It’s a case of facing recent foes in the Champions League this week as all teams play the reverse fixture of their most previous group stage test. For Manchester United, this means welcoming Benfica to Old Trafford as the Red Devils search to confirm their place in the knockout stages after just four games. Tuesday also sees Chelsea in action, with the Blues flying to Italy for a tricky test against Roma. The two sides played out a thriller at Stamford Bridge and we may have more of the same here.
Moving on to Wednesday and we will see if Maribor can bounce back from their thrashing by Liverpool. The Reds knocked seven past the Slovenian champions earlier in October in what was Maribor’s heaviest European home defeat. Also looking for a big response will be Napoli who risk falling six points adrift of second place if they lose to Man City once again. Tottenham face no such problems as Pochettino’s side are tied at the top of Group H with Real Madrid and it’s the Galacticos they face this time out at a sold-out Wembley Stadium.
Tuesday 31st October 2017
Man United v Benfica (19:45) – Man United to win to nil (11/0 with BetVictor)
It took a huge mistake from keeper Mile Svilar, the youngest ever keeper to feature in the Champions League, to separate the two sides in Portugal. It was the only major talking point in a game that was lacking in quality and was very much a case of United simply getting the job done. Benfica, still yet to pick up a point in this competition, put in a much better shift than during their 5-0 hammering to Basel but their lack of creativity going forwards is something which will hurt them again here.
After the game in Lisbon, Jose Mourinho stood by his defensive approach to the game, questioning why having such a solid back line was such a bad thing. It’s a tactic which has largely worked well for him this season and with both Phil Jones and Eric Bailly possible options for this tie, United will shut the door on Benfica. The Red Devils have largely been dominant at home this season and even with a few player rotations, you can expect them to get the job done, albeit perhaps not in stunning fashion.
Roma v Chelsea (19:45) – Roma to win (8/5 with Betfred)
Roma fought back from two goals down during their 3-3 draw in London and with Chelsea not at their best, they’ll have their sights set on three points this time. Being back at the Stadio Olimpico may not be that much of a help however, as Roma have performed better away than at home this season. In Rome they’ve already lost to Napoli and Inter and they were limited to a 0-0 against Atletico in their opening Group C test.
As for Chelsea, their last big away game saw them in Madrid, claiming a hugely valuable victory against Atletico. Antonio Conte’s side suffered a poor spell of form following that win though and their defence has seemed far less secure. Against Edin Dzeko, not having a solid backline can be costly, as the Bosnian has been full of goals this season. Roma probably won’t be able to manage as many goals as they did in London but should have enough to edge past a less than convincing Chelsea side.
Wednesday 1st November 2017
Liverpool v Maribor (19:45) – Liverpool to win by four or more goals (evens with Betfair)
Liverpool have shown us their best and worst sides just lately. The best came during their 7-0 battering of Maribor, a game in which the Reds attacked so devastatingly and looked like a side with real belief. The worst followed just days later as Tottenham exposed Liverpool’s often vulnerable defence, cutting through their backline with ease during a 4-1 win. Fortunately for Liverpool though, Maribor don’t have Harry Kane upfront and their defensive troubles won’t be as evident here.
Although a repeat seven goal tally will be asking too much, it’s hard to see how this game will pan out much differently. Maribor simply do not have the ability to give the Liverpool backline any sorts of problems. They’ve only managed one goal in this competition and even in the Slovenian top flight they aren’t even close to being top scorers. There is a gulf in quality between the two sides and this will be evident once again as Liverpool’s pacey attack tears through the Slovenian side.
Napoli v Man City (19:45) – Napoli to win or draw (4/7 with Bet365)
City grabbed the all-important three points when these sides last met but it was a game in which Napoli missed a penalty at a crucial moment. On another day, the Italians would have claimed a point or even three and on home turf, this is something you should back them to do. They are a formidable side when playing at the Stadio San Paolo, largely thanks to the frequency with which they find the back of the net.
Lorzeno Insigne was forced off injured the last time the two sides met but the Italian is back fit again, ready to slot into Napoli’s deadly front three. It was Dries Mertens that was responsible for the missed penalty at the Etihad but the Belgian can usually be relied on to convert for his club. As good as City have been on so many occasions this season, betting against Napoli at home is not a good idea and the hosts are fairly priced to get something from this contest.
Tottenham v Real Madrid (19:45) – Over 2.5 goals (9/20 with BetVictor)
Tottenham had to be bailed out by Hugo Lloris a couple of times at the Bernabeu but it would be unfair to say they didn’t deserve their point. The contest demonstrated why Mauricio Pochettino is so highly regarded as his surprise two striker line-up worked very well, preventing his side being cooped-up in their own half. The Argentine may well have another surprise up his sleeve here as he looks to take advantage of a Real Madrid side who haven’t hit the highs of last season.
There is only an outside chance that Gareth Bale will be fit to face his former club but either way, Madrid will be able to field a very strong line-up at Wembley. Their incredible 73 game scoring run came to an end a few weeks ago at the hands of Real Betis but they still remain a side you should always back to register. This will be another end to end affair between two sides who love to attack. It’s hard to say which way the game will go with Spurs a bit unpredictable at Wembley but goals are something you can count on.