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Top 5 Bets for the weekend: October 1-4

The Champions League and Europa League will resume this week whilst there is a full set of Championship midweek fixtures. Here are our top five selection for the week. Bet on football here.

Leeds v West Bromwich – Championship – Both Teams to Score – 1.60 – Tuesday 1st  October

After an excellent start to the season, Leeds United are struggling with just one win in their last four games in the Championship. Unlike their opponents, who have won three of their last four league games, the hosts have issues to resolve. Leeds have scored at least one goal in six of their last eight league games whilst West Brom are yet to fail to score in all their outings in all competitions since the beginning of the season.

Reading v Fulham – Championship – Under 2.5 Goals – 2.50 – Tuesday 1st  October

Fulham bounced back during the weekend with a win over Wigan following three consecutive draws and they will be hoping to continue with that against Reading. Both sides are struggling at the moment as Fulham have a single win in their last five Championship games. Both teams have had Under 2.5 Goals scored in their last five games in all competitions and in their last five Championship matchess, making this a worthy punt.

RB Leipzig v Lyon – Champions League – RB Leipzig Win –  1.65 – Wednesday 2nd  October

Lyon are in trouble with no win in their last seven league games in the build-up to this trip to Germany to face RB Leipzig. The Germans have done pretty well for themselves this season with just one loss in their last eight games in all competitions. This fixture has come at a good time for the Germans who won their first group game against Benfica. They will want to respond to the weekend’s defeat against Schalke with a win here.

Braga v Slovan Bratislava – Europa League – Both Teams to Score – 2.05- Thursday 3rd  October

This is a match to follow closely between two teams that won their first matches in the group stage of the Europa League. Braga had managed to win in England against Wolverhampton while Slovan overcame Besiktas 4-2. Slovan have scored at least one goal in their last ten games in all competitions whilst Braga have scored in eight of their last ten outings.

Oleksandriya v Gent – Europa League – Gent Win – 1.75- Thursday 3rd  October

After the 3-1 defeat at Wolfsburg on the first day, Oleksandriya will receive Gent who started in the best way possible with a win over St Etienne 3-2. The meeting promises to be difficult for the Ukrainians as the Belgians are on a ten-game run without defeat in all competitions, including eight wins and two draws.

Winners and Losers in European Football: September 28-29

Barcelona and Rangers made up ground on the leaders in their respective leagues, while Bundesliga’s home fans had a weekend to forget. Here are the Winners and Losers from around Europe this weekend. Bet on football here.

Winners

Barcelona

Having taken just one point from their first three away games in La Liga, the reigning champions picked up their first win of the season with a 2-0 victory at Getafe. The hosts had been unbeaten at home so far this season but were undone shortly before the break when Luis Suarez raced onto Marc-Ander ter Stegen’s long pass to lob the ball over the advancing keeper. The goal was the Uruguayan’s 400th in his career, and his 180th for Barcelona. The Catalan side doubled their lead shortly after the break when Junior Firpo converted the rebound from Carles Perez’s saved shot. Despite a late red card for Clement Lenglet, Ernesto Valverde’s side saw out the result which, partnered with a draw in the Madrid Derby, leaves them two points from top.

AS Monaco

A convincing 4-1 win over Brest lifted Monaco to 12th in the Ligue 1 table, their highest position since Matchday Three of the 2018/19 season. Leonardo Jardim’s side took a 1-0 lead into half time courtesy of Wissam Ben Yedder’s fifth goal of the season. Three further goals after the break gave them a second consecutive win. With Islam Slimani and Keita Balde also on the scoresheet, three of their summer signings were on target. Considering their recent struggles with recruitment, this result was promising for a number of reasons.

Rangers

A rare draw for Celtic on Saturday afternoon gave Rangers the opportunity to close the gap with their fierce rivals, and they grasped it with both hands. Steven Gerrard’s side ran out 5-0 winners against Aberdeen to put themselves just one point behind the league leaders, and gave their goal difference a healthy boost in the process. Right back James Tavernier found the net either side of half time with two penalties while Greg Stewart, who signed from Aberdeen in the summer, scored once and twice went close.

