some time in the doldrums now and haven’t played at a major tournament since reaching the Round of 16 of UEFA EURO 2016 under the management of Martin O’Neill. Heimir Hallgrimsson’s task is to return Irish football to being difficult to beat.
Hallgrimsson, formerly of Iceland and Jamaica, led Iceland to the quarter-finals of UEFA EURO 2016 and defeated England in the Round of 16. He does, on the face of it, have a squad and a group of players that would suit his hard-working, difficult to play against style of football.
ENGLAND PREVIEW: BEING DOMINANT
After making the final of UEFA EURO 2024, successive UEFA European Championship finals, Gareth Southgate decided to depart after a very impressive eight years as manager of England but the Three Lions have arrived at a new level and must simply grasp it.
They are no longer an underperforming side but now more among a group of consistent getters of results, even if playing poorly. The next step is now to kick on and dominate matches to show the quality they have and that is the task of interim coach Lee Carsley initially.
IRELAND TEAM NEWS: IRISH RIGIDITY
There are some exciting attackers in the Ireland squad, such as Evan Ferguson, Kasey McAteer and Chiedozie Ogbene, but the focus will be on ensuring Ireland are a well built, solid, compact, more than likely 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2 for the visit of England.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Kelleher; Collins, O’Shea, O’Brien; Coleman, Smallbone, Knight, Doherty; Ogbene, Szmodics; Ferguson
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
ENGLAND TEAM NEWS: SEVERAL WITHDRAWALS
Angel Gomes has earned his first England call-up and was the tempo setter of Lee Carsley’s UEFA U21 European Championship winning side in 2023 so may well start. The likes of Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Ollie Watkins have all withdrawn with respective fitness issues.
PREDICTED XI (X-X-X-X): Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Guehi, Colwill; Mainoo, Rice; Saka, Gibbs-White, Gordon; Kane
UNAVAILABLE: Palmer (Injured), Foden (Illness), Watkins (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
IRELAND VS ENGLAND PREDICTION
Despite Lee Carsley earning a fair reputation for being a more progressive and generally attacking manager, his U21 side won the EUROs with three successive 1-0 victories in the knockout stages. Patient, possession-based build-up sees them try to bait a press out of the opposition but, to be frank, Ireland aren’t going to offer that. England should win but it may not be a high-scoring thriller as Hallgrimsson and Ireland set out to frustrate.
IRELAND VS ENGLAND TIP: ENGLAND TO WIN & UNDER 3.5 GOALS
