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Midweek Top Games

This midweek, there a lot of League Cups around Europe while Manchester United play their outstanding fixture against a Leeds teams who are without a Head coach. Before we dive into that, you can head to our Cross Sport Specials page to check out some of the special offers we have.

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Wednesday

Manchester United vs Leeds United (Premier League)

Despite the unavailability of suspended Casemiro, Manchester United is brimming with confidence as they prepare to host Leeds United at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening. The last time Manchester United lost to Leeds United in a league match was in September 2002 and they’re currently on a streak of 17 consecutive league meetings with just one defeat. With Head Coach Jesse Marsch being dismissed just two days ago, this match could prove to be a challenging one for Leeds United. Man Utd has been a hit on the BetKing in recent weeks and we’re going to be riding the hot hand.

Erik ten Hag is facing some challenges with several key players missing for the upcoming game. The absence of Casemiro (due to suspension) and McTominay (injured) along with long-term injuries to Van de Beek and Christian Eriksen, will particularly affect the midfield. Additionally, the attacking duo of Antony and Anthony Martial will also be out due to short-term injuries. However, playing at Old Trafford may provide some comfort for the home team. The Red Devils have transformed the stadium into a fortress, boasting a 13-game winning streak in all competitions, the longest since their club record of 20 consecutive wins from December 2010 to September 2011. Marcus Rashford has been a major factor in this success, with a career-high 19 goals in all competitions this season, 11 of which have been scored after the FIFA World Cup. With four months left in the season, he is poised to surpass his previous personal best of 22 goals set in the 2019/20 season and we predict that he will score the first goal of the game.

The absence of a head coach adds to the concerns for the visiting team. Since their return to the Premier League in 2020, only Manchester City (16 goals) has scored more against Leeds United than Manchester United (15 goals). The West Yorkshire team has not won a league game since early November and hasn’t won an away game since their 2-1 victory at Anfield in October – both worrying stats. Additionally, The Whites have struggled in midweek games. This wasn’t the case when they gained promotion to the Premier League in 2020 as they won 6 of their first 7 midweek games. However, things have taken a very bad turn and they are currently on a 9-game winless streak (3 draws and 6 losses) in midweek games, with 7 goals scored and 30 conceded in those 9 matches.

Predictions

Man Utd to win @1.52
Over 2.5 Goals @1.61
Marcus Rashford to open the scoring @4.90

Marseille vs PSG (Coupre de France – Cup Game)

Marseille has not captured the Coupe de France title since 1989, and they face a daunting challenge if they hope to end that drought. Their opponent in their quest for the trophy is none other than PSG, a team that shares the record for the most finals appearances (19 each) in the competition. PSG has been a thorn in Marseille’s side in this competition, and manager Igor Tudor recognizes that overcoming them could lead to a clear path to the championship. In their last trip to the final (2016), they faced PSG in a high-scoring match that ended in a 4-2 victory for Paris, with goals from Zlatan Ibrahimović (2), Edinson Cavani, and Blaise Matuidi. The last time these two teams met in the Coupe de France was in the quarter-final of the 2017/18 edition, which resulted in a 3-0 win for PSG. After Marseille’s 10-game unbeaten streak was snapped over the weekend, a familiar opponent could be just what they need to regain their fire.

Matches between Marseille and PSG are always highly competitive, and Wednesday’s encounter is expected to be no exception. In their last eight meetings, a stunning nine red cards have been shown. Although five of those came in a heated 2020 Ligue 1 match that Marseille won 1-0, three of their last four games have resulted in a player being sent off, including their earlier fixture this season that saw substitute Samuel Gigot receive a straight red card. Despite the intense nature of these matches, PSG has had the upper hand, winning eight of their last ten encounters, losing once, and drawing once. They have also kept a clean sheet in six of those ten matches. The last time PSG conceded more than one goal to Marseille was in the aforementioned 2016 final (4-2), and this trend is expected to continue.

The absence of key players from both teams may affect the quality of the game, but the expected level of intensity will remain high. Marseille’s Eric Bailly remains banned for seven games due to a dangerous tackle on Hyeres’ Almike Moussa N’Diaye earlier in the competition, and center-backs Leonardo Balerdi and Amine Harit are also unavailable due to suspension and injury, respectively. In their absence, Manager Igor Tudor is expected to stick with the 3-4-2-1 formation that has been successful lately. PSG will be missing Kylian Mbappé, Nordi Mukiele, Renato Sanches, Neymar, Sergio Ramos, and Presnel Kimpembe, who are all dealing with injuries or lack of fitness. However, head coach Christophe Galtier will welcome back Marco Verratti, who returns from a two-game suspension. With star attackers, Mbappé and Neymar absent, all eyes will be on Lionel Messi to help send the 14-time champions to the quarter-final.

