England youngsters can shine

England’s Under-21s can book their place in the European Championship finals in Sweden by beating Wales in the second leg of their Championship play-off at Villa Park on Tuesday.

The match is being shown live on Setanta Sorts and, if it is half as good as the first leg, which England won 3-2 at Ninian Park last Friday night, will be well worth a watch.

England are a best-priced 1-3 with Coral and, while a draw would be enough for them to qualify, it will be a surprise if Stuart Pearce’s youngsters do not justify those odds with something to spare.

Pearce described the first leg as a “wake-up call” for his team, who are unbeaten in their past 12 games at this level and favourites, at around 7-2, to go all the way in the finals, which will be staged in June next year.

Gabriel Agbonlahor, Fraizer Campbell and James Milner are among England’s starlets and they will fancy their chances of finishing Wales’s resistance early on, especially with Lewin Nyatanga, the 20-year-old Derby County defender, missing the tie to travel with the Welsh senior team for their World Cup fixture against Germany.

Non-league defender Mike Williams, of Wrexham, could well deputise for Nyatanga.

The 4-5 that Paddy Power and Coral offer against England being ahead at half-time and full time is reasonable, while those who fancy more goals flowing — which looks a fair assumption — can get 15-4 against five or more with Sporting Bet.

Simon Church, who scored both of Wales’s goals in the first leg, is 4-1 with Skybet to find the back of the net at any time.