England welcome Wales to Wembley Stadium on Thursday evening for an international friendly steeped in history.
The match, scheduled for a 19:45 kick off, will be the 105th meeting between the two nations and Thomas Tuchel’s seventh game in charge of the Three Lions. Can England claim a sixth victory or will Craig Bellamy lead Wales to a shock win?
Best bets and predictions
Based on England’s depth of talent at their disposal and their recent form, it’s hard to look past a victory for the Three Lions. We’re particularly confident in England on the handicap market and would also see the goalscoring market as an opportunity to pick up a winning selection.
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| England -2 | 6/4 @ SBK (40.0%) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | We’re backing England to pick up a handsome win at home to Wales. The Three Lions have been in good form in competitive matches, winning six matches under Thomas Tuchel. Their sole loss came in a friendly against Senegal but the three goals that England conceded in that match remain the only goals that they have conceded under Tuchel. Wales have won two of their last five matches but have been defeated by Belgium and Canada in that period. This represents another really tough test for Craig Bellamy and side and we don’t think it’s one they pass. |
| Declan Rice to score anytime | 6/1 @ SBK (14.3%) | ⭐⭐ | Declan Rice has really stepped things up over the past couple of seasons, becoming a key figure in both the Arsenal and England midfield. He’s been pushed further forward in that time, operating more of a number eight and the results have paid dividends. He scored 12 goals last season and has already opened his account for the new campaign, with a goal against his old club West Ham. Internationally, Rice has scored six goals for the Three Lions and is key when it comes to set pieces and we’re backing him to have an impact in front of goal for England this week. |
How both teams head into England vs Wales
England come into this friendly match with Wales off the back of two wins in a row, beating Andorra and Serbia in World Cup qualifiers in September. Those two matches saw England score seven goals without conceding and left the Three Lions comfortably at the top of their qualifying group. There are still lingering memories of their 3-1 defeat to Senegal in June, however, and the abject display in that fixture and England will be keen to put those further to bed with another dominant performance.
Wales saw their excellent run of form, which saw them go nine games unbeaten, come to an end in their 4-3 loss to Belgium in June. They bounced back with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Kazakhstan in September but fell to a 1-0 friendly loss to Canada following that, making it two losses from their last three games. Wales are currently third in their World Cup qualifying group, behind North Macedonia and Belgium, but are right in the hunt for qualification and will want to build momentum before their key qualifying match with Belgium next week.
World Cup qualifying standings
| Team (Group K) | Pos | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | +13 | 15 |
| Team (Group J) | Pos | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wales | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 | +5 | 10 |
England team news
Thomas Tuchel could hand England debuts to Nico O’Reilly and Jarell Quansah, who are both called up to the squad. Harry Kane could make his 110th appearance for the Three Lions, whilst the likes of Marcus Rashford, Elliot Anderson and Djed Spence will be hoping to make an impact. Reece James was originally called up to the squad but has had to withdraw with an injury.
Wales team news
Ben Davies is set to win his 99th cap for his country, whilst Kieffer Moore will collect his 51st cap. Cardiff quartet Dylan Lawlor, Ronan Kpakio, Joel Colwill and Isaak Davies will all look to make an impact, with a combined three caps between them. Daniel James and Aaron Ramsey have had to withdraw from the squad through injury,
Head to head: Last 5 meetings
England have dominated proceedings in recent years, winning all five of the last meetings between the two nations. They’ve scored 11 goals in that period, with Wales getting on the scoresheet just once.
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 29/11/2022 | Wales 0-3 England | World Cup |
| 08/10/2020 | England 3-0 Wales | Friendly |
| 16/06/2016 | England 2-1 Wales | European Championships |
| 06/09/2011 | England 1-0 Wales | European Championship qualifying |
| 26/03/2011 | Wales 0-2 England | European Championship qualifying |
Conclusion
Will England’s attacking power prove too much for Wales’ defiant resistance? England bring superior ball retention and a relentless goal threat through the likes of Harry Kane. Wales are no slouches but all signs point to a home win on this occasion. For those looking for a safe bet, England -2 on the handicap at 6/4 with SBK (40.0%) is our top selection.
Odds correct at the time of writing. Please gamble responsibly.