Euro 2024: England vs. Switzerland, Prediction, Preview and Betting Picks

England have their work cut out here and will have to put in an improved showing if they are to overcome the Swiss here. England can take comfort from the fact their two best attackers, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane, are in good goalscoring form having both notched two goals so far in this tournament.

Additionally, the fact England are in the quarter-finals without having performed well also bodes well, as any improvement in performance will likely yield even greater results. On top of that, England are still a good defensive unit and simply aren't an easy team to beat, even at their worst.

England have a very good record against Switzerland and while we expect them to spend a significant portion of the game under the cosh we think they'll have enough to get the job done. England 1-0 Switzerland.

As England and Switzerland prepare to clash in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 this Saturday, the match presents a fascinating contrast between two sides with very different tournament experiences thus far. England, having topped Group C with five points, come into this game under a cloud of criticism and disappointment. Meanwhile, Switzerland, finishing second in Group A with the same number of points, have impressed with their cohesive and dynamic performances.

• Date: 06/07/2024
• Kick-off time: 17:00
• Location: Merkur Spiel-Arena, Düsseldorf

England's journey through the group stage has been anything but smooth. Despite finishing at the top of Group C, their performances have left much to be desired. The team secured five points but did so in an unconvincing manner, and they have arguably been one of the biggest underperformers in the tournament so far.

Manager Gareth Southgate has come under intense scrutiny for his team selections and tactical decisions. Many of his choices have baffled fans and pundits alike, with criticisms mounting about his reluctance to make necessary changes during matches. The group stage saw England exhibit lethargic and uncoordinated play, and there were moments where the team looked outright incompetent.

The round of 16 clash against Slovakia did little to assuage concerns. Southgate made only one change to his starting XI, sticking rigidly to his initial game plan despite the team's evident struggles. The lack of timely substitutions exacerbated the situation, further alienating fans who have grown increasingly frustrated with Southgate's approach. This discontent marks a significant shift from the recent past, where there had been a noticeable improvement in the mood around the national team and a stronger connection between the team and its supporters.

England's current predicament harks back to the disillusionment of past tournaments, where high expectations often met with disappointing performances. The optimism and unity built recently seem to be eroding, and Southgate now faces the challenge of restoring faith and galvanising his squad for this crucial quarter-final.

In stark contrast, Switzerland have had a notably successful tournament so far. Finishing second in Group A with five points, they have emerged as one of the more impressive teams in Euro 2024. This generation of Swiss players has consistently maximised their talent, and their performances in this tournament have been a testament to their collective effectiveness.

The Swiss team has displayed remarkable fluidity and cohesion, with every player seemingly agreeing with their role and responsibilities. Granit Xhaka has been a standout performer in midfield, dominating the central areas with his physical presence, technical excellence and leadership. Defensively, Manuel Akanji and Fabian Schär have been rock solid, providing a sturdy foundation for the team to build upon.

Despite being considered underdogs by the bookies for this quarter-final, Switzerland will be quietly confident of their chances. The prospect of reaching the semi-finals of a major tournament for the first time in their history is a significant motivator, and their current form suggests they have the capability to achieve this milestone.

When it comes to historical encounters between these two teams, England have been the dominant force. They have won all the last five meetings against Switzerland, with the Swiss managing just one victory in their history – a 2-1 win in a World Cup qualifier back in 1981. This historical advantage might give England a psychological edge, but it also places additional pressure on them to maintain their winning streak against a Swiss side that is brimming with confidence.

As the quarter-final approaches, both teams have much to prove. England, despite their underwhelming performances so far, have the individual quality to turn things around. They need to find cohesion and urgency to justify their status as favourites. Switzerland, buoyed by their impressive displays, will be eager to make history by reaching the semi-finals. Their well-drilled unit and confident approach make them formidable opponents.

England vs. Switzerland will air across FOX networks Fox and Fox Sports 1 (FS1).

England Team News:

England will be without the services of one of their better performers in this tournament, Marc Guéhi, who is unavailable through suspension after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament against Slovakia. As things stand, Ezri Konsa is the leading candidate to replace him.

Kieran Trippier is a doubt after leaving the pitch injured in the round of 16, so if he's deemed unfit to start, then his replacement will be a tough one to call. Luke Shaw is fit, but probably not fit enough to start, so Joe Gomez seems like the logical choice to step in. There is, though, a chance that Konsa starts at left-back with Lewis Dunk filling in for Guéhi next to Stones. Other than that, don't expect Southgate to ring the changes.

Predicted lineup: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Konsa, Gomez; Mainoo, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane

Switzerland Team News:

The Swiss will have Silvan Widmer available for selection once again after he served a one-match suspension in the round of 16 tie against Italy, and he's expected to be recalled to the line-up.

That will likely be the only change to Switzerland's XI, which is a very settled starting team.

Predicted lineup: Sommer; Schär, Akanji, Rodríguez; Widmer, Freuler, Xhaka, Aebischer; Ndoye, Embolo, Vargas

England's tournament began with a laboured 1-0 win over Serbia thanks to an early goal from Jude Bellingham, a performance that has aged relatively well in comparison to what has followed it.

That game preceded a 1-1 draw against Denmark, a performance that was arguably the worst of the entire Gareth Southgate era. Harry Kane opened the scoring in the first half before England began to retreat and sit back in an attempt to defend the slender lead. Denmark equalised not long after amidst an England showing that barely resembled a professional team.

England's group stage finished with a 0-0 draw against Slovenia, a performance that capped off a shoddy opening three matches.

In the round of 16 things barely improved performance-wise as Gareth Southgate's men locked horns with Slovakia, but they did at least give the fans something to cheer about as they sealed a dramatic 2-1 win with a pair of very, very late goals. After falling 0-1 down in the first half, England struggled to break down an organised Slovakian side for the remainder of the 90 minutes in a performance that sparked serious discontent from the travelling crowd. However, in the 95th minute, a long throw-in from Kyle Walker was flicked on by Marc Guéhi before finding its way to Jude Bellingham who, in a show of outstanding acrobatics, placed an overhead kick into the corner to superbly draw England level.

A Harry Kane header early in extra-time won the game for England but serious questions still remain regarding the level the team are playing at.

Switzerland's campaign kicked off with a fine 3-1 win over Hungary where Kwadwo Duah, Michel Aebischer and Breel Embolo gave the Swiss a fine opening game result.

A much more subdued performance followed that game as Switzerland were held to a 1-1 draw by Scotland in what was, by a distance, their worst performance of the tournament despite a wonder goal from the ever-reliable Xherdan Shaqiri.

In Switzerland's third game, they very much put themselves back on track as they went within a whisker of beating hosts Germany in a game that finished 1-1. Switzerland took the lead after half an hour through Dan Ndoye and managed to frustrate Germany for most of the remaining hour, but substitute Niclas Füllkrug pulled the Germans level in injury-time to prevent Switzerland from topping the group.

The Swiss took on Italy in the round of 16 and delivered what was one of the finest performances of the tournament so far. Switzerland effectively cruised to a 2-0 win, with the goals coming from Remo Freuler and Ruben Vargas, in a game where they displayed a technical level well above that of the Italians. Switzerland were fluid, effective and easy on the eye as they outclassed Italy in almost every sense of the word.

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