England v North Macedonia predictions and odds: Hosts should ease to Old Trafford victory

Where to watch England v North Macedonia

Channel 4, 7.45pm Monday

Best bet

England to win 3-0
1pt 5-1 bet365, BoyleSports

England v North Macedonia odds

England 1-8
North Macedonia 28-1
Draw 17-2

Odds correct at time of publishing

England v North Macedonia team news

England
Bukayo Saka came off with an ankle injury against Malta and may not be risked so Phil Foden could start along with Manchester City teammates Kyle Walker and John Stones, who were rested for Friday's win.

North Macedonia
Centre-back Visar Musliu is suspended after being sent off for two bookable offences against Ukraine. Darko Velkovski is set to deputise.

England v North Macedonia predictions

In the June 2022 international break England scored just one goal – a Harry Kane penalty – in four Nations League fixtures against Hungary, Germany and Italy.

A year on, however, the Three Lions are enjoying a more successful June and they should follow up Friday's 4-0 Euro 2024 qualifying win in Malta with a similarly smooth success against North Macedonia at Old Trafford.

Gareth Southgate's England are a ruthless winning machine in World Cup and European Championship qualifying and, while North Macedonia are respected – they beat Italy in last year's World Cup playoff semi-final at odds of 18-1 – they should be outclassed in Manchester.

Southgate is likely to make changes to the side who eased past Malta last week and, ominously for England's opponents, his reserves include Manchester City treble winners Kyle Walker, John Stones, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips.

England cleared the toughest hurdle in their qualifying campaign in March, defeating European champions Italy 2-1 in Naples, and they followed up with a comfortable 2-0 home win over Ukraine in which Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka scored late in the first half.

They were 3-0 up inside 31 minutes in Malta, thanks to an own goal, a long-range strike from midfield man Trent Alexander-Arnold, and a Kane penalty, and another strong start can be expected against North Macedonia.

The visitors blew a 2-0 lead at home to Ukraine on Friday, conceding three goals in the final half an hour to lose 3-2. They beat Malta 2-1 in their opening qualifier but ended last year's Nations League campaign with three defeats in four games, failing to score in two losses to Georgia and a home reverse against Bulgaria.

Napoli midfielder Elif Elmas, who scored in the qualifiers against Malta and Ukraine, is a class act but few of the other North Macedonia players will worry England and a 3-0 home victory looks a decent bet in the correct-score market.

The Three Lions have kept clean sheets in five of their last seven competitive games, with the exceptions being the win in Italy and the World Cup defeat to France, and they beat Wales and Senegal by a 3-0 margin in Qatar last year.

Key stat

England have conceded only four goals in their last 16 World Cup and European Championship qualifying matches

Probable teams

England (4-3-3): Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Alexander-Arnold, Rice, Henderson; Foden, Kane, Rashford 

North Macedonia (4-3-3): Dimitrievski; Ristovski, Zajkov, Velkovski, Alioski; Bardhi, Ademi, Elmas; Ashkovski, Nestorovski, Trajkovski

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