Englandvs.Slovenia

Gareth Southgate's men have accrued four points from a possible six courtesy of a slender success over Serbia and disappointing draw with Denmark, but they cannot finish any lower than third and will be confirmed as group winners with a victory.

Even a point would be enough to guarantee a top-two ranking for the Three Lions, who are two points better off than both Denmark and Slovenia, who have played out two 1-1 stalemates with the Scandinavians and Serbia thus far.

By virtue of conceding a last-minute goal to the latter, Matjaz Kek's men sit third in the standings, but the formula for them is also simple; win and they are through.

Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at the head-to-head record and previous meetings between the two sides.

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 6

England wins: 5

Draws: 1

Slovenia wins: 0

Interestingly, Slovenia have the edge on England when it comes to overall form in recent months, as Kek's men have gone unbeaten in their last eight matches, while the Three Lions have just two wins to shout about from their last seven contests.

However, the Euro 2020 runners-up have unsurprisingly dominated this fixture since Slovenia became an independent nation, beating their upcoming Cologne foes five times out of six, the outlier being a goalless stalemate in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

That 0-0 came in Southgate's second game in charge of his country in October 2016, but they rectified those mistakes in their second 2018 World Cup qualifier - and most recent showdown in any competition - prevailing 1-0 12 months later thanks to an injury-time Harry Kane goal.

Prior to the arrival of Southgate, Roy Hodgson's England were comfortable victors in a pair of Euro 2016 qualifiers against the Slovenians by an aggregate scoreline of 6-3, and the Three Lions had two then-Arsenal stars to thank for those two triumphs.

In November 2014, Danny Welbeck struck twice and Wayne Rooney scored from the spot in a 3-1 success - where Jordan Henderson's own-goal blushes were spared - before Jack Wilshere netted a brace and Rooney got in on the act again in a 3-2 victory seven months later.

Only once before have England and Slovenia crossed paths with major tournament points at stake, being drawn against one another in the same 2010 World Cup group, where Fabio Capello's under-performing Three Lions were feeling the fans' wrath in the same manner as Southgate's 2024 crop.

However, a Jermain Defoe finish was all it took for England to edge out the Slovenians 1-0 in South Africa - and coincidentally seal their place in the knockout rounds - but the less said about the subsequent showdown with the Germans the better.

Before their maiden major-tournament contest 14 years ago, England and Slovenia's inaugural battle came in a 2009 friendly at Wembley - a game that Kek was also in charge of the visitors for during his first spell as head coach - but Defoe and Frank Lampard ensured that his London stopover would be a miserable one.

Previous meetings

Oct 05, 2017: England 1-0 Slovenia (World Cup Qualifying - Europe Group Stage)

Oct 11, 2016: Slovenia 0-0 England (World Cup Qualifying - Europe Group Stage)

Jun 14, 2015: Slovenia 2-3 England (European Championship Qualifiers)

Nov 15, 2014: England 3-1 Slovenia (European Championship Qualifiers)

Jun 23, 2010: Slovenia 0-1 England (World Cup Group Stage)

Sep 5, 2009: England 2-1 Slovenia (International Friendly)

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