Ireland vs England Preview
The Republic of Ireland will host England at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, September 7th at 5.00 pm. They’ll meet in the opening round of the UEFA Nations League in Group Two of League B. This promises to be an exciting affair with new managers in both dugouts.
It’s a new era for Irish fans with Heimir Hallgrímsson making his debut as head coach. The former manager of the Jamacain national team is here to see if he can work his magic with the boys in green. Meanwhile, Lee Carsley replaces Gareth Southgate after eight years, albeit on an interim basis. This is a landmark moment for both nations.
England enters this game as the favourite for anyone betting on soccer. However, this is a motivated Ireland playing against their old enemy in front of their home fans. Pride and starting places are on the line in this compelling clash.
Ireland vs England Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Heimir Hallgrímsson replaced Stephen Kenny as Ireland’s manager after a notoriously long hunt. Initially, there was a sense of anticlimax, but he was slowly winning over the fanbase. Nothing would please Irish fans more than a positive result against England. Hallgrímsson famously led Iceland to an iconic Euro 2016 victory over the English.
Meanwhile, Lee Carsley steps up from the under-21s to the senior job on an interim basis. It’s the first time Gareth Southgate won’t be on the sideline since 2016. Carsley is a former Ireland international with 40 caps. But there is no love lost for their former player when he steps out at the Aviva Stadium. Carsley knows this is an audition for the full-time role, so he’s desperate to win.
Ireland will enter this game in dismal form with one win in their past five. Their last outing was a 3-0 defeat against Portugal. This came after a surprise 2-1 victory over Euro 2024 participants Hungary. Meanwhile, England reached the final of Euro 2024 but lost to Spain 2-1. They attracted strong criticism for their uninspiring football throughout the tournament.
This game offers a clean slate for both nations. Traditionally, England dominated their football rivalry with Ireland. However, both sides have only won one of their last five meetings with three draws. England was the most recent victor, with a 3-0 friendly win in 2020.
An old rivalry renewed.
Your Ireland squad to face England & Greece 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/XAirbxn34x
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) August 29, 2024
Both managers have put their stamp on their teams. Carsley raised eyebrows when he called up the Lille star Angel Gomes. Meanwhile, Hallgrímsson secured the services of Leicester City winger Kasey McAteer after finalising international clearance.
Both countries are in transition, so there’s a chance that this could be a tight encounter. Hallgrímsson won’t want to lose his first game and will probably take a pragmatic approach. We’ve seen his direct style with Jamaica and Iceland. Carsley favours a more expansive style of football which bodes well for England fans.
Ireland vs England Predictions
Predicted Score: Ireland 0 – 0 England
This is Ireland’s first home game against England since 2015. It’s a rivalry that means more to Irish fans than it does to England. They will expect Hallgrímsson to get off to a fast start and secure a result against the English.
Our soccer prediction is for a scoreless draw. Ireland will defend resolutely and put their bodies on the line. They’re playing for a new manager and will want to impress. They have solid central defensive options, with Dara O’Shea, Nathan Collins, and Jake O’Brien contending for starting spots.
The midfield is the biggest area of concern for Ireland. They lack flair and creative nous in the centre of the park. This is where England could dominate. We could see an international debut for Morgan Gibbs-White while Cole Palmer also wants to start.
Declan Rice is another interesting subplot. The Arsenal midfielder won three senior caps in friendlies for the Boys in Green in 2018. Then he changed his allegiance to England and is now a reviled figure. It will be interesting to see if Carsley risks him after his red card for Arsenal last weekend.
Goalkeeper is another issue for the Irish. Caoimhin Kelleher will almost certainly start because of Gavin Bazunu’s long-term injury. However, the Liverpool keeper lacks game time and may not be at his sharpest. Hallgrímsson called up Mark Travers and Max O’Leary, with only the latter being a regular starter at the club level.
Ireland has some exciting attacking options. Sammie Szmodics and Chiedozie Ogbene are now Premier League players with Ipswich. Adam Idah joined Celtic on a full-time basis while Evan Ferguson missed last week’s game against Arsenal.
