England v Ireland tips: Phil Thompson’s 7/2 punt for Thursday’s Wembley showdown

Finally, an international friendly to get the blood pumping.

Liverpool and England great Phil Thompson has teamed up with PPTV to once again take a look at the big games coming up in the calendar. Paddy’s football ambassador hasn’t quite got the memo though, and he thinks England will triumph over Ireland at Wembley on Thursday night.

Take a look at Thommo’s preview below and read on to see his thoughts on Jack Grealish and Declan Rice as well as his NAP of the day and 20/1 treble for Thursday’s international action.

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

If Jack Grealish and Declan Rice start it will add a bit of spice! It will make it very, very interesting with them declaring their loyalty to England ahead of the Republic.

They had the breakthrough with Ireland then they turned their backs, so it does make it quite intriguing. There will be quite a lot of fans over there in Ireland who’d love these two guys to fall flat on their faces!

Thursday 8pm: England v Ireland
ITV 1 and ITV Player

It might happen in the game. I’m not expecting it, but they have been, and they could be, vital ingredients to an England side in the future. I don’t know what it is about Jack Grealish. I always look at him as though it’s a little bit like how Glenn Hoddle was treated with England when he couldn’t really stake his claim.

He was that player, that little bit of special quality that somebody would have, that maverick that sometimes managers don’t put great faith in. Maybe that’s the same with Jack Grealish?

MORE TIPS: Grim Reaper Thommo sees misery for Scotland & Northern Ireland

He has had a tremendous start to the Premier League campaign. Declan Rice is quite similar. I would think these two would play and that would just give this game quite an interesting in edge to it. I imagine there will be goals and I think England will win, and as you’re saying with these two players, they are young.

They have got something really going for them, but there’s a lot of young players out there for England who are talented players, who look as though the future is quite bright for England, and I’m expecting whoever Gareth Southgate plays will have a little bit too much for the Republic of Ireland.

THOMMO’S TIP: It will be a really interesting game think it will be tight early on but I can see England running out as quite comfortable winners. My NAP of the day’s going to be 2 or More Goals for Harry Kane. He’s in fantastic form and I think he will start. He’s the captain. I think Southgate will rely upon him, and I think he will start him in the game and I’m going for a brace for Harry Kane.

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