Another Europa League clash featuring two top clubs takes place Thursday night. Not only does Manchester City play at Lech Poznan as Europa League Group A rivals, but Napoli (0-2-0) take on Liverpool (1-1-0) at the Sao Paulo Stadium in Group K. There is plenty of betting value on any result from this football match.
Napoli have been on the rise in recent years and finished sixth in Serie A last season. They are currently fourth and have only one loss in seven matches. The defeat came against Verona, but they followed that up with two wins and one draw over the next three fixtures.
Napoli are led by Uruguayan international transfer Edinson Cavani from Palermo. The striker, nicknamed “El Matador,” is currently tied as top scorer in Serie A with six goals. He scored the late equalizer against Steaua in the 3-3 Group K draw. He has nice value to score first against Liverpool. Another one to look out for on the Italian side is Marek Hamsick. The midfielder has three scores in Serie A and one in the Europa League. He has 33 goals in 112 games with Napoli and is the captain of the Slovakia National team. Look for him as another good betting option to find the net against Liverpool.
Saying that Liverpool are having a down year is somewhat of an understatement. Manager Roy Hodgson said the Europa League isn’t their top priority when you consider their dreadful Premier League record. After a loss to Everton, they are finding themselves in the relegation zone. Look for Hodgson to keep out his best starters for these Europa League matches. David Ngog, who has five Europa League goals, will most likely lead the attack instead of Fernando Torres. Steven Gerrard and Torres will probably stay at home to rest up for Blackburn in the Premier League on Sunday. In other words, the man to back for a Liverpool goal is Ngog.
Liverpool have shown their best form in the Europa League this season, which isn’t saying much. This could be a tough one in Naples, but their experience counts for something and they should at least come away with a point against Napoli. The wise bet is to back the draw.
Napoli v Liverpool Match Odds (provided by Ladbrokes)
Napoli: 10/11
Draw: 5/2
Liverpool: 11/4