Get the best bets for tonight’s Champions League, with Mark O’Haire and Andy Brassell on Villarreal v Liverpool, as well as Championship tips…
Bournemouth 2.3211/8 v Notts Forest 3.55, the Draw 3.45
19:00
Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest go head-to-head in a potentially pivotal fixture in the Championship’s automatic promotion race.
Mark O’Haire says: “Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper admitted he would like to have seen his side score more despite smashing Swansea 5-1 at a raucous City Ground on Saturday. Sam Surridge’s first career hat-trick helped the Tricky Trees to top honours with an own goal and Alex Mighten strike also contributing as the Reds racked up 17 shots on-target overall.
“Cooper was delighted with his team’s display but felt they could have been more clinical. He said, “I thought we were excellent, the game plan came off perfectly. 5-1 is obviously a great result, but to be honest it could have been more, it should have been 5-1 at half-time. I don’t say that disrespectfully, everyone saw it. It was chance, after chance, after chance.”
“Since the Welshman took charge in September, Forest have won more points – 75 – than any other Championship team over the same period and head to the south coast having claimed maximum points in 10 of their most recent 11 second-tier showdowns to close the gap on Bournemouth to just three points, with the visitors boasting the better goal difference.
Mark’s bet:
Villarreal 5.04/1 v Liverpool 1.768/11, the Draw 4.216/5
20:00
Live on BT Sport 2
Liverpool take a 2-0 lead to Spain on Tuesday as they prepare to face Villarreal in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final…
Mark O’Haire says: “Villarreal and Liverpool have crossed swords once before the current campaign in continental competition. The duo faced off in the Europa League semi-finals back in 2015/16 with the Yellow Submarine winning the first leg 1-0 in Spain before suffering a one-sided 3-0 reverse when travelling to Anfield to face Jurgen Klopp’s charges six years ago.
“Villarreal are reigning Europa League champions and Unai Emery’s men have knocked out European giants Juventus and Bayern Munich en-route to only their second-ever Champions League semi-final. The giant-slayers will again set-up in a rigid 4-4-2, prioritising a solid and well-drilled structure with the pace of Arnaut Danjuma during counter-attacks.
“Liverpool have now taken top honours in 21 of their last 25 matches across all competitions (W21-D3-L1), and that includes picking up W10-D2-L0 on their travels since mid-January. The Reds have won all five of their Champions League away days this term by an aggregate 15-5, scoring twice or more in every encounter.”
Mark’s bet:
European football expert Andy Brassell also discusses Liverpool’s trip to Spain and explains why it will be difficult for Unai Emery’s men…
Andy says: “There is at least hope of a result on the night for the hosts, with Liverpool not winning the return leg of each previous knockout round after an authoritative win in the opener.
“The big plus is that Gerard Moreno will be available for this return after a hamstring problem and if he’s firing, that would be a game changer for Villarreal. He is not just a great goalscorer, but a genuinely great reader of the game in the final third.
“Given the nature of his injury it is a risk but if ever there was a game to take a punt on your star player’s fitness, then this would be it.
“Hoping for all this to fall into place is asking for a lot, but hope – and hard graft – have got Villarreal this far. Their fans, and neutrals, must hope they have enough in the tank for one last offensive.”
Andy’s bet:
Finally, Dan Fitch creates a Champions League Bet Builder for Villarreal v Liverpool and makes the case for backing the Reds’ attack to make the difference.
Dan says: “It’s tempting to start this Bet Builder by backing Liverpool to win, considering their brilliant away form this year. However, it’s always a risk to back a team to win, when they only need a draw and in both of Liverpool’s games in the knockout stages of the competition this season, they have failed to win the second-leg after claiming victory in the first (P2 D1 L1).
“So instead, we will play conservatively and begin with Liverpool to avoid defeat in the Double Chance market at 1/7 on the Sportsbook. To that we’ll add under 3.5 goals at 2/5, with Liverpool already having done the hard work and now just needing to keep things tight.
“It remains to be seen as to who gets picked in Liverpool’s front three, now that Klopp has so many attacking options, but we know that Salah will start, after being rested on Saturday. Salah is 4/7 to either score or assist and that creates a Bet Builder treble that pays out at odds of 3.39/4.”
Dan’s bet:
Source: Betfair Champions League
