"Montenegro will defend quite deeply, and it will be a test for England's quality". Charlie Nicholas' European Qualifiers predictions

The first international break of 2019 is upon us, and Charlie Nicholas has given his predictions for this week's European Qualifiers on Sky Sports.

Montenegro vs England

Technically, Montenegro are always pretty tidy. These smaller nations have the ability, but it is whether they have the resilience. When they cannot get hold of the ball they get frustrated. With the balance England have they can play possession and counter-attack football, going from back to front very quickly. Montenegro will defend quite deeply, and it will be a test for England's quality, but their quality will get them through.

Charlie's prediction: 1:2

Republic of Ireland vs Georgia

Georgia like a scrap and a physical battle but there is a mistake in there. The passion of the crowd for the first game at home will mean they are up for it and they will see where it takes them. It is a must-win scenario when you face these sorts of teams that you expect to finish above. The midfield strength will prove telling for Ireland, they will not dominate by goals but by sheer determination.

Charlie's prediction: 1:0

Source: SkySports