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Bhoys to take first-leg advantage

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The Champions League qualifiers continue on Tuesday with a number of mouth-watering ties including Celtic’s trip to Helsingborgs IF (Helsingborgs 13/8, draw23/10, Celtic 8/5 in the match betting), while the highest-profile meeting sees Borussia Monchengladbach face Dynamo Kiev.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon has already said that following Rangers’ much publicised demotion, his side must start to perform in Europe after years of failing to live up to expectations.

The Bhoys began their domestic season with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Ross County on Saturday but are likely to welcome back a number of their key players for the trip to Sweden, most notably striker Gary Hooper.

Hooper has been linked with a move away from Parkhead this summer but having managed to keep hold of him, boss Lennon knows his goals will be vital to any chance his side has of making it into the group stages.

Celtic will be confident of earning a result at the Olympia, but won’t have it all their own way against a competitive Helsinborgs side, who will fancy their chances.

Age Hareide’s men won the Swedish Premier League last term and don’t be surprised if they cause their Scottish opponents a number of problems.

This one looks almost too close to call but there seems to be a buzz surrounding Celtic at the moment and their determination should see them return to Scotland with an advantage ahead of next week’s second leg (Celtic 11/2 to win 1-0).

The other match that catches the eye is the tie between two old stalwarts of European football, Borussia Monchengladbach and Dynamo Kiev (Monchengladbach evens, draw 12/5, Kiev 11/4 in the match betting).

After winning the UEFA Cup in 1975 and 1979, Die Fohlen have had a couple of difficult decades but appear to be on the rise again and impressed by finishing fourth in the Bundesliga last season.

They have once again strengthened this summer and look out for striker Luuk De Jong to make an impact in the first leg.

The Dutchman was linked with moves to both Newcastle and Spurs earlier this year but eventually opted to join Borussia and will be desperate to live up to his hype, especially in Europe.

Just like their opponents on Tuesday, Dynamo Kiev appear to be a team on the rise and are in the midst of building a side capable of emulating the heights of past years.

Key to their chances in Germany will be the performance of winger Andriy Yarmolenko who is one of Europe’s hottest prospects.

After a difficult start to his career, the 22-year-old seems to have settled down and a big performance at Borussia-Park could even see him seal a move away from the Ukrainian capital.

Like the other game, this looks like a tough one to call but Monchengladbach’s added quality should just carry them to a single goal victory (Monchengladbach 7/1 to win 2-1).

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Rovers to rally for Tigers test

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Blackburn Rovers will be looking to get a first win under their belts when they host Hull City at Ewood Park on Tuesday (Blackburn 10/11, draw 5/2, Hull 3/1 – Match Betting) having been held to a draw on the opening weekend of the Championship season.

Rovers manager Steve Kean will still be ruing his side’s 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town at Portman Road last weekend, after they conceded a late own goal to give the Tractor Boys a share of the spoils.

Looking at the starting line-up, Blackburn (10/1 Championship outright) have been able to keep hold of most of their squad from the Premier League last term and with the likes of Nuno Gomez and Danny Murphy in their ranks, Kean has made some shrewd signings, with plenty of experience in the transfer window.

As for Hull, they made a promising start under manager Steve Bruce on home turf, with a 1-0 victory over a much fancied Brighton outfit.

The Tigers did have to wait till just five minutes from time before Jay Simpson scored his first goal in 16 months for the East Yorkshire club and they would need to create many more chances against Rovers, if they are to get anything out of the game at Ewood Park.

It might not be the most friendly of atmospheres in this battle of the Roses clash but Blackburn should have the quality to edge out the Tigers.

Just down the road Bolton Wanderers will be in action for their first home outing of the Championship campaign when they take on Derby County (Bolton 8/11, draw 5/2, Derby 4/1 – Match Betting).

The Trotters, who are fancied as the favourites to win the Championship title this season, were brought down to earth last weekend when they were convincingly beaten by Lancashire rivals Burnley 2-0 at Turf Moor.

Manager Owen Coyle has plenty of experience in the Championship having previously managed Burnley and he will be eager to get Bolton’s first points on the board at the Reebok Stadium.

Derby have goals in them but what has been worrying for boss Nigel Clough is the goals that have been leaked at the back.

Comfortable leads over Scunthorpe United and Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup and the Championship have been squandered and Bolton (7/1 Championship outright) could record a convincing win, if the likes of Kevin Davies and Marvin Sordell are firing on all cylinders.

