In terms of strength and personnel quality, Group C of EURO 2024 is considered a reasonable challenge for England’s superstars to advance as the group winner. The campaign begins with a match against Serbia at 02:00 on June 17, and many experts believe that the Three Lions could face difficulties against this unpleasant opponent.
Expert opinions on the England vs Serbia match
Entering any major tournament, the England national team is always considered a top contender for the championship with its stellar lineup and consistent quality. However, since 1966, they have never won a major title, despite coming close several times. The EURO 2024 season is no exception, as the Three Lions bring the most expensive lineup to Germany, filled with stars who have excelled throughout Europe in the past season. However, the challenge of integrating them into a cohesive unit has never been perfected by coach Gareth Southgate, leading to many issues in England’s style of play.
In their last 5 matches before EURO 2024, England only won 1 match. They drew 2 matches and lost 2 matches, including a shocking defeat to underdog Iceland at Wembley. Seeing a scattered and vulnerable lineup on that day, perhaps England’s fans can only hope that their team is hiding their true potential. After failing to qualify for EURO 2021, Serbia is determined to make a surprise at this year’s tournament. Their squad is also formidable with in-form players like Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Vlahovic, and Mitrovic. If they play to their potential, they are fully capable of competing for advancement in this group. However, to nurture that hope, Serbia needs a decent result against England, perhaps earning a point or not losing by a large margin. In reality, the Three Lions are not without weaknesses; on the contrary, they are exposing many issues before EURO, and if coach Dragan Stojkovic’s squad wants to make an impact, they can learn from Iceland’s tactics in a recent friendly match.
Overview of the historical head-to-head record between England and Iceland
Despite competing in European tournaments for many years, it’s strange that England and Serbia have not met frequently. The only time the two teams had the opportunity to face each other was in 2003, 11 years ago, when the England national team defeated Serbia (then Serbia and Montenegro) 2-1 thanks to goals from Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole.
Examining the odds from bookmakers for the England vs Serbia match
In the squad list of coach Gareth Southgate, the England national team has lost center-back Harry Maguire due to injury, while John Stones’ fitness is not guaranteed. Therefore, the defense will be a major concern for the Three Lions in the upcoming match against Serbia. On the attacking front, England’s personnel quality is assured, but they will need to find a way to integrate the players as soon as possible.
On the Serbian side, the lack of stability has not been improved by coach Dragan Stojkovic for his players. There will be many matches where the Eagles play exceptionally well, but there are also times when they inexplicably falter. That’s why in their last 5 matches before EURO 2024, Serbia has a balanced record with 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses.
- Team’s goal: The England team possesses the most formidable attack in the tournament, and Harry and his teammates will certainly want to put on a dazzling performance to kick off their campaign towards the championship. On the Serbia side, their matches tend to be open, with 4 out of the last 5 matches seeing 3 or more goals.
- Both teams to score: In addition to their strong attack, England’s defense is showing alarming form, especially in the center-back position. They have kept a clean sheet in only 1 out of the last 5 matches, and the quality attacking stars of Serbia can certainly take advantage of this to breach Jordan Pickford’s goal.
- England to win corners: A breathless pressure game will surely be created by the England team, while Serbia, as the underdog, would be committing suicide if they push their lineup forward against England’s star-studded squad. This is the basis to believe that there will be many corners after the attacks from Bellingham and his teammates.
Team news for England vs Serbia
England: Luke Shaw is absent due to injury, John Stones and Bukayo Saka are doubtful to play Serbia: Full strength
Predicted lineups for England vs Serbia
- England (4-2-3-1): Pickford, Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier, Declan Rice, Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham, Palmer, Foden, Harry Kane
- Serbia (3-5-2): Rajkovic, Pavlovic, Milenkovic, Stojic, Zivkovic, Gudelj, Sergej, Lukic, Kostic, Vlahovic, Mitrovic
Match score prediction: England 2-1 Serbia
