Europa League - 25th August 2011

The gap between English and Scottish teams for whatever reason was brutally exposed when Tottenham ran riot at Tynecastle in the first leg and similar things are expected tonight at White Hart Lane. Tottenham are likely to be the centrefold of multiples up and down the land – they are no better than 3/10 to come through in 90 minutes tonight – and that position looks fully justified.

Tottenham won’t field a full strength team but the likes of Jake Livermore & Kyle Walker impressed enough against Hearts to be given starting slots at Old Trafford and the Spurs squad is more than deep enough to ensure whatever happens, Harry Redknapp can go into this game with a winning side while keeping enough in reserve for Manchester City’s visit on Sunday.

Spurs gave Manchester United a lot to think about on Monday when they did have the ball, showing that they’re just as good as ever despite giving away 40% of possession, and getting at David De Gea numerous times. 

Roman Pavlyuchenko has more than enough talent to score and is well due a start, while Jermaine Defoe may well be involved with affairs. Gomes, Bassong, Corluka, Huddlestone, Jenas, and Townsend were all on the Bench at Old Trafford – Their presence should be enough today.

It’s anyone’s guess how Hearts will respond to their tonking at the hands of Spurs and they could come out fighting but away from home their task is all the more difficult and they have a must win game against Hibernian at the weekend, so with this being a non event for them also, the advice is to go for a Tottenham win to nil. Hearts have only scored in 1 of their last 4 games and Tottenham could hold them easily at bay tonight.

In other games, Rangers now have to overturn a deficit to Slovenian Champions NK Maribor at Ibrox following an inept second half display which allowed Maribor to come from a goal behind to beat Rangers thanks to Etien Velikonja's stoppage-time back-heel.

Clearly Rangers boss Ally McCoist is of the opinion that Rangers are better than Maribor, speaking like a man who had been very much “cupset” - “I'm not pressing any panic buttons because I believe we'll go through," he said. "Honest to God, I don't know if you believe, but I think we'll do it, I really do. Without being over-confident, if we play to anything like our potential we'll go through." – which is understandable give the chances that Rangers created.

Steven Naismith and Steven Whittaker are suspended, Kyle Bartley, Sasa Papac and David Weir struggling badly to make it back in time from injury while Matt McKay and Alejandro Bedoya are ineligible.

However, to look at things that simply would be to take your eye away from Rangers defensive faults (the reason they are faced with this predicament for the tie) along with a hefty list of absentees.

Add this to the fact that Maribor should have the same team that played in Slovenia and the teams look far more even than the prices suggest. Rangers will have to force the issue tonight which means gaps at the back for Maribor to exploit and while the 6’s is tempting the price of 5/2 to win a half is too big to ignore given that both teams will be likely to come out fighting.

Advice

2 pts Tottenham to win to Nil (10/11 general)

2 pts MK Maribor to win either half (5/2 Coral)