England vs Australia predictions: Socceroos may struggle to land a blow at Wembley

- England have won their last 11 international friendlies, eight of them to nil
- Australia scored four goals from just eight shots on target at the 2022 World Cup
- Recommended bet: England to win 2-0

England's sporting rivalry with Australia is usually played out on the cricket pitch or the rugby field and Friday's friendly at Wembley is only the third time the Three Lions have faced the Socceroos this century.

Australia beat England 3-1 at Upton Park in 2003 before a 2-1 win for the Three Lions at the Stadium of Light in 2016 and the hosts are hot favourites for victory this time around.

Gareth Southgate's men are focused on Tuesday's Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy but competition for places is fierce so England's fringe players should be motivated for their clash with an Australia side who reached the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup.

Team news

Bukayo Saka has withdrawn from the England squad due to a hamstring problem and full-backs Luke Shaw, Reece James and Ben Chilwell are also injured. Chelsea's Raheem Sterling has been overlooked but forwards Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen and Eddie Nketiah are hoping for a chance to impress at Wembley.

Australia's Middlesbrough midfielder Riley McGree (knee) is sidelined and Aiden O'Neill of Standard Liege has been called into the squad as a replacement. Bailey Wright, Mathew Leckie and Jamie MacLaren are absent but Ipswich's Massimo Luongo should start in midfield.

The stats

England have won their last 11 international friendlies, eight of them to nil.

The Three Lions have scored 19 goals in six matches in 2023.

Harry Kane has scored in seven of his last eight appearances for England.

Three of Australia's last five wins were by a 1-0 scoreline.

The Socceroos have conceded exactly two goals in four of their last five matches.

Australia scored four goals from just eight shots on target at the 2022 World Cup.

Prediction

Australia reached the World Cup round of 16 thanks to their 1-0 group wins over Tunisia and Denmark before a 2-1 defeat to Argentina, who went on to lift the trophy.

That scoreline flattered the Socceroos, who benefited from a late Enzo Fernandez own goal and mustered just eight shots on target in four games in Qatar.

England have a ruthless record in friendlies under Southgate and they should extend their winning run in non-competitive fixtures to 12 matches on Friday.

Even if Southgate rests senior players with an eye on Tuesday's qualifier against Italy, in-form Premier League stars such as Bowen and Watkins could be too sharp for the Socceroos.

England have kept clean sheets in eight of their last 10 friendly wins and the 2-0 correct score looks a good bet against Australia, who were beaten by that margin by world champions Argentina in a friendly in June.

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