Switzerland v Northern Ireland betting tips: Swiss on roll at home

Preview and odds for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier

Northern Ireland travel to Geneva with the chance to go second in their World Cup qualifying group, so we look at some Switzerland v Northern Ireland betting tips.

Both sides are chasing Group C leaders Italy but second spot will mean a spot in the play-offs, so this is a key game for both teams.

Saturday’s match, which takes place at the Stade de Geneve, is live on Sky Sports and kicks off at 7.45pm.

Switzerland v Northern Ireland match odds

Northern Ireland are nine points behind group leaders Italy, having played two fewer games, and three points behind the Swiss, who have also played just four games.

Ian Baraclough’s side have only lost one of their last five World Cup qualifying games (W1 D3), a 2-0 defeat to Italy, but their three drawn games in this run have all been goalless, with the Irish scoring in just one of their last seven qualifiers, a 4-1 away win at Lithuania in September.

They are 11/1 to win the game, while it is 23/10 that they either win or draw the game on the Double Chance market.

The Swiss, who are 1/3 to win, have only lost three of their last 32 games (W24 D5) in major tournament qualifiers for the Euros/World Cup. They have drawn the last two – being held goalless by Italy and Northern Ireland – and the draw is available at odds of 18/5.

Switzerland v Northern Ireland head-to-head

Switzerland have never lost against Northern Ireland on home soil (W1 D2). Northern Ireland haven’t scored in any of their last four games against Switzerland (D3 L1), but three of those have ended goalless. It is 15/2 that the game ends 0-0 this time.

In their last three meetings – all in World Cup qualifiers between November 2017 and September 2021 – Switzerland and Northern Ireland have scored just one goal between them from 63 shots combined, a penalty scored by Switzerland’s Ricardo Rodriguez in November 2017. The odds for both sides to score – which has happened just once in seven meetings – are 17/10.

It is 4/6 that there will not be more than two goals scored, which has been the case in six of their seven clashes.

Switzerland v Northern Ireland team news

Baraclough (pictured above) has an injury crisis to deal with, as six players have withdrawn from his squad through injury.

Dundee United goalkeeper Trevor Carson, Hearts defender Michael Smith, Preston midfielder Alistair McCann, Oxford winger Gavin Whyte and Blackpool striker Shayne Lavery will all be missing.

Switzerland v Northern Ireland key battles

The injuries are a tough break for Baraclough’s men. The job was always going to be a difficult one, as Switzerland are unbeaten in their last 17 World Cup qualifiers on home soil (W12 D5) since losing 2-1 to Luxembourg back in September 2008. They have kept 13 clean sheets in those matches.

It is 1/2 that the Swiss keep a clean sheet and 3/4 that they win to nil.

View the latest Switzerland v Northern Ireland odds

All odds and markets correct as of date of publication