England Vs Austria
England Vs Austria Wednesday, 2nd June 2021 – 20:00
International Friendly
Pick: Both Teams to Score
Odds: Evens
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 31st May 2021)
Preview: The Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, will host England’s penultimate game – a first meeting with Austria since 2007 – as the Three Lions step up their preparations for a Euro 2020 tournament in which they are among the leading contenders for outright success.
International Friendly Betting at Betfair
Table of Contents
England – Rotation inbound at the Riverside?
Like most managers heading into a major tournament, Gareth Southgate probably has a reasonable idea of what his optimal starting XI looks like for the opening match of the forthcoming European Championship, which gets underway at Wembley against Croatia on June 13 for the Three Lions. That won’t stop the players on show on Wednesday from staking their claim for a starting berth in eleven days time.
One thing is for sure, Southgate won’t be shy in handing out chances to impress. Those involved in Saturday’s Champions League final between Chelsea and Man City will almost certainly not play a part here, while Harry Maguire – the bedrock of an England defence which has not conceded in four of its past six games – is continuing his recovery from ankle ligament damage sustained nearly a month ago.
Above all else though, the importance of another positive result cannot be understated. England are enjoying a run of four straight victories, winning all three games so far in 2021 by an aggregate score of 9-1. Since the beginning of 2020, they have conceded in just four of eleven encounters (W8 D1 L2), while the only side to prevent them from winning their last fourteen home internationals was Denmark.
Austria – Das Team must use their (Kalajdzic’s) head?
After watching his team relinquish an eight-match unbeaten streak (W6 D2) in their last competitive outing – a 4-0 loss at home to Denmark – Austrian head coach Franco Foda will be demanding a strong response across their upcoming friendlies. The first of those takes places in Middlesbrough, where an England outfit that doesn’t do losing at home very often await at the Riverside Stadium.
In a similar move to his managerial counterpart, Foda named a provisional squad of 30 which must be reduced to 26 by 1 June. Just two uncapped players made the initial cut – Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann along with PSV full-back Phillipp Mwene. There was, however, room for David Alaba, whose versatility will be on display at Real Madrid next season, and former Premier League forward Marko Arnautovic.
A player who could cause an England side shorn of their most imposing centre-back, Harry Maguire, problems is Sasa Kalajdiz. The 6ft 7in forward is coming off a stellar domestic campaign with Stuttgart, for whom he scored 16 times in this season’s Bundesliga. No surprises for guessing which area of his game he most excels at: his eight headed goals were the most scored in the German top-flight in 2020/21.
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England Vs Austria Betting Advice
The perceived notion is that England boast an advantage on their Euro 2020 rivals owing to their hugely talented squad. This theory will be put to the test on Wednesday with the likes of Harry Maguire, Kyle Walker, Reece James, Mason Mount and Phil Foden among more than half-a-dozen players unavailable for selection. The flip side, of course, is those deputising will want to seize their moment to shine.
England Vs Austria – Key Facts:
- The last two competitive meetings between these countries produced 1-0 wins for England, the most recent in a November 2007 friendly.
- Nine of the last eleven home wins from England saw them cover a -1.5 handicap, scoring 2+ in each of their last seven victories on home soil.
- Prior to a 4-0 home defeat to Denmark in March, Austria had netted in ten consecutive matches. They have scored in each of the last five away from home (W4 D1).
Although I am in full agreement that the Three Lions boast possibly the deepest squad in Europe, it will be put to the test against a competent Austrian outfit. Das Team were unbeaten in eight (W6 D2) prior to a 4-0 home loss to Denmark in March, losing three of their last 19 internationals. They will offer a credible goal threat too, against an untried England defence, having netted in 10 of their past 11 matches.
Best Betting Odds – England Vs Austria
England – 4/9 (PaddyPower)
Draw – 3/1 (BetVictor)
Austria – 6/1 (BetFred)
