With the football calendar getting busier every year, the two-week break may benefit players who didn’t have international duty.
| Anytime Goalscorer Markets | Odds |
|---|---|
| Antony to score vs Villarreal | +300 |
| Matias Soule to score vs Inter | +350 |
| Phil Foden to score vs Everton | +175 |
| Savinho to score vs Everton | +300 |
| Joao Pedro to score vs Nottingham Forest | +140 |
All odds are courtesy of bet365, correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
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The attacking stars who didn’t feature for their countries
Evidence following the September international break suggests there is an advantage to not playing international football.
Five of the 17 players to score on the next Premier League matchday had not been called up by their countries. Meanwhile, only three scorers had played the full 90 minutes for their national teams. One of those was Gabriel Gudmundsson, who netted an own goal.
Fresh players appear to make a difference. That trend suggests it may be worth looking at the attacking players who have stayed at their clubs during the latest international break.
Several Brazilians stand out on that list. Carlo Ancelotti opted to rest some players again after taking charge of the national team. Joao Pedro wasn’t deemed fully fit, and the Chelsea forward has now enjoyed a fortnight’s break. Wingers Antony and Savinho were also left out, having not featured for their country since earlier in the year.
England boss Thomas Tuchel caused an upset by leaving out the likes of Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, and Jude Bellingham.
Foden stands to benefit most from the rest after a busy spell with his club. Bellingham could have probably benefited from some more minutes on the pitch, having only made one start this term. Meanwhile, Grealish’s break will be extended by his ineligibility to face parent club Man City this weekend.
Additionally, Lionel Scaloni didn’t call up plenty of talented Argentines in Europe’s big leagues. That includes Roma’s in-form forward Matias Soule, who is yet to play for his national team.
Will they score this weekend?
Some of those well-rested players are likely to perform at a high level this weekend. The meeting between Man City and Everton at the Etihad Stadium is one game where that could happen.
The Toffees will certainly miss Grealish, while they also have an injury doubt over centre-back Michael Keane. That could leave them vulnerable defensively against a City side that may field both Foden and Savinho.
The Brazilian has started to play more often for his club recently and registered his first goal of the campaign in the EFL Cup. Foden has also shown signs that he’s getting closer to his best level. He’s managed two goals and two assists in his last seven appearances. Both should present an attacking threat on Saturday. They have a better chance of playing the full 90 minutes because of their period of rest.
Another Premier League match will see Chelsea travel to Nottingham Forest. With the home team struggling badly under Ange Postecoglou, Pedro could find the net again. On average, the 24-year-old has a goal contribution every 117 minutes in the English top flight this term.
Additionally, his compatriot Antony seems to offer value as an anytime goalscorer bet. He can be backed to net against Villarreal with an implied probability of 25%. The Real Betis winger has quickly settled back at the Spanish club, following a successful loan last term. He has an average of 3.3 shots per game in La Liga.
Roma host Inter in the pick of the weekend fixtures. Soule has scored three goals in six Serie A appearances so far this term. He should be fresh and ready to play on Saturday night. He is at value to score with an implied probability of 22.2%.