Ireland vs England Prediction: Irish can cause Three Lions problems

Lee Carsley's first game in charge of England is a Nations League Group B2 opener against the country he represented 40 times as a player.

Ireland entertain the Three Lions at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin (17:00, ITV1), and the hosts also have a new man at the helm in the shape of Icelandic coach Heimir Hallgrimsson.

Team News

Hallgrimsson has called up goalkeeper Max O'Leary and forward Kasey McAteer and they could make their full Ireland debuts.

Veteran defender Seamus Coleman is set to skipper the side, while Brighton striker Evan Ferguson and Ipswich new-boy Sammie Szmodics are tipped to start up front.

Football Odds

Carsley chose four uncapped players in his first England squad, with Tino Livramento, Noni Madueke, Angel Gomes and Morgan Gibbs-White all hoping to feature in the Irish capital.

Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Ollie Watkins all withdrew last week due to fitness issues, while Jude Bellingham, Ivan Toney and Luke Shaw remain absent for the visitors.

Ireland vs England Odds

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England are the favourites to win in Dublin at 4/9, while Ireland are 11/2 for victory with the draw at 11/4.

Over 2.5 goals in the Aviva Stadium clash is 1/1 and over 3.5 goals is an 11/4 chance.

England to win and both teams to score @ 11/4

England have the superior squad and the difference in class should be fairly obvious at the Aviva Stadium as the European runners-up take on a side that could only muster a fourth-placed finish in their qualifying group for this summer's Euros.

However, the visitors are unlikely to have it all their own way. Ireland will be keen to get off to a good start under new coach Hallgrimsson, and there should be a good atmosphere in Dublin to help inspire the hosts.

England, with Bayern Munich star Harry Kane, former Ireland international Declan Rice and fellow Arsenal man Bukayo Saka all set to start, should dominate possession and create the better openings and their quality is likely to eventually tell.

Ireland will aim to put up a good defensive display, though, while being dangerous on the break, too, and in Ferguson and Szmodics they have a frontline that can do damage, even if the hosts are set to be on the end of another defeat.

Jack Grealish anytime scorer @ 17/2

Grealish may have more incentive than most in the England squad to try and impress new boss Carsley as he gets the chance to shine early on in the new era after controversially being left out of the Euros squad by previous boss Gareth Southgate.

The Manchester City winger will also surely relish trying to quieten a crowd that are bound to have it in for him after he swapped international allegiances as a youngster, eventually opting for England despite playing six times for Ireland U21s.

Grealish started for City at West Ham last weekend and he did well, managing two shots in the 71 minutes he was on the field, so the 28-year-old could well be a good selection in the anytime goalscorer market at 17/2.

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