Sevilla host Liverpool in a crucial Champions League fixture on Tuesday night and this should prove to be an open game with plenty of chances at either end. It finished 2-2 when they met at Anfield earlier this season and both teams come into the game in fine goalscoring form. Liverpool thumped Southampton 3-0 at the weekend, while Sevilla beat Celta Vigo 2-1 to make it four wins out of their last five games. Both teams are blessed with the talents of some wonderful attackers, while question marks linger over their defensive capabilities, so we should be looking forward to a high scoring encounter.
Liverpool are currently top of Group E, with two wins and two draws from four games. However, those two wins came against the group’s whipping boys, Maribor, and Liverpool’s chances of progressing to the last 16 are looking precarious. Sevilla are just a point behind and Spartak Moscow are three further back, so Jurgen Klopp will be desperate to earn a result in Sevilla on Tuesday night.
Sevilla have already beaten Maribor, but they slumped to a shock 5-1 defeat in Moscow in round three. Eduardo Berizzo’s team gained revenge by beating Spartak 2-1 at home in the following game, and they will expect to beat Maribor in their final match. They too will be desperate for a win in this match, so it should make for a fascinating encounter.
Liverpool finished fourth in the Premiership last season and Sevilla were fourth in La Liga, and they looked evenly matched in the reverse fixture. Wissam Ben Yedder gave Sevilla an early lead at Anfield, tapping in from close range after Dejan Lovren slipped, but Roberto Firmino finished off a superb team move to level things up. Mohamed Salah made it 2-1 with a deflected strike, and Firmino missed the chance to wrap it up when his penalty came back off the post. Joaquin Correa leveled with a fine solo effort and Luis Muriel almost won it for the visitors but pulled his shot just wide in stoppage time.
It was a nail-biting affair for both sets of fans but a thrilling game to watch for the neutrals. There is nothing to suggest Tuesday’s game will not follow a similar pattern. Both teams to score is 8/15 at green listed bookmakers like Stan James and 10Bet and that looks a good option as both sets of defenders are calamitous. Over 2.5 goals looks another good bet at 13/20 with Sportingbet. And combining them to select both teams to score and over 2.5 goals looks a great option at 5/6 with Sky Bet.
Liverpool have already conceded 17 goals in 12 Premiership games this season, but they have scored 24. In four Champions League games they have hit 13 goals and Mohamed Salah is on fire at present, so they should be good for one or two at least in this game. It is tempting to back Liverpool to secure victory in this one (13/8 with William Hill and Betway) as they have won their last four games in a row and are playing some great football.
However, it is worth noting that Sevilla are also in excellent form. They lost 4-0 to Valencia after that 5-1 Spartak defeat – showing their defense is capable of some clangers – but they have since won four out of five games, and that sole defeat was a 2-1 reverse against runaway league leaders Barcelona. Both teams will be full of confidence and could cancel one another out, making the draw look attractive at 9/5 with 888 Sport. Salah to score at any time is also hard to ignore. He is 15/8 with Betfred in this market and that looks a great price on a player that has scored 15 goals in his first 20 Liverpool games – the most prolific start to a Reds career anyone has ever made.
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