Mexico v England Betting Pointers: Back extra-time at Azteca plus whopping 33/1 Three Lions Bet Builder

Azteca a tough ask for disjointed England

Click here for more Mexico v England odds
Monday 6 June, 01:00 kick-off
Live on BBC1
Azteca Stadium, Mexico City

England are not just playing Mexico in the early hours of Monday morning. They're encountering the altitude and fiery environs of the Azteca.

Having finally lifted their fifth game curse, El Tri will be roared on by 80,000 zealots and this would be an intimidating challenge even if Thomas Tuchel's men were in the best of shapes.

Currently, that's anything but the case.

The fitness and availability of Stones and Saka are subject to speculation while Tuchel has no specialist right-back to call upon after selecting two injury-jinxed full-backs who promptly got injured.

Then there's the opening 20-or-so minutes against DR Congo to consider, the most disjointed, flat and nervy display by the Three Lions in living memory.

Not for the first time, England looked to Harry Kane to dig them out of a hole, and dig them out he did.

Returning to the right-back conundrum, it hardly helps that Mexico's most impactful player does his best work down that flank.

Julián Quiñones has been superb in three of his four outings to date and is 21/103.10 to add to his four goal involvements.

The scary prospect of extra-time

Only Belgium have taken more attempts on goal than England while only three teams have registered more on target.

They are knocking at the door plenty.

The problem is a lack of clinical finishing, that and coming up against some excellent goalkeeping. Combined, the stoppers of Croatia, Ghana, Panama and DR Congo have pulled off 19 saves to deny Kane and company.

That excuses Tuchel's men, but only to an extent. Their 11% conversion rate is the third worst of the 25 teams who have scored five or more goals.

Obviously, it would be lovely - from an England perspective - if this costly flaw resolved itself overnight, but logic suggests otherwise. Especially, when we factor in that Mexico are one of only two sides yet to concede in the tournament.

If this is indeed a tight, tense affair, with further chances going begging, then under 1.5 goals can be backed at 9/52.80. A savvier, broader option is to go with the contest being decided in extra-time.

Another low card-count expected

England are the most fouled team in the tournament, and by some margin too, but when it comes to dishing it out they are solidly mid-table, among the remaining sides at least.

The same can be said of Mexico, and clearly both are clever in 'managing' their misdemeanours because their respective card-counts are notably low.

Granted, El Tri were deprived of César Montes in their opener against South Africa, but that can be attributed to over-zealous refereeing, the game ending with 19 players on the pitch.

Focusing on cautions alone, El Tri have picked up just two yellow cards in four matches, England only three.

It's been a similar tale told elsewhere too. Across the competition to this point only 2.4 yellows per 90 have been brandished. That's the lowest average since the 1974 edition.

Try this El Tri player prop Bet Builder

Mexico are a menace going forward - particularly on the break - and we can expect Quiñones and Roberto Alvarado to cause problems throughout, exploiting the spaces in between full-back and centre-back. Those spaces were vats early doors against DR Congo.

The latter has assisted three times to this point, and is 4/15.00 to assist again but we're instead focusing on his impressive shot creation stats, racking up 10 in the tournament so far (2.65 per 90)

As for Quiñones, his shot-count has consistently been high, registering 20 efforts in his last six starts for his country. Interestingly, 14 of them have been before half-time.

The Al-Qadsiah winger is 17/102.70 to have 2 or more first-half attempts on goal.

Jorge Sanchez also jumps out at right-back, the 28-year-old making five tackles combined in his last two outings.

Here, he will likely come up against Anthony Gordon who typically tries to turn an opponent from a standing start.

And how about this 33/1 England player prop Bet Builder?

Harry Kane has taken a smidgeon over a quarter of England's shots in the Americas so naturally he is the man to back in this regard. The Bayern hit-man has averaged 4.5 per 90 at the World Cup.

Ezri Konsa meanwhile is fancied in the fouls market, committing seven so far (1.75 per 90).

Should he be switched to right-back that puts him up against Quiñones which only increases his appeal.

As a sidenote, Konsa has been impeded a fair bit too. His 15 foul involvements all told is the joint-eighth highest of any individual at the World Cup.

It's also pertinent that no team has had more headed attempts on goal than England (21). The nearest to them is Canada and Uruguay, each with six fewer.

O'Reilly has had the most with five, Kane next on four. But if we're highlighting accuracy then Jude Bellingham is our man. He posted two headed efforts last time out, both on target.

Now read Mike Norman on England's potential route to the final here