England will aim to build on the win over Serbia when they take on Denmark at the Deutsche Bank Park on Thursday.
The UEFA Euro 2024 will reach its halfway mark ahead of the weekend after Matchday 2 kicked off on Wednesday. Thursday will bring us two Group C fixtures and a Group B game. The action on the day begins with the match between Slovenia and Serbia before the Deutsche Bank Park hosts Denmark vs England.
Denmark would have rued the missed opportunity to begin UEFA Euro 2024 with a bang after squandering a slender lead to play out a 1-1 draw with Slovenia. The Red and Whites are unbeaten in 2024, with last weekend’s stalemate being only the second time they have failed to win a game this year.
As for England, they have not been as consistent as Denmark in 2024. Gareth Southgate has a formidable squad at his disposal but tends not to utilise it to its full potential. The Three Lions have won only two games in 2024 while failing to score in their two defeats thus far. So, the pressure is on Southgate and his charges to step up and deliver the goods.
The most recent match-up featuring Denmark and England ended in a 2-1 win for the Three Lions, with Harry Kane scoring a late match-winning goal. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Denmark
Kasper Hjulmand does not have any new issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against England on Thursday, Denmark’s head coach will have a full-strength squad at his disposal.
Kasper Schmeichel will take his usual spot between the sticks, with Denmark lining up in a 3-4-1-2 formation in front of him against England. The central defensive unit should feature Joachim Andersen, Andreas Christensen, and Jannik Vestergaard.
The trio will aim to remain compact to shut out the half-spaces and frustrate England’s attackers. Alexander Bah and Victor Kristiansen should be the two wing-backs, with the duo contributing on both ends of the pitch.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Morten Hjulmand and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. The duo will aim to keep things tight in the middle of the park, allowing Christian Eriksen to express himself freely. Finally, Jonas Wind and Rasmus Hojlund should be the two strikers for Denmark vs England.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Schmeichel; Andersen, Christensen, Vestergaard; Bah, Hjulmand, Hojbjerg, Kristiansen; Eriksen; Wind, Hojlund
England
Unlike his counterpart in the Danish dugout, Gareth Southgate has a fitness issue to deal with ahead of the trip to the Deutsche Bank Park. England’s head coach will be without one player on Thursday.
Luke Shaw is yet to regain fitness and will likely return to action in the knockout phases. So, Kieran Trippier will continue as the left-back, with Kyle Walker being an automatic pick on the right flank.
Jordan Pickford picks himself between the sticks, with England lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him against Denmark. The backline should feature Walker, Trippier, John Stones, and Marc Guehi.
As for the midfield unit, Trent Alexander-Arnold will continue in the role, lining up alongside Declan Rice in the middle of the park. Jude Bellingham will reprise the no. 10 role, with Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden being the two wide attackers. Finally, captain Harry Kane will lead the line for England vs Denmark.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guehi, Trippier; Alexander-Arnold, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Foden; Kane
Key Stats
- Thursday’s clash will be the fourth encounter between Denmark and England at a major tournament, across the UEFA European Champions (3) and FIFA World Cup (1). The Red and Whites have won none of the previous three meetings (D1 L2), scoring only one goal: Mikkel Damsgaard’s free-kick in the semi-final of Euro 2020. There have only been five goals scored in the last four meetings between Denmark (2) and England (3) in all competitions.
- Denmark have won just one of their most recent six group-stage games at the UEFA European Championship (D1 L4), beating Russia 4-1 in Euro 2020 to ensure qualification to the round of 16.
- England won 1-0 against Serbia in their opening match at UEFA Euro 2024. The Three Lions have never won their opening two games at a European Championship tournament.
- Jude Bellingham became the first player to play at two European Championship tournaments before the age of 21 in England’s 1-0 win over Serbia. He is also the second England player to score at two major tournaments before turning 21 (first vs Iran at the 2022 World Cup), along with Michael Owen, who scored at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
- Christian Eriksen scored his first-ever goal at the European Championship in the 1-1 draw with Slovenia. At 32 years and 123 days old, he became the oldest Dane to score at the Euros and the oldest at a major tournament since 33-year-old Jon Dahl Tomasson at the 2010 World Cup.
Player to Watch
Harry Kane
England’s captain was not at the races against Serbia, with Jude Bellingham’s solitary goal bailing Kane and the other attackers out. However, the experienced striker cannot afford to remain under par as the tournament progresses.
The 30-year-old is usually among the top scorers in every competition he participates in. In addition, with Kane’s supporting cast being world-class, he should gradually rediscover his best touch. However, Southgate needs that to happen when England and Denmark lock horns on Thursday.
Prediction
Denmark 1-1 England
Denmark might feel they have the chance to win the game vs England, even though the Three Lions have more points after Matchday 1. Gareth Southgate’s charges failed to trouble Serbia and were lucky to clinch the three points.
England had only 12 touches in Serbia’s box in the 1-0 win on Matchday 1, the team’s lowest total of touches in the opposition box in a European Championship game since 2012 against Ukraine (also 12). Southgate will realise his charges must do better to get past a resolute Danish side.
However, Denmark will hold the fort and frustrate England, with Rasmus Hojlund finding the back of the net to rob the Three Lions of the maximum haul. The Hard Tackle predicts a 1-1 draw between Denmark and England.
