Expert World Cup Jury: Betting tips and predictions for Norway vs England

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England take on Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals tonight and Racing Post Sport football experts Aaron Ashley, Joe Casey, Steve Davies, Mark Langdon and James Milton have all the best bets for the round-of-32 clash and more.

What’s your best bet for Norway vs England?

Aaron Ashley: I like England to win & both teams to score at 13-5. Having conceded twice to Croatia and Mexico and had to come from behind against DR Congo, England may struggle to keep Erling Haaland’s Norway at bay. That said, this Norwegian defence is there to be got at. They have conceded nine goals in five World Cup games and have kept only one clean sheet in their last 12 internationals, and the Three Lions should exploit that.

Joe Casey: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals. Neither team has looked defensively secure and England will struggle to contain Erling Haaland. However, Norway look open on the counter and that should suit England’s gameplan down to the ground. This bet has landed in six of Norway’s last seven games and looks a tempting price at odds-against.  

Steve Davies: England saved their best until last, so they should be confident and I'm not sure there's a lot to worry about against Norway. This has echoes of the quarter-final against Sweden in 2018 when people were trying to suggest the Swedes were better than they were. England won that one 2-0 and can win this one tidily enough. England-England double result. 

Mark Langdon: Over 3.5 Norway corners at 4-6. They have gone over that line in four of their five World Cup matches and that includes games against France and Brazil. England have mainly played against ultra-defensive teams in this tournament but Mexico forced 12 corners in the Azteca epic and Norway look to get down the flanks at every opportunity.

James Milton: England to win and both teams to score. Neither defence is convincing but England can take confidence from their victory in Mexico City and Thomas Tuchel is getting a pleasing tune out of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. Tuchel's men struggled to break down opponents who sat back and defended in numbers but this should be a more open contest.

Click here for Dan Childs's preview of Norway vs England 

Give us a Bet Builder treble for tonight's match

AA: Both teams to score, Julian Ryerson to commit two or more fouls and Harry Kane to score pays 4-1. Both teams have scored in 11 of Norway’s last 12 and Kane, keen to build on his tally of six tournament goals, should find more space behind this defence. Ryerson returned from injury against Brazil and he committed two fouls in 63 minutes of action. The right-back is still working his way back to peak fitness and that might not cut it against a confident Anthony Gordon.

JC: Sander Berge to commit a foul, Erling Haaland anytime goalscorer and Anthony Gordon to score or assist. Norway play their two number eights very high, which can leave Sander Berge exposed in defensive midfield. Erling Haaland has now scored in 14 competitive internationals in a row and with Marc Guehi a potential absentee, England could struggle to stop the Manchester City marksman. Anthony Gordon’s pace and direct running has made him crucial to Thomas Tuchel’s side and he could add to his tally of two assists or chip in with a goal himself.

SD: England to score in both halves. Tuchel's team look like scoring goals and that's not going to change soon. Kane to score at any time is obvious but a Bet Builder is the place for it. And Orjan Nyland to make three or more saves, one fewer than he had to against Ivory Coast and also Brazil.

ML: As well as over 3.5 Norway corners, go for Nico O'Reilly to have a shot - something he has done in every match at the World Cup - and to give a bit more juice to the price of around 5-1 go for Jude Bellingham to score or assist. Bellingham has been brilliant in this tournament and could decide the tie.

JM: Both teams to score, Erling Haaland to have a headed shot on target and Ezri Konsa to win one or more fouls, which pays around 100-30. Jordan Pickford made a smart save to keep out Raul Jimenez's header in the Mexico game and Haaland scored an excellent headed goal against Brazil. Konsa has been fouled 11 times in five World Cup games.

Check out our 14-1 Norway vs England Bet Builder   

Who is better - Haaland or Kane?

AA: I’m not sure there is a definitive answer and it is a game of opinions. Harry Kane is a superb finisher, his work rate and desire have taken him further than many would have expected, and he offers more than just goals. But if you were a defender, I think you’d rather line up against Kane than Erling Haaland, whose pace, power and aerial dominance make him nearly impossible to contain.

JC: This is a tough question to answer. I think Harry Kane’s all-round game is clearly superior to Erling Haaland’s but the Norwegian is more of a pure goalscorer. If I had to bet my life on a player scoring in a game I would lean toward the Norwegian. But does that make him a better player? It’s a philosophical question more than anything. Kane, just.