As for Burnley they will be hoping to build on that dream start to the season when they travel to the North East to face Middlesbrough (Middlesbrough 11/10, draw 12/5, Burnley 12/5 – Match Betting).

The combination of Charlie Austin and Martin Paterson looks like it could be a fine partnership in the Championship this term and Boro will have to be on their guard, having already tasted defeat at Barnsley last weekend.

Middlesbrough (25/1 Championship outright) have brought in Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran on loan to strengthen their options in the middle of the park and he is set to make his debut on Tuesday night.

Burnley have gone somewhat under the radar in the build-up to the campaign and they look like they should be able to secure a draw at the Riverside, against a Boro side who have not had the best of records on home soil in recent seasons.

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Toffees stuck on for point

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After watching everyone else kick-off their 2012/13 campaign over the weekend, Everton and Manchester United complete the opening round of fixtures at Goodison Park on Monday, in what is traditionally one of the most one-sided fixtures in the Premier League.

The Toffees have a dreadful record against their rivals from up the M62, winning just four times in the Premier League era, their last victory coming in February 2010 (Everton 10/3, draw 12/5, Man Utd 10/11).

Indeed United have picked up more points against Everton than any other Premier League side and go into the game bolstered by the arrival of Robin van Persie, who could make his debut at Goodison in what is a fearsome looking strike partnership with Wayne Rooney. Fellow new boys Shinji Kagawa and Nick Powell are also set to be included in Ferguson’s squad.

Despite their impressive record against the Blues, it is the Red Devils who are smarting after their last encounter. Sir Alex Ferguson’s men blew a 4-2 lead at Old Trafford in April to eventually draw 4-4, a result which ultimately cost them the league title.

For Everton the battling draw was one of a number of impressive results during the tail end of the season. David Moyes’ men have a reputation for starting slowly and picking up again in the spring and last season was no different.

Their defence was largely sound – they had the third best defensive record in the league last season – it was scoring goals that was the problem in the autumn.

However, the signings of Nikica Jelavic and Steven Pienaar on transfer deadline day in January proved crucial. That added creativity and a goal threat that saw the Toffees soar up the table, with Jelavic bagging nine goals in 13 games – the 6/1 for him to score first on Monday is worth considering.

They eventually finished last season in seventh place, above neighbours Liverpool for only the second time in 25 years. They have also won seven of their last nine league games at Goodison Park and are unbeaten in nine league games in all. The reason behind their poor starts is often speculation surrounding their best players and lack of funds to bring in any new faces.

However, on this occasion boss David Moyes has actually been able to strengthen, sealing a permanent deal for Pienaar and snapping up Steven Naismith from the now defunct Rangers. Jack Rodwell was sold to Manchester City last week for £12million but Moyes has already spent £6million of that on Belgian forward Kevin Mirallas, with the promises of further new faces.

The air of optimism – instead of despair – hanging over Goodison should be enough to ensure a raucous atmosphere during the game.

Van Persie aside, the ace card for United will undoubtedly be former Toffees striker Wayne Rooney. The England star has scored 14 goals in his last 14 Premier League games and loves to start the season with a bang – he has hit 10 goals in his last nine Premier League games in August.

He is unsurprisingly therefore the 4/1 favourite to open the scoring first on Merseyside, though value could be found in the scorecast. With the Toffees capable of grabbing a point, a Wayne Rooney 1-1 scorecast is priced at tempting 22/1.

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Home favourites to struggle

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Spanish football is well and truly back and Monday sees what promises to be superb doubleheader, as recently promoted Deportivo La Coruna take on Osasuna, while Rayo Vallecano face Granada.

With all four sides being known for their inconsistency, it’s sure to be an exciting evening and there’s sure to be plenty of goals.

Perhaps the pick of the two fixtures will be the early game between last year’s Segunda Division champions Deportivo and possible La Liga surprise package, Osasuna, at the Riazor (Deportivo evens, draw 12/5, Osasuna 13/5).

After winning the title in 2000, Depor have slowly declined and following years of difficulty, were finally relegated at the end of the 2011 season.

However, after clearing out a number of their squad, they dominated in the second tier, eventually finishing six points ahead of their nearest rivals.

They will be looking to carry their form into the new season but much will depend on the quality of veteran Juan Carlos Valeron.

The former Spanish international is the only remaining veteran of the championship winning side and will be looking to inspire his team to victory on Monday.

On the other hand, Osasuna are one of the success stories of the last few years, defying the odds to consistently challenge for European football, despite their lack of resources.

