England v New Zealand Predictions and Best Bets

England begin their World Cup preparations with a clash against New Zealand in Florida on Saturday and William Hill News are here to preview the upcoming friendly.

While New Zealand have enjoyed some positive moments in recent years, including qualifying for the upcoming World Cup, the All Whites arrive as clear underdogs against an England side who will be looking to hit the ground running in their push for international silverware. The Three Lions’ depth, quality, and international experience all point towards a comfortable night for Thomas Tuchel’s men. Here’s how the markets look ahead of the friendly:

England – 1/9

Draw – 15/2

New Zealand –  25/1

Our prediction

England To Win and 3+ Goals – 1/2

England may have endured a frustrating March international break, but there remains a significant gap between these two nations. New Zealand suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Haiti in their most recent outing and have struggled for consistency against stronger oppositions.

New Zealand will likely spend much of the game without possession and could find opportunities difficult to come by against an England defence that have regularly kept clean sheets under Tuchel.

Team news and head-to-head

The Three Lions are expected to a field a relatively strong side as they fine-tune the preparations, and with the likes of Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, and Jude Bellingham available, England’s firepower may prove too much.

Tuchel has enjoyed a positive start since taking charge, overseeing victories in his opening fixtures while continuing to implement his preferred style of play. The England boss may also use this friendly as an opportunity to hand minutes to some of the squads less experienced players such as Dean Henderson, Djed Spence, Nico O’Reilly, Jarrell Quansah, Tino Livramento and Eliot Anderson who all currently sit on less than 10 caps.

New Zealand arrive as Oceania’s leading nation and have World Cup experience, but they have historically found life difficult against elite European competition. The All Whites will hope to disrupt England’s preparations, but they face a considerable challenge against arguably one of the strongest sides in world football.

There is little head-to-head history between the sides, with their last meeting being in 1991 adding an element of intrigue, although England’s quality makes them the strong favourites.

How do the markets look?

The betting markets tell a fairly straightforward story, with England priced at 1/9 to get the job done. Meanwhile, with New Zealand being a 25/1 shot, any sort of result for them would be an upset from England’s perspective.

As a result, many punters may look towards alternative betting markets for value. England To Win To Nil is slightly more attractive at 4/9 given their defensive strength. Meanwhile, Harry Kane will inevitably feature prominently in the goalscorer markets, and he’s 2/1 To Score First.

Ultimately, this looks like a fixture England should win comfortably, and we expect the Three Lions to do so without conceding.

*Prices accurate at the time of writing – Odds subject to change*