The Daily Acca: Spoils to be shared in Dortmund

Bet 1: Back Preston @ 9/5 – KO 19:45 BST

A torrid season for Preston is finally starting to look up as they have climbed off the bottom of the Championship courtesy of an unbeaten three game run.

Draws at Aston Villa and Hull bookended a 4-0 thrashing of Wigan on this ground, and they will be confident of making it back to back victories at Deepdale.

Brentford are on the slide as they haven’t won any of their last six league matches. Dean Smith has also departed for Aston Villa and Thomas Frank led the team to a 1-0 defeat at home to Bristol City on Saturday.

This isn’t the best of times for The Bees and while Preston are much lower than them in the table, the recent form tells a different story, and 9/5 for the home win is too big to refuse.

Bet 2: Back West Brom @ 19/20 – KO 20:00 BST

The big clash in the Championship this evening comes from the Hawthorns as West Brom welcome Derby County, and I’m expecting the visitors to come away pointless.

The Baggies may have lost on Saturday, but that was away from home, and in front of their own fans they have been rampant.

Darren Moore’s men have recorded five straight victories at the Hawthorns – scoring four goals or more on three occasions. They also have the added carrot of going top tonight with a win, after both Sheffield United and Middlesbrough were held on Tuesday.

The Rams picked up their first win in four at the weekend as they beat Sheffield United 2-1. That was at Pride Park though and Frank Lampard’s side have been struggling on their travels.

Away from home it’s one point from a possible nine of late and they lost to nil at Rotherham and Bolton – who are both in the bottom half of the division.

Bet 3: Back The Draw in Dortmund v Atletico Madrid @ 12/5 – KO 20:00 BST

The two heavy-hitters in Group A meet at the Westfalenstadion this evening and I have plenty of faith in Atletico Madrid’s ability to earn a hard-fought point.

We all know how hard Diego Simeone’s team are to beat, and so far this season they have lost just one game in all competitions.

They drew at Villarreal on Saturday and they also drew at Real Madrid at the end of September.

Dortmund on the other hand have been winning matches – and plenty of them.

Lucien Favre’s men have won seven of their last eight competitive games, and they warmed up for this with a 4-0 thrashing of Stuttgart at the weekend.

With all due respect to their recent opponents though, Atletico are a cut above them all, and they have the defence to cope with an attack that have scored 27 goals in eight Bundesliga fixtures this season.

It’s also worth noting that a draw isn’t a bad result for either side as the other two teams in the group are pointless after two matches.

Dan Fitch is also tipping the draw.