Live on ITV & ESPN: Thurs 20.00: At 3/1 (Skybet), Liverpool will struggle to avoid a Europa League exit but Chelsea can ease through.
A 2-0 first-leg defeat means that Liverpool have a mountain to climb if they are to reach the next stage of the Europa League at the expense of Zenit St Petersburg and indeed Skybet price the Reds at 3/1 to get through while the Russian outfit are just 1/4 at BetVictor to progress.
Nevertheless, bookies expect Brendan Rodgers’ team to make a contest of it, Paddy Power classing Liverpool as 7/10 favourites to come out on top in the second leg at Anfield, where Skybet quote odds of 3/1 for it to end in stalemate.
BetVictor offer 17/2 about the Reds taking the tie to extra-time by notching twice without reply and a thrilling penalty shootout triumph for Rodgers’ side is a whopping 33/1 at Paddy Power.
If the home side are to force their way back into contention then it seems likely that Luis Suarez will have to play a significant role and the Uruguayan front man is 4/1 (Coral) to hand his team a 1-0 lead.
Chelsea left it late but Oscar’s strike eight minutes from time in the first leg put the Blues firmly in the driving seat in their Europa League tie against Sparta Prague.
They should have no trouble finishing the job back at Stamford Bridge and indeed Hills make them just 1/20 to book their place in the next round.
Coral chalk Rafa Benitez’s men up at 1/3 to secure safe passage with another victory and having kept a clean sheet over in the Czech Republic it seems likely that they’ll also win ‘to nil’ on their own patch, an outcome Skybet offer at even money.
Recommended Bets:
Luis Suarez to score first – 4/1 (Coral)
Chelsea to beat Sparta Prague ‘to nil’ – evens (Skybet)
Compare all Europa League odds and bet at the best price.
