Croatia host England in Saturday's UEFA Nations League fixture in Rijeka and the Three Lions are expected to frank the form of their 2026 World Cup meeting.
Thomas Tuchel's men turned on the style to beat Croatia 4-2 in their opening group fixture in the summer but the teams are level on three points after two rounds of Group A3 matches.
Croatia v England Tips Summary
Best Bet - England to win & both teams to score @ 11/5
Alternative Bet - Jude Bellingham to be first goalscorer @ 13/2
Bet Builder - Over 2 goals, Both teams to receive a card - No & Harry Kane to score @ 11/2
Croatia v England Prediction
Best Bet: England to win & both teams to score @ 11/5
England kept their first clean sheet in seven matches in this week's 2-0 victory over Czechia but their defence faces a tougher test in Croatia.
The Three Lions were helped by the Czechs being reduced to 10 men in the 25th minute before goals from the in-form Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane secured three points.
Tuchel's men looked far more vulnerable at the back in their 3-2 defeat to world champions Spain on matchday one.
However, they scored twice – and would have had a third but for a rare Kane penalty miss – against a Spain side who conceded only one goal in eight World Cup matches.
England's forwards certainly look more convincing than their defenders so the visitors should be backed to win a game in which both teams score.
Croatia, like England, have beaten the Czechs and lost to Spain in their first two Nations League matches.
Both teams scored in those two games and there have been goals at both ends in 10 of Croatia's last 12 internationals.
But the 2018 World Cup runners-up have struggled to upset the odds against stronger teams recently.
They lost to Brazil and Belgium in friendly fixtures before the World Cup and were beaten 4-2 by England and 2-1 by Portugal at the finals.
Spain eased to a 4-1 victory over Slaven Bilic's side on Tuesday and England have the firepower to prevail in an entertaining contest in Rijeka.
Alternative Bet: Jude Bellingham to be first goalscorer @ 13/2
Jude Bellingham only came on for the last 20 minutes against the Czechs on Tuesday so he is expected to return to the starting line-up on Saturday.
The Real Madrid star is thriving in the number-10 role for England and looks a good bet to open the scoring against Croatia.
Bellingham has had three shots on target in 110 minutes of Nations League action, having scored in three of his first five starts for Real in La Liga this term.
He was outstanding at the World Cup, where the first of his seven goals was a smart finish in the group victory against Croatia.
Croatia v England Bet Builder Tip
Over 2 goals
Both teams to receive a card - No
Harry Kane to score
Pays 11/2
There have been over 2.5 goals in 11 of Croatia's last 13 matches and England kicked off their Nations League campaign with a wide-open 3-2 home defeat to Spain.
Both teams to receive a card - no looks a good Bet Builder selection. Only one Spain player was booked in their Group A3 wins over England and Croatia, whose World Cup group-stage meeting did not feature a single yellow card.
Harry Kane scored twice in the World Cup win over Croatia and he has found the net eight times in his last seven appearances for Bayern Munich and England.
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Key Match Stats
Both teams have scored in 10 of Croatia's last 12 matches
Croatia were drawing at half-time in five of their last seven internationals
Four of Croatia's last five victories were by a 2-1 margin
Four of England's last eight competitive wins were by a 2-0 scoreline
England winger Anthony Gordon has contributed four assists in his first five league starts for Barcelona
The Three Lions have kept only one clean sheet in their last seven matches
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
