King Of Stats: all the numbers as England ready to thump San Marino
Published:England will be expected to win and win handsomely when San Marino visit Wembley, but given the gulf between the two teams in the world rankings, betting options are thin on the ground.
Hopefully some of the statistics below will help punters make some profit on the World Cup qualifier.
• 17 – England are one of only 17 teams to have ever conceded a goal against San Marino. San Marino can be backed at 4/1 to score at least one this time at Wembley.
• 4 – England have only won four of their last ten matches to have taken place in October, a run which includes home draws with Macedonia and Montenegro. San Marino are 16/1 to leave with a point.
• 4.5 – In San Marino’s 103 qualifying games, they have conceded 463 goals, almost exactly 4.5 in each fixture. With home advantage, England are 2/13 to score a minimum of four goals this time.
• 8 – England are unbeaten in all eight games at the new Wembley in October, with their last home defeat being in their final game at the old ground against Germany. Six of these have also seen England clean sheets. England are 1/6 to win to nil against San Marino.
• 7 – San Marino tend to fade after half time and have conceded more goals in the second half of seven of their last nine fixtures. It is 5/6 that the second half witnesses the most goals here.
• 4 – An England player has scored four goals in both previous meetings with San Marino – David Platt and Ian Wright. Jermain Defoe is 3/1 to net at least a hat-trick this time.
• 1 – San Marino have only one professional footballer in their squad – Mirko Palazzi, who plays for Italian fourth division team Rimini.
• 8 – Eight players from the England squad are odds-on to score at any time in the 90 minutes against San Marino, led by captain for the night Wayne Rooney at 2/9.
• 4 – San Marino have conceded in the first half-hour of four of their last five games. England are 1/4 to be ahead after 30 minutes.
All odds and markets accurate as of publication’s time and date
