England’s position in the second tier of the Nations League may seem faintly ridiculous, but it does allow them the opportunity to face Finland for the first time in over two decades. The English goalscorers the last time these two teams met were Michael Owen and David Beckham, effectively a bygone era 23 years ago. Sami Hyypia and Antti Niemi, long before he was finished, were part of the opposition who scored first but went down 2-1 at Anfield.
National anthem drama aside, it was a routine beginning for Lee Carsley as England’s interim manager, with his side brushing Ireland aside from a 2-0 success in Dublin on Saturday. Finland suffered a much harsher fate, losing 3-0 in Greece. Unsurprisingly, the Three Lions are huge favourites, at 2/13 best price with the likes of Ladbrokes and BetGoodwin, while Finland are 21/1 with 10Bet for the upset.
England vs Finland Tips
Tip #1 – Eberechi Eze to Score First @ 6/1 with SkyBet and Boylesports
Guessing the England line-up is tough, as there will likely be changes wrung since the Ireland game. There may not be too many alterations at the back, and a Harry Maguire to score first bet may not be too misplaced given his proficiency from England’s set pieces. Carsley is the kind of manager to be innovative in that respect.
However further forward, he may well want to see more of the likes of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, and the former may be the better bet. He has almost always played off the left for his country, but Anthony Gordon got a good 77 minutes in Ireland, and while he was dangerous, it would be a surprise if Carsley did not give some alternatives a try. Finland’s Adam Stahl made his first international appearance at right back against Greece, and his inexperience at this level may make him vulnerable to Eze’s directness should he start the match.
Tip #2 – England to Win 4-0 @ 17/2 with StarSports and AK Bets
There is a lot to be said for predicting low scores in England matches, but it would be disappointing if they were not a little more ruthless against the Finns, particularly at Wembley. There may be rotation, and Ireland did waste one notable early chance to get on the scoresheet, but England were otherwise firmly in control, and that might only be emphasised in this game.
Three goals should be seen as par against a nation they have never lost to in 11 matches and is currently ranked 63rd in the world. For context, that is below the likes of Uzbekistan and Iraq, while they also lost 4-1 in Wales in March. They are there for the taking.
England Form Guide
The Ireland game was an easy return to action after late heartbreak in the Euro 2024 final against Spain. It was just a second win in seven in normal time for the Three Lions after numerous 90-minute draws at the major tournament, though Carsley looks set to keep the handbrake off against opposition such as this.
England Recent Results
Ireland 0-2 England
Spain 2-1 England
Netherlands 1-2 England
England 1-1 Switzerland
Finland Form Guide
Until the Greece game, scoring goals had not necessarily been the problem for Finland, although conceding them certainly has been. That is 15 in their last six games, and they even conceded against San Marino in that time, scraping home 2-1 against the minnows last November.
Finland Recent Results
Greece 3-0 Finland
Scotland 2-2 Finland
Portugal 4-2 Finland
Finland 2-1 Estonia