Back this 5/1 UEFA Nations League acca on Saturday

We're back with our third Nations League accumulator of the international break. 

I'm writing this on Thursday afternoon so I'm unaware how many of my picks across Thursday and Friday's matches have come in. Fingers-crossed we've picked up some momentum heading into our third round of selections or, alternatively, let this be where the real fun begins!

Brad Walker's best Nations League bets for Saturday, September 6th, 2024

Czech Republic to beat Georgia @ 5/4 - 1 pt

England to beat Republic of Ireland @ 11/21 - 2 pts

Ukraine to beat Albania @ 3/4 - 1 pt 

Czech Republic, England & Ukraine treble @ 4.91/1 - 0.5 pts

Total points staked - 4.5 pts

Selection #1 - Czech Republic to beat Georgia (5/4)

Georgia host the Czech Republic in Tbilisi on Saturday, three months after the sides played out a 1-1 draw in the Euro 2024 group stages. 

Remarkably, it was the Georgians who would navigate a route out of group F as one of the competition's best third-ranked sides. A stunning 2-0 victory over an admittedly heavily-rotated Portugal side saw them take four points across their three matches in their first ever appearance at a major tournament.

Willy Sagnol's side succumbed to a 4-1 thumping at the hands of eventual champions Spain in the last 16 but can be proud of the history they'd made for their tiny nation.

Meanwhile, the Czech Rebublic's solitary point in Germany came from the draw with Saturday's opponents. Ivan Hasek's side finished bottom and bowed out at the group stage of a European Championships for only the second time in 12 years.

The Czechians would have been understandably disappointed with their efforts but, in terms of the match this weekend, they stand out as clear winners in my eyes. 

Sure, the game ended in a draw when these two met in Hamburg earlier this year but the scoreline doesn't tell the full story. Not only did Hasek's men retain 62% of possession but they also recorded a whopping 27 shots on the Georgia goal, leading to an overwhelming 3.11 xG. 

On any other day the Czech Republic would have left with three points and an abundance of goals to their name. Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili put in an incredible performance but will surely be unable to repeat those heroics if similar demand is placed on him this weekend. 

Backing the away side at an odds-against 5/4 looks bang on the money when you consider the context of their last meeting.

Mamardashvili was in inspired form during his nation's 1-1 draw with the Czech Republic back in June. (Photo credit: Alamy Images)

Selection #2 - England to beat the Republic of Ireland (11/21)

The Three Lions' first match under interim manager Lee Carsley sees them travel to Dublin to take on a struggling Republic of Ireland side.

Carsley has already seen several key players withdraw from the squad, including Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins. Nevertheless, the visitors head into the match at the Aviva Stadium strong odds-on favourites, and it's easy to see why. 

The hosts have been in abysmal form lately. Ireland boast just one win in their last six, failing to score four times in that period, and finished Euro 2024 qualifying with only six points to their name. 

The run of form saw Stephen Kenny's time as manager come to an end in November last year. Former Manchester United and Sunderland defender John O'Shea briefly took control of the reins in an interim role, before ex-Iceland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson was named as Kenny's replacement in July. 

England's visit will be the 57-year-old's first match in charge but he faces a stern task against the fourth-ranked team in the world. 

The visitors may not have set the world alight with their performances at the Euros but still reached the final for the second European Championships running. Boasting a squad packed with world-class talents - Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham to name a few - Carsley's men also have a wealth of experience playing at the highest level in club and international colours. 

If I haven't already made a strong enough case for an England win, peering at the head-to-head record between the two sides might be the final nail in the coffin. Ireland have won only two of 16 meetings with their English counterparts, with those two victories coming in 1949 and 1988 respectively.

But for an almighty collapse from Kane and co, anything other than an England win would be a huge shock here.

Former Iceland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson replaced Stephen Kenny as Ireland manager in July. (Photo credit: Alamy Images)

Selection #3 - Ukraine to beat Albania (3/4)

My final selection centres on the Epet Arena, where Ukraine play host to Albania. Both sides will be hoping to bounce back after finishing bottom of their respective groups at the Euros. 

Ukraine will have been particularly frustrated after finishing with four points to their name which, due to the incredibly competitive group they were placed in, still meant they were unable to secure a route to the knockouts. 

Finishing bottom of the group may at first seem a blatant failure but, when you consider several sides went on to progress from the groups with less points than Ukraine's four, it's easy to have sympathy for manager Serhiy Rebrov and his men.  

The pressure on their shoulders caused by the ongoing situation in their home country also makes their achievements in recent years even more impressive. While they've not actually played an international match on Ukrainian soil since 2021, Rebrov's side have excelled in fixtures where they have been listed as the home team. 

In fact, they're unbeaten in their last 11 'home' matches, a run which dates back to before Russia's invasion of the country in February 2022. 

Compare this with Albania's record on the road and it's hard to make a case for the away side. The 'Red and Blacks' boast just two wins in their last 15 away outings and come into the Nations League having picked up just one point in the Euros this summer. 

To be fair to Sylvinho's men, they were always facing an uphill task when drawn alongside the eventual champions Spain, the then holders Italy and a Croatia side who have excelled in major tournaments recently. They also lost by narrow margins to their Spanish and Italian counterparts, and were able to salvage a point with a stoppage time equaliser against Croatia. 

Still, this Ukraine squad boasts a level of quality which just isn't present in the Albania ranks. Girona stars Artem Dovbyk and Viktor Tsygankov might have been quiet in Germany but still remain a potent threat in forward areas, while attacking midfielder Heorhiy Sudakov looks destined for a move to one of the continent's major players in the coming years. 

Getting the hosts at just shy of evens at 3/4 looks too good a price to turn down when you compare the respective squads, while also considering the context of their recent home record. Albania put up a good fight in Germany, but I ultimately think they'll come up short once again in this one. 

Ukraine manager Serhiy Rebrov will have been disappointed not to qualify for the Euro 2024 knockout stages after picking up four points in group E. (Photo credit: Alamy Images)