Harry Kane

England vs Croatia tips and predictions: Harry Kane to shine on record-breaking night


Football betting tips: Nations League

1pt Harry Kane to score first at 5/2 (General)

1pt Kane to score 2+ goals at 14/5 (Coral)

0.5pt Kane to score a hat-trick at 10/1 (Sky Bet)

1pt Kane 1+ assists at 4/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes)

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair

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Kick-off: 19:45 GMT, Thursday

TV: ITV1

Live odds, form and stats


England have bounced back impressively from their heartbreaking World Cup semi-final exit to Argentina.

After winning a madcap third-place play-off against France 6-4 they went toe to toe with world and European champions Spain in their Nations League opener. Individual mistakes - crucial defensive errors by Marc Guehi and Nico O'Reilly and a missed Harry Kane penalty - ultimately proved decisive.

Either side of an astonishing 7-0 win in Croatia, the Czech Republic were beaten 2-0 and 3-0 to mean in reality the Three Lions have already qualified for the Nations League quarter-finals. They will officially do so by avoiding a seven-goal defeat on Thursday.

england v croatia

Thomas Tuchel's men have plenty to play for as they aim to keep alive hopes of topping the group ahead of Sunday's decider in Madrid. Last-eight ties are played over two legs so considering this tournament is already heavily tiered there is no huge advantage for group winners, although it is likely to mean avoiding probable Group A1 table-toppers France.

That ought to result in a full strength England line-up, with the only question mark being over Jude Bellingham who would miss the meeting with Spain were he to pick up a booking against Croatia.

Guehi's withdrawal and O'Reilly's absence from the squad mean Bellingham is the only Three Lions player at risk. With cards not wiped until after the quarter-finals this match would've been the perfect time to serve a suspension, just as Myles Lewis-Skelly will.

Harry Kane (right) and Spain's Alexia Putellas
Harry Kane (right) and Spain's Alexia Putellas

Anyway, enough of the match context - this night will rightly be all about HARRY KANE.

As fate would have it, the England captain's first international match after winning the Ballon d'Or will see him become his country's most capped men's player, breaking Peter Shilton's longstanding record of 125.

It feels improbable that on such a landmark occasion Croatia, who have conceded 13 goals in three games, will keep Kane quiet.

KANE TO SCORE FIRST (5/2), TO SCORE 2+ GOALS (14/5) and TO SCORE A HAT-TRICK (10/1) are all backed to appropriate stakes.

In six of the last 12 matches in which he has scored for England he has done so multiple times, and was a missed penalty away from another brace against Spain. He has also broken the deadlock in eight of the last 17 non-World Cup internationals he has started.

HARRY KANE

Finally, KANE 1+ ASSISTS (4/1) is also backed.

While he may have only assisted twice in his 11 England appearances since the start of the World Cup, the 33-year-old has recently burst into life as a creator for Bayern Munich.

In all competitions last season Kane provided eight assists in 56 games with five in 31 in the Bundesliga. This term he has 11 in 13 already in the top-flight and Champions League.


Odds correct at 15:30 GMT (10/11/26)

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