Predictions

Total Goals (Marseille) Under 1.5 Goals @1.76
Double Chance: PSG to win or Draw in Regulation Time @1.32
King’s Combo: Messi to score, Vitinha to be carded + Over 2.5 goals @12.00

Al Ahly v Real Madrid (Club World Cup)

European giants, Real Madrid, begin their quest for the FIFA Club World Cup when they face Egypt’s Al Ahly with a place in Saturday’s final against Al-Hilal up for grabs. Both teams are familiar with this competition, with Al Ahly reaching the semi-final for the third consecutive year. Despite losing in the previous two semi-finals, they aim to become the first African team to win the trophy. Real Madrid is the most successful team in the competition, with a record of 4 titles, including a three-peat from 2016 to 2018.

The Red Devils of Egypt are on a remarkable run under new manager Marcel Koller. Since losing to El Geish in August, they have gone on a 23-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, including wins over Auckland City and Seattle Sounders in this competition earlier in the month. A sturdy defense has been key to this form, with the reigning African Champions keeping 8 clean sheets in their last 10 games, having conceded only once in their 8 games played this year 2023. They have participated in 8 editions of the FIFA Club World Cup and have played more games (20) than any other team in the competition’s history. They hope that their extensive experience, along with their impressive form and solid defense, will help them achieve this massive upset.

Recently, Real Madrid has faced challenges, raising concerns that they may lose another trophy in 2023 after losing the Supercopa de España last month. They trail Barcelona by 8 points in LaLiga and with the competitiveness of title races in Spain in recent years, it’s uncertain if Real Madrid can close the gap. The absence of key players in this competition including Karim Benzema, Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao, Farland Mendy, Eden Hazard, and Lucas Vasquez is a significant worry and Carlo Ancelotti will have to work his magic on Wednesday. Although they have a talented roster, there may be an opportunity for Al Ahly to come out on top this year.

Predictions

Double Chance: Al Ahly to win or draw in Regulation Time @3.05
Real Madrid to score less than 1.5 goals @2.58
Real Madrid to get over 6.5 corners @1.78

VfL Bochum vs B Dortmund (DFB-POKAL – Cup Game)

Dortmund till be favorites when they travel to face Bochum in the Round of 16 of the DFB Pokal. Having reached the final in 6 of their last 11 seasons, they know what it takes to excel in this competition, and they’ll be bringing their wealth of experience into this tie. They’re on a 4-game winning streak in the Bundesliga and come into this side the more inform side. One player to keep an eye on is the exciting teenager, Jude Bellingham. He has two goals and an assist in the cup this season, with a further 8 goals and four assists in the Bundesliga and Champions League. Having added goal-scoring to his arsenal, the English midfielder is going to be a handful for the hosts.

Despite a subpar season, Bochum’s 5-2 victory over Hoffenheim has boosted their confidence heading into the match against Dortmund. Japanese winger Takuma Asano scored his first league goal since April, and the team secured their fifth consecutive home win for the first time in 47 years. This strong home form will make Dortmund cautious in their approach.

Both Dortmund and Bochum have shown their capability to score many goals, as demonstrated by Dortmund’s 5-0 victory over Freiburg. At the same time, both teams also have strong defensive records, being two of the six teams in the Round of 16 that have not conceded a goal in the first two rounds. As this game is expected to feature goals – 24 goals have been scored in the last 6 meetings between these two sides – it’s worth paying attention to both teams’ defenses.

Predictions

Dortmund to win @1.70
Over 2.5 Goals @1.55
Both Teams to Score @1.52

Thursday

Braga vs Benfica (Taça de Portugal – Cup Game)

Benfica face a tricky tie when they visit Estadio Municipal de Braga on Thursday, and they’ll be well aware that their recent fine form – which saw them win their Champions League group ahead of PSG and Juventus as well as open up an 8-point gap in the Liga Portugal – counts for little. While Benfica holds a superior record in their head-to-head match-up (83 wins in 129 games to Braga’s 18), the hosts have won 6 of the last 8 meetings, including each of their last 3 at home. Braga did triumph when these two rivals last met in the Taça de Portugal – a 2-0 victory in the 2020/21 final courtesy goals from Lucas Piazon & Ricardo Horta and they’ve scored two or more in 4 of their last 5 against Benfica. One thing’s for sure, The Archbishops will walk out of their tunnel with their chests puffed out when it’s game time.

