Interim England manager Lee Carsley appears set to conclude his tenure on a triumphant note, having commenced this international break with an impressive 3-0 victory over Greece.
This win has propelled the Three Lions back into a leading position for immediate promotion to League A of the UEFA Nations League. Securing another win against Ireland will ensure their promotion; however, anything less could leave England vulnerable to the embarrassment of an early play-off in Thomas Tuchel’s forthcoming leadership.
As his England stint wraps up at Wembley, Carsley aims for a robust performance against Ireland, a country he represented 40 times as a player. There was no hint of sentimentality when he started his reign with a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture. Despite some criticism during his short spell, the results are undeniable, with Carsley achieving four wins out of five matches, each by a significant margin.
Former dentist Heimir Hallgrímsson, who has managed just five games, might be feeling somewhat deflated after securing only two victories and suffering three 2-0 losses, which have landed Ireland in a League UNL relegation play-off. Despite never having left League B, Ireland is expected to emerge victorious from the play-off, though a morale-boosting performance is improbable against England, considering their dismal head-to-head record (W2, D9, L7).
Playing on foreign soil only heightens the scepticism surrounding the visitors’ prospects, as Ireland has managed just one victory in away UNL matches so far (W1, D3, L6). While four of those losses came without scoring, Ireland did find the net in both of their UNL defeats against other British nations, Scotland and Wales, suggesting they might step up their game against close neighbours.
Key Players to Observe: Despite England grappling with an injury dilemma, Curtis Jones made a strong impression in his previous appearance by netting a goal on his senior international debut. He seems poised to score once more, as his recent five club goals have all been on home turf. Brighton’s Evan Ferguson was the sole scorer for Ireland in their midweek win over Finland, marking a streak where all four of his scoring appearances for the national team have resulted in victories.
Intriguing Fact: In Ireland’s last 11 games away in the UEFA Nations League, ten goals conceded have come after the break.
