England vs Ukraine prediction: How will Euro 2020 quarter-final play out?

England face Ukraine in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 on Saturday night in Rome.

The Three Lions secured their place in the tournament last eight with a famous victory over Germany in the last 16. The victory, courtesy of second-half goals from Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane, was their first over their old rivals in a knockout game for 55 years and their first in any competitive game against them for nearly two decades.

Gareth Southgate’s side are the only remaining team in the competition yet to concede a goal having topped Group D thanks to 1-0 wins over Croatia and Czech Republic and a goalless draw with Scotland.

Now they face Ukraine, who qualified for the knockout phase as one of the four best third-placed teams behind the Netherlands and Austria in Group C. Andriy Shevchenko’s side had Sweden to thank for beating Poland in their final group game to ensure that, only to then go on to knock them out in the last-16. The match in Glasgow looked destined to go to penalties only for substitute Artem Dovbyk to head home to win it with almost the last action of the game in extra-time.

The two now meet at the Stadio Olimpico in the Italian capital, a trip that represents England’s first travel of the tournament having played all four of their games so far on home soil at Wembley Stadium.

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Here’s everything you need to know about Saturday’s quarter-final:

What time is the match?

The quarter-final is on Saturday 3 July and kicks off at 8pm at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

What TV channel is it on?

The game will be broadcast live on BBC One.

You will also be able to stream the game live online via the BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer.

What is the team news?

Gareth Southgate’s squad has a clean bill of health with Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell now fully reintegrated back into the main group following their period of isolation after their “interaction” with Chelsea teammate Billy Gilmour after the Scotland game.

Harry Maguire, injured for the first two games of the tournament, has come through unscathed since while Jordan Henderson, who hadn’t played competitively for his club Liverpool since February, has now also got plenty of valuable minutes under his belt.

Following the successful switch to a back three against the Germans, Southgate is expected to revert back to the back four which proved so effective in the group stage. That will likely mean one of the two right backs who started on Tuesday evening – Kieran Trippier or Kyle Walker – dropping back down to the bench with a more attack-minded player coming in.

Mount or Jack Grealish, who played a part in both goals in the last-16 game, are likeliest next man up. Phil Foden, who was rested for the final group game against Czech Republic for risk of suspension, could also return after starting against Croatia and Scotland.

Kalvin Phillips, Declan Rice, Maguire and Foden are all one booking away from a suspension for any potential semi-final, which could also play into Southgate’s thinking either before or during this match.

For Ukraine, striker Artem Besedin is the headline absentee after being ruled out until 2022 with a knee injury following the challenge from Sweden’s Marcus Danielson that earned him a red card in the last-16 game.

Dovbyk was the extra-time hero against the Swedes and could have earned himself a start but star men Andriy Yarmolenko and Roman Yaremchuk are both still expected to play. Oleksandr Zubkov is fit again after a calf strain and could also be in contention.

Predicted line-ups

Ukraine: Buschcan; Zabarnyi, Kryvtsov, Matvienko; Karavev, Shaparenko, Stepanenko, Sydorchuk, Zinchenko; Yarmolenko, Yaremchuk.

England: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw; Henderson, Rice; Foden, Mount, Sterling; Kane

Odds

Ukraine 17/2

Draw 17/5

England 2/5

Prediction

Ukraine are perhaps being underrated here and could prove difficult to break down, while England will have to adapt to playing in front of a neutral crowd for the first time. Even so, two defeats from three group games and a late win against 10-men is not a compelling case for Andriy Shevchenko’s side. Another narrow but controlled England win feels likeliest. Ukraine 0-1 England.

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