Losers

Bundesliga Home Fans

Home fans in Germany’s top flight had little to cheer over the weekend. Eight of the nine sides playing on home turf suffered defeat, while Dortmund were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by Werder Bremen. RB Leipzig were another side to suffer a shock result, losing 3-1 to Schalke. It was the first time in the Bundesliga’s history that no home team tasted victory during a round of fixtures.

AC Milan

The Rossoneri slumped to a third consecutive defeat in the Serie A as Fiorentina left the San Siro with a 3-1 win on Sunday. This is the first time that Milan have lost three league games in a row for almost exactly two seasons and pressure is already mounting on new manager Marco Giampaolo. The latest defeat means they stay on six points, level with all three of the promoted teams.

Lyon

Having seen kick-off time moved to cater for overseas viewers, Lyon lost at home to Nantes for the first time since 1996. The French side have now gone six league games without a win in all competitions – every other team in the division has picked up at least one victory during that time. Their next league game is a derby match against Saint-Etienne, where defeat would be unthinkable.

Vincent Kompany

It is fair to say that Vincent Kompany’s return to Anderlecht is not going as he envisaged. The Belgian side, who have won the title in five of the past ten seasons, could only manage a 0-0 draw with lowly Waasland-Beveren on Sunday, leaving them with just six points from their first nine matches. Fans waited outside the ground afterwards to voice their discontent with Kompany’s current approach as manager, which has seen Anderlecht score only six league goals to date. Considering that the veteran defender is currently sidelined from playing due to yet another injury, it’s becoming a miserable experience for the player-manager.

Top 5 Bets for the Weekend: September 28-29

 

Another weekend of exciting league football across Europe is upon us. Here’s Top 5 for the Weekend for you to consider. Bet on football here. 

Bournemouth v West Ham United – Bournemouth Win – 2.45

Both Bournemouth and West Ham are aiming to bounce back from embarrassing mid-week losses in the Carabao Cup to League One teams. However, both of these teams have made a great start to the season. The Hammers are fifth in the table with 11 points while the Cherries are just one point behind in sixth. Eddie Howe’s side are unbeaten in five games in this fixture. They have won three and drawn the other two. The Cherries did the double over the Irons last season, scoring twice on each occasion.

Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton – Both Teams to Score – 1.75

With just one win in seven matches and an embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to Colchester United this week, Tottenham Hotspur are in dire straits at the moment. Spurs have an opportunity to get back on track this weekend against Southampton, a team they’ve beaten in seven of their last eight home games in the league. In this fixture, both teams have scored in the last seven meetings in the league. Spurs and Southampton have kept just three clean sheets between them in a combined 12 league fixtures so far this season. Unless both teams tighten up at the back, forwards should find it easy scoring.

Swansea v Reading- Swansea Win – 1.85

Swansea are aiming to keep up with Championship leaders Leeds United when they face Reading on Saturday. They still sit second in the Championship, level on points with Leeds but with an inferior goal difference. Reading are 20th in the table and have lost their last three matches in the Championship. They are winless in 11 matches in all competitions against Swansea. The Swans did the double over them last season in the Championship and look set to get all the points at home.

Sampdoria v Inter Milan – Inter Win – 1.65

Inter Milan continued with their perfect start in the Serie A with the narrow win over Lazio. However, they have a difficult week this weekend against bottom-placed Sampdoria. The Nerazzurri have won four of the last six meetings between these two. The hosts are bottom of the table with one win and four losses in their five league games. Antonio Conte’s side are favourites in this fixture due to their form this season.

RB Leipzig v Schalke 04 – RB Leipzig Win – 1.50

RB Leipzig currently sits top of the Bundesliga and are unbeaten in their five league matches this term. Julian Nagelsmann’s side have lost just once in the last 21 games in the league. Since being promoted in 2016, Leipzig have faced Schalke six times and won three times, lost one and drawn twice. Schalke have struggled to compete with the bigger teams in recent times. Last season, they managed just one victory against Bundesliga’s top three taking a total of four points from a possible 18 in these games.