"Long is climbing! What a good goal!" 🤩⚽️
Less than three weeks to go before we face England once again in our UEFA Nations League opener in Dublin 🇮🇪
07/09 | Ireland v England | KO 5pm | Aviva Stadium
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) August 20, 2024
They don’t have a superstar in the mould of Harry Kane. The Bayern Munich striker will lead the line against the Boys in Green, with Ollie Watkins coming off the bench. It will be tough for the Irish to keep them out, but they’ll play with passion. It may not be the most technical display, but Hallgrímsson will make it tough to break them down.
Left-back is a problem position for England. Carsley named three right-backs to his squad with no obvious option on the left now that Luke Shaw is injured again. Chelsea’s Levi Colwill may play there. Alternatively, Carsley could pick three central defenders with Bukayo Saka playing as a wing-back.
Monitor the live betting options. Ireland’s primary threat is from set pieces. O’Shea or Collins could score a header from a corner. If that happens, we’d bet on England winning the second half.
Ireland vs England Betting Tips
England enters this game as a significant favourite. This isn’t a surprise because they are Euro 2024 finalists and Ireland has had a miserable run. But this is a new version of both teams. Anyone betting on the UEFA Nations League should back a draw.
It’s 3/1 for this result, with €10 potentially making a €30 profit. We would take this further by making an over-under bet on the number of goals. It’s 17/8 for there to be fewer than 1.5 goals. Another option is betting against both teams scoring at 11/10. This would generate €11 if you win.
If you want to pick a winner, betting on England is the sensible option. They have a stronger talent pool with genuine world-class players. Harry Kane is one of the best strikers on the planet while Cole Palmer is one of the Premier League’s most exciting midfielders.
It’s 1/2 for England to win this game outright. However, perhaps Hallgrímsson will enjoy a dream debut as Ireland’s head coach. Betting on the underdogs at 11/2 would make a significant €55 profit.
The Anytime Correct Score market is a better option for betting on Ireland. It’s 9/4 for them to lead 1-0 against England in this game. We don’t expect them to be prolific but they do have some decent forwards. Robbie Brady has a wand of a left boot and is superb at taking set pieces.
The over-under markets also offer some great odds. It’s 7/4 for there to be fewer than 0.5 goals, which correlates with our score prediction. Our online sportsbook thinks that England will win but we disagree. External human factors like the emotion of playing in the Aviva Stadium and the new manager effect make this very interesting.
Ireland vs England is always a competitive game with feisty tackles. We’d expect a few bookings, especially if Hallgrímsson encourages his players to go back to basics. There could be over five yellow cards in this match.
"He was on the same level as Phil Foden." 🌟
Lee Carsley explains why he selected Angel Gomes 👼
📻 https://t.co/hh2vDFX2Dk#BBCFootball #MUFC pic.twitter.com/cs55IIEmWK
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) August 30, 2024
If England takes the lead, we expect them to win. It’s difficult to imagine Ireland having enough in the tank to stage a comeback. They’ll open themselves up and expose themselves to England’s forwards. Harry Kane is the most likely goalscorer in this match.
Don’t forget to check out the other Nations League matches this weekend. You can bet on France vs Italy in the most glamorous tie of the round. Greece and Finland go head-to-head in the other game of League B, Group 2. Why not create an accumulator with all the favourites from your preferred match-ups? Use our welcome bonus to maximise your potential profit with no extra risk.
Ireland Team News and Predicted Lineup
Caoimhin Kelleher will start in goal for Ireland despite his lack of game time. Josh Cullen and Gavin Bazunu miss out thanks to recent injuries. Jake O’Brien was impressive against Portugal but has yet to start for Everton. Dara O’Shea will partner Nathan Collins at centre-back. Robbie Brady is competing with Matt Doherty for the left-back spot.
- Predicted Lineup: Kelleher, Coleman, O’Shea, Collins, Brady, Molumby, Brown, Smallbone, Ogbene, Ferguson, and Szmodics.
England Team News and Predicted Lineup
Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham are injured, but this potentially makes Lee Carsley’s selection easier. Cole Palmer may replace him in the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Ivan Toney, Adam Wharton, and Kyle Walker missed out on his first squad. Kieran Trippier recently retired from international football. Trent Alexander-Arnold may finally seal his spot in England’s starting lineup.
- Predicted Lineup: Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Maguire, Guehi, Colwill, Rice, Mainoo, Palmer, Saka, Eze, and Kane.
