Zenit v Arsenal Tula
Friday 13th September 1800hrs
Football – Russia – Premier League
Pick Under 2.5 goals
Bookmaker Marathon Bet
Odds: 19/20 (odds taken 19.00 GMT, Wednesday 11 September)
 |
1 | X | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7/20 | 73/20 | 33/4 |
* (Betting Odds were taken from 22Bet on September 11, 2019 at 19.00)
Zenit are involved in a three-way tie at the top of the Russian Premier League but have the chance to go clear at the top if they can avoid defeat at home to an Arsenal Tula team who have started the season brightly.
Russian Premier League Betting at Marathon Bet
Zenit Preview – Will Zenit pile pressure on rivals with win that takes them top of the table?
Zenit won their first title since 2014/15 last season and returned to what they feel is their rightful place at the top of Russian football. Sergei Semak enjoyed so much success as a player at the club and he done incredibly well to to regain the title in his first season in charge as manager. The Champions League group stages awaits against Lyon, Benfica and RB Leipzig in what looks a really exciting section. Before that, it’s a return to domestic action following the international break. The Saint Petersburg club are joint-top along with Krasnodar and Rostov and have a chance to go top alone on Friday night.
Semak will be looking for his team to return with greater consistency than they had before the break. Having won their first three games of the league season against Tambov, Sochi and Orenburg, their form began to dip slightly. Since then, they have not been able to win consecutive games with two draws, two win and one defeat. Their only loss so far has come against UFA whilst they also dropped points against Krasnodar and Akhmat Grozny, both of which came at home. The head coach would have been much happier with the wins over the Moscow clubs, Dinamo and Lokomotiv – the latter of those coming courtesy of a winner from the veteran Yuri Zhirkov.
Arsenal Tula Preview – Can Arsenal Tula build on good start of the season and upset the Russian champions?
Arsenal Tula would have been delighted with their performance last season which seen them qualify for the Europa League for the first time in their history. Unfortunately for Igor Cherevchenko’s men it was a short-lived experience as they were eliminated from the qualifiers at the first hurdle. A 4-0 defeat on aggregate to Neftci from Azerbaijan was disappointing and now all their focus is on building on the positive campaign last season and attempting to qualify for Europe once again. Tula sit in seventh spot after as many games but are only four points off the leaders.
A 1-1 draw at home to Dinamo Moscow to open their campaign was followed by an entertaining 3-2 win away to Krylya Sovetov. Their first of three defeats so far this season came at home to one of the joint leaders Rostov. They responded well to that loss by winning 1-0 against both Tambov and Ufa. Narrow defeats against Rubin Kazan and CSKA Moscow either side of a 2-1 home victory over Orenburg have Tula well placed in the early part of the season. A trip to face the champions is always going to be difficult but they will feel they can be competitive.
Key-Facts – Zenit v Arsenal Tula
- Champions Zenit have not have been at their imperious best but are still joint top with 17 points after eight games
- Arsenal Tula qualified for Europe courtesy of their league finish last season and have begun this season in good form
- Zenit have not lost a home game in the league since December last year
Zenit v Arsenal Tula Betting Advice
Although level on points with a couple of other teams at the top of the table, Zenit will be looking to go clear of their rivals between now and the next international break. It may just be one defeat but Semak will feel dropping points in three of their first seven games is just his team finding their form in the early part of the season. For the visitors they have been competitive in virtually all of their matches after that European disappointment and look to be on course for a similar season to last.
Zenit’s home record is impressive and they will expect to continue that on Friday. Rubin Kazan were the only visiting team to beat them at home all last season. Tula have tasted success here recently, though, winning 1-0 back in 2017. The last four meetings in St Petersburg have all went under 2.5 goals and that’s the way to go here once again.