 

Top 5 meetings: Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid

 

European giants and bitter local rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid face off in the first Madrid derby of the season at the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday. Here are the Top 5 Meetings between these two arch nemeses. Bet on the game here. 

Real Madrid 1 v 2 Atletico Madrid – May 2013

This might go down as Atletico Madrid’s greatest win over their bitter rivals Real. Diego Simeone’s Atletico had not tasted victory over Real since 1999 when these two met in a hot-tempered and ferocious 2013 Copa del Rey final. Since returning to the top flight, these two teams had faced each other 25 times. In that run, Real won ten times. Before this precious win, Atletico had tried everything to beat Real but it was all in vain. In 2013, the jinx was finally broken. Los Colchoneros have gone to record some memorable wins over their city rivals but this one ranks at the very top.

Real Madrid 4 v 1 Atletico Madrid – May 2014

The 2014 Champions League final was the first Real Madrid had competed since 2002. Although the scoreline suggests the Los Blancos dominated Atletico, the reality is they were staring at the jaws of defeat until Sergio Ramos rescued them at the death. Atleti scored first in the 36th minute and fiercely defended it, but it wasn’t to be. Real ran riot in the second half to clinch their tenth European title. Atletico suffered heartbreak two years later in the 2016 final but the magnitude of the 2014 game makes it an unforgettable one.

Atletico Madrid 2 v 2 Real Madrid 2 – March 2014 

One of the more fiercely contested derbies in recent years ended in a stalemate that ultimately helped Atletico claim the title for the first time since 1996. League leaders Madrid went into the game on a 27-game unbeaten run while Simeone’s side had not lost at home all season. An impasse looked probable and so it proved to be. Atletico were on the way to victory until their tormentor-in-chief Cristiano Ronaldo scored eight minutes from time to break the hearts of Atleti’s faithful.

Atletico Madrid 4 v 0 Real Madrid – February 2015

This was a season that the Madrid derby bragging rights belonged to Atletico although both sides ended the season with disappointment with Barcelona winning the treble. Having beaten Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in September, this meant Atletico had completed the first double over their local rivals for the first time since 1951. The 4-0 win was the heaviest defeat Atletico had inflicted on Real Madrid since the 1987/88 season.

Atletico Madrid 3 v 1 Real Madrid – June 1999 

Madrid had not conceded three times in La Liga at the Vicente Calderon for a decade before this defeat in what was a disappointing season for them. The reigning European champion finished 11 points behind Barcelona and 22 ahead of Atletico, making this defeat even more maddening. Atletico’s Jose Mari’s opener was cancelled out by Fernando Morientes, but further goals from Jordi Lardin and Juninho gave the hosts a massive win over John Toshack’s Real. This result was a presage of what was coming. Toshack was sacked as Madrid ended 1998/1999 without a trophy. After this humiliating result, it would take four years before Madrid won a league derby again.

Big Game Focus: Manchester United v Arsenal

 

Manchester United welcome rivals Arsenal at Old Trafford on Monday in a huge Premier League showdown. A few years ago, this fixture was a staple in Premier League calendar and the title would be fought between the two. Nowadays, it’s been reduced to a battle for who will finish in the top four. Arsenal have not won at Old Trafford in the league since 2006. Can that change on Monday? Here’s the Big game Focus with some betting tips. Bet on the Premier League here. 

United are in a crisis at the moment. They’re already out of the title race and have lost twice in their six league games this season. However, the Red Devils have dominated Arsenal at Old Trafford in the league. Unai Emery’s side have not tasted victory there in 13 years. The likes of Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial could be available after missing the last few games. Can Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men bounce back?

Ten-man Arsenal produced a stunning comeback to beat Aston Villa 3-2 last weekend. However, questions still linger about Arsenal performances this season. Emery has come under a lot of criticism for the team’s unconvincing performances. The Gunners failed to beat any of the top six sides away from the Emirates last season. Can they end this jinx against a heavy-footed United side?

