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Arsenal vs Porto tips
- Arsenal to win by two goals - 3/1 at bet365
- Declan Rice anytime goal scorer - 5/1 at BoyleSports
- Porto first team booking - 4/9 at bet365
Arsenal must overturn a 1-0 deficit against Porto on Tuesday night if they are to make the quarter-finals of the Champions League (8pm, TNT Sports 1).
Galeno’s stoppage time winner in the first leg has given Porto a valuable advantage in the tie as they stopped an in-form Gunners side from finding the back of the net.
Sergio Conceicao’s team will make life difficult for the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium, but Arsenal’s attacking quality could shine through in the end.
Football betting sites see Arsenal as the firm favourites to progress, but Porto can’t be discounted after what happened in the first leg.
Arsenal vs Porto tip: Arsenal to get the job done after first leg setback
Arsenal certainly have the talent advantage over Porto, but the Portuguese outfit arrive in North London with some serious momentum behind them.
Indeed, Porto have scored eight goals in their last two games - including five in a sensational 5-0 thrashing of Portuguese champions Benfica - and have won three of the four matches they have played since defeating the Gunners.
Porto’s defensive record is the thing that gives them the best chance of upsetting the Champions League odds and making the quarter-finals, though, having conceded just 17 goals in 25 league matches this season.
The Gunners have scored goals for fun recently, but this will be more of a challenge to find the back of the net. Nonetheless, their attacking ability should see them over the line.
Arsenal have failed to find the back of the net only twice at the Emirates Stadium this season and both of those instances came after Christmas when the Gunners were struggling for form.
Since then, Arsenal have won eight of the nine matches they have played, with the only exception being the narrow 1-0 loss to Porto.
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Betting apps aren’t offering much value in an Arsenal win, but a home victory by two goals could be worth backing.
Six of the Gunners' eight wins since the turn of the year have been by two or more goals and a victory by that margin would see them through to the quarter-finals without the need for extra-time or penalties.
Arsenal vs Porto tip 1: Arsenal to win by two goals - 3/1 at bet365
Declan Rice to make the difference for the Gunners again
Declan Rice has quickly become a key member of Mikel Arteta’s team this season, most recently scoring an important goal in Arsenal’s 2-1 home win over Brentford on Saturday.
The England international has scored two goals in his last two games - and three in his last six - and Arsenal might require him to provide a goal threat from midfield against Porto.
With Porto 1-0 up from the first leg, it’s almost certain Conceicao will set up his team to sit deep, absorb pressure and make it difficult for Arsenal to play through them.
This will limit the space afforded to the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka who like to use their pace and directness to get in behind. Porto will look to restrict them by employing a low block.
Subsequently, the space for Arsenal will be in front of the Porto defensive line, where the likes of Martin Odegaard and Rice will have shooting opportunities.
Betting sites have priced Odegaard at 5/2 to score at any time on Tuesday, but his recent scoring record isn’t as impressive as Rice’s who is listed at 5/1.
Arsenal vs Porto Tip 2: Declan Rice anytime goal scorer - 5/1 at BoyleSports
Porto to be placed in the firing line for bookings
Only four teams still left in this season’s Champions League have picked up more bookings than Porto, who have seen no fewer than 14 yellow cards in just seven matches.
Francisco Conceicao has picked up an incredible eight bookings in just 18 (12 starts) league matches this season. He also has two yellows to his name in the Champions League for good measure.
Nico Gonzalez, Alan Varela and Wendell are three more players with a strong track record of picking up cautions this season.
The way Conceicao is expected to set up his team for Tuesday’s second leg will almost certainly make fouls and yellow cards collateral damage.
Arsenal are expected to control the majority of possession with Porto in a low defensive block. They will have to block shots and make tackles, and with that comes with the risk of bookings.
Gambling sites have priced Porto at 1/2 to be the first team to be shown a yellow card on Tuesday evening.
Arsenal vs Porto Tip 3: Porto first team booking - 4/9 at bet365
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Last Updated: 14th March 2024, 07:22 AM
