An England Under-21 side weakened by injuries will have it all to do when they come up against their Denmark counterparts in a tough-looking friendly in Viborg.

The Danes will be hosting the European Under-21 Championships in June, although they have been drawn in a different group to Stuart Pearce’s team, who are 6/5 to win Thursday’s match.

Denmark qualified for the tournament as hosts, but England struggled to join them, finishing as runners-up to Greece in Group Nine before sealing their place in the finals with a narrow 2-1 play-off success against Romania.

With another friendly against Iceland on Monday to prepare for, Pearce selected a big squad for the double-header although five early withdrawals have lessened his options.

Jack Rodwell, Gary Hooper, Mark Davies, Henri Lansbury and Alex Smithies have all dropped out as Pearce continues to ponder his options as he attempts to pick a 23-man squad for this summer’s extravaganza.

Celtic striker Hooper’s injury is particularly unfortunate as the prolific former Scunthorpe United star was set to win his first cap for his country, while Huddersfield goalkeeper Smithies has returned to his club with a slight injury.

Everton’s Rodwell is probably the highest-profile absentee, although Jack Wilshere – a regular in the Under-21 side until recently – is now an established fixture in the senior squad.

The withdrawals could hand chances to the likes of Ipswich Town teenager Connor Wickham and Chelsea starlet Josh McEachran, who were part of last year’s Under-17 Championship winning team.

England’s last game was February’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to Italy in Empoli while Denmark, 9/5 to win the match and 11/5 to draw, are coached by Keld Bordinggaard, although ex-Dundee and Celtic midfielder Morten Wieghorst will take on the role after this summer’s tournament.

The Danes were beaten 2-1 by ten-man Spain last month but are an attractive side that includes the likes of Villarreal’s Nicki Bille Nielsen and Jens Stryger Larsen of Brondby.

Reading goalkeeper Mikkel Andersen is also among their ranks while the goals are most likely to come from Lille’s Emil Lyng or Soren Frederiksen of Copenhagen.

Last month, Fabio Capello’s senior side were forced to come from behind before beating Denmark 2-1 in an international friendly, but the youthful Danish side could have the edge in this one – they 11/2 to win it 1-0 – as Pearce continues to juggle his resources.

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