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Union Saint-Gilloise vs Liverpool predictions
- Union SG draw no bet – 11/10 with Betfred
- Over 2.5 goals and both teams to score – 8/11 with bet365
- Curtis Jones to score any time – 5/1 with BoyleSports
Liverpool head to Belgium to wrap up their Europa League group stage campaign against a Union Saint-Gilloise team desperate to join the Reds in the knockout stage of the competition (TNT Sports 2, 5.45pm).
The Reds beat LASK 4-0 on Matchday Five to be confirmed as winners of Group E, meaning they’ll skip the Europa League play-off round and go straight into the draw for the last 16.
It also means Jurgen Klopp has a chance to rotate his squad ahead of some massive fixtures on the horizon with both Manchester United and Arsenal visiting Anfield in the Premier League before Christmas.
They also host West Ham in the EFL Cup quarter-finals next week and Klopp is expected to give his big guns the night off on Thursday in preparation.
That will be of some disappointment to Union SG's team and fans that’s had this fixture circled since the draw came out.
The Belgians made their return to European football after 58 years last season and the club have rarely seen nights like these, hosting one of Europe’s elite sides.
The Unionists can’t get sidetracked by the occasion though as they need to beat Liverpool and hope second-placed Toulouse lose at LASK to have a chance at going through.
Unionists may overwhelm elite Reds
Union SG enjoyed a good run in the Europa League last season after ending their long European hiatus, reaching the quarter-finals, where they were eventually eliminated by Bayer Leverkusen.
This year’s campaign hasn’t gone as smoothly, winning just one of their previous five games in Group E to sit in third, three points behind Toulouse.
They were beaten 2-0 in the reverse fixture against Liverpool at Anfield and the Europa League odds make them underdogs for this encounter.
That’s despite the Reds having lost 3-2 at Toulouse in their last Europa League away game, while their recent record on the road isn’t all that stellar.
They’ve recently won at Crystal Palace and Sheffield United in the Premier League, but before that, it was one win in six games in all competitions on their travels.
Liverpool look a little vulnerable in this spot with potentially six players missing through injury, a collection of youngsters being lined up to come into the side and the team, in general, possibly already having one eye on Sunday’s clash with Man Utd.
Klopp has taken charge of two European dead rubber games in his time at Liverpool and on each occasion named a starting line-up featuring a blend of senior and youth players.
It’s expected Harvey Elliott, Cody Gakpo, Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones will start after coming off the bench against Crystal Palace, while the likes of Ben Doak, Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah will be among the youngsters involved.
Either way, it won't be a full-strength Liverpool line-up to take on the Belgium Pro League leaders, who have won three games on the bounce in all competitions and come out on top in five of their last nine European home games.
Union SG have adapted well to playing at Anderlecht’s Lotto Park with their usual home, Joseph Marien Stadium, not up to Uefa standards and Alexander Blessin’s men are well set to give a good account of themselves.
Union draw-no-bet is the standout option when examining football betting sites, offering that insurance of stakes back if the match ends in a draw, and can be backed at 11/10 with Betfred.
Union SG vs Liverpool Tip 1: Union SG draw no bet – 11/10 with Betfred
Hosts have to go for broke
With Union SG and Toulouse having drawn both their meetings, second spot in the group will come down to goal difference.
The Belgians are at a disadvantage in that regard, entering Matchday Six on -4, while Toulouse are on -2.
Looking at Royal’s return of three goals in five group games, it might seem a glut of goals is beyond them. But they’ve been creating chances, registering 7.7 expected goals in the Europa League, according to Fotmob.
In Mohamed Amoura, Union SG have a striker capable of hurting Liverpool having scored 14 goals in 21 games in all competitions.
The Reds have kept just one away clean sheet all season so can’t be trusted to shut out a desperate Union side.
Liverpool have been sharp going forward in the Europa League though, averaging 3.2 goals per game and registering a competition-high 12.6 expected goals, according to Fotmob, indicating goals are another option worth considering when studying betting sites.
We’re backing both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 8/11 with bet365, a wager which has landed in both Liverpool’s previous Europa League away games.
Union SG vs Liverpool Tip 2: Over 2.5 goals and both teams to score – 8/11 with bet365
Jones may rediscover scoring touch
The goalscorer markets on betting apps make for interesting reading given the uncertainty over the Liverpool line-up and potential for goals in the game.
One man widely expected to get the nod from Klopp is Jones, who had a positive impact at Palace and is in need of game time having been restricted by injury and suspension this season.
The 22-year-old was starting to come into his own towards the end of last season, showing he can be a threat in front of goal.
He netted three goals in Liverpool’s final six league games of last season and has been regularly getting away efforts on goal this term, albeit with no reward yet.
Jones managed two shots in the reverse meeting with Union SG and is an interesting goalscoring option to round off our Union SG vs Liverpool predictions.
Union SG vs Liverpool Tip 3: Curtis Jones to score any time – 5/1 with BoyleSports
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
