England vs Croatia: Prediction, Tips and Odds | Nations League

Harry Kane will make a record 126th England appearance and see his Ballon d'Or win celebrated before kick-off at Wembley on Thursday (7:45pm), when the Three Lions face Croatia in the UEFA Nations League.

Slaven Bilic's Checkered Ones arrive without a point from their last three games, including the 7-0 defeat to Thomas Tuchel's side in Rijeka last month, while the hosts know that a draw will be enough to secure a place in the quarter-finals.

England vs Croatia preview and Nations League form

England have produced an impressive campaign so far, only failing to prevail on the opening night when Spain won 3-2 at Wembley on September 26, a match that remains the single game in which the nation have conceded.

The Three Lions answered the defeat with three straight victories by an aggregate score of 12-0, beginning with a 2-0 triumph in Czechia three days later.

England's 7-0 win in Rijeka on October 3 showed how quickly Tuchel's team can take a game away from an opponent, with Kane, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka all scoring to make it 4-0 by half-time.

Three days later, the manager rested Gordon and Saka against Czechia at Wembley yet the machine kept running, as Kane scored twice and Vladimir Coufal turned in a cross from the Bayern Munich striker for an own goal in a 3-0 win.

Those successes have left England second on nine points, three behind leaders Spain, and a draw on Thursday would take them to 10, a total Croatia would not be able to reach.

Croatia opened their group stage with a 2-1 win in Czechia on September 26, when Luka Modric netted the first goal and Mario Pasalic the winner, but they have lost all three games since.

A 4-1 defeat in Spain three days later began the slide, and the 7-0 loss to England in Rijeka on October 3 turned it into a collapse.

The return game with Spain showed Croatia can still hurt a strong side, as Ivan Perisic headed them in front, but La Roja equalised in the 61st minute and won it two minutes from time after Perisic had been sent off for a second yellow card.

Those results leave Croatia with four goals scored and 14 conceded, a goal difference of -10, and half of those concessions came against England.

Bilic has been realistic about the team's targets, saying that staying in League A matters most at this stage, and that a third-place finish would help Croatia en route to Euro 2028 qualifying.

Readers who would like to compare operators before the game can browse the newly launched UK betting sites in our latest ranking.

England vs Croatia team news and predicted lineups

England team news

Marc Guehi withdrew with a hip injury and Ezri Konsa, who took a knock to the knee, is out because Tuchel does not want to risk him, so England need a new centre-back pairing.

Jarell Quansah and Jarrad Branthwaite are the likeliest partnership, with Dan Burn, who was called up for Guehi, and the uncapped James Hill, who has played every Premier League minute for Bournemouth this season, as the alternatives.

Saka, who scored twice in Rijeka, was not named in the squad because of a quadriceps injury that is set to keep him out for weeks.

That leaves a vacancy on the right of the attack, where Tuchel has pointed to Morgan Rogers, who scored as a substitute in Rijeka, as the likelier starter ahead of 18-year-old Rio Ngumoha.

Myles Lewis-Skelly is suspended after being booked in both games against Czechia, while Declan Rice, back after missing the last camp, should partner Elliot Anderson in midfield.

England predicted lineup vs Croatia

Jordan Pickford; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Quansah, Branthwaite, Lewis Hall; Rice, Anderson; Rogers, Ju Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.

Croatia team news

Perisic is suspended, which costs Croatia the player who headed them in front against Spain, although he is eligible for the visit of Czechia on November 15.

The suspension is only part of the problem, because Josip Sutalo and Marin Pongracic are both out with respective hamstring and muscle injuries, while Andrej Kramaric and Franjo Ivanovic are also unavailable.

Sutalo's and Pongracic's absences leave Croatia short at centre-back, where Luka Vuskovic and Duje Caleta-Car are expected to start against England's attack.

Luka Sucic has a fever, shared by several of his Real Sociedad team-mates, and Bilic says he is 99 per cent certain to miss the game.

Kristijan Jakic has a knee ligament injury and, although he joined the camp with a view to completing medical tests, he is reported to be out of both remaining Nations League games.

Modric and Kovacic should start in midfield behind Nikola Vlasic, Pasalic and Martin Baturina, with Ante Budimir expected to lead the line.

Anyone comparing markets before kick-off can start with the best gambling sites football bettors can choose from.

Croatia predicted lineup vs England

Livakovic; Stanisic, Vuskovic, Caleta-Car, Gvardiol; Modric, Kovacic; Vlasic, Pasalic, Baturina; Budimir.

Head-to-head: England vs Croatia

England won both meetings this year, 4-2 at the World Cup in Dallas in June, and by seven goals in Rijeka last month.

The Three Lions have scored 33 goals to Croatia's 15 across the 13 meetings between the sides, and have lost only three of them.

Bilic has beaten England at Wembley before, as Croatia coach in November 2007, when a 3-2 win ended England's hopes of reaching Euro 2008, though his only other Wembley visit as Croatia coach ended in a 5-1 England win in September 2009.

Anyone new to betting can find the basics explained in our betting guides.

Our England vs Croatia prediction and betting tips

England are expected to win comfortably, but a reshuffled centre-back pairing gives Croatia a realistic route to score a goal.

Those placing a bet can read a full breakdown of football markets in our Betfred review.

New customers can check the latest sign-up terms on our Betfred promo code page.

Odds correct as of Wednesday 11 November, 17:30 GMT.