This summer they have once again invested wisely, with their best signing looking to be the loan acquisition of Joseba Llorente, who could finally provide Los Rojillos with a the consistent goal threat they’ve missed over recent years, so look out for him to be on target on Monday.

This one looks almost too close to call and in what is certain to be an end-to-end game, Osasuna’s extra class may just see them through (Osasuna 17/2 to win 1-0).

The later game sees Granada travel to the capital to take on cash-strapped Rayo Vallecano (Rayo 6/5, draw 9/4, Granada 11/5).

Once again, Rayo have been blighted by financial problems and their squad has been seriously depleted, most notably with the exit of last term’s top scorer Michu to Swansea.

However, they may have just found the perfect replacement in Argentine Alejandro Dominguez who joined from Valencia.

Things didn’t really work out for the 31-year-old at the Mestalla but there is no doubting his quality and he’ll be looking to dictate the pace of the game on Monday.

After upsetting the odds by staying up last season, Granada could well struggle this season but their unique partnership with Udinese has helped them recruit well this summer.

Of the five players they’ve gained in the off-season from the Serie A side, former Italy under-21 striker Antonio Floro Flores could be the key man and he’s certainly still good enough at the top level, scoring 10 times in 18 appearances last year.

Finding the net has been a major issue for the Filipinos but the 29-year-old could make the difference for them this term and look out for him to regularly challenge the Rayo defence on Monday.

Like the first game, this looks almost too close to call but Granada appear to have just that extra bit of quality and should just sneak it by a single goal (Granada 15/2 to win 1-0).

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Latics can thwart Chelsea

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They may well start the season as one of the favourites to be relegated (3/2) again this season, but Wigan appear to winning over some of the doubters and can claim a point on the first Sunday of the Premier League campaign.

Roberto Martinez’s men have left it late in the last two seasons to secure their to- flight survival, but there are real signs that Latics (1/2 to stay up) are making progress under their Spanish boss.

Having turned down the chance to join Aston Villa last summer and having spoken to Liverpool during this close season, Martinez seems to be happy with how things are progressing at the DW Stadium.

A fine end to last season, when they recorded wins over Manchester United and Arsenal, highlighted their improving quality and they eventually finished seven points above the drop zone.

They have lost two key players this summer, Hugo Rodellaga and Mohamed Diame, but they have added quality to their squad and seem to have the knack of finding rough diamonds that they turn into decent Premier League players.

Arsenal midfielder Ryo Miyaichi has joined on loan during the close season, while the impressive Aruna Kone has joined for £2.7million from Levante.

They will face a massive test in the opening game against the Champions League winners (Match Betting – Wigan 11/2, draw 3/1, Chelsea 8/15), who head to the North West following a disappointing showing in the Community Shield.

Chelsea (7/1 to win the title) were very much second best to Manchester City at Villa Park and the absence of the suspended Branislav Ivanovic is a blow to their defensive options.

Although the Blues have paid big money for the likes of Eden Hazard and Oscar, Roberto Di Matteo will be relying heavily on Fernando Torres for goals following the summer exit of talisman Didier Drogba.

One other side issue will see Victor Moses (5/2 to score at anytime) come up against the team that are desperate to sign him before the end of the month.

Martinez says he has no problem selecting the former Crystal Palace man, despite him being the subject of a failed bid from Chelsea earlier this summer. Moses could yet move to Stamford Bridge, but Wigan are standing firm on their valuation.

Last season’s corresponding fixture ended in a 1-1 draw, thanks to a late Wigan equaliser from Jordi Gomes, and a repeat scoreline can be backed at 13/2.

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City to power to victory

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Sunday sees two teams who have totally contrasting ambitions for the season meet, as champions Manchester City host Premier League new boys Southampton at the Etihad Stadium (City 1/6, draw 13/2, Southampton 16/1 – Match Betting).

After dramatically winning the title last season, the Citizens will be desperate to get their campaign off to the perfect start but won’t have it all their own way against a Saints side that simply love upsetting the odds.

Despite not really strengthening his squad over the summer, Roberto Mancini has plenty of talent at his disposal and following their win against Chelsea in last Sunday’s Community Shield, knows his players are still more than capable of competing with the best.

After originally setting his team out defend, the Italian coach employed much more attacking tactics last season and, in full flow, his team truly are a sight to behold.

With the likes of Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli up front, Mancini certainly has a number of options to play with but it is midfielder Yaya Toure (5/2 to score anytime) who is the real heartbeat of the team.

