Iceland v England Betting tips: Can England finally get revenge?
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Whatever the outcome here, this match up will be steeped in footballing folklore after Iceland dumped England out of Euro 2016 at the last-sixteen stage.
But fast forward four years and things are looking a little different for the Three Lions with Gareth Southgate at the helm.
England’s goalscorer that night, Wayne Rooney, has retired and made way for an array of exciting young talent that has fans believing again.
It’s time to re-write some wrongs for the England team but also to crucially kick off their Nations League campaign with victory.
Match Odds
Despite being on home turf, Iceland are 12/1 to pick up the three points. They have won their last three matches in all competitions, but hosting England may be a different challenge to their 1-0 win over El Salvador in January.
Both sides have evolved a lot since that fateful night in Nice in 2016, with England heavy 2/7 favourites.
Iceland won’t have some of their star names so could try and frustrate the visitors. It’s 15/8 to be 0-0 at half-time, but England are a short 1/33 to win/draw on the Double Chance.
The home side to catch England cold again with a goal inside the first ten minutes is 18/1. However, Southgate’s men are 5/1 to be 2-0 ahead at the interval.
Talking Tactics
As hinted, Iceland are without a clutch of big stars for this clash including Gylfi Sigurdsson, John Berg Gudmundsson, Aron Gunnarsson, Alfred Finnbogason and Ragnar Sigurdsson.
It will mean gaffer Erik Hamren, will have to re-shuffle his pack with Brescia man Birkir Bjarnason hoping to pull the strings in midfield.
England’s heartbreaker in that 2016 game, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson is his nation’s leading scorer with 26 goals and could be joined up top with rangy Reading forward Jon Dadi Bodvarsson.
Southgate has introduced new players into the fold himself, but only Phil Foden may come into the midfield from the debutants.
That means, Harry Kane should captain and lead the line, flanked by Raheem Sterling and Jadon Sancho.
The two big questions from Southgate’s squad is whether Nick Pope will come in for goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and who will play at left back? Kyle Walker could do a job, as could the versatile Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
Goalscorer odds
Kane is 4/5 anytime to score and at 7/2 to bag two or more goals. Sancho could be a tricky customer all night and there’s 7/5 the forward getting his third international goal.
After Marcus Rashford pulled out of the squad, Danny Ings could see some playing time. The Southampton marksman is 19/20 to get on the scoresheet anytime.
As for Iceland, Sigthorsson is 11/1 to score first, with team-mate Bodvarsson a 5/1 anytime shout.
Paderborn striker Holmbert Aron Fridjonsson is 4/1 anytime to hit the onion bag.
Match Info
When: Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavik
When: 17:00, Saturday 5th September
How to watch: Sky Sports Football / Sky Sports Main Event
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
