Midweek Tips: Europa Conference League final picks

Roma and Feyenoord will go to battle in Tirana to become the first champions of the Europa Conference League. We have the picks for that game, as well as a far too early Premier League prediction.

Ante-Post Tip

Manchester City staged a quite stunning late comeback with three goals in five minutes turning the Premier League title race on its head on Sunday.

And while the 2021/22 season may have only just finished, the bookies have been quick to react and price up who will win the league next season. There are no surprises with Pep Guardiola’s Man City warm favourites to make it three league titles in a row.

“We are legends,” Pep said in the aftermath of that 3-2 win over Villa.  “When you win the Premier League in this country four times in five seasons it is because these guys are so, so special. We will be remembered.”

And the bookies seem to be in agreement, with 4/6 (Betway) the best price available currently available on the Citizens retaining their crown yet again.

With 20 minutes to go, when Liverpool old boy Philippe Coutinho bagged to put Villa 2-0 up, it all looked rather ominous for Man City. However, they showed tremendous resilience and their fans invaded the pitch in their thousands when the referee eventually blew to confirm a 3-2 victory.

Liverpool, who pushed Manchester City so hard and can still win the Champions League on Saturday, are a top price 9/4 to go one better than last season, with Chelsea next at 18/1.

Manchester United, who see Erik ten Hag taking over this week after yet another Premier League away defeat to Crystal Palace, are 20/1 for an unlikely title charge. It was a forgettable campaign for the Red Devils, who collected just 58 points in their poorest top-flight campaign since 1989-90.

In terms of finishing in the top four, Arsenal are 7/4 with Skybet to finally nail down an elusive Champions League berth. Interestingly Newcastle United, who finished the campaign superbly under Eddie Howe and who should have mega money to spend this summer, are a shorter price than Leicester City and West Ham for a top four finish.

The Magpies, who didn’t win any of their first 14 league games, ended up winning 12 of their last 18 and there is a lot of excitement building on Tyneside. They are likely to top their 11^th place finish of this season and are 15/2 shots with Coral and Ladbrokes to finish the 2022/23 campaign inside the top four.

The 9/4 about Liverpool next season looks interesting. They pushed Man City all the way this season and were quite unlucky in terms of injuries too.

Ante-Post Tip: Liverpool to win the 2022/23 Premier League at 9/4 (Betway)

 

Value Tip

Elsewhere this week Tirana is the unlikely setting for the final of the Europa Conference League on Wednesday when Roma meet Feyenoord.

184 teams were involved in the Conference League over the course of the season, but Jose Mourinho’s Roma and Dutch side Feyenoord are the last two standing. Cyriel Dessers is the leading scorer in the competition after hitting 10 for Feyenoord, one more than Roma’s Tammy Abraham who is sat on nine.

Roma start as favourites with the bookies, and are 13/10 shots to win in the 1x2 market.

In getting to Wednesday’s showpiece final, Mourinho becomes the first coach to lead four different clubs to the final of a major European competition. It all started nearly two decades ago in 2003 when he took Porto to the UEFA Cup final. The next season Porto made it to the Champions League final, where he also led Inter in 2010. Fast forward to 2017 and he was boss at Manchester United when they made the Europa League final, and Roma this season completes the set.

Mourinho knows all about winning big prizes in Europe, but this Feyenoord have enjoyed a fabulous run. Arne Slot's men are the highest-scoring team in the competition with 28 goals (one more than final opponents Roma).

It should be an open game but Feyenoord, who are 12 matches unbeaten in the 2021/22 UEFA Europa Conference League (eight wins and four draws), make plenty of appeal at 11/5.

Value Tip: Feyenoord to beat Roma in 90 minutes at 11/5 (bet365)

 

First Goal Flutter

As stated, Dessers is the top scorer in the competition, and he is a 13/2 shot with Paddy Power to score first on Wednesday. The Nigerian is on loan from Belgian club Genk, but has hit nine goals in 27 games for his adopted club this season, including the winner as they knocked out Marseille a few weeks back.

Feyenoord have scored three or more goals in each of their past five European games, and like to play on the front foot. They will need to watch Roma stars Abraham and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, but if they can keep Roma quiet Dessers could be the man get with to do the business at the other end.

10 goals is more than any Feyenoord player has previously managed in a European campaign, so Dessers looks a big price at 13/2 to open to the scoring in Tirana.

First Goal Flutter: Cyriel Dessers to score first at 13/2 (Paddy Power)