England vs Australia prediction, odds and betting tips

England and Australia will lock horns on the football field for the first time since May 2016 on Friday night.

England vs Australia odds

Get the best available odds for the England vs Australia clash. Odds are provided by our best-reviewed football betting sites. Keep in mind that odds are subject to change.

Quick England vs Australia tips

England vs Australia predictions

After a fantastic series over the summer, Australia retained the Ashes thanks to a 2-2 draw in England.

England have now won just one of the last six Ashes series against their historic cricketing rivals, whereas Australia have triumphed in only one of the 11 rugby union matches between the pair over the last seven years.

The two countries only occasionally go head-to-head on the football pitch. There have been just seven meetings overall, only two of which have taken place in the 21st century.

England have won four of the friendlies between the duo, with two draws and one Australia victory, which came at Upton Park in February 2003.

The last contest took place in May 2016, as goals from Marcus Rashford and Wayne Rooney brought Roy Hodgson’s side a 2-1 win as England prepared for the upcoming European Championship in France.

Friday’s clash at Wembley Stadium will be a great occasion, then, although this is not the most important match England will play in the October international break.

Gareth Southgate’s charges will do battle with Italy on Tuesday in a crunch Euro 2024 qualifier. A win in that match would see England take another step closer to securing a place at next year’s tournament in Germany.

Southgate is likely to use this match as an opportunity to experiment, so we will probably not see England’s strongest XI from the start.

That makes the game tougher to predict than usual, but we have picked out three tips for Friday’s fixture under the lights at Wembley.

England vs Australia betting tips

England should have too much quality for Australia even if they do shuffle their pack ahead of the meeting with Italy.

England to score in both halves – 5/6 (bet365)

Reports last month stated that Southgate is planning to step down as England manager after Euro 2024.

His contract runs until the end of next year and the 53-year-old is not currently expected to put pen to paper on a new deal.

Southgate has taken England to the semi-finals of a World Cup and the final of a European Championship, and he will be determined to finally end a 58-year wait for a major trophy next summer.

England are in a comfortable position at the top of their qualifying group, although an Italy win at Wembley next week would likely see the Azzurri move level on points with the Three Lions.

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Two teams from Group C will qualify, so a defeat by the Italians would not be fatal. But Southgate will nevertheless give that match priority over Friday’s friendly.

Yet while some regular starters will be rested against Australia, the players that come into the team will be desperate to make an impression.

England have an abundance of attacking talent at their disposal these days, so there will be plenty of firepower in whatever side Southgate selects.

Australia have conceded at least two goals in four of their last five matches and they may well struggle to keep England’s forward line quiet.

We fancy the hosts to put the ball in the back of the net either side of half-time.

Tip England to score in both halves at 5/6 with bet365

Both teams to score – 5/4 (bet365)

Australia’s next involvement in continental competition is even closer on the horizon than England’s.

The 2023 Asian Cup will actually be held in January and February of next year, with Qatar set to host the tournament.

Alongside the likes of Japan, South Korea, Iran and Saudi Arabia, Australia are among the favourites to lift the trophy.

The Socceroos were Asia’s second-best performing team at World Cup 2022, as they outperformed expectations to reach the round of 16 before going down 2-1 to eventual winners Argentina.

Australia’s current squad is not their most talented of all time, but at the World Cup Graham Arnold extracted the absolute maximum from the players at his disposal.

That allowed Australia to score in each of their four matches in Qatar. In fact, Arnold’s men have found the net in nine of their last 10 outings in all competitions.

That is one reason to tip goals at both ends. The other is that England could lose concentration and coherence in the second half if Southgate decides to use his full quota of substitutions.

Back both teams to score at 5/4 with bet365

Ollie Watkins to score any time – 20/21 (bet365)

Harry Kane is arguably England’s most important player. There is a strong argument that he should be rested for this game in order to preserve him for Italy, but we cannot be sure that he will be.

Kane tends to play whenever he is fit, but with Ollie Watkins and Eddie Nketiah waiting in the wings, this is surely the moment for Southgate to take a look at another of his striking options.

Watkins has enjoyed an impressive start to the season. He has scored four goals and provided four assists for Aston Villa, who sit fifth in the Premier League standings.

Nketiah is yet to play for the England senior side, so the seven-cap Watkins appears to be ahead of him in the pecking order.

That makes him an astute choice in the anytime goalscorer market. Even if Kane does start, Watkins will hope to get at least 45 minutes on the pitch – more than enough time, in other words, for him to make his mark.

Choose Ollie Watkins as an anytime goalscorer at 20/21 with bet365

How to watch England vs Australia

• Location: Wembley Stadium, London, England.
• Date and time: Friday 13 October 2023, 7.45 pm.
• How to watch: Channel 4.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on Twitter @GregLeaFootball

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