*Odds are subject to change

We arrived on the final day of June and the first weekend of knockout football for Euro 2024 in Germany. Sunday’s schedule brings two eye-catching games, and we get things moving in Gelsenkirchen. England aims to make an overdue return to winning ways following two draws in Group C. The Three Lions play Slovakia in the last 16, with the winner progressing to the quarter-finals.

Gareth Southgate and his Three Lions team were jeered and heckled as they slumped off the pitch following a frustrating and disappointing draw with Slovenia on Tuesday. They now face a Slovakia side that ended third in Group E behind Romania and Belgium. Will England live up to expectations and claim the win, or will Slovakia pull off an upset? Keep reading for our preview and predictions.

• Location: Gelsenkirchen
• Stadium: Arena AufSchalke
• Date: 30 June 2024
• Kick-Off Time: 18:00 CEST (17:00 BST)
• Referee:?Umut Meler
• VAR:?Marco Fritz

England Team News

What’s wrong with this England team? Have the players frozen on the big occasion, or is the manager to blame? Perhaps the media frenzy is over the top, and England will come out good when it matters most. Those are the questions most England fans are asking themselves after seeing their team stumble through the group phase with a win and two draws. They topped the pool, but it was anything but convincing.

If England ever needed a win and convincing performance, it was now. They face Slovakia in the last 16, knowing nothing less than victory, a few goals scored, and another strong defensive showing that will attract even more outrage. The team must ignore the pressure and concentrate on beating Slovakia. If these nations met ten times, you’d expect England to grab at least seven wins. But pressure does funny things to players on the big stage.

Slovakia Team News

Slovakia surprised their critics by making it out of the group stages and into knockout football. They ended third in Group E, with stats showing a win, loss, and draw, earning four points, scoring three goals, and conceding three. It’s difficult to know what to expect from Slovakia, as they have lacked consistency in Germany. Do they have a big effort in the tank? We’ll find out in this knockout fixture.

The interesting thing about Group E was that all teams ended on four points, meaning Slovakia finished joint-top of the pool, but they also posted the same results as Ukraine, which ended in the bottom spot and headed home after three games. We must bide our time to see how good this Slovakian team can be, but they deserve England’s respect for making it this far.

England vs Slovakia H2H Record and Key Numbers

Regular readers of our Euro 2024 previews already know we like to trust the trends, and it’s no different ahead of England vs. Slovakia. When looking through the head-to-head stats, we note these nations have met six times previously, with England unbeaten in that time.

England have five wins and one draw, with the most recent clash coming in a World Cup qualifier in 2017. The Three Lions won that game with a 2-1 scoreline thanks to goals from Eric Dier and Marcus Rashford. Interestingly, there has been no more than one goal between the teams in their last three, a run stretching back to 2009.

Possible Lineups

• England (4-2-3-1): Pickford – Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier – Alexander-Arnold, Rice – Saka, Bellingham, Foden – Kane
• Slovakia (4-3-3): Dubravka – Hancko, Skriniar, Vavro, Pekaric – Duda, Lobotka, Kucka – Haraslin, Strelec, Schranz

Where to Watch England vs Slovakia Euro 2024 – TV and Online Live Streaming

In the UK, you can follow the build-up, watch the game live, and enjoy the live post-match analysis on ITV and the ITV app. In Slovakia, the game will be broadcast on Markiza TV.

Match Prediction

It’s difficult what to make of this England team. If you were to go on the results, they won the group without hitting top gear, and that would be more than good enough for many major nations at Euro 2024. But if you follow the media, you’ll believe this England team is rattled and there for the taking.

The criticism aimed at England has been harsh, and I expect them to respond with a big performance and a convincing win over Slovakia. The draw has been kind to the Three Lions, and they have the firepower to blast themselves into the quarter-finals.

For more England vs Slovakia betting tips, you can check the predictions page for this game with tips from users.