Free betting tips: Champions League including PSV v Tottenham, Liverpool v Red Star Belgrade
It's the turn of Liverpool and Tottenham in the Champions League on Wednesday - we've picked out four best bets across the groups.
Recommended bets
2pts Erik Lamela to score anytime in PSV v Tottenham at 7/2
2pts Virgil van Dijk to have 1+ shots on target in Liverpool v Crvena zvezda at 13/8
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
PSV v Tottenham
Group B, Philips Stadion, 1755 BST, BT Sport 3
Two sides who are without a point in the Champions League this season meet in Eindhoven as PSV take on Tottenham.
PSV's position at the bottom of Group B may make this one appear like an easy away win, but their Eredivisie form has been perfect, winning all nine games and scoring 36 goals in the process.
Tottenham, though, are enjoying a great season themselves and despite being fifth in the Premier League table, sit two points off the top and are enjoying a four-game winning run in the league.
This could easily be a game full of goals and the visitors are more than capable of finding the net, especially Erik Lamela who has been in wonderful form so far.
The 26-year-old has five goals and two assists in eight games in all competitions, including one in their Champions League defeat to Barcelona.
Spurs have scored in every game this season which makes Lamela's anytime odds of 7/2 seem perfectly fair value.
I'd be wary of backing the English side here given PSV's efforts in their domestic league. A score draw is available at 18/5 with BetVictor which does seem an outcome with high potential given recent showings.
Best bet: Erik Lamela to score anytime at 7/2
PSV v Tottenham Opta facts
- The only previous meetings between PSV and Tottenham were in the last 16 of the 2007-08 UEFA Cup. Both sides won 1-0 away from home, before PSV progressed 65 via penalty shootout.
- PSV have won just two of their last 15 Champions League games against English opponents (vs Arsenal in February 2007 and Man Utd in September 2015), having won their first three such matches in the competition.
- Tottenham have won five of their eight away games vs Dutch opponents in European competition (D1 L2), with their last defeat coming at Feyenoord in March 1992 (0-1 in the Cup Winner’s Cup).
- PSV are winless in each of their last 10 Champions League games (D4 L6), their worst ever run in the competition.
- Spurs have lost their last three European matches, all in the Champions League – they’ve never lost four consecutive major European matches in a row.
- Only Viktoria Plzen (7) have conceded more goals in this season’s Champions League than both PSV and Spurs (6).
- Spurs are the first English side to lose their opening two Champions League group stage games since Arsenal in 2015-16; only two English sides have lost their opening three group games – Newcastle United in 2002-03 (first group stage) and Blackburn Rovers in 1995-96.
- Only Crvena Zvezda (54) have faced more shots than PSV in the Champions League this season (45) – they faced 17 shots in the first half against Inter Milan, more than three sides have faced in total this season (Napoli, Man City and Atletico Madrid).
- Spurs striker Harry Kane is averaging a goal a game in away Champions League matches (6 goals in 6 away matches) and has scored 60% of his goals away from home (6 of 10).
- Should either PSV or Spurs lose this match, only one team has ever lost their opening three group stage Champions League games and qualified for the next round – Newcastle United in 2002-03, in the first group stage.
Liverpool v Crvena zvezda
Group C, Anfield, 2000 BST, BT Sport 2
Liverpool halted a run of four games without victory when they beat Huddersfield at the weekend, and they should make it two wins from two when they welcome Red Star Belgrade to Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp's side lost 1-0 to Napoli in their last group game which may harm the Reds' chances of progression in the long-run, especially given how PSG hammered Belgrade 6-1 in their encounter with the Serbian outfit.
This should be a straightforward home win given the contrasting quality in the two squads, and that's highlighted by the fact that Mohamed Salah, Daniel Sturridge, Sadio Mane, Divock Origi, Dominic Solanke and Xherdan Shaqiri are all priced up at odds-on in places to score anytime.
There is still value to be found, though, and 'stats markets' are worth exploring given the fact that Belgrade saw 17 shots on target against them in that defeat to PSG.
