Switzerland host Slovenia in Basel in a clash that could produce an entire highlight reel by itself, especially if both sides repeat their performances from the previous week.
Placed in one the most competitive groups, Switzerland and Slovenia won't hold back until the final whistle of the sixth round. After a phenomenal start and a statement win over Kosovo (4-0), the Red Crosses aim to cement their position at the top of the group, while Slovenia will be looking for their first win after a 2-2 draw with Sweden.
Switzerland's form would worry most teams in the Top 10 of the FIFA World Rankings, as the Red Crosses enter the stage with four wins in a row. Plus, their positive record against Slovenia should give them even more confidence.
The Little Dragons can also boast a positive form, having lost only two of their last 10 matches, both of which were against Norway. Slovenia have always had one issue – their style often is too defensive, which can be a winning strategy, but it clearly doesn't work against the best in the world. But their performance against Sweden showed a different face, which raises our expectations for this upcoming fixture.
How the bookies view it: Are they underestimating the Little Dragons?
Bookmakers see a far bigger gap between the two teams than we expected, giving Switzerland as little as 1/2 to win on Monday. Meanwhile, you can pick Slovenia at 19/4 and the draw at 33/10.
Recent head to head: Never an easy matchup
Switzerland and Slovenia are part of the same qualification group for the fourth time in 25 years, having played for two World Cups and one European Championship in the past. But the crucial fact is that Switzerland hold the lead with five wins to two. Their last encounter was in 2015, when the Red Crosses won 3-2.
Players to watch: Pick Ndoye and forget
Pick anyone from Switzerland's front three and you'll be on the right patch. Anyone between Ruben Vargas, Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye can make the difference, but we've decided to give Ndoye our trust in this matchup. The 24-year-old recently moved to Nottingham Forest and has already impressed neutral fans with his flair. A goal on his debut, followed by an assist in the second round of the PL. And two assists against Kosovo last week. With such a strong season start, we expect to see more from Ndoye.
Probable line-ups
Switzerland: Kobel, Widmer, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez, Xhaka, Rieder, Freuler, Vargas, Embolo, Ndoya
Slovenia: Oblak, Karnicnik, Drkusic, Bijol, Janza, Stojanovic, Cerin, Elsnik, Lovric, Sporar, Sesko
Anything else catch the eye?
This is a dangerous matchup, as it could either end 0-0 or reach extreme scores. Switzerland's fast attacking football against Slovenia's compact defensive style. But at the same time, we saw that the Little Dragons are quite capable of holding their own and coming from behind too. They stole a point from Sweden with a 90-minute equaliser.
After evaluating the risks, we believe that betting on goals in this matchup is too risky. Slovenia will understand that taking risks away in Switzerland could end in disaster and we expect more of the same defensive work from them. But we also back the Red Crosses to achieve back-to-back wins, either by 1-0 or 2-0. But even without goals, this fixture will not disappoint.
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