Jocks in Europe - Team news & thoughts

Motherwell v Levante

Motherwell

Injuries - Saunders, Ramsden

Available Squad - Randolph, Hateley, Hammell, Cummins, Hutchinson, Lasley, Law, Ojamaa, Higdon, Murphy, McHugh, Erwin, Carswell, Page, Humphrey, Hetherington, Kerr, Daley, Hollis


Probable XI : Randolph, Hateley, Hutchison, Cummins, Hammell,  Law, Lasley, Daley, Murphy, Ojamaa, Higdon (4-4-2)



Prediction : Motherwell 0-1 Levante

Another really hard task for Motherwell here I think. Levante are a seriously good outfit and held their own against a star studded Atletico Madrid side at the weekend with a 1-1 result. Levante have come a long way in the last 3 or so years and they will be desperate to qualify here and enter Europe proper. Motherwell will be without Ramsden at centre half so Cummins should come in to replace. Just get the feeling Motherwell's defence will be under serious pressure and an away goal is on the cards to effectively kill off the tie. (maybe more than 1...)

You can get 2.0 (Coral) on an away win which looks a good bet but I will pass on this game. NO BET


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Hearts v Liverpool


Hearts


Injuries - Hamill
Doubtful - MacDonald (was a doubt as his wife was just about to give birth, but I hear through the wonders of twitter, she has given birth now - so he should play)

Available Squad - MacDonald, Enckelman, Hamilton, Patterson, Barr, McGowan, Zaliukas, Webster, McHattie, Taouil, Driver, Prychynenko, Holt, Novikovas, Thomson, Walker, Sutton, Grainger, Robinson, Templeton

Probable XI - MacDonald, Patterson, Zaliukas, Webster, Grainger, McGowan, Taouil, Barr, Driver, Templeton, Sutton (4-4-1-1)



Liverpool

Injuries - Enrique, Cole
Available Squad - Reina, Jones, Kelly, Agger, Carragher, Coates, Flanagan, Shelvey, Lucas, Adam, Allen, Henderson, Spearing, Downing, Borini, Carroll, Wilson, Robinson, Sterling, Eccleston

Probable XI - Reina, Kelly, Agger, Carragher, Wilson, Spearing, Adam, Allen, Downing, Carroll, Borini (4-4-2)


Prediction :  Hearts 1-3 Liverpool

If you had asked me earlier on on the week for a prediction I would have said (my) Hearts were going to get an absolute TONKING!!! but Liverpool, similar to Spurs last season, have decided to leave out some stars from the trip to Royal Tynecastle. Gerrard, Suarez, Skrtel and Johnson all don't travel and that can only be seen as a boost to Hearts. But lets face the facts Liverpool can still put out a team that will have a massive gulf in class. I was listening to Gordon Strachen the other night, who I like, and he suggest the one thing Hearts can do is match Liverpool physically and athletically but I don't really think he thought that through as were I'm looking from Liverpool do actually have a strong physical presence, especially if Carroll starts. I can see a weakness if Hearts concentrate on wing play but overall I think Liverpool will be far too strong. Granted Liverpool played a shocker at the weekend but I think that will spur them on a little bit more to get a good result under their belts.

I hope for a decent result but hope is all I have got. The bet I will be placing is Liverpool to score 2 or more @ 1.85