Football betting tips: Thursday best bets
2pts Christopher Nkunku to score anytime in Heidenheim vs Chelsea (17:45) at 11/8 (Sky Bet)
1pt Evann Guessand to score anytime in Nice vs Rangers (20:00) at 13/5 (bet365)
0.5pt Patrick Berg to be carded in Man Utd vs Bodo/Glimt (20:00) at 7/2 (bet365)
Heidenheim vs Chelsea
- Kick-off time: 17:45 GMT, Thursday
- TV: TNT Sports 1
- Home 21/4 | Draw 7/2 | Away 4/11
Jake Osgathorpe
Chelsea have made light work of their Europa Conference League opponents so far, winning all three matches by an aggregate of 16-3. This is unsurprising given the squad depth at their disposal, and the Blues should again win comfortably here.
Heidenheim have also won three of three in the Conference League, but a game against this Chelsea side is a completely different proposition to anything they have faced in this competition so far.
It will be closer to what they faced last weekend, when losing 5-2 to Bayer Leverkusen. In fact, their games against fellow Bundesliga sides have not gone well of late - losing five of six and conceding 13 times.
Enzo Maresca's side should prove too strong and again score plenty of goals, meaning CHRISTOPHER NKUNKU's price of 11/8 TO SCORE ANYTIME again looks value.
He's scored in every Conference League game to date, including qualifiers, bagging six in total from 17 shots equating to 4.6 xG. So far he's averaging 1.15 xG per 90.
I expected to see odds-on quotes here for a player who has scored in six of his seven starts this season, netting nine in total across those games.
As well as getting plenty of chances from open play, another bonus for this bet is that Nkunku is the designated penalty taker, and given the pace and trickery Chelsea have in attack, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Frenchman net from the spot yet again.
Manchester United vs Bodo/Glimt
- Kick-off time: 20:00 GMT, Thursday
- TV: TNT Sports 2
- Home 1/5 | Draw 11/2 | Away 11/1
Jimmy ‘The Punt’ Cantrill
It’s Ruben Amorim's second game as Manchester United manager on Thursday, his first at Old Trafford, and with a host of players ruled out with injuries or returning to fitness it is tricky to guess his XI.
How he wants his side to play is a little easier to decipher. In the 1-1 draw with Ipswich, out of possession, his midfielders squeezed right up as did his defenders and this will make life difficult for Bodo/Glimt.
It’s the reason visitors midfielder PATRICK BERG could be in for a long night.
Berg has already picked up two cards in four Europa League appearances this season and looks a nice price TO BE CARDED again at Old Trafford.
In total, he has three in nine appearances in the competition and could add to that tally given a card happy referee takes charge.
Lawrence Visser dished out seven yellows and a red card in Tottenham’s defeat at Galatasaray recently.
Nice vs Rangers
- Kick-off time: 20:00 GMT, Thursday
- TV: TNT Sports 3
- Home 4/5 | Draw 11/4 | Away 3/1
Jimmy ‘The Punt’ Cantrill
EVANN GUESSAND has scored six goals in Ligue 1, which is over a quarter of Nice’s domestic tally, and puts him behind only three players in the division's top goalscorer charts.
The frontman has racked up an xG of 4.63 in the French topflight, which is also the fifth most, and though his form hasn’t translated to the continent yet, his price TO SCORE ANYTIME appeals against Rangers.
The visitors have struggled for consistency on the road this season, only winning three of their nine games in all competitions, and take on a Nice side unbeaten in five.
Odds correct at 1315 GMT (27/11/24)
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