Liverpool v Porto UEFA Champions League, 6th March 7.45pm
Liverpool have one foot in the next round of the Champions League following a powerful performance out in Portugal in the first leg. A hattrick from Sadio Mane helped the Reds to a 5-0 advantage as they return to Anfield on Tuesday night to finish the job. It should be pretty easy for the Reds here on out in the tie.
Liverpool v Porto Betting Odds*
Liverpool 4/9, Draw 10/3, Porto 6/1* (Betting Odds taken at 5:41 p.m. on February 23rd, 2018)
Liverpool News and Form
The Reds are running in some fantastic form at the moment with a four-match winning streak going in all competitions. They were once again in blistering attacking form in the first leg of this tie, romping to a 5-0 victory in Portugal. That leaves them unbeaten in six games in all competitions now (W5 D1) so are bang in form. They do have Manchester United coming up in the Premier League on the weekend so could be forgiven for taking this easy. At home, the Reds have lost just one game all season, an FA Cup tie against West Brom back at the end of January.
Liverpool have scored at least two goals in each of their last eight games at home in all competitions and over 2.5 goals at Bet365 should have immediate appeal. Liverpool have only ever lost one previous home game against Portuguese opposition from an overall W6 D2 L1 record. Liverpool also hold a W5 L2 record in two-legged contests against Portuguese sides. They are unbeaten at home in Europe now in their last thirteen games (W9 D4) and really this should be a walk in the park. Liverpool have won all 32 UEFA ties after winning the first leg away.
Porto News and Form
Something of a mountain to climb then to say the least for Porto who suffered their heaviest ever European home defeat in the first leg. They have now only won one of their last four ties in the round of sixteen in the Champions League and another defeat is on the way. Porto’s record away to English clubs is W0 D2 L15 and they have a W3 L7 record in two-legged ties against English sides. The Dragons have suffered a loss in each of their last five visits to England now, including last season’s trip to Leicester in the group stage. Not only have each to their last five away games against Premier League sides have been lost, but they failed to score in any of them too. A group stage win in Monaco is Proto’s only away win in their last five and they have also only won one of seven previous UEFA ties after losing the first leg at home. They have just three wins in their last nine European ties and it is really hard to see what they are going to come up with. Maybe a consolation goal with an unfocused Liverpool facing them and therefore both teams to score at Bet365 is a decent 4/5 odds option* (betting odds taken on March 4th, 2018 at 6:58 p.m.).
Liverpool v Porto Head to Head
This will be the sixth meeting between the two sides and from the previous five, it is Liverpool who are holding an unbeaten W3 D2 record. Liverpool’s first ever home game against them was back in 2001 with the Reds winning 2-0 and then there was a bigger win for them in the 2007 group stage for Liverpool at Anfield, with the Reds running out 4-1 winners.
Who will win – Liverpool v Porto Predictions
Liverpool should ease themselves through this second leg and they don’t even have to send out their strongest side to do it. They will probably just go through but it is just worth a flutter on both teams to score as Liverpool aren’t likely to be in top gear.
