
Matchday three of the Champions League begins on Tuesday, 21st October, with 18 fixtures to be played across two nights.
Six teams took maximum points from their first two fixtures, while four outfits are yet to get off the mark, and two of those feature in Champions League tipster Ben Smith’s five-leg accumulator on Betway, who have some of the best Champions League odds across this week’s action.
Things couldn’t be going much better for Arsenal right now. Three points clear at the top of the Premier League and boasting a perfect record in Europe with two wins from two, the Gunners look firmly on course in their pursuit of silverware this season.
That’s despite Mikel Arteta’s side still not fully hitting their stride. Star signing Viktor Gyokeres has yet to find his top level, while Eberechi Eze is also still settling into his new surroundings.
The Gunners’ defensive solidity makes them incredibly hard to beat, providing a strong foundation to build from. They may not be dazzling, but they’re ruthlessly efficient, winning each of their last five games in all competitions, conceding just once and never scoring more than twice in that run.
Atletico Madrid’s two Champions League games so far have produced a combined 11 goals, but Arsenal are unlikely to be drawn into a shootout. The Spanish club’s away fixtures have generally been tight, aside from their trip to Anfield, and it’s hard to imagine this one getting out of control.
There were no surprises in José Mourinho’s approach as he took Benfica to Chelsea and then Porto before the international break. The Portuguese side looked content to stay in the game at Stamford Bridge, even after falling a goal behind. It was a subdued contest, with neither team reaching double figures for shots, and Chelsea narrowly edging it 1-0.
O Clássico was similarly uneventful, with Benfica managing just four shots in a goalless draw.
A comparable encounter could be on the cards as they head to St James’ Park to face a Newcastle United side also struggling for goals. The Magpies have scored only seven times in eight domestic games, and with Benfica unlikely to come out firing, both teams to score in neither half feels like a decent play.
Erling Haaland is on an astonishing run of 11 consecutive games scoring for club and country, racking up a remarkable 21 goals in that spell.
Averaging 4.8 shots per game, there’s no sign of him easing up. Villarreal, who have conceded seven in their last three outings, won’t be looking forward to this particular challenge, and keeping the Norwegian quiet looks an almost impossible task.
Ajax endured a humbling 4-0 defeat to Marseille on matchday two of the Champions League, following a 2-0 home loss to Inter in their opener.
Their Eredivisie form offers little encouragement either. A comfortable 2-0 defeat to AZ Alkmaar at the Amsterdam Arena on Saturday left Johnny Heitinga’s side nine points adrift of leaders Feyenoord after just nine games.
With injuries mounting and confidence low, the Dutch giants face an uphill battle to trouble Chelsea. The Blues may be far from the finished article, but they should have more than enough quality to get the job done on Wednesday night.
For the first time in his Liverpool tenure, Arne Slot is facing genuine scrutiny. What initially looked like a brief dip in form has developed into a serious slump, with the Reds suffering four consecutive defeats, the latest a bitter setback against fierce rivals Manchester United at Anfield.
Few of the summer arrivals have made an immediate impact, and several of last season’s title-winning stalwarts, as well as holdovers from the Jurgen Klopp era, are badly out of form. Most notably, Mohamed Salah played poorly again and was substituted late on Sunday, with the only real talking point being that it didn’t happen sooner.
One of the most revealing moments came with Slot’s reaction to Ryan Gravenberch’s injury, which forced him off on the hour mark. Lacking a natural replacement in the holding role, Liverpool shifted to a 4-2-4, with Curtis Jones and Florian Wirtz operating in central midfield.
It was a bold tactical gamble that left them exposed, and if Gravenberch fails to recover in time for the trip to Frankfurt, the Reds could find themselves similarly vulnerable in midfield on Wednesday.
Eintracht Frankfurt, much like Liverpool, have been involved in some chaotic contests this season, ending September with scorelines of 1-5, 6-4, 3-4, and 5-1. Both sides will fancy their chances of finding the net in what promises to be another high-scoring affair. While the market has anticipated that with a total goals line of 3.5, Jonathan Burkardt still appears underrated in the anytime goalscorer betting.
The German forward has struck seven times in nine appearances across all competitions for Eintracht and is a tempting price to trouble this fragile Liverpool back line.
Betway's Champions League betting bonus allows new users to claim a £10 free bet after making a £10 deposit. Existing customers can also claim free bets after placing this Champions League accumulator by joining the Betway Free Bet Club.
Chelsea vs Ajax betting preview
Frankfurt vs Liverpool betting preview
Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid betting preview

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