Four match previews in today's clubgowi newsletter and you can read one of them below ........

 

 

UEFA Champions League: PSV Eindhoven- CSKA Moscow

 

The visitors need all three points to claim a Europa League place and we have discussed many times how much respect teams from the East give that competition and we can expect them to play a big part in what could develope into a wide open encounter. PSV are in a strange situation, they are currently third and would advance to the CL knockout stage with a win, or a point if Manchester United lose, so they could finish first or last in this section and that is rare on Matchday 6. They are looking to become the first Dutch club to reach the knockout stages for nine long seasons and that brings with it additional pressure, especially with the failure of the national team to reach Euro 2016. They have seen off Manchester United and Wolfsburg here, scoring twice in each and also in a 3-2 loss in Moscow and something similar to that result in the reverse fixture would not surprise, with PSV probably nervous, having one eye on the match in Wolfsburg (odd for a Dutch team to want a German side to win !) and CSKA having no option but to gamble.
 

The visitors , that win over PSV aside, have not shown the attacking flair and gung-ho nature this season , that we have seen previously from them in the competition and are currently in a slump, with just one point from their last six starts in all competitions, they do still lead their domestic league, which is now in the Winter break after last weekend's round of games, so no need to hold anything back and a win would provide a much needed boost. However, on top of everything else, they have a bit of an injury crisis and several players including central defender Vasili Berezutski, left back Georgi Shchennikov and midfielder Roman Eremenko stayed behind in Moscow. Also, here is an incredible stat , goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev (pictured) has conceded in his last 36 matches in the Champions League, a run stretching back some nine years !  I guess that PSV would like to play this a little more cautiously, but I suspect that CSKA will dictate how this match plays out and they have nothing to gain by sitting back, they also have a history of letting games slip away from them quickly when they trail on the road. PSV have won 8 of their last 9 home games, they conceded in six of those (5 wins) and both to score and PSV to win, looks the very likely outcome again this evening.

 

1.5 unts "over" 3 goals 2.16 asian line/Sportmarket.

 

1.25 units both teams to score and PSV to win 3.10-3.25 general quote, bigger in a few places.