Get the best bets from our football experts for Tuesday’s Champions League action including Mark O’Haire on Manchester United v Atletico Madrid as well as a big night in the Championship…
Man Utd 2.265/4 v Atletico Madrid 3.8514/5, the Draw 3.39/4
20:00
Live on BT Sport 2
Manchester United meet Atletico Madrid at Old Trafford on Tuesday for the second leg of their last-16 Champions League and it could be a dramatic night.
Mark O’Haire says: “Manchester United and Atletico Madrid had met only twice on the continental stage before this season, way back in the 1991/92 campaign in the Cup Winners Cup; the Spaniards were 3-0 winners in the first leg from Madrid and progressed with a 4-1 aggregate success. Even so, Los Rojiblancos have lost four of their last five fixtures with Premier League opposition.
“United picked up a welcome win against Tottenham yet the Red Devils remain a side that’s difficult to trust. United have tabled W11-D9-L2 over their past 22 fixtures from all competitions, failing to score twice but often faltering in defence. The hosts have managed a reasonable W11-D5-L5 at Old Trafford yet rarely dominated.
“Defending La Liga champions Atletico Madrid are 15 points off the pace domestically and returning their worst defensive figures in the Diego Simeone era. The visitors have recorded only nine clean sheets across 35 collective league and Champions League outings, whilst conceding multiple goals in eight of their most recent 16 such encounters.”
Mark’s bet:
Dan Fitch also finds a bet for the showdown at Old Trafford as he puts his faith in goals for a Bet Builder wager…
Dan says: “If Ronaldo is the danger-man for United, then it’s Felix who could be Atletico’s match-winner. Ronaldo’s young compatriot has now scored five goals in as many games and found the net at the weekend in a 2-1 home win against Cadiz, that leaves Atletico in fourth place in La Liga.
“With both teams having forwards that can make the difference and defences that are now far from reliable, there should be goals in this. Both teams to score looks big at 9/10, at a time when neither side are keeping clean sheets regularly.
“Over 2.5 goals can be added at 23/20 and has landed in seven of Atletico’s last eight away games. In all eight of those games there were goals in both halves, which is available at 5/6 and makes a treble of 2.747/4.”
Dan’s Bet Builder:
Back both teams to score, over 2.5 goals and goals in both halves @ 2.747/4
Ajax 1.434/9 v Benfica 7.613/2, the Draw 5.69/2
20:00
Live on BT Sport 3
The in-form Sebastian Haller could be about to pounce in a wide open game but the visitors can also get on the scoresheet.
Jamie Pacheco says: “If your life depended on picking the correct one of the three outcomes then it would have to be Ajax, with the better performances in their domestic league, Champions League and slightly better showing in the first leg in Lisbon.
“But still, not at that price. They’re a fine side with some really good players and crucially, good players in form. But they’re not exactly that used to being at this stage of the competition and could feel the pressure, even more given they’re at home and expected to progress.
“If this is the open game that I expect it to be, it might just come down to who has the better finishing on the night and which goalkeeper has the better game. So, we’ll have to swerve Ajax, noting that the 5.79/2 on the draw looks pretty big indeed, while the 7.413/2 on the Benfica win looks appealing on price, if somewhat unlikely.
Jamie’s bet:
Dan has a second Bet Builder wager of the night, this time for Benfica’s trip to the Dutch capital…
Dan says: “We have to suppose that Benfica’s unbeaten run will end against Ajax, who have played extremely well in the Champions League this season. We’ll start our Bet Builder with a home win at odds of 4/11 on the Sportsbook.
“To that we’ll add over 1.5 first-half goals at 10/11, which has landed in four of Ajax’s last five games, which includes the first-leg, which saw three goals before half-time. Sebastien Haller scored in that first-leg, taking his tally to 32 goals in 33 games this season, with eleven of those coming in seven Champions League matches.
“With such a record, a price of 8/11 for Haller to score looks generous and creates a treble at odds of 3.41.”
Dan’s Bet Builder:
Back Ajax, over 1.5 first-half goals and Haller to score @ 3.412/5
West Brom 3.814/5 v Fulham 2.111/10, the Draw 3.711/4
20:00
Live on Sky Sports Football
Runaway Championship leaders Fulham travel to beleaguered West Brom on Tuesday night
Mark O’Haire says: “West Brom are winless in their last 12 league meetings with Fulham since 2010 (W0-D7-L5) with Albion seeing four of their last five head-to-head encounters at The Hawthorns ending all-square (W0-D1-L4). The Baggies have only suffered a solitary home reverse to the Whites here in 20 years but were beaten 3-0 in the reverse fixture back in October.
“West Brom sit seven points off the top-six with the bottom-half dwellers returning just W7-D7-L12 since the start of October – only four second-tier clubs have collected fewer points in that sample, with the hosts failing to even score in 12 of their 19 league fixtures since November’s international break. More recently, Albion have won twice in 14 outings.
“Fulham have claimed 10 wins from 13 Championship outings since Christmas (W10-D2-L1), plundering an eye-watering 39 goals during that impressive sequence. Marco Silva’s men have have proven dominant against the league’s lesser lights, yet the Whites haven’t been quite so consistent at top-14 teams, boasting only four away wins (W4-D2-L2).”
Mark’s bet:
Barnsley 2.568/5 v Bristol City 3.185/40, the Draw 3.3512/5
19:45
Live on Sky Sports Red Button
Barnsley have improved recently and are now fighting to preserve their Championship status as they head to Bristol.
Jack Critchley says: “The Oakwell faithful will have been pleased with their side’s performance against runaway leaders Fulham at the weekend, with the hosts almost matching their Premier League-bound opposition when it came to xG.
“Poya Asbarghi has done a superb job and the January additions have added a much-needed sprinkling of class to the XI. However, the squad still looks a little threadbare and some fans have suggested that Asbarghi has struggled to utilise his bench due to the lack of quality options available.
“Nevertheless, the Tykes are now unbeaten in four home games and have found the net on five occasions during that run. Carlton Morris has been a revelation since returning from injury and he has clearly benefited from the arrival of Domingos Quina and Amine Bassi.”
Jack’s bet:
Bristol Rovers 2.01/1 v Colchester 3.953/1, the Draw 3.45
19:45
There’s League Two action on Tuesday and our fourth tier expert has recommended his best bets starting in the west country…
Ian Lamont says: “Colchester have had a disrupted season, struggles near the bottom costing Hayden Mullins the managerial post. Results showed an initial improvement under Wayne Brown, but they went six without winning before – surprisingly – defeating Port Vale then winning at Scunthorpe. The latter, on Saturday, was perhaps far less surprising, because the Iron continue to struggle at the foot of the table.
“Brown was relieved his side “dug themselves out of a hole” having gone behind. There will be little hiding place if they go behind at the Memorial Stadium.
“Nor will Noah Chilvers be allowed to roam three-quarters of the length of the field to score, as he did at the weekend. The U’s are now four games unbeaten, but after back-to-back wins for the first time this season a third in a row is unlikely. A home win seems far more so.”
Ian’s bet:
Source: Betfair Champions League
