Republic of Ireland vs England Prediction: Nations League Match Preview

We look ahead to this UEFA Nations League Group B2 game in Dublin with our Republic of Ireland vs England prediction and preview.

Republic of Ireland vs England Stats: The Key Insights

• England are big favourites to get their UEFA Nations League campaign under way with a win, with the Three Lions victorious in 70.4% of Opta supercomputer simulations.
• This will be the first competitive meeting between the two in Dublin since a European Championship qualifier in November 1990.
• Seven of the last 14 games between Republic of Ireland and England have ended 1-1.

After a dramatic summer at Euro 2024 that went from the ecstasy of a late semi-final win over the Netherlands to the agony of defeat in the final to Spain, England are back in UEFA Nations League action.

They come down to earth a bit with their opening game in League B following relegation in their previous Nations League campaign, and head over the Irish Sea to Dublin to take on the Republic of Ireland.

This will be the first competitive meeting between these teams in Ireland since a European Championship qualifier in November 1990, which ended in a 1-1 draw after Tony Cascarino cancelled out David Platt’s opener. It will be the first meeting between Republic of Ireland and England of any kind on Irish soil since a goalless draw in a friendly in June 2015.

Both teams come into the game with new men in charge. Former Iceland head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson takes charge of his first game as Republic of Ireland boss, while interim England manager Lee Carsley also makes his first bow.

Hallgrímsson will be looking to bloody England’s nose again, having been in joint charge of Iceland along with Lars Lagerbäck when they knocked England out of Euro 2016 at the last 16 stage with a 2-1 win; the only manager to beat England with two different nations is Bora Milutinovic, who did so in 1985 with Mexico and 1993 with the United States.

This will be England’s first game without Gareth Southgate in charge since a 1-0 win over Slovakia in September 2016, which was Sam Allardyce’s only match as manager. Carsley will be hopeful of a positive result as, including caretakers, only four managers have lost their first game in charge of the Three Lions: Alf Ramsey (5-2 vs France in 1963), Howard Wilkinson (2-0 vs France in 1999), Peter Taylor (1-0 vs Italy in 2000) and Stuart Pearce (3-2 vs Netherlands in 2012).

Republic of Ireland don’t have a great record in this competition, failing to win any of their first 12 matches in the Nations League (D5 L7), though they did win two of their last four in 2022 (D1 L1), beating Scotland and Armenia.

Hallgrímsson has handed a first call up to Leicester City winger Kasey McAteer, while Evan Ferguson, Jayson Molumby, Callum Robinson and Alan Browne all come back into the squad.

Carsley has named a few new faces in his first England squad, with Tino Livramento, Angel Gomes, Noni Madueke and Morgan Gibbs-White joining up.

Whoever is selected on Saturday will want to make a fast start, though. England have conceded the opening goal in each of their last four matches, all in the knockout stages of Euro 2024 (W2 D1 L1). They haven’t conceded the opener in five games in a row since between November 1953 and June 1954.

The visitors will also need to find a way to goal. England have scored just 13 times in 11 games in 2024, having recorded 26 in 10 games in 2023. Their 2024 average of 1.2 goals per game is their lowest in a year since 2000 (exactly one per game, 11 goals in 11 games).

As well as the injured Jude Bellingham, England will be without the trio of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins after they pulled out of the squad “to continue their rehabilitation from ongoing issues”, according to the Football Association.

Republic of Ireland vs England Head-to-Head

There haven’t been many recent meetings between the two. As mentioned, their last competitive clash was 34 years ago, a 1-1 draw in Euros qualifying.

Their last meeting was a friendly at Wembley in November 2020, which England won 3-0 thanks to goals from Harry Maguire, Jadon Sancho and a Dominic Calvert-Lewin penalty. England haven’t won consecutive games against the Republic of Ireland since doing so with wins in 1980 and 1985.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see this end 1-1, with seven of their last 14 meetings in all competitions finishing with that scoreline.

Republic of Ireland vs England Prediction

England are backed by the Opta supercomputer to follow up their Euro 2024 final defeat with a win in their Nations League opener. Carsley’s men win 70.4% of the pre-match simulations.

Republic of Ireland secure victory in 13.2% of sims, while a draw occurs in the remaining 16.4%.

Republic of Ireland vs England Squads

Republic of Ireland

Caoimhin Kelleher, Mark Travers, Max O’Leary, Séamus Coleman, Matt Doherty, Dara O’Shea, Nathan Collins, Jake O’Brien, Andrew Omobamidele, Liam Scales, Callum O’Dowda, Robbie Brady, Will Smallbone, Jayson Molumby, Alan Browne, Jason Knight, Kasey McAteer, Adam Idah, Evan Ferguson, Sam Szmodics, Chiedozie Ogbene, Callum Robinson, Troy Parrott.

Head coach: Heimir Hallgrímsson

England

Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Rico Lewis, Tino Livramento, Harry Maguire, Conor Gallagher, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, Morgan Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes, Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze, Jack Grealish, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka.

Interim head coach: Lee Carsley

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