Champions League Tipster: Manchester City and Manchester United in huge accumulator

The Champions League returns this week, so too does our tipster, this time weighing in on how many goals will be scored in four matches across Tuesday and Wednesday’s fixtures.

Manchester City vs Napoli – match preview

This has the ingredients to be one of the games of the season. Between them, Manchester City and Napoli arguably play the most exciting football on the continent. Pep Guardiola’s City already have the ascendancy in Group F, while Napoli are playing catch up after a shock 2-1 defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk in GW1.

City have won each of their last nine competitive matches coming into Tuesday’s clash at the Etihad and have been scoring goals for fun. They are averaging 4.75 goals per game in their last four home matches after thrashing Stoke 7-2 at the weekend. Napoli aren’t shy in front of goal either, recently dismantling Lazio 4-1 on the road and come into this with spirits high following a 1-0 win at Roma on Saturday. 

However, the Italian side have never won an away game against English opposition, losing five of their six trips, conceding 15 goals and scoring only three in reply. You can back City to win and for there to be over 3.5 goals at 3.10 on Bet365. 

Feyenoord vs Shakhtar Donetsk – match preview

Sticking with Group F, Feyenoord and Shakhtar have a real opportunity to put some pressure on their rivals with City and Napoli guaranteed to drop points over the next two matches. Feyenoord have made a disastrous start and anything other than three points here would be curtains for their campaign.

You sense that if Shakhtar are to progress from the group then they are almost entirely going to rely on results obtained in Ukraine. Paulo Fonseca’s side have lost their last five Champions League away matches and haven’t scored a single goal in that run. In fact, the last away goal they scored in a Champions League group game dates back to December 2014. You can bet on their to be under 2 goals in Feyenoord vs Shakhtar @3.75 on Bet365.

Benfica vs Manchester United – match preview

Benfica would have been earmarked as Manchester United’s toughest assignment when the draw for Group A was made earlier this season but the Portuguese giants have been a dreadful start to the season. Rui Vitoria’s side followed up a 2-1 defeat at home to CSKA Moscow in GW1 with a shock 5-0 loss away to Basel last time out in the competition. In fact, there have been over 2.5 goals in five of Benfica’s last six Champions League matches and they’ve ended up on the losing side in four of them.

Jose Mourinho was heavily criticised for the way he set out his United side at the weekend when they frustrated Liverpool to a 0-0 draw, but they should be more offensive in Lisbon on Wednesday. The Red Devils have scored seven goals in their opening two group matches and you can bet on Mourinho’s side to come away with all three points and for there to be over 2.5 goals @2.87 with Bet365.

CSKA Moscow vs Basel – match preview

Basel are favourites ahead of Group A’s other game on Wednesday evening after they pulled off a shock 5-0 win over Benfica last time out in the Champions League. Both teams have beaten Benfica and lost to Manchester United, so the winner of this match will fancy their chances of securing second place in the group.

While the Swiss side are favourites in the eyes of many, Basel have actually failed to score in their last four Champions League away matches. You have to go back to September 2013 (vs Chelsea) to find the last time Basel even won a group game away from home in the Champions League.

CSKA Moscow have not been in the best of form of late, but this is a real opportunity for them to close in on Champions League knockout football. There have been under 2.5 goals scored in five of their last six competitive matches, while both teams have only scored in one game during that period. You can get odds on CKSA to win and under 2.5 goals at a whopping 4.50 on Bet365.