Harry Wilson confident Wales can beat Norway and stay in Nations League top tier

Phil Blanche, Press Association

Harry Wilson believes Wales can upset Norway again to boost their hopes of staying in the top tier of the Nations League.

Wales shocked Erling Haaland and company last month with a 2-1 win over World Cup quarter-finalists Norway in Cardiff.

But the two teams are currently filling the bottom two spots in Group A4, and face either relegation play-offs or the possibility of automatic demotion to League B as it stands.

Wales are above Norway on head-to-head right now, but the Dragons will finish bottom of the group should they lose by two goals or more in Oslo on Saturday.

Wilson said: “I feel like we know what we’ve got to do on Saturday to keep us in Group A, and it’s full focus and full steam ahead to do that. I think it’s a win.

“Before we started this campaign it (ambition) was to try to remain in Group A.

“It’s what we’ve worked so hard to do and to play against the best teams in Europe and ultimately down the line when the qualifying games start, it puts us in a better position the better we do in this group.

“A win on Saturday gives us a good chance of staying in the group.

“Then we have the massive game against Portugal on Tuesday, so ultimately the focus is on getting a win in Oslo.”

Wilson missed the start of Wales’ Nations League campaign after suffering a muscle injury in September.

With the new format of an extended international break in October, Wilson missed four games instead of the usual two.

“Whoever came up with that four-game window needs sacking,” said Wilson.

“I wasn’t happy with the timing with all the fixtures and it worked out wrong for me, really. The injury is just a couple of weeks, but it cost me four caps. Not great.”

Wilson has been Wales’ talisman during the two and a half years that Craig Bellamy has been in charge.

The 29-year-old has scored nine of his 17 international goals under Bellamy, and hit a hat-trick last November as Wales thrashed North Macedonia 7-1 in World Cup qualifying.

But 2026 has not worked out as planned for Wilson as Wales suffered World Cup play-off heartache.

Slow start

He has also made a slow beginning at Leeds following a summer move from Fulham, starting only three times Premier League games for the Whites.

He said: “At the start of the season when I wasn’t in the team, the team was doing well.

“I’m an honest player and I understand when I’ve been in starting XIs, and in teams where I’m doing well, I don’t want to be dropped.

“But more recently, wins have started to be a little bit more difficult to come by and I’ve started a few more games. I think that’s how football is.

“I’m a player that wants to play every game, but ultimately it’s the manager’s decision and the players who do play have to perform to stay in the team.”