WhoScored Tipster: Napoli, Derby d'Italia and Klopp Among this Week's Top Tips
Old and new prestige takes centre stage in the top 5 leagues this weekend. The classic of the Derby d’Italia contrasted against the new autumn wave at the top in Spain, and not forgetting the clash between the teams playing the best football in Serie A at the moment (not Inter-Juve). However, it is also a weekend in which we can witness Klopp on the sidelines again, with a potentailly electric opener in waiting for the German.
INTER vs JUVENTUS - Both teams to score
It is said that this, for the Nerazzurri, is the biggest test to tell if they really are a reliable contender for the Scudetto, and for the Bianconeri this may be the last hope to get back into the race for the title, as a loss would leave them 11 points adrift of Inter (not counting Fiorentina's result). That may seem a drastic conclusion as there will be still 30 games to go, but it is true that Juventus have dramatically failed in the only two Italian games paired with opponents of a similar calibre, so to see them outplayed again would cast a large shadow over their future.
Inter are solid but struggling to develop their game, while Juventus are shaky but finding the net more frequently; in fact they have a better attack than Inter despite being 10 positions behind their hosts in the table. Mancini won't sacrifice solidity, waiting for the chances that Juve's defence have so far always conceded. Allegri will probably accept the initiative to control the pace of the game, knowing the consequences of losing again.
Both will play their favourite system at the moment - 4-3-1-2 vs 3-5-2 - and everyone but Lichtsteiner will be available. Mancini is the man still in doubt as to whether to play Kondogbia or Guarin, and Juan Jesus or Telles. If Guarin gets the nod, matched (or mismatched) with Pogba, that could become the weak link for Inter, while on the other side Icardi might try to move away from centre - where Bonucci will be - in order to challenge Chiellini wider on the right, as the latter is struggling for form. We shouldn't expect a glut of goals in San Siro, but the WhoScored database suggests that one of Juve's main weaknesses is 'avoiding individual errors'. Meanwhile the WhoScored Match Forecast predicts that it is 'very likely' Juventus 'will create many scoring chances'. As a result the odds on both teams scoring at 1.83 with Bet365 is our tip for the game.
TOTTENHAM vs LIVERPOOL - Liverpool to win
There is no need to elaborate on the impact of Klopp at Liverpool. However, he wisely said that after just three complete training sessions there won't be too many changes, but simply he will turn the screws tighter. Normally the difference would likely be narrow between these sides, despite Liverpool’s recent dominance in this fixture, but it is said that a managerial change always provokes a positive reaction in the changing room, and if there is any manager able to encourage such positivity, well that is Klopp. Moreover, odds at 3.00 on Liverpool are enough reason to believe that the German will make a flying start.
VILLARREAL vs CELTA VIGO - Draw at half-time
This match sees the unexpected success of Villarreal challenge the even more surprising record of Celta Vigo. Scrapping the romanticism, this match pits the best home record against the best away record. El Madrigal could actually make the difference for the Yellow Submarine, but that could take time as Celta know how to set up teams on the road. In fact, in the WhoScored Match Forecast there is only one 'very likely' scenario, which is Celta Vigo dominating possession. The odds on a draw at half-time is at 2.30.
NAPOLI vs FIORENTINA - Napoli to win
At this point Napoli fans could think that their current form is just too good to be true. Battering Juventus and Milan within a week is something not even Maradona could achieve (only because of the calendar). Some might say that those arch-rivals are in their worst form, so top of the list in terms of assessing Napoli’s true credentials right now is Fiorentina.
Sarri’s 4-3-3 formation is a pleasure to watch, although it is applied best against opponents that leave space in behind, while Paulo Sousa's 3-4-2-1 set-up offers plenty of protection to the defence, making the most of the chances they have thanks to the unstoppable pairing of Ilicic and Borja Valero playing between the lines. However, Napoli have an advantage: the incredible form of Lorenzo ‘il Magnifico’ Insigne, whose understanding with Higuain is sensational. He missed out on international duty because of an injury, but now he is said to have fully recovered. If that is the case then Napoli can keep dreaming, largely backed by the odds at 1.72.
WERDER BREMEN vs BAYERN MUNICH - Over 2.5 goals and one team to score
Four defeats in a row for Werder Bremen, whose misery seems unlikely to end anytime soon, and certainly nobody would predict they could snap their losing streak against Bayern. It’s also 3 defeats from 4 home games for Werder, and in each of those losses they have failed to score. The Bavarians, meanwhile, have 3 wins from 3 away games, keeping a clean sheet in two of said matches. Last but not least, there have been over 2.5 goals in 3 of Werder's 4 home games and all of Bayern’s matches on the road. The only likely scoring situations predicted by the WhoScored Match Forecast involve Bayern, so the 3.25 odds on the combined bet of over 2.5 goals and not both teams to score are extremely tasty.
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