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England vs Malta betting tips
- England & over 4.5 goals – Evens with Betway
- Over 1.5 total goals in both halves – 6/5 with BoyleSports
- Harry Maguire to score at any time – 9/2 with William Hill
England have already confirmed qualification for Euro 2024 but that may not stop them running up the score in Friday’s home clash against Malta (Channel 4, 7.45pm).
The Three Lions have strolled through qualifying, winning five games out of six and averaging over three goals per match.
Group C has been a very different experience for Malta, who are bottom of the standings having lost all seven qualifiers, managing just two goals in response.
The Reds were brushed aside 4-0 when England visited the Mediterranean island in June and they could be in for a long night at Wembley, despite the hosts having suffered a spate of withdrawals due to injury in the build-up.
But with qualification in the bag, boss Gareth Southgate can afford to experiment in England’s final two games.
Whoever Southgate sends out, England are likely to have way too much quality for Malta with football betting sites making them a best-price 1/66 for the win.
Despite the lopsided nature of the contest, we’ve strived to find some potential value when making our England vs Malta predictions.
England may show no mercy
England have won their last 13 home European Championship qualifiers and an end to that run against minnows Malta is unthinkable, even with a few players missing.
Not having 2024 Ballon d’Or favourite Jude Bellingham for the last two qualifiers is a blow, with Levi Colwill, James Maddison, Callum Wilson and Lewis Dunk having also pulled out.
The in-form Cole Palmer has been called up as a replacement, alongside Ezri Konsa and Rico Lewis, with Palmer joining a stellar group of attacking options.
England’s record goalscorer Harry Kane returns home to lead the national side having taken the Bundesliga by storm, scoring 21 goals in his first 16 games with Bayern Munich.
He’s got seven goals in qualifying, while Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka has found the net four times for England in this campaign.
West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa and Man City’s Phil Foden all link up with England having been regular scorers for their club sides and that wealth of attacking options should overwhelm Malta’s defences.
Head coach Michele Marcolini has tried to make Malta harder to break down and had achieved a few respectable results, most notably a 1-0 loss away to Ukraine and a 2-0 reverse at home to Italy earlier in qualifying.
But in the rematches with those two teams, Malta shipped a combined seven goals and their attempts to limit the damage against England may be forlorn with betting sites fancying another big win.
England have enjoyed some big wins at Wembley in recent qualifying campaigns, putting seven past North Macedonia in June, while they also hit seven against Montenegro en route to Euro 2020.
Their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign featured two 5-0 wins at home, as well as a 10-0 triumph away to San Marino, demonstrating a ruthless streak we’ve not always seen from England sides of the past.
We’re counting on England having a good night in front of goal and backing a home win featuring over 4.5 goals at even-money with Betway.
England vs Malta Tip 1: England & over 4.5 goals – Evens with Betway
England to spread out the goals
England have made a habit of getting out of the blocks quickly in their previous Euro qualifiers, scoring 12 of their 19 goals before half-time.
They were 3-0 up at the break in Malta and the starters will likely want to get the game put to bed early before calling it a night.
But with competition for places on the plane to Euro 2024 so fierce, particularly in the forward areas, there may be no let up from the Three Lions.
Someone like Jack Grealish, who isn’t seeing the field much for Manchester City right now, will be keen to make a good impression and may keep the goals flowing late into the game.
Four out of England’s last seven home games have featured at least two goals in the second half and BoyleSports have boosted the odds of there being over 1.5 goals in both halves to 6/5, which is our second England vs Malta prediction.
England vs Malta Tip 2: Over 1.5 total goals in both halves – 6/5 with BoyleSports
Maguire on the mark
The last time Harry Maguire found the net in an England game it was at the wrong end, the Manchester United defender scoring an own goal in the Three Lions’ win over Scotland in September.
But Maguire has been a threat at the right end too, registering at least one shot on goal in four of England’s six qualifiers.
The 30-year-old has seven international goals to his name and ranks as an interesting outsider to score on Friday evening.
With the usual goalscoring options all either odds-on or a short price with new betting sites, a chance is taken on Maguire making his aerial prowess count.
Maguire recently won eight aerial duels in United’s win at Fulham and given the quality of set piece provided by the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, a Maguire goal at any time completes our England vs Malta predictions.
England vs Malta Tip 3: Harry Maguire to score at any time – 9/2 with William Hill
England vs Malta predictions
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
