PRESSURE is starting to build on Stephen Kenny again and he desperately needs his Republic of Ireland side to blow away Gibraltar in Dublin to restore a bit of faith in his long-term vision.
The former Under-21s boss got off to a catastrophic start after taking the senior reins from Mick McCarthy, taking 12 games to chalk up his first victory. But he was cut a bit of slack and it looked like the Irish were starting to turn a corner towards the end of their World Cup campaign.
Good performances and results against the likes of Portugal and Serbia hinted that things were moving in the right direction but Euro 2024 qualifying has got off to a bad start with back-to-back defeats.
Playing France at home was a tough opener and it took a single strike from Benjamin Pavard to see off Kenny's side. But they followed it up with a poor performance away to Greece on Friday and could have no complaints about suffering a 2-1 loss.
With the Netherlands also in a difficult section it's already beginning to look like a lost cause for the Republic of Ireland and they certainly can't afford to slip up when minnows Gibraltar come calling.
Gibraltar have already faced the toughest three teams in the group and have been far from disgraced, losing 3-0 each time against Greece, the Dutch and France.
That suggests the Irish will have to show patience and if Kenny's side fail to make an early breakthrough, the Dublin crowd could get on their backs.
How the bookies view it
Despite their poor form, the Republic of Ireland are heavy favourites for this one at a best 1/40 with Coral, with Gibraltar whopping 100/1 outsiders at William Hill. Even the draw is a massive 33/1 at Betfair.
Head to head
This is the fifth time these sides have met and the Irish have won every match so far, without conceding a goal. They last faced off in the qualifiers for Euro 2020 and both matches were close, with a 1-0 Ireland victory on the Rock followed by a 2-0 triumph back in Dublin.
Players to watch
Kennedy will need a bit of trickery to break down Gibraltar's defence and I wouldn't be surprised to see Mikey Johnston start after coming off the bench at half-time in midweek. The Celtic winger, boosted by a decent season on loan at Vitoria Guimaraes, is 21/20 to score at Unibet but might be better for an assist once that market is priced up.
Nicholas Pozo is an exciting prospect at Cadiz and the 18-year-old should start in midfield for Gibraltar. He's 50/1 at Bet365 to shock the Irish with a Dublin goal.
Anything else catch the eye?
Given Gibraltar's record in the group so far, having a punt on a 3-0 Republic of Ireland win could pay off and that bet is priced 9/2 at Bet365. If the French could only score three against them, under 3.5 goals in Dublin also appeals at 5/4 with McBookie.
It might take time for the Irish to get up to speed and William Hill are offering 21/20 on most goals coming after the break. With the minnows likely to sit deep, the Republic of Ireland could rack up plenty of corners but I've yet to see any prices in that market.
This Euro 2024 match between Republic of Ireland and Gibraltar will be played on Jun 19, 2023 and kick off at 19:45. Check below for our tipsters best Republic of Ireland vs Gibraltar prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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