The team visibly struggled when the former Barcelona man went off to the African Cup of Nations earlier this year and his almost unique combination of power and finesse is what truly drives City forward.

The Ivorian will be looking to once again dominate on Sunday and don’t be surprised if he pops up with an important goal.

Despite their two successive promotions, Southampton are still one of the favourites to be relegated from the top flight. Boss Nigel Adkins has brought some good players to the club over the summer and of all the newly promoted teams, they maybe the best equipped to deal with the rigours of the Premier League.

Possibly the most influential of these will be midfielder Steven Davis (9/2 to score anytime), who arrived from Rangers and could add some extra guile to the engine room.

In a season where they’re likely to find themselves overrun by their opposition, the Northern Irishman’s ability to keep the ball and use it wisely could prove vital.

This could well be in evidence on Sunday, where he’ll be tasked with keeping the aforementioned Toure quiet and after four seasons in the SPL the 27-year-old will be looking to make an immediate impact on his return to the Premier League.

However, despite all Southampton’s hard work, it looks like it could be a very difficult afternoon for Nigel Adkins’ men.

City beat another newly promoted team in Swansea 4-0 in their opening fixture of last season and don’t be surprised if they record a similar scoreline on Sunday (City 17/2 to win 4-0).

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The Premier League is back!

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The eve of the Premier League season is upon us, but we will have to wait another day or two to see the major players in action (Manchester City 5/4 to retain title).

The two Manchester clubs and Chelsea will sit back and watch the opening day unfold, with the likes of Arsenal, shy of Robin van Persie, and Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool under the spotlight.

How the Gunners respond to the loss of van Persie (8/1 top goalscorer) to Manchester United remains to be seen. They lost Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas in similar circumstances at the beginning of last season and were left behind by their rivals after an uncharacteristically slow start.

Arsenal v Sunderland

Arsenal entertain Sunderland in their opener (2/5 home, 7/2 draw, 8/1 away) and Arsene Wenger will be looking for a positive reaction from his players.

The experienced boss has added quality in Santi Cazorla, Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski, and will be keen to put on a show for the club’s disgruntled fans (14/1 Arsenal 4-0).

Fulham v Norwich

Across London in Fulham, the Cottagers have some problems of their own, with boss Martin Jol admitting Clint Dempsey wants out of the club. The USA international has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool.

Jol’s side host Norwich City this weekend (4/5 home, 11/4 draw, 7/2 away), who have recovered from the departure of Paul Lambert and look well set for another positive season.

The Canaries have made some impressive signings and should have no problem avoiding the drop. They have the ability to cause a shock at Craven Cottage.

QPR v Swansea

Another club out to avoid second-season syndrome are Swansea City, who travel to Queens Park Rangers (10/11 home, 5/2 draw, 16/5 away).

They have lost Rodgers and Welsh midfielder Joe Allen to Liverpool, but have enough quality to stay up.

QPR were promoted along with Swansea in 2010-2011 but struggled back in the top flight. They have made a whole host of summer signings and look in good shape. They should beat a Swansea side that does not travel well.

Reading v Stoke

Reading were one of last season’s promoted sides and they face Stoke City at the Madejski Stadium (7/5 home, 9/4 draw, 21/10 away), a side they can draw strength from.

The Potters are an unfashionable club but have established themselves in the top flight under Tony Pulis.

Reading have made some excellent signings this summer, none more so than former Fulham loanee, Pavel Pogrebnyak (66/1 top goalscorer). The feel-good factor surrounding the place could lead them to victory tomorrow.

West Ham v Aston Villa

West Ham United, who achieved promotion through the play-offs at the first time of asking, entertain Lambert’s Aston Villa in their first game back (5/4 home, 12/5 draw, 11/5 away).

Villa will be hoping Lambert has brought some of the magic which saw him make a huge impact at Norwich, while the Hammers will be looking to making an immediate impact after a busy summer in the transfer market. Expect a draw in East London.

West Brom v Liverpool

Liverpool’s first game of a new era comes at West Bromwich Albion (10/3 home, 13/5 draw, 17/20 away).

Rodgers has not come in and made wholesale changes. However, the signing of Allen is key. He made Swansea tick and Rodgers will be hoping he can pull the strings in the Liverpool midfield.

Liverpool will look more fluent this term, but might have to wait for their first win of the season.

Newcastle v Tottenham

The day ends with a mouth-watering clash between Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur on Tyneside (13/8 home, 23/10 draw, 7/4 away).

