Lee Carsley begins his stint as England manager against Ireland in the Nations League.
Read below for our Ireland vs England predictions and tips.
Ireland vs England Prediction: Bets, Context, and Lineups
Best Bets for Ireland vs England
- England to win with odds of @ 1.55 on Betway, equating to a 64.5% implied probability of the Three Lions triumphing.
- Over 1.5 first half goals with odds of @ 2.90 on Betway, equating to a 34.5% implied probability of at least 2 goals scored before the break.
- Harry Kane to score any time @ 1.95 on Betway, equating to a 51.3% implied probability of the forward scoring.
England are predicted to beat Ireland by a score of 2-0.
Our Analysis: Form of Both Teams
Ireland and England go head-to-head in UEFA Nations League B Group 2 on Saturday evening in Dublin.
This will be Heimir Hallgrímsson’s first match in charge of Ireland. Interim manager John O’Shea didn’t do enough to get the job on a permanent basis after Ireland’s disappointing qualifying campaign for Euro 2024.
Hallgrímsson takes over Ireland at a difficult time. They haven’t qualified for a World Cup since 2002. They went winless in their first two Nations League campaigns, and haven’t appeared at the last two European Championships.
Lee Carsley is England’s caretaker manager for this international break after Gareth Southgate left the position following their Euro 2024 loss to Spain. The Three Lions are without Jude Bellingham through injury, and are looking to usher in a new era of adventurous football after Southgate’s safety-first approach.
It will be fascinating to see how Carsley sets his team up for this match in Dublin. Trent Alexander-Arnold surely has a great chance of starting at right-back, while we could see Eberechi Eze start in the attacking midfield trio in place of Bellingham. Rico Lewis and Cole Palmer are in contention to start, too.
Probable Lineups for Ireland vs England
Ireland probable XI:
Kelleher; Coleman, Collins, O’Shea; Doherty, Browne, Smallbone, Brady; Parrott, Ferguson, Idah.
England probable XI:
Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Guehi, Livramento; Rice, Mainoo; Saka, Eze, Foden; Kane.
Carsley Enjoys Winning Start
Ireland have lost eight of their last 13 matches across all competitions. Of the five times they avoided defeat, two were wins over Gibraltar, and one was a draw with New Zealand.
England didn’t exactly blow teams away during the Euros, with just two wins inside 90 minutes. The qualifying campaign is more comparable to this matchup, however, and they won all but two of their matches.
Fatigue and general disinterest blighted England’s previous Nations League campaign. That is unlikely to be an issue this time around – the timing of the last edition was particularly challenging given the relentless schedule, and the change of manager is bound to inject some energy into the England team.
A few players are trying to consolidate their position in the squad, which should lead to a routine win at the Aviva Stadium.
Example: Ireland vs England Bet 1: England to win @ 1.55 with Betway
Three Lions Get Rolling Early
England weren’t renowned for being quick starters under Gareth Southgate. Lee Carsley will not necessarily be Southgate’s long-term successor, but the team should be more adventurous in possession.
A new-manager bounce is not as obvious with national teams, yet we are still expecting this England team to look a bit different. Carsley will likely opt for more attacking options at full-back and could name another creative player in the attacking quartet.
There’s a chasm between these two teams in talent. Ireland, too, will be hoping for immediate improvement under Heimir Hallgrímsson after an abysmal qualifying campaign, but England’s quality should shine through. Don’t be surprised if the visitors have this wrapped up by half-time.
Example: Ireland vs England Bet 2: Over 1.5 first half goals @ 2.90 with Betway
Kane Scores 67th England Goal
Harry Maguire is the third-highest scorer in the England squad. England remain verydependent on Harry Kane as their primary goal threat. Even in a subpar tournament by his standards, Kane scored three times at Euro 2024.
The former Tottenham man landed the European Golden Shoe in 2023-24. Yes, he is not as mobile as he was, and his style of play can restrict his team at times, but his ability to find the net remains almost unmatched around the world.
After scoring six goals in Euro 2024 qualifying, we are expecting a big Nations League performance from the Bayern Munich star.
Example: Ireland vs England Bet 3: Harry Kane to score anytime @ 1.95 with Betway
