Prediction: England vs Iceland

Verdict: England win to nil

Best Odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: Unibet

Simply looking to end their Nations League campaign with victory at Wembley, England will host Iceland from behind closed doors on Wednesday night.

England

Starting with the hosts, hit with a 2-0 defeat away in Belgium over the weekend, England saw their chances of reaching the knockout stage of this year’s tournament go up in smoke. With Gareth Southgate’s selection raising a few eyebrows and some even questioning his role in the dugout, the Three Lions have now suffered back-to-back Nations League defeats after their stunning 1-0 loss against Denmark last month. While the Whites might have managed to pick up a minor bounce thanks to a routine 3-0 victory against British strugglers Ireland last week, England have continued to show some worrying issues in the final third while on competitive duties. Failing to find the net in their back-to-back defeats against Belgium and Denmark, Southgate’s men have managed to record just a single goal from open play in any of their five Nations League appearances this year.

Team News

Jordan Henderson and Raheem Sterling have both withdrawn from the squad and returned to their clubs for further assessment on recent injury concerns.

Reece James is suspended, though Harry Maguire is back from a ban to bolster the defence with Conor Coady still out due to self-isolation precautions.

Iceland

As for the visitors, hit with even more late heartbreak out in Denmark over the weekend thanks to a 92-minute penalty, Iceland find themselves in the midst of what has been a dreadful run of form. Also failing to book their spot at next year’s delayed European Championships after a 2-1 defeat against Hungary on foreign soil, Erik Hamrén’s men have lost each of their last four straight contests across all formats and have really failed to make any kind of dent in their Nations League adventure. Including that dramatic late defeat against England on home soil back in September, Iceland are yet to pick up a single point in this year’s tournament and have long since secured their relegation to Group B. Losing each of their last three contests on foreign soil, including a 5-1 drumming at the hands of Belgium, Wednesday’s guests will simply be looking to try and save some face in midweek.

Team News

After picking up his second booking in this year’s tournament, Iceland will be without Hordur Magnusson on Wednesday night.

They will also be without Ragnar Sigurdsson, Alfred Finnbogason, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Johann Berg Gudmundsson.

Key Factors to Consider

• When the two sides faced off out in Iceland back in September, England picked up a dramatic 1-0 win.
• However, the Three Lions have managed to record just a single goal from open play in any of their five Nations League matchups.
• Iceland have lost each of their last four straight games across all formats and are yet to record a single Group A point this year.
• Wednesday’s guests have lost each of their last three fixtures by a scoreline of 2-1.
• Nine of England’s last 10 home fixtures have seen over 2.5 goals by the final whistle.

Conclusion

With their Nations League future already decided, there is no doubt that England will simply be looking to sign off their campaign with a victory on Wednesday. While Gareth Southgate’s side might have suffered back-to-back defeats in Group A, they certainly have a real chance to make a return to winning ways at Wembley. Hit with more late heartbreak out in Denmark over the weekend, Iceland find themselves in the midst of a woeful run of form and are yet to record a single point in this year’s tournament. While we don’t expect a flood of goals in midweek, we’re backing a home victory in the capital.

Verdict: England win to nil

Best Odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: Unibet