The hosts have also won 7 straight games at home across all competitions and this superb home form against the visitors and everyone else will give Benfica manager, Roger Schmidt a rough night before the game.

The Eagles will be aiming for a record-extending 27th trophy in this competition, and have looked more focused than ever. While the recent loss of Enzo Fernández – a key part of their success this season – to Chelsea is bound to be felt, they’re on course to end their three-year drought without a league title. However, it’s hard to shake off their poor form at Braga.

Predictions

Braga to win @3.60
Braga to score over 1.5 goals @2.72
Benfica to score 2 in a row (NO) @1.53

Friday

AC Milan vs Torino (Serie A)

If there’s one team that has suffered a huge loss of form after the World Cup, it is the Rossoneri. The reigning Italian Champions have just 1 win in 8 games since the resumption of the league, and they’ve suffered 5 defeats in the process, including a 1-0 defeat to Torino when they visited on the 11th of January for their Round of 16 tie in the Coppa Italia. Having lost to Inter in the Supercoppa Italiana final last month, Milan suffered yet another derby to the Nerazzurri last weekend, which effectively signalled the end of their title hopes. Milan star winger, Rafael Leão – a surprise omission from the starting lineup – looked dejected after the final whistle and current manager Stefano Pioli faces a tough task to restore belief to a team he led to the Scudetto 8 months ago.

Torino will be hoping for a repeat of last month’s visit to the San Siro which saw them grab a 114th min winner through Michel Ndary Adopo despite being a man down from the 69th min. They’re currently 8pts behind the hosts, and they know a win would cut that to just 5pts – a huge boost to their European football aspirations. With 2 wins in their last 3 games – including a hard fought 1-0 win over Udinese last weekend – they’ll be relying on their ability to grind out results.

Predictions

Double Chance: Torino to win or draw @1.94
Under 2.5 Goals @1.77
King’s Combo: Rafael Leão to give one or more assist @4.50

Schalke 04 vs Wolfsburg (Bundesliga)

On Friday, Wolfsburg visit a team against whom they are enjoiyong their best Bundesliga run, a 5-game streak in which they’ve won 3 and drawn 2. The 7th place side go into this as the favorites and bottom of the table Schalke are expected to extend their poor run of form.

Schalke’s 11 points from 19 games is their second worst at this stage of the Bundesliga since 3-points per win was introduced. To put that into perspective, 9 of 10 teams with this record or worse have eventually been relegated, with Mainz (2020/21) the only exception. Their 14 goals scored in the league is the worst of all 18 teams and, unsurprisingly, so is their record of 41 goals conceded in 19 games. It’s an abysmal season by them and a drop to the second division is all but certain.

Though Wolfsburg are on a poor run – they’ve lost their last 3 games in all competitions – they’re expected to walk over this Schalke side.

Predictions

Wolfsburg to win @1.99
Wolfsburg to score 2 goals in a row (YES) @2.22
Win to Nil (Wolfsburg) @3.70

Nice vs AC Ajaccio (Ligue 1)

Fresh off ending Marseille’s 10-game unbeaten run last weekend, Nice welcome 18th place Ajaccio with plans of inflicting further pain on their visitors. Though he wasn’t on the scoresheet in the 3-1 over Marseille, new singing, Terem Moffi, had an impressive debut and is expected to retain his place in the starting line up.

Nice have won 8 of their last 11 Ligue 1 games against the visitors, drawing twice and losing just once in that period. Even more impressive, they’ve kept a clean in each of those 8 wins. However, this will be their first meeting with Nice as hosts since 2014 but things don’t look so different from almost a decade ago. They’re enjoying a fine home form that has seen them win 4 and draw 2 of their last 6 games and their 1-0 win in the reverse fixture when both teams met in September is an additional boost for a team just 6 pts away from European football.

Ajaccio, on the other hand, have lost 5 of their last 6 Ligue 1 games, with their only win coming against bottom of the table Angers on the first of this month. With a joint-worst 18 league goals scored, they’re likely to cause the Nice defense very little problem.

Predictions