Spurs will be led for the first time by Andre Villas-Boas and will be without Luka Modric, while the Magpies are buoyed by the arrival of Vurnon Anita from Ajax. It looks set to be a tough baptism for the former Chelsea boss.

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New-look Cardiff set for kick-off

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The Capital One Cup may already be under way but the serious business in the Championship starts this weekend, with Cardiff, in their controversial new red home shirt, (5/6 to win) entertaining Huddersfield Town (10/3, draw 5/2 – match odds) on Friday evening to get the ball rolling.

Both the Bluebirds and the Terriers were dumped out of the renamed League Cup earlier in the week, with Malky Mackay’s men going down 2-1 at Northampton Town while Simon Grayson’s outfit slipped to a 2-0 defeat at Preston North End.

However, the respective players have the chance to make amends when they quickly return to action in the Championship which promises to as tough to get out of again this term, with the second tier one of the hardest to predict on an annual basis.

Friday’s night’s encounter at the Cardiff City Stadium will whet the appetite ahead of a big weekend which also sees Leeds and Wolves go head to head at Elland Road on Saturday while 6/1 Championship outright favourites Bolton, who were relegated from the Premier League last term, kick off at Burnley.

Cardiff will be desperate to make 2012-12 their season after so many near-misses over the last few years, with the success of Swansea in making the Promised Land of the Premier League compounding their recent misery.

The Bluebirds made the League Cup final last season where they gave Liverpool a real run for their money, however their third consecutive play-off campaign ended in defeat to eventual winners West Ham which means they are chalking up a decade in the Championship this year.

In contrast, Huddersfield would love to be able to boast of 10 years in the second tier after dropping down the leagues before restoring their status last year following a League One play-off final win over Sheffield United at Wembley.

The Terriers start the season as 12/1 chances for promotion but will be mindful of the fact the likes of Norwich and Southampton have recently proved it is possible to achieve back-to-back promotions to reach the Premier League.

With Cardiff and Huddersfield both losing in the League Cup it could well be a cagey affair is on the cards in south Wales on Friday night, with both managers aware that getting into the losing habit at this early stage of the season is something to be avoided.

The Bluebirds will definitely be a lot stronger than the side which lost to the Cobblers, with Kevin McNaughton, Mark Hudson, Ben Turner and Andrew Taylor all back in contention after missing the trip to Sixfields while recent signing Craig Bellamy could make his second debut.

The Terriers are sweating on the fitness of winger Danny Ward (ankle) but otherwise are fully-fit which could mean league debuts for Sean Scannell, Paul Dixon, Oliver Norwood, Keith Southern, Adam Clayton, Joel Lynch and former Cardiff man Anthony Gerrard.

Striker Jordan Rhodes will also go into the game on a high after scoring his first senior international goal for Scotland in the midweek win over Australia and he is a 6/1 chance to net first.

The two sides have not met in the league since 2003 but did clash in the Carling Cup last August, with eventual runners-up Cardiff winning 5-3 after extra time.

Value Bet: Craig Bellamy to score anytime for Cardiff – 3/2.

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5 new faces to light up Prem

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With the Premier League season now just days away, fans of most clubs will be looking forward to seeing how their summer signings will get on. Here we look at five new faces to watch in the top flight in 2012-13.

1. Lukas Podolski (Arsenal)

Established German international Podolski needs little introduction to fans of European football as the striker has been a big name in his home country for several years now. The 25-year-old may be used by Arsene Wenger as a direct replacement for Robin van Persie, who seems destined to leave the Gunners, and his goalscoring record suggests that, while he may struggle to match RvP’s return of 30 Premier League goals, he can be trusted to find double figures this season and possibly plenty more besides (40/1 – Top Premier League Goalscorer).

Podolski hit the back of the net 13 times in 2010-11 and followed that up with 18 in the Bundesliga last term – a very impressive return in a struggling side that was eventually relegated. He started all three of Germany’s group games at Euro 2012, and scored once in the tournament, while he has already managed two goals for the Gunners in pre-season – a good sign that he has already settled into life at his new club.

2. Oscar (Chelsea)

Probably one of the highest-profile summer moves anywhere has seen this Brazilian starlet team up with Roberto Di Matteo at Stamford Bridge.

The 20-year-old joined the European champions (Chelsea 12/1 to retain Champions League in 2012-13) in a deal reported to be worth £25million just before the start of the Olympic football tournament and anyone who watched him closely in the UK over the past few weeks will have seen his undoubted potential.

