Malta vs England: TV channel, stream, kick-off time, odds & match preview

Oliver Platt

Malta vs England: TV channel, stream, kick-off time, odds & match preview image

England will look to take another step towards next summer's World Cup by seeing off minnows Malta on Friday evening.

The Three Lions' main rivals in Group F, Slovakia and Slovenia, will meet each other at the same time, giving Gareth Southgate's men a chance to pull further ahead of at least one of them with a win.

This match will also mark the official start of the post-Wayne Rooney era for England, with their all-time top goalscorer having retired from international football.

Game Malta vs England
Date Friday, September 1
Time 19:45 BST / 14:45 ET

TV CHANNEL & LIVE STREAM


Jermain Defoe Jamie Vardy England

In the UK, the match will be available to watch live on television on ITV and by stream via ITV Player.

UK TV channel Online stream
ITV ITV Player

In the US, the match will be available to watch live on television in Spanish on ESPN Deportes and by stream in English via ESPN3.

US TV channel Online stream
ESPN Deportes ESPN3

SQUADS & TEAM NEWS


Position Malta players
Goalkeepers Bonello, Hogg, Sultana
Defenders Agius, S. Borg, Camilleri, Failla, Johnson, Magri, Z. Muscat, A. Muscat, Zerafa
Midfielders C. Borg, R. Fenech, P. Fenech, Kristensen, Gambin, Pisani
Forwards Farrugia, Micallef, Mifsud, Schembri

Alfred Effiong has been named in Malta's squad but will not be available for the England match due to suspension.

Jean Paul Farrugia, though, is back in contention after serving a ban of his own in Malta's previous qualifier, a 2-0 loss against Slovenia.

Potential starting XI: Hogg; A. Muscat, S. Borg, Agius, Z. Muscat, Failla; Gambin, R. Fenech, Pisani; Farrugia, Schembri.

Position England players
Goalkeepers Hart, Butland, Heaton
Defenders Cahill, Smalling, Walker, Jones, Stones, Bertrand, Cresswell, Keane, Trippier, Maguire
Midfielders Sterling, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Dele, Dier, Lingard, Livermore, Chalobah
Forwards Defoe, Welbeck, Sturridge, Kane, Vardy, Rashford

Jordan Pickford has dropped out of the England squad due to a muscle problem but Gareth Southgate may be tempted to take a look at Jack Butland due to Joe Hart's poor form.

Adam Lallana and Danny Rose are among those not selected because of injury.

Potential starting XI: Butland; Walker, Stones, Cahill, Bertrand; Henderson, Dier; Rashford, Dele, Sterling; Kane.


BETTING & MATCH ODDS


Jack Butland England

England are 1/25 favourites to win, according to dabblebet, with Malta priced at 66/1 and the draw available at 14/1.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane is favourite to score first at 9/4, while Jamie Vardy is 3/1 to open the scoring in Ta' Qali.

Click here to view dabblebet's full selection of match markets.


GAME PREVIEW


Dele Alli England

With Wayne Rooney gone and Joe Hart's continued place in the starting lineup in doubt, Gareth Southgate finds himself ushering in a new era for England.

He still has some work to do to figure out who the core players in this new team are, with few - Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Jordan Henderson among them - virtually guaranteed a starting spot when available.

Players who have not necessarily excelled at top clubs, such as Chris Smalling and John Stones, will find themselves battling it out with those impressing slightly lower down the league table in Michael Keane and Harry Maguire.

But Southgate has only four competitive games left before England - should they complete the job of qualifying - kick a ball at the World Cup finals so his decision-making will need to be swift.

It is even less than that, really, given an away trip to Malta is not exactly a perfect test run for a match at the finals and the return to Wembley to face Slovakia will be of more interest during this international window.

Oliver Platt