UEFA Nations

2024-09-07 - Republic of Ireland vs England

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Republic of Ireland v England
Football: UEFA Nations League
Saturday 7th September 2024 - Kick Off 5pm
This game is live on TV

Republic of Ireland

Failing to Qualify for the last two European Championships has meant a reset for the Republic of Ireland national team and it is Heimar Hallgrimsson who has been tasked to restoring the nation to major international tournament football. A strong UEFA Nations League performance will give Ireland the platform from which to push towards the expanded World Cup to be played in North America in the summer of 2026.

The new manager is faced with an immediate tough challenge and one the fans would have been anticipating as they face England to open this Group Stage. Both teams playing in League B means a tough World Cup Qualifying Group is expected to be in front of them and it is imperative for Ireland to try and finish in the top two of this section at the least.

Republic of Ireland have played in League B of the Nations League throughout the existence of this competition and each time they have finished 3rd in the Group. The side have won 3 of their last 13 games in all competitions and two of those wins have been against Gibraltar. Ireland were beaten in 3 of their 4 home European Championship Qualifiers played and failed to win any of their 4 World Cup Qualifiers ahead of the 2022 tournament.

The Irish squad is about as healthy as it can be for this UEFA Nations League double-header.

England

Gareth Southgate may not have been everyone's cup of tea and ultimately will be accused of coming up short in major international tournaments, but there is no doubt he has overseen a very positive period in the history of the England national team. Two European Championship Finals and runs to the Quarter Final and Semi Final at the World Cup have to be respected and Southgate leaves the job with his head held up high.

A new standard has been set for the England team and it is Lee Carsley who has been appointed as interim manager of the senior team after a successful time managing the Under-21s. Effectively this is a job interview for Carsley and an impressive run in the Nations League could see the interim tag removed, much as it was for his predecessor after Sam Allardyce's sudden departure.

England have played well at the major international tournaments when it comes to the results achieved, but the Nations League has been tougher and they were relegated out of League A in the last edition. The side did only win 2 of their 7 Euro 2024 games inside normal time, while England won 2 and drew 2 of their away games played in the Euro Qualifiers.

The likes of Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Ollie Watkins have withdrawn from the first squad selected by Lee Carsley. He has given a number of his former Under-21 players an opportunity at this senior level, but results matter and Carsley will also want to show the public a more positive, attacking style.

Head to Head

Riots in the stands meant an international friendly between Republic of Ireland and England had to be abandoned in 1995 and these nations are meeting for the fourth time since.

That friendly was played in Dublin and the sole meeting in the Irish Capital since then ended in a goalless draw in June 2015.

The most recent game between the nations was played at Wembley Stadium in November 2020 and England ran out comfortable winners.

Prediction

The Nations League may not be the most important tournament on the calendar, at least not yet, and so fixtures can be more difficult to call.

However, being in League B means teams will be faced with a very tough World Cup Qualifying Group if they are not able to have a strong Nations League.

Two new managers at the helm of Republic of Ireland and England will also want to prove something over the coming weeks and months, while any fixture between these nations are going to be filled with intensity and anticipation.

Out of the two, England certainly have the deeper quality compared with Ireland and they will be looking to return to League A at the first time of asking. Lee Carsley will want to show the watching public that he is his own man having been given the interim tag after a successful time with the Under-21 team and England's attacking threats may be given a bit more freedom.

Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden are big misses, as is Cole Palmer, but there is still enough about this England team to earn a solid win in Dublin after weathering an early storm.

The Statistics :

IRELAND LAST SIX HOME FORM
	DATE	RESULT		OPPOSITION
	2023-10-13	L	0-2	H v Greece
	2023-09-10	L	1-2	H v Netherlands
	2023-06-19	W	3-0	H v Gibraltar
	2023-03-27	L	0-1	H v France
	2022-09-27	W	3-2	H v Armenia
	2022-06-11	W	3-0	H v Scotland

ENGLAND LAST SIX AWAY FORM
	DATE	RESULT		OPPOSITION
	2023-11-20	D	1-1	A v Macedonia
	2023-09-09	D	1-1	A v Ukraine
	2023-06-16	W	0-4	A v Malta
	2023-03-23	W	1-2	A v Italy
	2022-09-23	L	1-0	A v Italy
	2022-06-07	D	1-1	A v Germany