Monday's World Cup qualifying predictions: betting preview & free football tips

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Monday's 2022 World Cup qualifiers in Europe.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Football, Premier League & red button from 5pm, Monday

Best bets

Croatia 4-9 Romania 8-13
3pt double BoyleSports

No goalscorer in Cyprus v Malta
1pt 13-2 Betfred

Preview

Croatia were knocked out of Euro 2020 after a thrilling 5-3 extra-time defeat to Spain in the last 16 but their defenders have had an easier time of it since then.

The 2018 World Cup runners-up have kept four clean sheets in their last four qualifiers for the 2022 finals, drawing 0-0 with Russia before winning 1-0 in Slovakia, 3-0 at home to Slovenia and 3-0 in Cyprus.

That defensive record may well continue in the reverse fixture with Slovakia, who have lost four of their last six internationals to nil including Friday's 1-0 defeat in Russia.

A double featuring Croatia and Romania, who host Armenia, pays around 11-8 and the Romanians should get the job done after a creditable 2-1 defeat in Germany last week.

They led Die Mannschaft 1-0 at half-time before Serge Gnabry equalised and Thomas Muller scored the winner in the last ten minutes. Romania had won two and drawn one of their previous three qualifiers, keeping clean sheets in all three, and they should be too strong for the visitors.

Malta beat Cyprus 3-0 in September but all three of their goals came after the 40th-minute sending-off of Cypriot centre-back Constantinos Soteriou.

Malta's next two qualifiers produced away defeats to Slovenia (1-0) and Russia (2-0) in which two of the three goals they conceded were penalties and they lost 4-0 at home to Slovenia on Friday.

They have little to fear from their trip to Cyprus, who have scored only once in their last ten internationals, and a small bet on no goalscorer is advised.

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