The Republic of Ireland faces a tough clash with England at the Aviva Stadium in their UEFA Nations League opener on September 7.
England will attempt to establish dominance in Group F ahead of Ireland, Finland and Greece. However, the game is an opportunity for the Irish team to upset the odds.
Ireland vs England: Head-to-Head
Ireland heads into the game as the underdogs, and their form tells the story of a team that needs to pick itself up and deliver a promising performance against England.
They have won only one of their last six international matches (L3, D2). New manager Heimir Hallgrimsson will be desperate to improve their fortunes.
The last meeting between the two sides was in 2020, and England won 3-0 with goals from Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
However, Ireland have shown they can frustrate the Three Lions. Nine of the 17 meetings between Ireland and England have finished level. England’s win in 2020 ended a run of six consecutive draws.
Ireland will need to play out of their skins to get a result against the 2024 European Championship finalists, and it will be intriguing to see if they can rise to the occasion.
England cannot afford to mourn their Euro 2024 final loss to Spain for too long. They must use the Nations League to prepare themselves for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Ireland vs England: Preview
After a lengthy search for a new manager following Stephen Kenny’s dismissal, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) hired former Iceland and Jamaica head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson.
The 57-year-old is a manager who leads teams to punch above their weight. He has taken Iceland and Jamaica to major international tournaments and will be looking to do the same with Ireland.
Hallgrimsson has the odds stacked against him. Bookmakers rate them as 21.00 to win their Nations League group, highlighting the size of the task he face. However, Irish punters may be tempted to take the chance on their new manager based on his track record of improving teams.
Sports betting sites in Ireland will be inundated with wagers from the Emerald Isle if they produce a positive performance against England.
They know their manager is an overachiever and will be willing to take their chance even though the odds are not in their favor. Hallgrimsson needs to galvanize this squad and put the country back on the football map drifting into irrelevance.
England have also hired a new manager following Gareth Southgate’s resignation. Under-21 boss Le Carsley was promoted to manage the senior squad on an interim basis.
Carsley had rejected the chance to coach Ireland. The former Everton midfielder will have a good chance at keeping the job permanently if his team performs well in the Nations League.
The Three Lions are 1.08 favorites to top the group but must lay down a marker against Ireland if they want to get the job done.
Ireland vs England: Players to Watch
Hallgrimsson has spoken about not changing much about the national team set-up. His primary objective must be getting the best out of Sammie Szmodics.
He finished as the top scorer in the Championship last season with 27 goals for Blackburn Rovers to earn a summer move to Ipswich Town.
Szmodics opened his account against Premier League champions Manchester City last weekend to highlight his goalscoring ability.
The 28-year-old needs a run in Ireland’s starting XI. He knows how to bang in goals and gives the manager a deadly attacking weapon.
Carsley also has plenty to ponder with England. Chelsea’s Cole Palmer should get a prominent role, while teammate Noni Madueke could also get his first call-up thanks to his early season form.
There are huge question marks at right-back with Kyle Walker entering the twilight of his career and Kieran Trippier playing second-fiddle at Newcastle United.
The new boss could refresh the position by bringing in Tino Livramento or Rico Lewis. Newcastle’s Lewis Hall is an option to solve the left-back conundrum.
Morgan Gibbs-White, Harvey Elliott, Morgan Rogers, and James McAtee could also get a chance as Carsley strives to stamp his mark on the England team.