SD: Kane has the longevity that Haaland palpably cannot have so that continued consistency over a decade and longer is impressive. But they are both world-class finishers. Kane seems to offer more as a team player so he'd get the nod. Just.

ML: Both are exceptional but let's put it this way - I wouldn't swap Harry Kane for any other striker at the World Cup. He was criminally underrated for a long time by a section of England supporters - remember how people wanted Kane to be dropped for Dominic Calvert-Lewin at Euro 2020? - but he is a deadly striker and nearly as good as a creator.

JM: It's a tough question for an Arsenal fan – can I say Thierry Henry? Both are sensational strikers and Haaland, still only 25, will break all sorts of goalscoring records before he hangs up his hairband. Kane is just as ruthless a finisher as Haaland but is a more accomplished all-round footballer and his consistency, at club and international level, is remarkable.

'Haaland, still only 25, will break all the goalscoring records before he hangs up his hairband' – James Milton

Was the win over Mexico your favourite England match?

AA: It has to be. The game had everything, England had many hurdles to overcome in the cauldron of the Azteca and had to roll their sleeves up following Jarell Quansah’s 54th-minute red card. That togetherness is not something we have seen from many of the recent England sides and, while we are a country that expects, it is that grit and determination that has everyone on their side. 

JC: David Beckham’s free-kick against Greece to secure a place at the 2002 World Cup was on my sixth birthday so I’d have to narrowly give Goldenballs the nod on this one.

SD: Nothing for me will quite beat being at Wembley on a June night at Euro 96 to see Shearer and Sheringham take apart the Dutch. That three-goal burst early in the second half as El Tel's England ran out 4-1 winners was about as good as it gets.

ML: That performance highlighted what English people admire most in a football team, just pure grit and determination and it was quite emotional at the end. However, Euro 96 felt like an amazing time for the country and England's swashbuckling demolition of the Dutch with Shearer, Sheringham and Gazza running amok was on a different level.

JM: It was a great occasion at the Azteca Stadium and an imperfect England performance only enhanced the drama. However, I still prefer the Euro 96 group wins over Scotland and the Netherlands. After failing to make the 1994 World Cup, there was something cathartic about Gazza's sublime goal against Scotland and Alan Shearer's thumping finish, brilliantly set up by Teddy Sheringham, against the Dutch.

Where's the value in Argentina v Switzerland?

AA: Both teams to score at odds-against makes plenty of appeal. Argentina conceded against Jordan in their final group-stage win while they were breached twice by Cape Verde and Egypt, both of whom were able to exploit them on the counter-attack. Switzerland have greater quality on the whole, even if Johan Manzambi’s absence would be a big blow, so Argentina may need to bag a couple.

JC: Over 24.5 fouls at 21-20. Portuguese referee Joao Pinheiro is averaging 25.50 fouls per game at the tournament and Switzerland rank highly on both fouls committed and fouls won. Only Morocco and England have been fouled more than Murat Yakin’s men and they rank fourth on fouls won too. Expect the Swiss to try to slow the game down as much as possible and I also think the referee may be a little harsher on Argentina after the Egypt game.

SD: Switzerland to qualify - as simple as that. This Swiss side are a cussed bunch who offer up few chances. I'd like to see Johan Manzambi involved but even if he is not fit Argentina have been made to look fairly ordinary by Cape Verde and Egypt, so Granit Xhaka and the lads have nothing to fear.

ML: It looks to be fairly priced. Maybe Argentina to win on penalties is the way to go. They needed penalties on their way to winning each of their last two Copa America titles and they went through two shootouts in the last World Cup. Argentina have scored 19 of their 22 penalties in those shootouts, while their opponents have missed nine in the same period.

JM: Dan Ndoye to score at any time at 13-2. The winger struck in three of Switzerland's four friendlies leading up to the World Cup and scored against Algeria in the round of 32. He has had 13 shots at this tournament – four more than any other Swiss player – and, as Egypt showed in the last 16, Argentina are vulnerable to counter-attacks.

Read more on the World Cup: 

Norway vs England: Vikings set to be vanquished

Norway vs England World Cup Bet Builder tips, picks and odds

Argentina vs Switzerland: Solid Swiss can stand firm

Lars Sivertsen: World Cup clash will intensify Norway's obsession with English football

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