England
It was by no means easy for England stars to cope with the Euro 2016 failure and shift their focus to the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, but they have so far done even better then expected in terms of results, although their performances still leave a lot to be desired. Interim manager Gareth Southgate has steadied the ship after the departure of Big Sam, and many believe he deserves to become the new England manager. Team’s performance in the impressive 3-0 triumph over Scotland will do his chances no harm as the comfortable triumph over the old rivals must have done wonders for the players’ confidence. Oddly enough, the Three Lions scored three headed goals in said match as Daniel Sturridge, Adam Lallana and Gary Cahill all got on the scoresheet, but they’ve played some good football on the ground as well. Eager to keep the momentum going, Gareth Southgate is likely to resist temptation to make wholesale changes to the side, but we should see a couple of new players nonetheless. It is important to note that England have yet to concede in the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign, but the impressive record will be put to a serious test against Spain.
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Team News
Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has been allowed to return to his club as he attempts to build fitness following a lengthy absence from action.
Eric Dier and Daniel Sturridge could be rested, with Jack Wilshere and Jamie Vardy expected to start on Tuesday evening.
Spain
Spain’s long reign in the world football stage ended a couple of years back and La Furia Roja have been trying hard to return to where they belong. After Vicente Del Bosque had taken the national team as far as he could, former Under-21 boss Julen Lopetegui was appointed as his successor. The new boss has added some fresh blood to the side, and while this is still a team in the making, they have done pretty well at the start of the new qualifying campaign. After defeating Belgium on the road in an international friendly, Spain went on to take ten points from first four qualifiers, recording comfortable triumphs over Liechtenstein, Albania and FYR Macedonia, while sharing spoils with Italy in Turin. La Furia Roja will now lock horns with revived England in the final match of the year, and they will want to record another morale-boosting victory. Just like his counterpart, Julen Lopetegui is expected to make some changes to his starting line-up, but he is bound to field a strong side at Wembley. Spain are eager to prove they should still be regarded as one of world’s top teams and a victory in London would definitely be a step in the right direction.
Team News
Barcelona full-back Sergi Roberto should be recalled after Julen Lopetegui didn’t want to risk him in the FYR Macedonia clash, while Alvaro Morata has shaken off a minor knock.
Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Javi Martinez, Andres Iniesta and Diego Costa are all unavailable through injury.
Key Factors to Consider
- Spain won four of last five meetings with England
- At least one team failed to score in their last eight meetings
- England won two of last three home games vs Spain (L1)
- La Furia Roja have yet to lose under Julen Lopetegui
- England kept four clean sheets in as many 2018 World Cup qualifiers
Conclusion
Both sides will be without some important players going into Tuesday’s game and considering that their previous meetings have produced just a handful of goals, we fully expect the trend to continue, especially as both managers will want their teams to end the year on a high.
Verdict: Both teams to score – No
