Our picks for Thomas Tuchel’s first sport as England supervisor embrace a cushty win for the Three Lions with an Arsenal star on the scoresheet.
England begin life beneath new supervisor Thomas Tuchel with a 2026 World Cup qualifier in opposition to Albania at Wembley on Friday evening. The Group Ok fixture kicks off at 7.45pm and England are sizzling favourites to make a successful begin to their qualifying marketing campaign for subsequent 12 months’s event in North America. Listed below are our soccer betting picks so that you can issue into your Guess Builder.
England v Albania ideas
England to win 3-0 19/4
Second half to have most objectives 1/1
Declan Rice to be anytime goalscorer 5/1
Tuchel ought to steer Three Lions to snug win
England struggled to chop free throughout their run to the ultimate of Euro 2024 however they rediscovered their scoring contact in six Nations League matches beneath interim supervisor Lee Carsley.
The Three Lions received 5 of their six Group B2 video games within the autumn, incomes promotion to the highest flight of the Nations League, and Carsley signed off with a 5-0 dwelling win over the Republic of Eire.
England thrashed Albania 5-0 in a World Cup qualifier in November 2021 however the guests have strengthened since then so a 3-0 England victory appeals within the correct-score betting.
Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka are among the many attacking damage absentees for the hosts however Tuchel may nonetheless title a cultured entrance three of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and the rejuvenated Marcus Rashford.
Kane scored a first-half hat-trick within the 2021 rout of Albania, who competed effectively in a brutal group at Euro 2024.
They took a shock first-minute lead in a 2-1 defeat to defending champions Italy earlier than drawing 2-2 with Croatia and shedding 1-0 to a Spain facet who went on to beat England within the remaining.
Nonetheless, Albania’s attacking limitations had been uncovered of their 2024-25 Nations League marketing campaign as they scored solely 4 objectives, certainly one of them a penalty, in six matches in opposition to Ukraine, Georgia and the Czech Republic.
Wembley conflict might be a slow-burning affair
England’s 5-0 win over the Republic of Eire final outing was goalless till Kane’s 53rd-minute penalty and 12 of their final 14 objectives have come within the second half of matches.
It was an identical story on the Euros, the place the Three Lions’ 5 normal-time objectives within the knockout levels had been scored within the 94th, eightieth, 18th, 91st and 73rd minutes.
Albania surprised Italy when Nedim Bajrami scored after 23 seconds of their Euro 2024 opener however they’ve didn’t register a first-half purpose of their final seven video games so backing the second half to have extra objectives seems to be a strong guess.
Rice’s purpose risk could also be underrated
The return of Jordan Henderson to England’s midfield ought to give Declan Rice licence to get ahead and the Arsenal man is price backing to get on the scoresheet in opposition to Albania.
Rice scored England’s first purpose beneath interim boss Carsley, additionally offering an help for Jack Grealish in September’s 2-0 away win in opposition to the Republic of Eire.
He discovered the online in October’s 3-1 victory in Finland and comes into the World Cup qualifying marketing campaign in good kind, having scored for Arsenal in opposition to Manchester United within the Premier League and PSV Eindhoven within the Champions League this month.