The youngster is as comfortable on the ball as what you would expect from a seasoned Brazil international, let alone a rising star, and he will aim to have the same influence in the Blues’ engine room in the Premier League. The price-tag could weigh him down slightly but he is expected to develop into a world-class star in the next few years and is tipped to make an instant impact.

3.Karim El Ahmadi (Aston Villa)

Not one of the eye-catching summer transfers this, but Villa’s capture of the Morocco international could turn out to be among one of the best pieces of business done by any Premier League boss over the close-season. The midfielder had attracted plenty of scouts from England after some dominating displays for Feyenoord before he signed a three-year deal with the Midlanders earlier in the summer.

It will be a step up for the 27-year-old, but he has already made a big impression in training with several senior Villa players suggesting he will be a big influence in Paul Lambert’s new-look side this term as they look to break into the top six (20/1 – Top 6 Finish).

4. Fabio Borini (Liverpool)

Borini became Brendan Rodgers’ first signing at Liverpool and immediately made an impact in his first competitive match at Anfield, scoring the opener in the 3-0 Europa League qualifying win over FC Gomel. The 21-year-old is well known to Rodgers as he first worked with the Italian international when he was a youngster at Chelsea, before he signed him on loan for Swansea in the 2010/11 season.

The striker, who scored six goals in nine matches during that period for the Swans, impressed in Italy for Roma last season when he managed nine goals in 24 appearances. He is likely to fit into Rodgers’ attacking style well with his work-rate and eye for goal really marking him out as one to watch this season as Liverpool hunt a top-four return (5/2 – Top 4 Finish).

5. Shinji Kagawa (Manchester United).

The 23-year-old is tipped to be another astute Sir Alex Ferguson signing after arriving from Borussia Dortmund on a four-year deal. The Japan international helped Dortmund land successive German titles and scored a very impressive 17 times from midfield last season, while he also claimed 13 assists to help persuade Fergie he is a creator as well as a finisher in the final third.

United needed reinforcements in midfield this summer as they look to wrestle the title back off Man City this season (United 9/4 – Premier League Outright) and Kagawa is likely to be a key man for Ferguson’s side following Ji-Sung Park’s departure and the ongoing question marks over how much football veteran duo Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes can play.

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Hodgson hindered for Azzurri test

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Totesport has chalked up England the 6/4 favourites in the match betting for an international friendly against Italy (9/5 draw 9/4 – 90 minutes) in Switzerland on Wednesday.

Roy Hodgson has seen his preparations for the Berne rematch against England’s Euro 2012 conquerors hit by a raft of late withdrawals, the latest being Arsenal winger Theo Walcott.

The Emirates Stadium flyer has a thigh injury and joins team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Joe Hart and Daniel Sturridge on the sidelines.

At 23, Walcott was one of the older heads in a new-look and youthful England squad and confirmation of his withdrawal further blunts the Three Lions as an attacking proposition.

Hodgson’s pragmatic approach, underpinned by a more sobering level of expectations, won him some new friends in Poland and Ukraine, although his safety-first brand of football failed to inspire.

England did not lose a game in normal time this summer and scored in all three group games, but this does not paint the full picture.

The first genuine test came against the same opponents at the knockout stages and England spent the best part of 120 minutes chasing shadows.

That said, Italy too intend to experiment and coach Cesare Prandelli is without a host of marquee players.

There will be no fewer than eight uncapped players in his squad, in part due to the club commitments of his Juventus and Napoli contingent, but the likes of Daniele De Rossi and Alberto Aquilani are included. The maverick Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli will also miss out because of an eye infection.

Andy Carroll has a chance to prove he can be a mainstay No 9 in the Hodgson set-up and he is 7/1 joint favourite with Jermain Defoe in the first goalscorer market, although Ashley Young may appeal at 9/1 in the same market given that he has been given licence to roam.

The game is England’s only friendly before the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign starts in September.

England can be backed at 2/5 to emerge Group H winners and 20/1 to triumph in Brazil in two years’ time.

Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Birmingham City), John Ruddy (Norwich City).

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Ryan Bertrand (Chelsea), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Steven Caulker (Tottenham Hotspur), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur), Joleon Lescott (Manchester City).

Midfielders: Michael Carrick (Manchester United), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Jake Livermore (Tottenham Hotspur), James Milner (Manchester City), Jack Rodwell (Manchester City), Ashley Young (Manchester United).

Forwards: Andy Carroll (Liverpool), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur).

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