Ireland v Serbia predictions: Men in Green set for more disappointment

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Ireland v Serbia in World Cup qualifying Group A.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Football, 7.45pm

Best bet

Serbia
1pt 6-5 Betfred

Team news

Ireland
Seamus Coleman is out so Cyrus Christie has been called up to the squad in his place. Andrew Omobamidele could be given a chance at the back. Callum Robinson could come into a misfiring front line. Dara O'Shea and Shane Long remain out.

Serbia
Aleksandar Mitrovic should again lead the line for Serbia, who have no fresh injury concerns to report.

Match preview

Ireland's slim hopes of qualifying for a first World Cup since 2002 were dealt a huge blow by Azerbaijan at the weekend and the situation is unlikely to get any better for Stephen Kenny's men when they welcome Serbia to Dublin.

The Men in Green were on the brink of another humiliating defeat on Saturday before Shane Duffy rescued a point against Azerbaijan with an 87th-minute header.

But the 1-1 draw does them no favours with Ireland having now lost three of their four qualifiers and they are 33-1 with bet365 to salvage a top-two berth.

After their current triple-header concludes, Ireland face trips to Azerbaijan and Luxembourg either side of a home contest with Portugal.

But to stand any chance of a remarkable qualifying comeback they will first need to get the better of Serbia and on current form, it is hard to envisage anything but an away win.

Serbia sit top of Group A in qualifying with three wins and a draw from their opening four assignments and, unlike Ireland, they have a forward in form in Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has bagged seven goals.

They have netted 11 times in total and defeated Ireland 3-2 in Belgrade in the reverse of this fixture back in March.

On Sunday they prevailed 4-1 against Luxembourg - a team who got the better of Ireland at the Aviva Stadium as recently as March - and the visitors look overpriced at odds-against.

Pressure is mounting on Ireland boss Kenny, who has failed to record a win in his first 11 competitive matches in charge and lambasted his side for their lack of end product last time out.

Callum Robinson may be tried up top this time around after Adam Idah was unable to impress at the weekend, when the team managed 21 shots but struggled to break Azerbaijan's resistance.

With the vocal Seamus Colemand sidelined, they also look weaker at the back going into this contest and it is hard to make an argument for the hosts, whose only win in 15 matches in all competitions came against minnows Andorra in a friendly.

Key stat

Stephen Kenny is yet to win a competitive match in charge of Ireland since joining in April last year.

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