Betting preview

The Gunners haven’t won at Old Trafford in the league since 2006. United have also beaten Arsenal three times in their last five meetings. Since winning 2-0 at Manchester City in 2015, the Gunners’ record reads, lost 14, drawn eight and won none in 22 games accumulating eight points from a possible 66. For that reason, backing a Home Win with the security of a Draw No Bet looks good at odds of 1.65.

Both teams have scored in this fixture in four of the last five meetings. Arsenal have conceded in four of their last six matches in all competitions while the hosts have kept just two clean sheets in their last six matches in all competitions. Therefore, you can back Both Teams to Score at odds of 1.50.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored two goals in four appearances against United. The Gabon international is also in red hot form. He has scored seven goals in seven appearances this season, with six of those goals coming in the Premier League. You can back Pierre Emerick Aubameyang as Anytime Goalscorer at odds of…….

Team news

United have been ravaged with injuries this season with Marcus Rashford the latest casualty. However, Pogba and Martial could be ready to face Arsenal.

Long-term absentees Rob Holding, Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin have been building their fitness with appearances in the League Cup and in the Under-23s and could play a part on Monday. Alexandre Lacazette will miss out due to an ankle injury.

Possible line-ups

Manchester United: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Young, McTominay, Pogba, Fred, Lingard, James, Martial

Arsenal: Leno, Chambers, Sokratis, Luiz, Kolasinac, Xhaka, Guendouzi, Ceballos, Saka, Pepe, Ambameyang

Things to look out for in European football: September 28-29

League action is set to resume in Europe as the Madrid derby takes centre stage. Here is a look at some of the talking points in La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1. Bet on football here.

Bragging rights up for grabs in Madrid

Real Madrid will make the trip to bitter city rivals Atlético Madrid on Saturday as Los Blancos aim to continue their one-point lead at the top of the table. Los Colchoneros will be looking to build on their most recent win over Mallorca during the midweek. Atletico have kept clean sheets in eight of their 13 home games, proving that they are defensively solid and they will be out to take the bragging rights here. Real have not given off the impression that they are league leaders, but surprisingly they sit in first place in the table and they will not give up their position easily.

Athletic Bilbao to continue unbeaten run?

Valencia will travel to Athletic Bilbao where they will be hosted by a high-flying home side and the big question is, can Los Ches get back to their winning ways? The hosts will be disappointed to not have continued their winning streak during the week, but they remain undefeated this season. Valencia will be trying to find their feet under their new coach, and their away record has been mixed in recent games, losing three of their last five outings. San Mamés has always been an absolute fortress and it is impossibly difficult for a visiting side to win here.

High scoring thriller in Germany

Title hopefuls Borussia Dortmund are hoping to get back to winning ways when they host Werder Bremen after being held to a draw last weekend. As always this game promises to be a thrilling encounter between two of the Bundesliga’s most entertaining and attacking sides. This fixture has a history of delivering goals and ultimately, we feel that this game is not going to be any different. These two played each other three times in all competitions last season and there were Over 2.5 Goals scored in all three fixtures.

Napoli to respond to midweek loss

Napoli will be looking to return to winning ways in the Serie A when they take on Brescia in yet another home fixture. Carlo Ancelotti’s men need to pick up all three points from Sunday’s football game if they are to rejoin the race for the Serie A title. The Partenopei failed to turn their dominance into goals in the midweek fixture and were unfortunate not to grab something from the match. Mario Balotelli and his new teammates face an uphill task against Napoli and there is a good chance that they are going to return home empty-handed from the trip to Naples.

Neutral affair

Olympique Marseille will want to return to winning ways in Ligue 1 when they host Rennes at their Orange Velodrome. The hosts won just two of their last six home matches which doesn’t exactly instill a lot of confidence. And whereas they are unbeaten in their last four clashes with Rennes, they have won just one of those encounters. Draws have been common between the two in recent years and with neither team in top form, it is what looks very likely.

Mad