England host Australia at Wembley Stadium in an international friendly.
This clash sees England continue their preparations towards UEFA Euro 2024, with a qualifier against Italy to come next week.
Team News
Bukayo Saka is ruled out for England after he withdrew from the squad with a hamstring injury, which forced him to sit out Arsenal’s Premier League win over Manchester City.
Australia will be without midfielder, Riley McGree after he withdrew from the squad with a foot injury, which he suffered during Middlesbrough’s recent win over Cardiff City in the Championship.
When is Kick-Off?
England host Australia at Wembley Stadium, London, on Friday 13 October in a 7:45pm BST kick-off, live on Channel 4 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- England are unbeaten six of seven previous international friendlies against Australia (W4, D2, L1).
- Australia have won one of two previous away friendlies against England (W1, L1).
- Both teams have scored in each of their two previous friendlies played on English soil, with England scoring three goals to Australia’s four goals.
- This is England’s first clash against Australia to be played at Wembley Stadium, although Australia did win their only previous match in London by 3-1 result in February 2003 at Upton Park.
- England have scored nine goals in two home matches in 2023 in all competitions without conceding, during which Harry Kane has scored three goals.
- Australia have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five matches in all competitions (W1, D1, L3).
Prediction
Having outclassed Scotland in a friendly last month with fantastic attacking energy and movement, England now need to continue building upon that progress here so that they head into that crunch qualifier with momentum still behind them.
Australia meanwhile are defensively vulnerable at times which is something that England will surely look to test early with their high-intensity play, yet the Socceroos have proven themselves to be a strong attacking danger so I do expect them to try and cause trouble if can attack at pace.
England though do have the superior quality to claim an easy win if they play at their peak – even without Saka with Ollie Watkins and Jarrod Bowen capable of filling his right-wing role, although the Aussies won’t make this easy if they can keep it tight at the back.
Prediction: England 3-1 Australia
Result: England 1-0 Australia