England boss Fabio Capello is expected to name his strongest possible team for Saturday’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland at Wembley on Saturday.
The Three Lions are the current leaders of Group G but they are level on points with Montenegro, who host Bulgaria on the same day, and Capello is keen to wrap up qualification as soon as possible.
However, star striker Wayne Rooney is suspended and Andy Carroll is sidelined, meaning Aston Villa’s Darren Bent is the most likely candidate to lead the line.
Villa may have struggled throughout the 2010/2011 season but Bent has been in fine form, scoring 11 goals since his January switch to the Midlands club.
Bent is 8/11 to score at anytime, while the former Sunderland man is a much more attractive 10/3 to open the scoring or 9/2 to grab a brace.
England are the heavy 1/3 favourites, with Switzerland 8/1 and the draw 7/2, but the Swiss are a well organised side and they could make things difficult for Fabio Capello’s men. In the Half-Time/Full-Time market a draw/England result is priced at 3/1.
Switzerland may be well organised and relatively strong at the back but their attacking options are limited and lack any real threat going forward.
Capello is also expected to name a back-four of Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson and John Terry for the tie at Wembley. On paper, and according to the majority of pundits, that is England’s strongest defensive combination and they should be able to keep a clean sheet.
An England clean sheet is priced at 10/11, which is worth some consideration, but England are 11/10 to win to nil and this may be the better option of the two bets.
Rooney’s likely replacement is Theo Walcott, with James Milner or Adam Johnson the other possibilities and the Arsenal winger tends to impress on the international stage. Walcott is also keen to impress Capello after missing out on the 2010 World Cup and the 22-year-old is 7/4 to score at anytime in the match.
Switzerland’s most likely goalscorer, if they do manage to break England’s resolve, is Bayer Leverkusen striker Eren Derdiyok. Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld has chosen uncapped duo Innocent Emeghara, 22, and Admir Mehmedi, 20, as his other forward options and it remains to be seen if they will be able to rise to the occasion.
Derdiyok does not have an outstanding pedigree in terms of international goals but he is a talented striker and can be backed at 10/3 to score at anytime, or 11/1 to score the last goal. Derdiyok’s Leverkusen team-mate Tranquillo Barnetta could be another option as an anytime goalscorer and the 26-year-old winger is 9/2 to score at anytime.
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The FA have confirmed that England’s next manager will be an Englishman, amid speculation current boss Fabio Capello’s time in charge of the Three Lions could be coming to an end (England 9/1 to win the Euro 2012 tournament).
England play their final warm-up game before the World Cup against Japan in Graz on Sunday. After the mixed performance in Monday’s game with Mexico, the speculation is that the Italian will send out his preferred eleven.