The Three Lions begin the new season of the Nations League with a trip to Hungary. England also arrives at this fixture carrying a 22 game unbeaten run.
Group C of League A is presumably the hardest group to escape with Euro champions Italy and a new look Germany to play for both these nations.
HUN vs ENG UEFA Nations League 2022-23 Match Details
Date: Saturday, 4th June 2022
Time: 18:00 (CET)/ 21:30 (IST)
Venue: Puskas Arena Park, Budapest
HUN vs ENG UEFA Nations League 2022-23 Match Preview
Marco Rossi’s side finished three points off from a qualification playoff stage for the World Cup in an otherwise decent campaign and had England in their group that time too. Although they lost heavily to the Three Lions at home, the 1-1 draw at Wembley was a notable one for their progress. There was no reward to show for their excellent performance in the Euros facing France, Portugal and Germany all in the same group but another resolute challenge awaits them in the Nations League. Die Mannschaft will again stand in their way and a wounded Italian side winning the last summer’s tournament. Hungary are indisputably the underdogs in this group with England itself to face twice this month. Their Nations League campaign last time out is something to be optimistic about though. The Magyars topped their group in League B containing Russia, Turkey and Serbia with three more points and a positive goal difference to show. While it won’t be a clean sweep this time out, it gets to show their spirits and fearlessness in these competitions. Hungary can easily cause upsets if the other favorites in the group aren’t careful. Their backdrop has only been the crowd control and unacceptable behavior which is quite opposite to the task they do on the pitch.
The last time England played at the Puskas Arena last September for World Cup qualification, few of their players were racially abused by the Hungary supporters. Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling was someone targeted inexorably. Despite having a spectator ban the next time when England steps onto the pitch, thousands of children will be allowed to witness the game with 3600 of those being adults. Understandably, manager Southgate was surprised by UEFA’s decision and he asks for zero tolerance from young fans. On the pitch that evening, the Three Lions destroyed the hosts by 4-0 so a similar expectation is on the side this time out. England will be looking out to see off this game swiftly before the big boys increase the level of the task to compete with. However, they cannot take this Hungary side lightly even with an indomitable record in their hands. The pressure of carrying on the streak over two years should push the team further with the World Cup knocking. Southgate’s men had the best ending in the Nations League a third-place finish in the inaugural season of the competition although England failed to get out of the group stages last time out. The 2-0 loss to group leaders Belgium back in 2020 is the last they suffered since.
Recent Form
Hungary: WLWWD
England: WWWWD
HUN vs ENG UEFA Nations League 2022-23 Team News
Hungary kept the squad of friendlies played in March with Kevin Varga only dropping out. There has been some new addition to the squad with four uncapped players called up. Coach Marco Rossi has no injury concerns to deal with.
There is an injury blow for England as Phil Foden won’t be available for the match and also against Germany after pulling out from the squad due to Covid. Southgate says a late decision to involve Raheem Sterling is pending with the 27-year-old missing training for a couple of days due to illness. Earlier Ben White has withdrawn from the squad with an injury while Marc Guehi and Fikayo Tomori, the other centre-backs will also miss out against Hungary. Southgate has left out Jordan Henderson from the squad.
HUN vs ENG UEFA Nations League 2022-23 Expected Lineups
Hungary: Peter Gulacsi; Attila Fiola, Willi Orban, Attila Szalai; Loic Nego, Adam Nagy, Andras Schafer, Zsolt Nagy; Adam Sallai, Dominik Szoboszlai; Adam Szalai
England: Jordan Pickford; Kyle Walker, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Kieran Trippier; Declan Rice, Kalvin Phillips; Bukayo Saka, Mason Mount, Jack Grealish; Harry Kane
HUN vs ENG Head to Head
Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane, Harry Maguire and Declan Rice all scored in the second half as England routed Hungary in Budapest last time out. England are unbeaten against Friday’s hosts in 15 successive games with their last defeat coming in the 1962 World Cup. They have won six on the bounce against them. However, the Three Lion’s three losses in 24 games in total in this fixture have come on the trip.
HUN vs ENG UEFA Nations League 2022-23 Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Pickford (8.5)
DEF: Walker (9), Stones (8), Orban (8.5), Attila Szalai (8)
MID: Szoboszlai (9.5), Mount (9.5), Rice (8), Saka (8.5)
FW: Sallai (9), Kane (10)
Captain: Harry Kane
Vice-captain: Declan Rice
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