Khalifa International Stadium will play host to Tuesday's FIFA World Cup game between England and Iran. The game kicks off at 12:00 am with England heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the England vs. Iran game and give you our free tips and bets.
When: Tuesday November 22, 2022 at 12:00 am
Where: Khalifa International Stadium
Bet: Bet On This Match HERE
England vs Iran Odds
England vs Iran Preview
Despite leading England to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and bringing them to within a penalty shootout of glory at Euro 2020, Gareth Southgate heads to Qatar as a man under pressure.
A risk-averse approach was initially deemed acceptable as Southgate rebuilt a team that had suffered humiliation at both Brazil 2014 and Euro 2016. However, frustration at the slow build-up play and lack of adventure was growing even before the Three Lions embarked on a woeful Uefa Nations League campaign in June.
Failure to win any of those six matches was bad enough but the run also resulted in home and away defeats to Hungary – including a 4-0 humbling on home soil – drab displays in a 0-0 draw and 1-0 defeat to Italy, plus draws home and away against Germany.
While Southgate was testing different squad options and formations – and will have been heartened by the spirit shown in September’s come-from-behind 3-3 draw against Germany – the failure to score in four of those six games is a concern given it arrived on the back of a Euro 2020 campaign in which a front three including Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling failed to ever really click.
An inability to construct quick passing transitions through the middle and failure to fully exploit the width of his preferred 3-4-3 has often left his attackers isolated. And while Southgate was arguably attempting to address that in the Nations League with tweaks to his formation and the introduction of exciting midfield prospect Jude Bellingham, it served only to sacrifice defensive solidity without bringing attacking improvement.
If Southgate craved a match in which his frontline could find form and cohesion, he could hardly have picked a less suitable opponent than Iran, who are led into the World Cup once again by Carlos Queiroz.
The Portuguese manager returned in September for his second spell in charge of Team Melli, having twice before led Iran into the World Cup finals. And this time he will feel his side has a better chance than ever of reaching the knockout stages.
Iran came close to escaping a group containing Spain and Portugal in 2018, with Mehdi Taremi blazing wide in the final seconds of a 1-1 draw against Portugal – had he converted that massive 95th-minute opportunity, Iran would have won the group rather than crash out.
Queiroz is likely to stick to what has served him well in previous World Cup tournaments and stay deep and compact in a 4-3-3, looking to hit England on the break with his talented front three.
Talisman Sardar Azmoun is in a race to be fit in time to lead the line, but fellow forward Taremi is ready to pick up the baton and make amends for 2018.
Taremi hit eight goals in qualifying for Iran and helped fire his club into the last 16 of the Uefa Champions League with goals and assists and will likely pose England their biggest threat and possibly be of interest in the goalscorer markets.
But there is genuine quality dotted across an experienced World Cup squad, with right-back Sadegh Moharrami another who has impressed in the Uefa Champions League, Alireza Jahanbakhsh an attacking threat and the majority of the first team playing in high-level European leagues.
England boast more talent and a deeper squad but they face a settled Iranian side who will know that the key to success is to spoil the Three Lions’ build-up play – and they have plenty of recent experience at stifling more illustrious opponents.
Content provided by Ladbrokes
Head To Head Bet
We're tipping England to win at $1.33 odds.
Correct Score:
Correct Score: England 2-0 at $4.80.