This week we have a change from our usual program of Premier League fixtures as instead we have a break for international games and what a bumper break it is too with teams playing three fixtures instead of the usual two over the period.

That increase in games has been brought about by the need to play a number of Euro 2020 Playoff semifinal games this week. Sixteen teams, including Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, will face off in a one-legged semifinal tie, the winner of which will go on to play in the final against another team in their section. The winner of that final, which will be played next month, will then go on to participate in next summer’s Euro 2020 Finals.

Alongside those games, some teams have elected to organise an international friendly, plus on Saturday and Sunday another round of Nations League games will be played, with the fourth round of Nations League games in the group stages being played across Tuesday and Wednesday evening. This means most teams, including the five we are looking at in this article, have three games over the period.

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Let’s now take a look at the games that the four home nations, plus the Republic of Ireland have coming up over the next week or so, together with tips for each of those games.

International Week Tips

England

  • 8th October – England v Wales (8pm)
  • 11th October – England v Belgium (5pm)
  • 14th October – England v Denmark (7.45pm)

Gareth Southgate has named a larger than usual squad for the three games England have coming up.  A friendly against Wales is first on the horizon which he will hope can give England a platform to prepare for the more crucial test against Belgium at Wembley on Sunday in the Nations League, a game which England must really win to stand a chance of winning the group. This is followed on Wednesday by another key game as England take on a Denmark side that they drew 0-0 with in Copenhagen back in September.

Our Tips

  • England to beat Wales – 3/10
  • Belgium to beat England – 7/4
  • England to beat Denmark – (odds not available)

Scotland

  • 8th October – Scotland v Israel (7.45pm)
  • 11th October – Scotland v Slovakia (7.45pm)
  • 14th October – Scotland v Czech Republic (7.45pm)

Games don’t come much more pressured for Scotland boss Steve Clarke than the first ofthis trio of games at Hampden Park. A win over Israel would leave Scotland just one win away from joining England in Group D of the Euro 2020 Finals next summer and I expect their focus to be mainly on this game rather than their two home games against the Slovakians and the Czech Republic, both of which I feel will be tougher tasks than the Israel game for the Scots.

Our Tips

  • Scotland to beat Israel – Evens
  • Scotland v Slovakia – Draw – 12/5
  • Czech Republic to beat Scotland – (odds not available)

Wales

  • 8th October – England v Wales (8pm)
  • 11th October – Republic of Ireland v Wales (2pm)
  • 14th October – Bulgaria v Wales (7.45pm)

Wales players will come up against some familiar faces and perhaps even team-mates in their opening two games as they have a friendly against England on the 8th, followed by their Nations League clash away to Ireland on the 11th. The Welsh have won both their opening games in the competition and another win here would leave them in a great position in the group. The Welsh then travel to Sofia on Wednesday to take on a Bulgaria side that they narrowly beat 1-0 in their last game, Neco Williams scoring a very late header to snatch the win.

Our Tips

  • England to beat Wales – 3/10
  • Republic of Ireland v Wales – Draw – 2/1
  • Wales to beat Bulgaria – (odds not available)

Northern Ireland

  • 8th October – Bosnia & Herzegovina v Northern Ireland (7.45pm)
  • 11th October – Northern Ireland v Austria (7.45pm)
  • 14th October – Norway v Northern Ireland (7.45pm)

I think it looks like being a long and hard few days for Northern Ireland fans. Not only do they have a very tough draw in the Euro 2020 Playoff semifinals, away to a talented and improving Bosnia & Herzegovina team, but they then face tricky games at home to Austria and then away to Norway, who beat them 5-1 when the teams met last month in Belfast. As such, I think this isn’t going to be the best trio of games for Northern Irish fans to enjoy.

Our Tips

  • Bosnia & Herzegovina to beat Northern Ireland – 10/11
  • Austria to beat Northern Ireland – 19/20
  • Norway to beat Northern Ireland – (odds not available)

Republic of Ireland

  • 8th October – Slovakia v Rep of Ireland (7.45pm)
  • 11th October – Republic of Ireland v Wales (2pm)
  • 14th October – Finland v Republic of Ireland (5pm)

Can the Republic end their run of relatively poor form with a win away to Slovakia in their opening game in the Euro 2020 semifinal playoffs? It is a game that will be close in my view but I just think being away from home makes this a big ask for a team that do not score too many goals.  They then face two Nations League games, the first at home to Wales and the second on the road to an improving Finland side which could both be tricky games.

Our Tips

  • Slovakia to beat Republic of Ireland – 31/20
  • Republic of Ireland v Wales – Draw – 2/1
  • Finland v Republic of Ireland – Finland Win (odds not available)

*All odds shown were correct with bet365 Sport as of 12pm on Wednesday 7th October. Odds for the second Nations League games are only compiled at a later date.