Thursday's Europa League qualifying: predictions and free tips

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for the Europa League second qualifying round ties on Thursday.

Where to watch

Lincoln Red Imps v Rangers
Premier Sports 1, 4pm Thursday
Lokomotiv Plovdiv v Tottenham
Premier Sports 2, 5pm Thursday
Coleraine v Motherwell
BBC Sport website, 7.30pm Thursday
Linfield v Floriana
BBC Sport website, 7.45pm Thursday

Best bets

Tottenham & under 4.5 goals
2pts 4-6 Paddy Power, Sky Bet
Motherwell
2pts 7-10Betway

Betting preview

Tottenham are under immediate pressure after Sunday's dreadful 1-0 loss at home to Everton but they can lift some of the gloom with a victory away to Bulgarians Lokomotiv Plovdiv in the Europa League second qualifying round.

If Spurs fans were hoping for a reaction to weekend defeat, they have got one from Daniel Levy, who appears to have stepped up his efforts to re-sign club legend Gareth Bale.

But the Londoners also need an immediate on-field response and they should deliver at the expense of Plovdiv, who are unlikely to live up to the pre-match bluster of their owner Hristo Krucharski, who has said: "I don't play any lottery but I know that we'll beat Spurs."

Krucharski's club might have been in with a better chance if Tottenham had played well at the weekend.

As things stand, Jose Mourinho knows that he needs a strong performance and a positive result to silence the doubters and raise spirits before Tottenham head to Southampton on Sunday.

Plovdiv were fourth in the Bulgarian top flight last season but triumphed in the Bulgarian Cup, drawing 0-0 with CSKA Sofia and winning 5-3 on penalties.

Facing Tottenham is a massive step up in class and they will not have the benefit of a home crowd to level the playing field.

Spurs are unlikely to suddenly return to peak performance but they can advance with a solid, low-scoring success, allowing punters to profit by backing the away win and under 4.5 goals.

Rangers are red-hot 2-15 favourites to continue their progress with a victory away to Gibraltarian side Lincoln Red Imps but there is better value to had by siding with their Scottish Premiership rivals, Motherwell, who are 7-10 to triumph away to Northern Irish opponents Coleraine.

Well picked up their first league win of the season on Saturday, posting a 1-0 success at home to St Johnstone, but they are still propping up the table on goal difference.

However, they were 5-1 victors at home to Glentoran in the Europa League first qualifying round, illustrating the gap in class between the Scottish and Northern Irish top flights, and another comfortable success is likely against Coleraine, who were second in the 2019-20 NIFL Premiership.

An even bigger chasm exists between Shamrock Rovers and Milan, who do battle at Tallaght Stadium.

The Italian giants commence their Serie A campaign at home to Bologna next Monday and are 1-11 to warm up with a victory over Rovers, who lead the Irish top-flight standings by eight points.

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