England v Australia Betting Tips & Preview: Three Lions to produce dominant display

England return to action against Australia in an international friendly at Wembley Stadium on Friday night.

Gareth Southgate’s side will put their Euro 2024 qualification bid on hold over the weekend, but Tuesday’s crunch clash with Italy is looming on the horizon. The Azzurri will surely beat Malta in Group C on Saturday, so they will likely head to Wembley just three points adrift of England in top spot.

Given that two teams qualify from each group, it is hard to see England missing out on the tournament from their present position of strength. But there is no doubt that Southgate will prioritise that meeting with Italy over this friendly against Australia.

These two great sporting rivals have had many historic duels on the cricket and rugby pitch, but this will be only their eighth meeting on the football field. England have won four of the previous seven friendlies, with two draws and one win for Australia - a 3-1 triumph at Upton Park in 2003.

The Socceroos are also preparing for a continental competition. The next edition of the Asian Cup takes place in Qatar in January and February, and Australia are among the favourites to go all the way. 

With their other games before the tournament being against lesser competition games, this match against England will be a valuable opportunity for Australia to test themselves against stronger opposition.

The Socceroos upset the odds by reaching the knockout stage of World Cup 2022, before suffering a slender 2-1 defeat by Argentina in the round of 16. Since that tournament they have beaten Ecuador 3-1 and drawn 2-2 with Mexico among other results.

This will not necessarily be a walkover for England, then, but the home team should ultimately prove too strong for the visitors. Southgate is likely to shuffle his pack with the Italy game in mind, but England’s squad has strength in depth and even a second-string side would possess an array of quality.

Concerns remain over the backline, but there is plenty to be excited about further forward. England have an abundance of attacking options at their disposal and Australia will have their work cut out in trying to keep the opposition’s frontline quiet.

That will be the case even if the likes of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are given the night off alongside the injured Bukayo Saka. Potential starters like Phil Foden, Ollie Watkins and James Maddison will be desperate to make an impression as Euro 2024 gets ever closer.

Australia kept clean sheets against Tunisia and Denmark at the World Cup, but they have found it more difficult to shut out their opponents in subsequent friendlies. The Socceroos have conceded two or more goals in four of their last five matches. England will fancy their chances of putting the ball in the back of the net either side of half-time.

Recommended Bet

Bet Builder Tip: England to win, England to score in both halves and England to score over 2.5 goals: 2.6