Lee Phelps’ Champions League Picks: Zaha to haunt Manchester United?

If you love an accumulator across the divisions then tonight may well be your night, with several teams very backable in the Champions League.

“Squeaky bum time”, “the business end”, whatever you call it – with two games left in the Champions League group stages, it’s now or never for a few teams and that opens things up with some must-win matches.

PSV to keep tabs on Arsenal

One of those backable matches comes from Group B in the Champions League, with Sevilla taking on PSV in Spain. The La Liga side are winless in the competition so far and need back-to-back victories here and against Lens to have any chance of progressing. PSV are in incredible form in the Eredivisie – they’ve won 13 straight from the start of the season, scoring 45 and conceding five goals.

Sevilla are 15th and having an ordinary season in Spain, so I do like the away win, but I think there’ll be goals whatever the result.

I’m with Luuk de Jong to score at just under 2/1. He’s banged in 17 goals in 21 games domestically and in Europe, including seven in eight Champions League games.

Another Harry Hat-trick?

Next up we have Bayern Munich at home to Copenhagen. Don’t worry, I’m not just suggesting backing the German giants to win – hopefully, you know me better than that!

There is some doubt over how many first team players will play. Thomas Tuchel’s men have already qualified and there’s some concern over fatigue after a busy international break, but one man who hates missing out and who didn’t overexert himself for England is Harry Kane.

As pretty much everyone knows, his record is phenomenal and he has Robert Lewandowksi’s record in his sights. He’s averaging a goal every 65 minutes in all comps this season and I wouldn’t put anyone off a hat-trick at 13/2 against an ordinary Danish side here. I’ll play safe and go with two or more at just under 2/1.

Red Devils dine in hell

Let’s look at Manchester United’s must-win game against Galatasaray in Turkey. Their form comparison between the Premier League and Europe is pretty stark, although their current run domestically flatters to deceive a little when you look at the opposition. Galatasaray are however the most important obstacle right now and they need to find a way of stopping the goals going in, having conceded 11 in three defeats in the group.

Picking a winner is tricky, but I do expect goals and after scoring against United at Old Trafford and bagging four in his last four, I like Wilfried Zaha to get a goal at around 5/2.

Backing Braga

Not many eyes will be on Braga against Union Berlin, but I think there are a couple of bets worth looking at. The home win at odds against looks decent to start with. The Portuguese side have only lost two of their last 12 games, both against Real Madrid, while the German outfit are in turmoil, they’ve lost 13 of their last 15 games, drawing the other two, and that included a run of 12 straight defeats.

I also like Braga’s Simon Banza to get a goal – he has 10 in 11 domestically and in what could be a low scoring tight affair, he’s 9/2 to score first.