Adrian Mills' best bets for England's Euro 2024 qualifier with Malta include a comfortable win for the Three Lions and a goal for a young debutant.
Visit Betway’s football betting page.
England have won their last two meetings with Malta 4-0, and that outcome looks a decent bet for when the two nations lock horns again this Friday.
The Three Lions can secure top spot in European Championship Qualifying Group C with a victory, and see off the late charge from fast-finishing Ukraine, who are just three points behind in second place with two matches to go.
Gareth Southgate’s side have the Maltese and North Macedonia to come but they should finish the job at Wembley this week with the minimum of fuss.
Odds about a home win are understandably short and there is not much juice in an England win to nil either, so the correct-score market looks a solid way to find some value.
These two have met on just four occasions, with England running out winners each time, while keeping clean sheets in three of those contests.
Another clean sheet can be expected this time around but there is little temptation to get involved at just 2/9.
Qualification to next summer’s finals in Germany was finalised with the Three Lions’ 3-1 win over Italy in the previous round of matches, but Southgate has resisted the temptation to go too experimental with his squad, and a businesslike performance can be expected from the 2020 European Championship runners-up.
That should see a near full-strength England kick-off at Wembley, with Southgate likely to change things later on if and when the job is done.
More to come from Kane
Harry Kane has bagged 24 goals in 19 appearances for club and country this season and the England skipper is unlikely to ease up at the weekend.
Kane’s move to Bayern Munich in the summer looks to have given him a new lease of life and he has scored in his last seven outings in all competitions, and there remains a touch of value about him bagging at least two goals against Malta.
It’s 11/10 that he does, and backing Kane to plunder a hat-trick is swerved only because it is difficult to see him playing a full game.
You wouldn’t put it past him to land a treble in the time he is given, but a cautious approach looks the better play.
Palmer could make his mark later on
One of those who could see some action in the latter stages at Wembley, is Chelsea starlet Cole Palmer.
Palmer has scored six goals this season, including four in his last six matches, and his last-gasp penalty against former club Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday showed nerves of steel with the match poised at 4-3 to City.
The 21-year-old has shown great maturity since the switch to west London, and he has bagged goals against Arsenal, Tottenham and City among others in this campaign.
That shows a taste for the big occasion and it would be no surprise to see him get on the scoresheet should Southgate hand him his first England cap on Friday, so the 5/1 about him claiming the final goal of the game also looks a decent-value wager.
Best bets
England to win 4-0 @ 9/2
Harry Kane to score two or more goals @ 11/10
Cole Palmer last goalscorer @ 5/1
