Kobbie Mainoo is fast becoming a midfield mainstay for England and his technical gifts and robust physical frame combine to make him a unique prospect in that position for the Three Lions.

Mainoo’s authoritative performances have started to make him a magnet for fouls at club level and the 19-year-old has been fouled 2.41 times per 90 minutes for Man Utd in the Premier League this season. Indeed, no United player has been fouled more often so far than Mainoo.

The youngster’s style of play tends to invite plenty of tackles from his markers, though his quick feet have turned many of those challenges into mistimed lunges. Mainoo, who was fouled in four of his last five appearances for England at Euro 2024, can draw at least one more foul in Dublin.

Bukayo Saka has come out of the blocks quickly domestically and is already averaging 2.46 shots on target per 90 minutes for Arsenal in the Premier League.

Saka should be able to transfer his impactful form to the international stage handily enough and the winger, who turned 23 this week, looks like an option with genuine merit in the 1+ shots on target bracket again.

The wide attacker clocked 14 shots on target across his last 17 starts for the Three Lions and Saka’s blend of pace and trickery should allow them to threaten an Irish defence that looks light on quality at left-back.

Skirmishes between Ireland and England in midfield on Saturday evening are likely to produce a glut of tackles and fouls in all directions, especially with Declan Rice predicted to be a lightning rod for aggression in that zone.

William Smallbone looks well-positioned to commit at least one foul in the anticipated melee. The 24-year-old committed 1.74 fouls per 90 minutes during Ireland’s ill-fated Euro 2024 qualification quest and Smallbone has also been a combative presence for Southampton in the Premier League this term, where he’s been averaging 1.67 fouls per 90.

Ireland lost a dismal six of their eight Euro 2024 qualifiers last year, however, margins were generally slim on each occasion and the Boys in Green were routinely competitive against some tough opponents – especially in Dublin.

Ireland won 7.00 corners per game in their qualification group and while those figures were massaged slightly by two one-sided encounters with Gibraltar, the Republic also managed to win plenty of corners against high-profile visitors to the Aviva Stadium.

Ireland won seven, eight and six corners respectively against Greece, France and the Netherlands in Dublin last year, and a target of over 2.5 corners against England looks modest in comparison.

Saturday evening’s fixture in Dublin will be an occasion of special significance for Declan Rice, who won three caps for Ireland before switching allegiances to England in controversial fashion earlier in his career.

The 25-year-old will need to brace himself for a frosty reception on his return to the Irish capital and egged on by the home crowd at the Aviva Stadium, Ireland’s players could single out Rice for some rough treatment.

Rice was fouled once in three of his last four appearances for England at Euro 2024 and in these circumstances, it makes sense to back him to be stopped in his tracks at least once in Dublin.

Cork native Chiedozie Ogbene is a Republic of Ireland fan favourite and the winger provides genuine menace from the right flank, raring giving his markers an easy outing.

Indeed, Ogbene was fouled a bone-bruising 2.71 times per 90 minutes during Ireland’s Euro 2024 qualification fixtures and the 27-year-old was fouled seven times alone in two appearances against France during the same campaign, proving his ability to be a nuisance against the best teams.

Ogbene, who was fouled three times on his Premier League bow for Ipswich (vs Fulham) last weekend, is backed here to be fouled at least twice again by his English counterparts.

Fans of Ireland are calling for Szmodics to start against England and are already saying he’s their best player.

He earned a £9m move to the Premier League with Ipswich and it started well with a goal at Man City in Matchweek 2.

With England under a new coach and Trent likely back at right-back, space could open up on Szmodics’ side.

Ireland are notoriously tough to handle during set pieces and centre-half Nathan Collins – who stands at an imposing 6’4” – is usually near the front of the queue to get the first contact on Irish deliveries into the opponent’s box.

Collins averaged a notable 1.17 shots per 90 for Ireland during the nation’s Euro 2024 qualification campaign last year, which is a high figure for a player in his position, and the 23-year-old lodged two attempts in a high-profile encounter with France in Dublin in March 2023.

The 23-year-old carries a similar threat at club level for Brentford, where he has been averaging 1.33 shots per 90 in the Premier League and the aerially-aggressive Collins offers top value in the 1+ shots bracket against England on Saturday.