Greece vs England Prediction: Team News and Lineups Preview

After their historic win at Wembley, the top side in Nations League Group B, Greece, will now welcome England to Athens as Josh Ingram oversees a Greece vs England prediction, team news and lineups preview.

The Three Lions were embarrassed by the Greeks on home soil a month ago. That day, the Greeks played for more than the three points – they were playing for their friend George Baldock. This time out, they are the host and could see themselves promoted if they win again. It’s Lee Carsely’s penultimate game in charge of the senior team, and he would very much like for his side to bring Greece back within striking distance in the table. 

• Greece vs England Tip 1: England Win 
• Greece vs England Tip 2: Harry Kane Anytime Goalscorer
• Greece vs England Tip 3: Both teams to Score

Greece vs England Prediction 1: Revenge for England

Greece, Nations League, Thursday, November 14th, 19:45 (UK)

It’s the first England fixture since the FA announced that the new manager to take the Three Lions into the next major tournament will be Thomas Tuchel. The German won’t be in the dugout until after the new year. So, Lee Carsley is the man in charge of these remaining fixtures this calendar year. The temporary head coach will be hoping for better fortunes this time out against Greece. Previously, at Wembley, he adopted a very different set-up. This time, due to eight members of the initial squad pulling out, it will be a similarly unfamiliar starting eleven. 

England reacted against Finland in the following game after the loss to Greece. The 3-1 was needed to keep Greece in touch at the top of the Group of four. In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a huge deal, but England should be playing in the top tier of this competition, even if people don’t feel it’s very important. 

Greece is in a fine vein of form, winning four games out of four in this competition. Ivan Jovanovic looks to be an excellent appointment for the job. It’s unlikely he will reach the great heights of legendary figure Otto Rehhagel, but the early signs are promising. The match at Wembley was an emotionally-charged fixture due to the sad loss of George Baldock, meaning the Greek squad were doing everything they could to win in his name. In the other matches in the Group, they have shown their class as a difficult side to break down, with all three seeing clean sheets.

Lee Carsley will want to right the wrongs of what happened at Wembley. There is no doubt that the England squad has better individuals, even with said withdrawals. They surely can’t play as poorly as they did the last time the two met – Carsley will set them up better than he did a month ago. 

Many people might not feel England has shown enough to make them confident they can go to Greece and win. However, it’s a location England has done well in on previous outings, winning on all four occasions and only conceding once.

• Greece vs England Prediction 1: England Win (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.90
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 10/10

Greece vs England Prediction 2: England’s greatest ever scorer to notch another

Harry Kane’s goal output for England against this level of opposition has been relentless. At 2.50 to score anytime, it’s something to look into when lining up for his country.

Harry Kane hasn’t scored in his past two games at Bayern, which is borderline a drought for him. England’s number nine has scored 17 in all competitions for Bayern Munich so far this season. Even if they aren’t a vintage Bayern side, he still finds a way to consistently muscle onto the score sheet.

The former Spurs man has played 101 times for England, scoring 68 times. The all-time leading scorer for England is currently averaging 0.78 goals per 90 for his country. This Nations League has not seen Kane at his usual standard, even though he bagged a brace in the first matchup with Finland. 

Due to the number of creative players not in the squad, such as Saka, Foden and Alexander-Arnold, England’s main man will have an added burden to lead the side to a win. Another factor that should always be considered when backing the big number nine to score is that he is the best penalty-taker in the squad. The likely wingers will be Gordon and Madueke, who both draw lots of fouls and like to beat their man. There is every chance Kane gets a good supply. 

• Greece vs England Prediction 2: Harry Kane to Score Anytime  (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 2.50
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 5/10

Greece vs England Prediction 3: Goals Aplenty in Athens

Both teams to score at 2.00, especially when you factor in all the absentees in defensive positions for England, is an enticing proposition. England was still porous with conceding chances even when these players were fit to play. The main problem for the defence will be the absence of Declan Rice; his role in recent years has been instrumental in England being a more solid unit at the back. 

Since the start of the Euro 2024, England has only failed to find the back of the net on one occasion, which was the very drab 0-0 in the final group game at the Euros against Slovenia, one we would all like to forget. Apart from that, though, amidst the change of managers, England typically always finds a way to score. In the Nations League, other members of the squad have stepped up and helped contribute other than Kane, with Rice and Grealish both on two. 

Under new manager Ivan Jovanovic, the goals have been flowing, with each game overseeing at least two goals, plus the three at home versus Finland. Even before his appointment, they would often find the net, scoring in 15 of the 22 games before the Serb’s appointment, but most of these were against opposition of a lower stature than their own. 

At Wembley, both teams scored, but outside of these goals, there was only one save in the match, with clear-cut chances being reduced to a minimum. It will be hard for England to play as poorly as they did in that game. In the past eleven games for the Three Lions, both teams have scored in seven. Two of these have been in the most recent games, with Finland grabbing an 87th-minute consolation goal. England has been struggling to look solid at the back for a full 90 minutes for a while now. 

• Greece vs England Prediction 3: Both Teams to Score (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 2.10
• Bookmaker:  bet365
• Stake: 7.5/10

Greece vs England Prediction odds via bet365 as at 09:00, November 13th, 2024. Odds may now differ.

Greece vs England Injuries, Team News and Possible Lineups: England’s numerous squad withdrawals

The Greeks have fewer withdrawals than the England squad. However, they have a suspension to Dimitrios Kourbellis for one game. Several players in the squad could slot in alongside Manolis Siopis, the most likely being Petros Mantalos. A few key members have yet to get a lot of starts for their club, such as Odysseas Vlachodimos, but regardless of that, he’s still the clear number one. Fotis Ioannidis is back from injury and could see Pavlidis, the man who scored a brace against England, demoted to the bench. 

Some big mainstays of recent squads have been forced to withdraw. Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Declan Rice, Jack Grealish, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Aaron Ramsdale and Levi Colwill have pulled out of Carsely’s squad after being selected. Elsewhere, Stones, Mainoo, Maguire, Shaw, and Eze were not selected due to injury concerns. 

Three players have received their first senior call-ups: Morgan Rogers, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, and Lewis Hall.  Four others were called up to fill the gaps left vacant in the squad: Jarrod Bowen, Jarrad Branthwaite, Valentino Livramento and James Trafford.

Greece possible starting lineup:
Vlachodimos; Rota, Mavropanos, Koulierakis, Tsimikas; Siopis, Mantalos; Masouras, Bakasetas, Tzolis; Pavlidis

England possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Walker, Konsa, Guehi, Lewis; Gomes, Gallagher; Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane

Match Stats: Historic records between the two favour England

• These two have played each other ten times, with England winning seven times, two draws, and Greece’s only win being the most recent fixture at Wembley.
• The most memorable game between the two was in 2001 when Beckham scored his iconic freekick in the 93rd minute to send England directly to the World Cup and avoid a playoff against Ukraine. 
• Greece has won a major tournament more recently than England when they won the 2004 European Championship in Portugal.
• It’s an odd circumstance where both managers are only managing their fifth game each for their respective sides. 

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