Europa League Predictions > Oct 20th - 27th

[StevieDay1983]

The Europa League delivers action this week and next with the re-arranged game between Arsenal and PSV being played this week with a full schedule lined up for the week after. It's the penultimate round of group stage games so plenty to play for. Give us your predictions down below! 

[ALEXXXXXXXX]

Facing each other twice in seven days, I expect an entertaining contest between two sides in good form and with plenty of goal-scoring intent.

Arsenal have scored an average of nearly 2.5 goals per game while PSV have bagged an impressive average of over 3 goals from their 18 matches played this season (all competitions).

Given the Gunners' form, it´s hard to see past the home win but I expect PSV to make this an entertaining contest so goals should be expected, probably at both ends although the over 2.5 goal pick is probably the safer option here.

Over 3 @ 1.88

[StevieDay1983]

PSV vs Arsenal

The penultimate round of Europa League group stage matches are coming our way on Thursday and the action kicks off with a 5:45pm BST kick-off in Group A between Dutch Eredivisie side PSV and Premier League leaders Arsenal from the PSV Stadion. It might only feel like last week that these two clubs met and that's because it was. Their re-arranged fixture saw the English side prevail as 1-0 winners to book their place in the knockout phase. Will their Dutch opponents get the result required to join them?

PSV will have mixed emotions about their start to the season so far. Head coach Ruud Van Nistelrooy has led his team to 8 wins from their opening 11 league matches but they remain in 2nd place and 4 points behind league leaders Ajax. The Red and Whites were also knocked out of the Champions League by Rangers in the play-off round but have managed to pick up 7 points from their 4 group games thus far meaning they need a win here to potentially put themselves in the draw for the next round. Of course, there are caveats. PSV must better Bodo/Glimt's result this round to qualify immediately. Otherwise it goes to the last group game between those two for a place in the knockouts. Van Nistelrooy's men have at least secured a spot in the Europa Conference League play-offs whatever happens so their European journey will go on. It just depends in what competition. The team have shown they can score goals in this group having scored 5 goals in two separate games already although both times it was FC Zurich who were the opposition. PSV have only lost 1 of their 9 home matches across all competitions this season.

Arsenal secured their place in the next round of this competition with their victory over PSV at home last week but it was a tense affair. This game will be even tougher for the Londoners but a draw will ensure that the Gunners are straight through to the Europa League last 16 with a group game to spare. Mikel Arteta's men have picked up 4 wins from their 4 group games so far with the team keeping three clean sheets in a row. This defensive resilience has been key for the team all season. It's now just 12 goals conceded from 15 matches in all competitions. Away form has been particularly impressive for Arsenal this season with the club picking up 6 wins from their 8 away matches whilst conceding just 0.63 goals per game during that run. Not only have the team been keeping the goals out but they've also been scoring an average of 2.3 goals per game on their travels in this competition under the management of Arteta. Less than 2.5 goals have also been scored in each of the last 4 games that Arsenal have played in all competitions so tightly-contested matches are becoming the norm. Gone are the days of the loose and easy Arsenal teams of recent years.

It was a Granit Xhaka winner that separated these two teams just one week ago and I wouldn't be surprised if it was a single goal from an unconventional source that is needed to deliver a winner again. PSV showed they were a match for Arsenal across the pitch but ultimately it was one moment that decided it. Arsenal have only ever lost to PSV on one occasion but that did come in their last meeting in the Netherlands. The fact that the last 6 meetings have all seen fewer than 2.5 goals scored exemplifies how evenly-matched these two teams are. Arsenal are coming to grind out a point and PSV ideally need the win. I'm going to back Arsenal to get the draw but it's going to be tough.

Draw @ 3.60 with Sporting Index

Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 2.10 with BetVictor

[StevieDay1983]

Manchester United vs Sheriff Tiraspol

The Europa League action continues at 8pm BST on Thursday night and one of the key games is Manchester United versus Sheriff Tiraspol from Old Trafford. The Premier League club can seal a place in the knockout round and keep their last 16 hopes alive with a victory. Can they earn that win against a visiting Moldovan side that are heavy underdogs but have been giant-killers in Europe before?

Manchester United didn't have a great start to the season with the club losing their first two league games by an aggregate score of 6-1 and suffering a disappointing 1-0 loss in their opening Europa League group stage game against Real Sociedad at home. Form has now settled under head coach Erik ten Hag but it's still not a team that seems entirely at peace with itself. The Red Devils are up to 6th place in the Premier League table and have won their last 3 matches in a row in this competition to move to within 1 point of confirming their place in the next round. However, ten Hag will undoubtedly be targeting group leaders Real Sociedad and will want to win here to take the battle for top spot into their final group game against the Spaniards away. United have now won 9 of their last 13 matches in all competitions and they have only conceded 1 goal in their last 4 matches across all competitions. It's interesting to see that 3 of their 4 group games have ended in less than 2.5 goals being scored. The centre back partnership of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane is clearly having an impact but it'll be interesting to see if ten Hag decides to stick with Victor Lindelof in Varane's absence due to injury or if the out-of-form Harry Maguire will have a chance of redemption soon.

Sheriff Tiraspol are a team that hardly anyone had heard of before recent seasons. The little club from the disputed Moldovan territory of Transnistria have already been making waves on the European front in the past couple of campaigns. It was only last season that they pulled off a shock 2-1 win over eventual Champions League winners Real Madrid in that very competition in the Bernabeu in what was undoubtedly one of the greatest upsets in European football history. Head coach Stjepan Tomas has resigned from his role with the team just days before this clash leaving the club in disarray. This controversy could not have come at a worse time with Sheriff in need of a win to keep their qualification hopes for the next round alive. The team are in 3rd place with just 3 points from their 4 group games so far. That solitary win to earn those points came in their opening group match in a 3-0 win away to Omonia. Unfortunately, it's been 3 losses in a row without even scoring a goal since then. Tomas also witnessed his team suffer a surprise loss away to Petrocub in the league on the weekend and it seems that was enough to push him over the edge despite the team sitting on top spot of the Moldovan Super Liga and still on course to qualify for the Europa Conference League play-offs. One thing looks for sure, with all 12 of Sheriff's European games seeing 3.5 goals or less so far this is likely to be a game that won't be a goal bonanza but I'd still stretch to under 3.5 goals being scored rather than under 2.5 goals.

I really think the resignation of Tomas will make this game move from being a very tough job to being nearly impossible. Manchester United are beginning to show more and more of that ten Hag DNA. Even after the latest issues with Cristiano Ronaldo storming off before full-time in the win over Tottenham before being left out of the squad entirely for the Chelsea draw there is a feeling ten Hag has the support of the squad. Sheriff don't even have a head coach at the helm so they should be there for the taking for a club of the stature of United. It seems obvious but backing the handicap and clean sheet win is looking tempting.

Manchester United -2 @ 1.85 with Sporting Index

Total Goals Scored Under 3.5 @ 1.73 with Boylesports

[Labrador]

The Moldovans have received a red card in 3 of their last 6 European matches and tonight''s Greek referee could certainly oblige again. The recent managerial turmoil with Sheriff Tiraspol could see the team go either way in terms of commitment and effort. I'll take a chance they will be fired up and have bought Sheriff bookings at 24 with Spreadex. Have also bought total match red cards at 0.18 (Sporting Index).

On the off chance that Ten Haag puts Harry Maguire in the team tonight I think his goal minutes are worth a buy at 6 (Sporting Index).