Sports Mole provides score predictions and previews for all of today’s Europa League fixtures, including Liverpool vs. Toulouse.
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Both teams will be looking to get off the mark in the Europa League when Molde host Hacken on Thursday.
The two Scandinavian sides are rooted on zero points in Group H, having lost both of their opening games in the competition.
We say: Molde 1-2 Hacken
This is a crucial match for both of these sides, having both lost their opening two matches in Group H. With Leverkusen likely to run away with the group, they need to start making up ground on Qarabag sooner rather than later.
As such, a draw is of little use to either side, so we expect to see an entertaining game play out in Norway. The visitors arrive in better form than Molde, so we can envisage Hacken claiming their first ever win in a European group stage game.
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West Ham United make the trip to Greece to face Olympiacos on Thursday evening with the opportunity to move to the brink of qualification for the Europa League knockout stages.
However, while the Hammers have the chance to go eight points clear of their next opponents, defeat would make it at least a three-horse race to progress from Group A.
We say: Olympiacos 1-2 West Ham United
Despite West Ham’s ongoing European form, this has the potential to be a banana-skin for the Hammers. Olympiacos are usually a strong outfit on home soil, yet we feel that the Premier League outfit will do enough to overcome their next opponents.
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Backa Topola play host to Freiburg on Thursday evening knowing that victory will catapult them into contention for qualification for the Europa League knockout stages.
However, Freiburg make the trip to Serbia with the opportunity to move five points clear of their upcoming opponents in Group B.
We say: Backa Topola 1-3 Freiburg
Given the manner of their comeback against Olympiacos, Backa Topola will fancy their chances of earning more points against Freiburg. However, we feel that the German side may click into gear in this contest, undoing their next opponents at the back like West Ham and the Greek outfit last time out.
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AEK Athens will be looking to maintain their position at the top of Group B in the Europa League when they travel to the Stade Velodrome to face Marseille on Thursday.
The two teams are meeting for the first time since the last 16 of the European Cup in 1989-90 when Les Olympiens prevailed 3-1 on aggregate.
We say: Marseille 2-2 AEK Athens
With both Brighton and Ajax unable to claim maximum points in their Group B fixture, Marseille have the chance to climb to the top of the standings with a win on Thursday.
However, AEK Athens have made a notable impression in the group stage and we believe the Greek outfit can claim a hard-earned point against an out-of-sorts Marseille side.
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Both sitting on three points after two games, Sparta Prague and Rangers will do battle in the Czech capital on Thursday in the third round of Europa League group-stage matches.
The visitors will pay their first continental game under the management of Philippe Clement, who began his tenure with a league win at the weekend, and they will battle to take top spot in the group at the halfway stage.
We say: Sparta Prague 2-1 Rangers
Rangers will certainly have renewed confidence under the new management of Philippe Clement and on the back of a dominant victory at the weekend, but they face a particularly tough challenge on Thursday in the Czech capital, and we fancy the Zelezna Sparta to make home advantage count and come out on top.
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In a group with all four sides tied on three points from the opening two games, Aris Limassol and Real Betis will meet in an important Europa League contest in Cyprus on Thursday.
After both losing in the opening round of games, the hosts put up a first victory at home to Rangers last time out while their visitors got the better of Sparta Prague.
We say: Aris Limassol 1-2 Real Betis
While they were left disappointed by the defeat in their curtain-raiser against Rangers, who Thursday’s hosts then got the better of, Real Betis do have the quality to dominate this group, and we fancy them to make it back-to-back wins in Cyprus.
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Atalanta BC will look to extend their perfect record in the Europa League group stage on Thursday, when they travel to Austria to take on Sturm Graz in the third round of fixtures.
The Italian outfit beat Rakow Czestochowa and Sporting Lisbon in their first two outings, while their hosts sit on three points thanks to a victory of their own over the former last time out.
We say: Sturm Graz 1-2 Atalanta BC
Atalanta face a tough test in Austria on Thursday, but they have continuously showed their attacking ability across all competitions this term and we fancy them to come out on top in an intriguing encounter with arguably more quality all over the pitch than their hosts possess.
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In the third round of Europa League group-stage fixtures this season, Sporting Lisbon will travel to Poland to take on Rakow Czestochowa on Thursday.
The visitors make the trip with three points on the board having suffered a defeat to Atalanta in their second outing, while the hosts have lost both of their first two group outings.
We say: Rakow Czestochowa 0-3 Sporting Lisbon
The Polish champions will be desperate to pick up their first points of the group stage, but we can only envisage them boing outclassed by a Sporting Lisbon side with superior quality all over the pitch.
