England v Norway: Celtic contribute to visiting threat

Alexander Tettey is one of few familiar faces in Norway's squad

Michael Lintorn takes a look at a Norway squad with far less ties to British football than in the past...

Norway have cost England managers countless hours of sleep over the years, most notably Graham Taylor by taking four points off his side to beat them to a place at World Cup 1994. The Three Lions have won just one of their previous six collisions, losing twice and being held twice at Wembley.

England's status as 1.491/2 favourites to win this latest encounter even at this uncertain moment in which Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have retired and new captain Wayne Rooney is the sole outfield starter with over 30 caps shows how little esteem Norway are regarded with at present.

As recently as Euro 2012, they almost halted what is now 14 years without reaching a tournament, but the last year has been disastrous. Since beating Cyprus last September, they have been in action 11 times, winning once (against Moldova), drawing four and losing six (to Switzerland, Slovenia, Denmark, Scotland, Poland and France).

Whereas their Euro 2000 squad featured nine Premier League players, among them Henning Berg, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Tore Andre Flo, there are far fewer Norwegian protagonists in British football nowadays.

The last two Tippeligaen-topping coaches Solskjaer and Ronny Deila moved to Cardiff and Celtic, where they manage current internationals Mats Moller Daehli and Stefan Johansen respectively.

Beyond that there is only Norwich's Alexander Tettey and Blackburn's Joshua King, though English fans will also know Morten Gamst Pedersen, who spent close to a decade at Ewood Park, and blink-and-you-missed-it former Southampton centre back Vegard Forren, who labelled Rooney "chubby".

Crystal Palace defender Brede Hangeland retired last month, so besides Pedersen, there are just four outfielders who have appeared at least 20 times for them - Tom Hogli, Ruben Yttergard Jenssen, Per Ciljan Skjelbred and Tarik Elyounoussi - meaning their sense of transition is greater than England's.

One constant of their 2014 matches has been a weakness for conceding first-half goals. They have done so in five of their six fixtures, trailing at the break in four of the past five (the exception arriving against UAE), leaving them vulnerable to a half-time deficit at 2.0621/20.

Recommended Bet:
Back England to lead at half time @ 2.0621/20

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Check out the latest Betfair Sports Update where Joe Dyer joins Brett Williams to discuss England v Norway as well as Andy Murray v Novak Djokovic in the US Open and golf's BMW Championship