Odds against Liechtenstein

By Dan Warren
BBC Sport

Liechtenstein's players will feel quite at home when they line up for the national anthems at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

LIVE BBC COVERAGE England v Liechtenstein Wed 10 Sept, KO 2000 BST Live on Match of the Day BBC TV football coverage

Indeed, they should be note perfect as God Save The Queen plays, largely because it has the same melody as their own patriotic anthem.

But once the tune finishes, the footballing minnows of coach Walter Hormann will realise they are anything but equal to Sven-Goran Eriksson's team on the football pitch.

The home country, with their 140-year history, star-studded team and millions of fans line up against a nation whose 3,548-capacity Rheinpark Stadium can still hold more than 10% of its population.

To label this a David versus Goliath clash would be understating it somewhat. And with no recourse to a slingshot, there is very little comfort to offer the visitors.

Still, we can start with the good news.

ENGLAND V LIECHTENSTEIN Population: England 49,100,000 Liechtenstein 32,000 Football clubs: England 92 (full-time) Liechtenstein 7 (part-time) Professional footballers: England: 2,000 Liechtenstein: 8 World Cup all-time records: England: Winners in 1966 Liechtenstein: Conceded 75 goals in 18 qualifying games Odds: England 100/1 ON Draw 15/2 Liechtenstein 66/1 BBC Sport Academy profiles Liechtenstein

Young goalkeeper Peter Jehle is highly-rated. Snapped up by Zurich Grasshoppers in 2001, despite interest from, among others, Liverpool and Juventus, he has played in all Liechtenstein's Euro 2004 qualifiers.

Eighteen goals conceded in six games so far is by far the best return Liechtenstein have managed in competitive football.

Beyond that, the indicators are less encouraging.

Hormann will hope striker Mario Frick can torment England's shaky back line - but despite his Serie A experience with Hellas Verona, Liechtenstein's record scorer (with four) is yet to find the net in this qualifying competition.

Micahel Stocklasa scored the injury-time equaliser for Liechtenstein against Macedonia in their opening qualifying game - but he is a 22-year-old university student.

Daniel Hasler has played in defence in all of Liechtenstein's qualifiers - but the man charged with halting Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney is a 29-year-old carpenter by trade.

COMPETITIVE RECORDS England: Played 210 Won 115 Drawn 58 Lost 37 Liechtenstein: Played 44 Won 1 Drawn 3 Lost 40

Teacher Fabio D'Elia, draughtsman Juergen Ospelt and, ahem, sanitary mechanic Martin Telser are among the others who can expect to play a part against England's multi-millionaire professionals.

Such scant resources have left Liechtenstein placed 145th equal in the latest Fifa rankings, alongside Turkmenistan, above Bangladesh, but below Grenada.

Nevertheless, one thing that will not burden the visitors on Wednesday evening is expectation.

And, lest we forget, England hardly covered themselves in glory as they scrapped their way to an unconvincing 2-0 win in Vaduz in March this year.

LIECHTENSTEIN'S WORST LOSSES 1-11 v Macedonia (H) 09/96 0-7 v Romania (A) 09/98 0-8 v Portugal (A) 06/99 0-1 v Faroe Islands (H) 04/00 2-8 v Germany (A) 06/00 Match report: Liechtenstein 0-2 England

And that was against a team battling with Luxembourg and San Marino for the title of Europe's lowest-ranked team.

"There are no easy games in football," repeat the England management, trying to play down the fact that they are playing a side ranked 66/1 in a two-horse race.

That is no surprise - and not unwise as there is little point or credit in talking yourself up against a team with a tiny fraction of your resources.

But if Liechtenstein end the match on Wednesday sharing more than the home team's national anthem, the current England squad and management can expect to face some pretty unpleasant music.