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Panathinaikos will look to extend their unbeaten run in the Europa League when they face Rennes on matchday three at the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium.
Both teams failed to make it two wins from two in their last European outings, as Panathinaikos played out a 0-0 draw away to Maccabi Haifa, while Rennes suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat away to Villarreal.
We say: Panathinaikos 2-1 Rennes
The two teams are not far apart in the Group F standings, but Panathinaikos have had a much better run of late, while Rennes have lost their last three games in all competitions.
Home ground should also benefit Panathinaikos, as they are unbeaten in their last two home games, while Rennes have failed to win any of their last five away games.
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Group G’s top two convene at Roma‘s Stadio Olimpico on Thursday, as Slavia Prague visit the Italian capital with the teams locked on six points apiece.
Leaving Servette and Sheriff Tiraspol trailing in their wake, both sides have won their first two matches, leaving them primed for progress to the knockout stage.
We say: Roma 2-1 Slavia Prague
Set for their toughest test in Europe so far this season, resurgent Roma will have to work hard for a fifth straight win.
Roared on by the Olimpico faithful, and now boasting more squad depth, the Italian club should have just too much nous in the final third for Slavia to handle.
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Already six points adrift of the top two teams in Group G, Sheriff Tiraspol and Servette both seek their first Europa League win at Bolshaya Sportivnaya Arena on Thursday.
Ahead of the first-ever meeting between Swiss and Moldovan clubs in UEFA competition, Sheriff were shot down by Slavia Prague last time out and resorted to sacking their coach; Servette, meanwhile, are yet to even score.
We say: Sheriff Tiraspol 2-1 Servette
Neither side can afford to lose as they eye up the consolation prize of third place in Group G, but to have real hope of reaching the knockout phase, one must win on Thursday.
Thanks to home advantage and a greater wealth of recent European experience, Sheriff should secure maximum points.
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Both teams will be aiming to maintain their perfect records in the Europa League this season when Bayer Leverkusen host Qarabag FK on Thursday.
The two sides sit level on six points in Group H after winning both of their matches against Scandinavian sides Molde and Hacken.
We say: Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Qarabag FK
If Alonso makes changes en masse as he may be tempted to, this could be a tighter match than many expect, with Qarabag always defensively disciplined under Gurbanov’s management.
They will be more confident than usual in European competitions, too, having won both of their opening games, but Leverkusen should still possess enough quality to make it three victories from three in Group H.
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Two teams seeking to end winless runs meet for a Europa League Group B battle at the American Express Community Stadium on Thursday night, as Brighton & Hove Albion play host to managerless Ajax.
While the Seagulls have gone over four weeks without a victory in any competitions, their Dutch counterparts remarkably last tasted success at the end of August.
We say: Brighton & Hove Albion 3-2 Ajax
It is difficult to foresee a contest without goals at both ends between Brighton and Ajax, considering the two teams have regularly shown a threat in the final third whilst struggling to shore things up at the back so far this season.
Ajax will hope that the change in the dugout can spark an instant upturn in fortunes, but we believe Brighton may just edge this intriguing match-up in front of their own fans to claim their maiden European victory.
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Union SG and LASK Linz will be looking to claim their first victory in Group E of the Europa League when they lock horns in Brussels on Thursday night.
The Belgian hosts are gearing up for another European match at Anderlecht’s Lotto Park as their home stadium, Stade Joseph Marien, does not meet the UEFA standards.
We say: Union SG 1-1 LASK Linz
The pressure is on both teams to come away with a positive result on Thursday as they endeavour to keep their slim hopes of a top-two finish in Group E alive.
A victory would do the world of good for either side, but we feel that the spoils may be shared in a closely-fought contest considering there is little to separate these two clubs.
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The top two teams in Group E of the Europa League face off at Anfield on Thursday night as Liverpool play host to Toulouse.
While the Reds are seeking to preserve their perfect record in this year’s group stage, Les Violets also remain unbeaten and could climb to the summit with a famous triumph on Merseyside.
We say: Liverpool 2-0 Toulouse
Liverpool cannot take Thursday’s opponents lightly, considering Toulouse remain unbeaten in Group E and have also held both Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille in Ligue 1 this term.
However, the Reds should ultimately have too much quality for their French counterparts, even if Klopp decides to rest a few first-team stars, and we expect the hosts to come away with a routine victory to move them one step closer to reaching the knockout rounds.
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> How Liverpool could line up against Toulouse
> Liverpool injury, suspension list vs. Toulouse
