Europa League Tip: Braging Rights

Liverpool travel to Portugal to face Braga in the Europa League on Thursday and they can travel in confidence. After the win over arch rivals United the bookmakers deem Liverpool 13/8 favourites for the match. I don’t know where to start with how wrong that is.

In all competitions this season Liverpool have won just 3 of their 19 away games (excluding Europa League qualifying rounds). That is quite simply an awful record. New talisman Luis Suarez is cup tied and old talisman Steven Gerrard misses the game. With Andy Carroll likely to start on the bench, the line-up is very much early season Liverpool.

Braga on the other hand are quite a useful team. Parachuted into the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group, they won three of their games, including two home wins, with one against Arsenal. Their league form is pretty good too, although they sit mid-table they have won 7 of their 11 home games.

I’m leaning towards a home win but if Liverpool come and park the bus then we could get a low scoring draw. To cover ourselves I’m backing Braga in the ‘Draw No Bet’ market. If the match is drawn we get out money back.