Hi there and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s stay protection of Malta v England in Ta’ Qali. On the flip of the twenty first century, the cliché developed that there have been not any simple video games in worldwide soccer. England’s latest qualification for main tournaments would recommend in any other case. Since failing to achieve Euro 2008 their document in these video games is P66 W53 D11 L2 F207 A30 Pts 170.
Two of these wins have been towards Malta, together with Gareth Southgate’s first recreation as supervisor again in October 2016. (Good luck naming the beginning XI for that one.) You’d have gotten lengthy odds then, as he cleaned up the empty pints of wine left by Sam Allardyce, that he’d nonetheless be in cost almost seven years later – or that England would have reached a World Cup semi-final and are available inside a penalty shootout of successful a European Championship that was delayed by a yr due to a worldwide pandemic.
England’s ambitions have not often been increased, and, for now a minimum of, qualification for main tournaments has grow to be a formality. Something however a cushty win tonight could be on the seismic facet of stunning. Malta are 172nd on the earth, sandwiched between Moldova and Bermuda, and have misplaced all 5 video games towards England (though they nearly drew a madcap pleasant in 2000).
Certainly one of Southgate’s important jobs is to maintain the temper calm and steady as England construct in direction of Euro 2024, which is now lower than a yr away. Tonight’s recreation is adopted by North Macedonia at dwelling on Monday, and after the occasions in Istanbul final weekend, Manchester Metropolis’s John Stones, Kyle Walker, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish are on the bench.
Kick-off is at 7.45pm BST, 8.45pm in Malta.
