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Europa League Acca – 21st October
This Thursday, the Europa League returns, but before then there are two games taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday that feature two British teams. First up, Celtic face a must-win clash against Ferencvaros, with both sides pointless after their opening two games in Group G.
Then on Wednesday, Leicester City face an important game away to Spartak Moscow, needing something from the game as they sit bottom of their group with Legia Warsaw the surprising group leaders after winning their opening two games.
However, the focus for us will be the fourteen games taking place across Thursday night, which feature the other two UK-based teams, Rangers and West Ham, as well as some of the other top teams in the competition.
Top games include Lazio facing Marseille, PSV Eindhoven facing AS Monaco, Real Betis against Bayer Leverkusen (who are both in Celtic’s group) and Sparta Prague facing Lyon (which will be of interest to Rangers as they are in their group).
As with the Champions League, this is the first of two games between the teams on Matchdays 3 and 4 and they can go a huge way towards a teams chances of qualifying for the knockout stage of the tournament, especially if a team can pick up the maximum six points from these games.
With three of the four UK teams bottom of their group, and only West Ham top of their group, this is the first of two important games against the same opponents which could well determine their chances of progressing on from the group phase of the tournament.
Betis have won both their Group G games so far, as have Leverkusen but when it comes to domestic form, the German side have the advantage having dropped just four points this season to lie in second place on goal difference in the Bundesliga table behind Bayern Munich. Betis, in contrast, are 10th in the La Liga table with 12 points from their eight games. Both sides have some excellent players and you can make a case for either of them winning the game, but I also feel that both will know with the other two teams in this group pointless, that a draw would not necessarily be a bad result for either of them. I expect Betis to dominate the ball here, but I think Leverkusen will do enough to pick up a point from this game.
PSV Eindhoven v AS Monaco – Home Win
PSV started the season with five straight wins in the Eredivisie but losses to Feyenoord and Willem II has seen them drop down to 2nd in the table behind Ajax. They are top of Group B on goal difference ahead of tonight’s opponents Monaco with both teams having picked up four points from their two games so far. The French side lie 6th in the Ligue 1 table and they have some quality players Fabregas, Golovin, Tchouameni and Ben Yedder especially of note, but PSV also have some outstanding talents in Zahavi, Gotze, Bruma, Vinicius and Van Ginkel and on home soil, I think the Dutch side may just have a little too much for the French team to cope with.
Rangers v Brondby – Home Win
Rangers are bottom of Group A without a point from their two games so far in this competition and Steven Gerrard will know that his team must win both their games with Brondby in order to stand any chance of progress from this group. Rangers form in the competition this year hasn’t been great and that is in contrast to how well they did last season. I do feel they will beat the Danish side on home soil here to put themselves back in with a chance in this group, but I do fear that the damage may have already been done in terms of them having any real chance of progressing to the next stage.
West Ham v Genk – Home Win
West Ham are yet to concede a goal in the competition this season and have won both of their games comfortably to lead Group H. I expect them to take a full stranglehold of the group in this game tonight by registering another win against Genk. The Belgian side were easily beaten by Dinamo Zagreb on Matchday 2, a team West Ham beat on the road on Matchday 1 and as such, the Hammers should be more than strong enough to claim the win here. Paul Onuachu is a threat for Genk in attack, but I think West Ham should have more than enough quality to get the job done here to remain well clear in the group.
Author: Dean Wyatt
Dean Wyatt is the founder and editor here at Acca Nation. He’s been betting sports for over 20 years and is a profitable sports trader on the exchanges.
place on Tuesday and Wednesday that feature two British teams. First up, Celtic face a must-win clash against Ferencvaros, with both sides pointless after their opening two games in Group G.
