Having skipped the last round of UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers to participate in the Nations League Finals, England recommence their bid to reach next summer’s tournament as they welcome Bulgaria to Wembley Stadium.
England are still top of Qualifying Group A whilst Bulgaria have drawn their last two qualifiers, so will be hoping to cause an upset as they look to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesManchester United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka is absent for England after withdrawing earlier this week with a back injury.
Gareth Southgate could meanwhile hand Tyrone Mings, James Maddison and Mason Mount their first international caps, although one of Maddison or Mount could start after Jesse Lingard missed Friday training with illness,
Bulgaria have a full strength squad available for selection.
Stat Attack
- England are unbeaten in ten meetings with Bulgaria (W6, D4).
- Six of their meetings have come in UEFA Euro Qualifiers with England taking 14 points out of a possible 18 (W4, D2).
- Nikolay Bodurov, Georgi Sarmov and Ivelin Popov of Bulgaria are the only three surviving players from the last meeting between these teams in September 2011.
- Bulgaria has scored just one goal at Wembley in five previous trips to London, with Georgi Asparoukov opening the scoring in a 1-1 draw in December 1968 of which Sir Geoff Hurst equalised just three minutes afterwards.
- If Raheem Sterling scores, he will become the first England player to score in three consecutive Euro qualifiers since Michael Own in June-September 2007.
Prediction
After a tough summer, England look fresh with a healthy injection of young blood which is a huge positive looking ahead to next summer and Bulgaria shouldn’t pose much of a problem given the quality between teams.
Prediction: England 3-0 Bulgaria