In their home draw with Napoli in Matchday 1, there were 20 shots in the away side's favour, with eight being on target, and it helps go to show how they are on the back foot for the majority of European games.
Liverpool should have a high corner count here as a result of a number of attacks, which will give their defenders opportunities to find the target.
Virgil van Dijk's arrival in January undoubtedly improved the Reds' defence and his aerial presence is beneficial at both ends of the pitch.
You'd back him to win headers in the opposition box and a best price of 13/8 on the Netherlands international to have 1+ attempts on target seems great value.
Best bet: Virgil van Dijk to have 1+ shots on target at 13/8
Liverpool v Crvena zvezda Opta facts
- The only previous meetings between Crvena Zvedza and Liverpool were in the last 16 of the 1973-74 European Cup – the Serbian side won both legs by a 2-1 scoreline.
- Liverpool’s only previous meeting with Serbian sides in European competition was against Crvena Zvezda in the 1973-74 European Cup, losing both legs of the last 16 by a 2-1 scoreline.
- Red Star Belgrade have won just one of their nine away games against English opposition (D4 L4), though it did come against Liverpool in November 1973.
- Excluding qualifiers, Liverpool are unbeaten in each of their last 16 home games in major European competitions (W11 D5), scoring 39 goals in that time.
- Liverpool have lost three of their last four Champions League games (W1), as many as their previous 17 combined in the competition (W8 D6 L3).
- Crvena Zvezda have only won one of their last eight games in major European competitions (excluding qualifiers), drawing four and losing the other three. They have scored just two goals in those eight games.
- Liverpool haven’t lost back-to-back games in the Champions League group stage since November 2014 (three in a row).
- Marko Marin scored Crvena Zvezda’s first ever goal in the Champions League in their last match against PSG – it was his first goal in the competition since his debut for Werder Bremen against Tottenham Hotspur in September 2010.
- Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino has been directly involved in nine goals in his seven Champions League games at Anfield for the club (five goals, four assists).
- Since the start of last season, no player has been directly involved in more Champions League goals than Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino (18 – 11 goals, 7 assists; level with Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo).
Borussia Dortmund v Atletico Madrid
Group A, Signal Iduna Park, 2000 BST, BT Sport Extra 2
These two sides have two wins from two and look good to progress into the round of 16 despite the competition being at an early stage.
But it's Dortmund who are backed to carry on their perfect run given their fine home record so far this season.
Lucien Favre's side have won all five in front of their own fans, scoring 21 goals in the process, and conceding just five.
They're also capitalising on Bayern's poor start as they sit three points clear at the top of the Bundesliga standings and look like real candidates to end the Bavarian club's six-year dominance in German football.
They are a side who can win in entertaining fashion with Marco Reus, Christian Pulisic and Jadon Sancho all eye-catching talents that provide creativity to the attack - which has certainly reaped rewards.
Dortmund also have a forward in Paco Alcacer who is in incredible form. The on-loan Barcelona man has seen the start to his season disrupted by injury, but he has been prolific since his return.
The 25-year-old has eight goals in just five games, averaging one every 27 minutes on the pitch, and one every 18 minutes in the Bundesliga.
I'm quite surprised Alcacer is available at 2/1 to score given his impact so far, but a home win at 6/4 looks the best bet for this one.
Best bet: Borussia Dortmund to win at 6/4
Borussia Dortmund v Atletico Madrid Opta facts
- The only previous meetings between Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid in this competition were the in the group stages in 1996-97. The away side won each time, with the German team eventually going on to win the trophy.
- Atletico Madrid have won just one of their four European meetings with Dortmund (D1 L2), though it was their last such meeting in October 1996 (2-1 in Dortmund).
- Borussia Dortmund are looking to win three consecutive Champions League games for the first time since October/November 2016, with the third game in that run an 8-4 win over Legia Warsaw.
- Atletico Madrid have lost just three of their last 25 Champions League group stage games (W16 D6), keeping 16 clean sheets in those games.
- Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus has had a hand in 14 goals in his last 10 home Champions League appearances (nine goals, five assists).
- Since his Champions League debut for Atletico Madrid in September 2014, Antoine Griezmann has had a hand in 25 goals (19 goals, 6 assists), 15 more than any other Atletico player.
- Borussia Dortmund’s Jacob Bruun Larsen scored and assisted against Monaco on his Champions League debut – aged 20 years and 14 days, Larsen was the youngest player to score and assist on his debut in the competition since Wayne Rooney (18y 340d) in September 2004.
- Diego Costa has been involved in 11 goals in 11 Champions League games for Atletico Madrid (nine goals, two assists) – for Chelsea, Costa scored just twice and assisted twice in 15 appearances in the competition.
- Borussia Dortmund are one of four sides yet to concede in the Champions League this season, along with Juventus, Napoli and Manchester United; they have faced as many shots on target as they’ve had shots on target themselves (8).
- Two of the four players to have completed the most passes in this season’s Champions League are Atletico Madrid’s Koke (182) and Borussia Dortmund’s Manuel Akanji (169).
Galatasaray v Schalke
Group D, Türk Telekom Stadium, 2000 BST, BT Sport Extra 4
These two have endured differing seasons so far in their domestic divisions, with Galatasaray top in Turkey and Schalke fighting for survival in Germany.
Despite that, Schalke find themselves above Wednesday's opposition in the Group D standings, and victory here could potentially move them into top spot at the halfway point.
Die Königsblauen lost their opening three away Bundesliga encounters, but have seemingly turned around their fortunes with victories on the road against Lokomotiv Moscow in this competition and Dusseldorf.
The draw seems decent value here given that Galatasaray don't seem to suggest that they have the same power in Europe as in recent years, despite their showings in their home country.
Bookings could be the avenue to explore in this one given the referee appointment. French Ligue 1 official Benoit Bastien is the man in the middle and he can be viewed as one of Europe's strictest.
He has handed out 31 yellow cards in just seven club games so far, which includes nine in his only Champions League game so far which was the 2-2 draw between Viktoria Plzen and CSKA Moscow.
We should expect to see more cards here, which could be problematic for someone like Weston McKennie who has already been booked on more than one occasion this season.
The 20-year-old midfielder was also carded in their victory over Lokomotiv Moscow, alongside catching the referee's attention in their opening day defeat to Wolfsburg.
He has played both defensive and attacking midfield so far, which highlights how he can pick up cards regardless of the area on the pitch.
Opta facts
- The only previous meetings between Galatasaray and Schalke came in the Champions League last 16 in 2012-13 – the Turkish side progressed 4-3 on aggregate (1-1 at home, 3-2 away).
- Galatasaray haven’t won at home against a German opponent since beating Eintracht Frankfurt 1-0 in a UEFA Cup tie in November 1992, drawing four and losing three since.
- Schalke’s 2-3 home defeat to Galatasaray in March 2013 is their only European defeat vs Turkish opponents to date (W2 D3).
- Galatasaray are unbeaten in each of their last three home Champions League games (W2 D1), although they haven’t won back-to-back matches on home soil in the competition since December 2013.
- Schalke have only lost one of their last 15 group stage games in European competition (W11 D3).
- Schalke have won each of their last three away games in the Champions League, their best ever run in the competition.
- Galatasaray have kept just one clean sheet in their last 16 Champions League games (33 goals conceded), although that was in their last home game in the tournament against Lokomotiv Moscow in September.
- Eight of FC Schalke’s last nine Champions League goals have come away from home, including Weston McKennie’s effort against Lokomotiv Moscow last time out.
- Midfielder Selcuk Inan has scored a goal in each of his last three home Champions League games for Galatasaray; he hadn’t netted in any of his first 12 for the club prior to this.
- 19 of Schalke’s last 24 Champions League goals have come in the second half of their games, including each of the last four in a row.
Odds correct as of 1530 BST on 23/10/18
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