Thursday's Europa League Tips: Back a 3/1 Villa Bet Builder & wins for Betis, Bologna and Braga | OneFootball

UEFA Europa League

Back a 3/1 Bet Builder on Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest on the handicap as part of Betfair's best bets for Thursday's Europa League

Paul Higham is backing an easy win for Forest, a 3/1 Bet Builder on Aston Villa and Celtic to pinch a point, along with value bets on Porto, Betis and Bologna in his Europa League Thursday tips.

Roma v Midtjylland

17:45 kick-offLive on TNT Sports Extra & Discovery+

A flawless start with four wins from four sees Midtjylland top of the table yet they're still a big price at 5/1 to win at Roma - especially when the Serie A side have lost both Europa League games at the Stadio Olimpico so far - firstly against Lille and then as 3/10 favourites against Plzen.

Roma are 4/9 this time and have at least won their last two home games in Serie A, but with the Danes in such good form you couldn't rule out a shock. So let's pick a player prop as with Midtjylland the competition's top scorers with the most shots on target they'll definitely threaten Roma - and with Franculino Dju hitting the target twice in both his last two outings he's the man to back.

Aston Villa v Young Boys

17:45 kick-offLive on Discovery+ & TNT Sports 2

Just the 2/11 on Aston Villa here! With 14 wins from the last 16 games at Villa Park and with Young Boys defending like schoolboys recently you can see why - the 12/1 Swiss visitors having the worst defence in the competition so far with 10 conceded after a 4-0 hammering at PAOK.

So, even with Unai Emery likely to make changes they should be way too strong, but at the odds we have to get creative to find some value - so how about Villa leading at half-time (as they've done in the last four home games) and over 1.5 goals in the opening 45 minutes (landed in five of last six aways for Young Boys).

And we'll add in 2+ shots on target for Donyell Malen, who was lively off the bench at Leeds on Sunday and has had seven shots on target over his last five games at an average of one every 46 minutes.

Porto v Nice

17:45 kick-offLive on Discovery+ & TNT Sports Extra

Nice are in a major slump having lost all four Europa League games so far and with four defeats on the spin in all competitions heading to Porto as unlikely 13/2 shots. With the hosts 1/3, unbeaten at home this season (W6 D1) and losing just once in 17 games overall this campaign.

The French side haven't even won a group stage game in Europe in 14 so confidence couldn't be any lower, and with Porto securing 10 clean sheets in their 14 wins this season an early home goal would be hard for the visitors to come back from.

As some extra juice we'll add seven or more home corners, which has landed in three of four Europa games so far for Porto, who have won the second-most in the competition with 28.

Feyenoord v Celtic

17:45 kick-offLive on Discovery+ & TNT Sports 3

Both of these could do with a win as Celtic are in 27th with four points and Feyenoord one point and two places worse off. The hosts are 4/6 favourites though with Celtic 17/5 but there doesn't look too much between them in terms of results so far.

And home advantage is nullified a bit by the pressure on Robin van Persie after three straight defeats for Feyenoord, and four in five overall, during which they've struggled badly in defence, conceding 11 in those four losses. So tightening up at the back will be a priority, and for me that opens up the prospect of a draw here.

Nottingham Forest v Malmo

20:00 kick-offLive on TNT Sports 1 & Discovery+

What a game this is for Forest fans, who can relive their 1979 European Cup triumph over Malmo at the City Ground - and can fully expect a victory as 1/5 favourites after that huge upset win at Anfield at the weekend. Malmo, helpfully, are 13/1 as they're yet to win in the gourp stage and have just one point and two goals so far.

Malmo have had the fewest shots on the competition and have conceded at least twice in five of the past six group stage games away from home - so this really should be a walk in the park for Sean Dyche's side.

Real Betis v Utrecht

20:00 kick-offLive on TNT Sports Extra & Discovery+

Utrecht have yet to win a game in the group stage and Betis are yet to lose, so the Spaniards are 1/3 favourites on a seven-game unbeaten run at home - where they've scored twice in the past five European games.

The Dutch side got a creditable home draw with Porto last time out, after going down to 10 men as well, but away from home they've not been at he races at all, getting just a point from their last six road trips including losing both Europa League aways without scoring.

Bologna v Salzburg

20:00 kick-offLive on TNT Sports Extra & Discovery+

Bologna are 1/3 despite drawing both of their previous home games 0-0 - but againt Freiburg and Brann who are in much better form than Salzburg, who got their first win of the campaign last time out after three straight defeats.

At 15/2 they're not without a chance, as all three defeats for Salzburg did come against good sides (Porto, Lyon and unbeaten Ferencvaros) but Bolgona are a tough side to beat (no defeat in 11) and at home they've kept four straight clean sheets, so this could be something of a war of attrition.

And in that case then the home side get the nod as a more solid side, with a Salzburg defence with one clean sheet in nine away games far more likely to crack first.

Rangers v Braga

Back-to-back wins under Danny Rohl means optimism is slowly growing at Rangers on the field as more saga behind the scenes saw the chief executive and sporting director sacked - but they're still 11/5 at home against the Portuguese outfit Braga.

Rangers currently prop-up the group table with four defeats and just one goal scored, while Braga are 5/4 and perhaps not as fancied as they would be following a bizarre 4-3 home defeat to Genk - coming after three straight wins without conceding.

Genk v Basel

20:00 kick-offLive on Discovery+

Two decent starts here with two wins each - 9/10 favourites Genk enjoying the best of them with that exicitng victory over Braga last time out, so rightly fancied at home, although that game did produce four of their five goals in the competition so far.

Otherwise, Genk games have been low-scoring affairs with five of seven going under 2.5 goals, while Basel usually have to keep a clean sheet to win, four of their last five victories coming without conceding, so let's back this Genk game to revert to type.

Now read our Europa League individual match previews & best bets

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