Europa League: Thursday match tips and predictions

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Thursday's live Europa League games featuring Arsenal, Wolves, Rangers and Celtic.

Olympiakos v Arsenal

Where to watch

BT Sport 2, 8pm Thursday

Best bet

Arsenal
1pt 7-5 Betfred

Match preview

Arsenal still have plenty of work to do to make the Premier League top four but their more viable route into the Champions League could be winning Europe's secondary club competition.

The Gunners begin the Europa League knockout stage away to Olympiakos in the last 32, having not lost a game in 2020.

Four of their eight matches this year have been stalemates but, fresh from their 4-0 defeat of Newcastle, they should have the attacking firepower to blow away the Greeks.

The visitors conceded 14 goals in their six Champions League group-stage fixtures and they are not used to operating on the back foot in the Greek Super League.

Team news

Olympiakos
El Arbi Hillal will miss out with a knee problem.

Arsenal
Reiss Nelson is a doubt while Calum Chambers, Kieran Tierney and Cedric Soares are still sidelined.

Key stat

Olympiakos claimed only one win in the Champions League group stage.

Rangers v Braga

Where to watch

BT Sport 3, 8pm Thursday

Best bet

Rangers
1pt 6-5 BoyleSports, Coral

Match preview

Feyenoord, Young Boys and Porto all failed to win at Ibrox in the Europa League group stage earlier in the season and Braga could follow suit when they travel to Glasgow.

Steven Gerrard's men have fallen away a touch in the race for the Ladbrokes Premiership title but they have won 20 of their 26 league fixtures.

They have the attacking players to cause a stir on the continent, not least Alfredo Morelos, who is the leading scorer in the Europa League with six goals in the group stage.

Braga are enjoying life under boss Ruben Amorim, claiming their first win at Benfica in 65 years last time out but that game could have drained them and they have only 11 wins in 21 Primeira Liga fixtures this term.

Team news

Rangers
Filip Helander is missing but Borna Barisic could be in contention.

Braga
Vitor Tormena is out with a muscle injury.

Key stat

Rangers have won three of their last four games.

Wolves v Espanyol

Where to watch

BT Sport ESPN, 8pm Thursday

Best bet

Wolves -1 goal on handicap
1pt 6-4 general

Match preview

Wolves look in good shape going in to the Europa League knockout stage and progression could mean more to Nuno's men than their La Liga counterparts.

Espanyol's priority this season will be survival as they are rooted to the foot of the Spanish top flight with only four wins in 24 games.

They spent well in the January transfer window, luring striker Raul De Tomas from Benfica, but he could miss this game and they have struggled at the back since losing Mario Hermoso to Atletico Madrid last summer.

Wolves know how to handle the big occasion, having beaten Manchester City home and away in the league, and they can establish a strong first-leg advantage.

Team news

Wolves
Ruben Vinagre returns to what should be a fully-fit squad.

Espanyol
Sebastien Corchia is out while Raul De Thomas, Victor Campuzano and David Lopez are doubts.

Key stat

Espanyol have only one win in their last five games.

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