England v Albania: Use Betfair Build-Ups to back 6/5 Foden to outfire Bellingham

• Neither player has enjoyed a vintage season

• Bellingham the more clinical of the two

• Foden's recent international output edges it

Match Ups - Foden to have more SOT than Bellingham

Until Thomas Tuchel's first England starting XI is leaked later today, or revealed later this evening, we remain in the dark regarding half of his team.

The centre-back pairing is up for debate. Down the left, it could just as easily be Anthony Gordon or Marcus Rashford.

As well as Pickford, Rice and team captain Harry Kane, however, surely Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden are nailed-on starters.

Both were legitimately described as generational talents as they burst onto the scene. Both have the rare and elite skill-sets to single-handedly turn a game on its head, whether that be for England, Real Madrid or Manchester City. It would be a shock if either were on the bench tonight, put it that way.

The only unknown really is where these world-class talents are deployed.

The rumour mill has it that Tuchel may go with just two in midfield, Rice and Bellingham, although others are suggesting that Curtis Jones will be drafted in, to allow the latter to venture forward at will.

As for Foden, almost every account worth listening to has him stationed on the right and this in itself lends weight to the City man out-shooting Bellingham at Wembley, simply by virtue of inhabiting a more advanced area.

The similarities between the two has led some to christen them the modern-day Gerrard and Lampard, with evidence already hinting that it's difficult to get the best out of both. It will therefore be fascinating to see how Tuchel attempts to rectify that potential problem tonight.

Another similarity is that neither player has enjoyed a vintage campaign in 2024/25. There have been injuries and dips in form. Both have struggled to reach the extremely high bar they respectively set last term.

Still, their numbers at club level remain pretty solid, as illustrated below.

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Concerning these figures we must begin with a caveat, which is Manchester City's dramatic decline since early October.

For Foden to maintain a lofty 2.8 shots per 90, amidst chaos and unexpected losses, and all while endeavouring to rediscover his usual spark, is to his enormous credit.

Bellingham too has experienced some bumps in the road this past year, but it helps him significantly that he is surrounded by a Champions League-winning collective, often indomitable and brilliant.

It's no coincidence that the midfielder's best spell this season - accruing 12 goal involvements in 10 in La Liga between November and January - coincided with Real also being at their best, winning eight and drawing one of those fixtures.

This is not to downplay Bellingham's numbers, and it's surprising that he has been the more clinical of the duo, with a shot accuracy of 36.5% to Foden's 32%. In previous campaigns you can flip that, hence the City man's 'Sniper' nickname and celebration.

Indeed - and crucial to this bet - it can be flipped on the international stage. Bellingham has failed to score or trouble the keeper in four of his last five England outings. In two of them he didn't post a single attempt on goal either.

Foden, by comparison, has taken on three SOT in his last five appearances for his country. And if the Sniper's aim is true, we can expect more of the same at Wembley against a stoic but inferior Albania.

Now read Ste Tudor's England v Albania betting preview here