Few are backing England for success when the world's greatest Spain visit Wembley.
Punters backing Spain to trump Fabio Capello's make-shift side
Such is the extent of England's problems ahead of their friendly with Spain, bookmakers are seeing unprecedented backing for the Three Lions to be defeated at Wembley.
Even the patriotic punters are refusing to back England at an ever-lengthening price, with a string of problems facing Fabio Capello in the build-up to the clash.
The Italian boss has had to deal with a series of injuries, the controversy surrounding John Terry, reconstructing a frontline without Wayne Rooney and picking a new captain - all that in preparation for facing one of the greatest crops of players of all time.
Frank Lampard will lead out an England side pushed out to
7/2 to win with
Sky Bet despite playing in front of a sell-out home crowd of 90,000.
But still punters are continuing to back Vicente del Bosque's men in their droves at
4/5, with the online bookmaker reporting over 80% of bets backing the visitors.
Capello has hardly offered much in the way of encouragement, claiming "we're playing Spain without any players," with key players Terry, Rooney, Ashley Young and Steven Gerrard all absent.
Recent history offers little comfort either, with Spain winning their last three encounters against England without conceding a goal.
Three Lions Tamed
That record has made a price of
15/8 for another win to nil for the Spanish popular, while David Villa, who scored the opener in a 2-0 win in their last meeting in 2009, is the best backed to break the deadlock at 5/1.
It is a striking illustration of the changes in fortunes of the World Cup and European Championship winners that their last defeat to England came courtesy of goals from Nick Barmby, Emile Heskey and Ugo Ehiogu.
From perennial under-achievers, Spain have developed a reputation as one of the all-time great sides with a core of Barcelona's brilliant squad.
Spain are unsurprisingly favourites at
5/2 to win their third successive major championship when they travel to Ukraine and Poland for the Euros next summer, while Capello's men are far less fancied at
10/1.
Sky Bet's Michael Triffitt said: "All the money we've seen has been for Spain and it will be a nice change to actually be supporting England for once with a home win by far the best result for us.
"I'm actually fairly confident England can upset the odds with there still being plenty of experience in that squad and Capello's men have a point to prove on home turf.
"I quite fancy a draw in this one at 5/2, while a double chance bet of England or a draw at 10/11 looks a decent price."
