Aiming to make it three for three under the wing of Lee Carsley, England host Greece at Wembley on Thursday evening in League B Group 2 of the UEFA Nations League.
The midweek encounter is already a top-of-the-table affair, as the visitors lead the way on a marginally superior goal difference thanks to their own stellar September results.
Match preview
© Imago
Not a single press conference or post-game interview will go by without interim boss Carsley being pressed on his prospects of taking the reins full-time, but as the 50-year-old continues to bat away such questions, he is doing his chances no harm whatsoever.
The former Republic of Ireland international witnessed two other former Republic of Ireland internationals – one senior and one junior – sink the Boys in Green in his opening game in charge, as Declan Rice and Jack Grealish got the caretaker manager off to a flying start.
Another two unanswered goals were struck past Finland a few days later, as Harry Kane celebrated his 100th England appearance in quintessential Kane fashion, but the Three Lions’ pair of 2-0 victories is currently only good enough for second place.
Such a ranking would still see the Euro 2024 runners-up qualify for the promotion playoffs, but Carsley will be under no illusions that anything other than first place – and a guaranteed return to League A – would be a massive black mark next to his name.
On the other hand, the former Under-21s head coach could etch his name into England folklore as the first-ever Three Lions manager to win their first three games in charge without conceding, and the first to win their opening three overall since Fabio Capello in 2008.
© Imago
Standing in Carsley’s way of national team history is the side to have won more Nations League games than any other country since the tournament’s inception, as Group 2 leaders Greece seek their 14th win of the tournament to move three points clear of their revered rivals.
Languishing in League C for three campaigns before earning promotion to the second tier for the 2024-25 tournament, the Pirate Ship have demonstrated their League A credentials with comfortable beatings of Finland (3-0) and Ireland (2-0) in their opening two battles.
Three of Greece’s five efforts last month were struck by Panathinaikos forward Fotis Ioannidis – only Slovenia’s Benjamin Sesko (four) has more across the entire 2024-25 Nations League – and the 2004 European champions are also embarking on a new era under new management.
Indeed, ex-Panathinaikos boss Ivan Jovanovic only took the reins in August as Gus Poyet‘s permanent replacement, and the 62-year-old now endeavours to end Greece’s 12-match winless run against top-five ranked nations, a streak stretching all the way back to their Euro 2004 triumph.
David Beckham‘s 2001 free kick is the standout moment that springs to mind when looking back on previous meetings between England and Greece, who last faced off in a 2006 friendly, which the Three Lions won 4-0 to make it nine games unbeaten against Thursday’s visitors.
England Nations League form:
England form (all competitions):
Greece Nations League form:
Greece form (all competitions):
Team News
© Imago
While Ezri Konsa, Morgan Gibbs-White and Kobbie Mainoo have all withdrawn from this month’s squad due to injury, centurion and record goalscorer Kane has been given the green light to turn out for his country after an injury scare while playing for Bayern Munich.
It would not be a total surprise to see Carsley rest Kane with Finland on the horizon, thereby offering a chance for either Ollie Watkins or Dominic Solanke – called up for the first time in seven years – to lead the line on Thursday evening.
However, Carsley’s ranks have been reinforced by the returns of Kyle Walker, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer – all of whom were missing from September’s squad for various reasons – but the former may find himself behind Trent Alexander-Arnold in the right-back pecking order.
As England sweat over Kane’s fitness, Greece have been dealt a massive blow over the fitness of Ioannidis, who sustained an injury during Panathinaikos’ recent Greek Super League clash with Olympiacos and has been left out of the squad as a result.
With Ioannidis sidelined, the attacking burden should fall onto the shoulders of Vangelis Pavlidis, who scored a phenomenal 80 goals in three seasons with AZ Alkmaar before joining Portuguese giants Benfica this summer.
On the other hand, Odysseas Vlachodimos has become a forgotten man since leaving Benfica, but the ostracised Newcastle United shot-stopper should win his 45th cap in goal for the Pirate Ship this week.
England possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Guehi, Colwill, Lewis; Rice, Bellingham; Saka, Palmer, Grealish; Watkins
Greece possible starting lineup:
Vlachodimos; Rota, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, Tsimikas; Siopis, Kourbelis; Masouras, Bakasetas, Tzolis; Pavlidis
We say: England 2-0 Greece
Even without September hero Ioannidis strutting his stuff in attack, the likes of Pavlidis and Tasos Bakasetas can still carry a significant attacking threat for Greece, but the former European champions have failed to score in seven of their previous nine meetings with England.
We can envisage that becoming eight from 10 at Wembley, as even without a fully-fit Kane, England possess the firepower to prolong Carsley’s 100% start as expense of Jovanovic’s.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
