Tuesday, 4 September, 2012 - 10:45 to Friday, 7 September, 2012 - 21:45

England travel to Moldova for their first World Cup 2014 qualifier on Friday but with Wayne Rooney, Ashley Cole and Andy Carroll out of the squad will England win the match as predicted by the bookmakers?

England are strong favourites and currently top price 1/3 (Bet365 – get your first deposit doubled here), the draw is 9/2 with Paddy Power (free £50 bet here) and Moldova are 12/1 with Bet Victor (free bet 100% bonus here).

England are undoubted favourites to win this game even without the three injured players but Leighton Baines will come in for Ashley Cole and Danny Welbeck is expected to lead the attacking line in the absence of Wayne Rooney. Roy Hodgson is likely to stick with James Milner with either Walcott or Oxlaide-Chamberlain providing pace and attacking threat. Frank Lampard is also tipped to start in his deeper role he now operates with Chelsea and Hodgson will have to decide if Steven Gerrard will also take his place.

The last time England travelled to Moldova was when David Beckham picked up his first England cap in a 3-0 victory back in 1996. Moldova have only won 10 competitive matches since then (in 77 attempts) and all those wins have come against fellow minnows such as San Marino, Armenia and Andorra. Their latest home win was a 4-0 win over San Marino before picking up a respectable 0-0 draw in a friendly against Belarus.

England get their campaign on the road to Rio 2014 underway without Wayne Rooney but should have far too much quality to overcome Moldova, there is no value in betting on an England win at 1/3 for the average punter. England to be leading at half time is priced at 4/5 (Sky Bet) and that looks a fantastic bet and one which would of landed in six of England’s eight Euro 2012 qualifying matches.

The goalscorer markets are a tough one to look at while the team is not confirmed but a bet on Frank Lampard to score anytime could be a decent betting prediction given he is on penalty duty for England, and still has a fantastic goalscoring record. He is best priced 15/8 with Bet365 to score anytime and 7/1 (Boylesports) to score first.

England scored ten goals in their four away qualifiers for Euro 2012, twice bagging three goals so will like the look of a bet on England to score over 2.5 goals at 8/5 with Sportingbet.