Tottenham Hotspur v NS Mura: Struggling Spurs in Need of a European Boost

tottenhamThings are going from bad to worse in the league and, while we always resolve to keep this website upbeat, we suspect that it’s going to be tough as the new season progresses. Three defeats in succession suggests that there may just be some ‘must win’s coming up for new manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Europa Conference League should offer a welcome break from issues in the EPL but Thursday’s clash against NS Mura is another game where the points are vital. The Slovenians are the weakest team in the section and Spurs should be looking for maximum points in both encounters.

Team News

There appears to be nothing new to report following Sunday’s match with Steven Bergwijn and Ryan Sessegnon continuing to miss out. Lucas Moura made a surprise return to the line up at the weekend and could be involved from the bench at least.

There are no suspensions so the Europa Conference League squad is close to full strength.

Match Odds

If you are expecting Tottenham to win on the night, there isn’t too much value in the match betting markets. The home win is as short as 1/10 in places while Betway are offering 2/13 at the time of writing.

Elsewhere , the draw can be claimed at best odds of 7/1 with Unibet while a win for NS Mura is right out at 19/1 with 10Bet and SportNation.

The danger could lie in the make up of the side and whether Nuno decides to play a similar side to the one that took on Pacos in the first leg of the preliminary round. We all know how that game ended badly and a similar scenario could see Mura sneak a draw on Thursday night.

Our opponents lost 2-0 at home to Vitesse in their first game of the competition as Tottenham were drawing away to Rennes. Form and quality of the two clubs suggests a comfortable home win but only if a reasonably strong starting XI is put out.

Side Markets

Guessing the starting line up also makes things tricky in the first goalscorer betting and perhaps that’s why those markets are slow to come through. That always seems to be the case in games such as these where we have such a clear favourite in the match betting.

When they fully open, we can be certain that Harry Kane will appear at the top, shortly followed by Son Heung-Min. Our interest may revolve around Lucas Moura as it’s the type of game that he tends to perform well in. However, we will wait until the teamsheets are in before committing to a stake.

The man with the shortest first goalscorer odds for NS Mura is likely to be Luka Bobicanec. The Croatian winger has been with his current club since 2017 and averages around a goal every three matches.

Harry Kane

Harry Kane

Away from the individual player betting, Both Teams to Score is as high as we can ever remember seeing it with MansionBet providing the best odds of 33/20. Mura failed to trouble the scorers in their first game so that’s no great surprise but BTTS may just be worth considering against Spurs’ reserves.

The Total Goals markets show best odds of just 1/2 with Betway and 10Bet to go Above the 2.5 line. As we’ve seen with the Both Teams to Score prices, the bookies are expecting Tottenham to provide all of the firepower and there’s no real interest in those figures.

Elsewhere, a push to Over 3.5 goals will currently return a top price of 5/4 with MansionBet while Over 4.5 comes in at a best of 58/19 with 10Bet.

That leaves us to round off with some Correct Score suggestions and, if you’re expecting a positive and emphatic 90 minutes, a 4-1 home win is available at 16/1 with 888Sport. Those with a more pessimistic outlook may want to consider the 1-1 draw which can be found at a best of 21/1 with MansionBet.

Who are They?

Mura Murska Sobota, to give them their full title, were formed as recently as 2012 and they currently play in the top tier of Slovenian football. In their brief history, the club moved steadily through the divisions and they have qualified for the European Conference League by winning the Slovenian PrvaLiga for the first time ever.

The team is coached by Ante Simundza who took over in 2017 and has guided Mura through their most successful period.

We mentioned that Luka Bobicanec is starting with the lowest odds for Mura in the first goalscorer betting but there are others to look out for. Amadej Marosa has more experience although, as an out-and-out forward, his scoring record is slightly worse than winger Bobicanec.

Verdict

ns muraI don’t pretend to know a great deal about NS Mura but, having taken a brief look at their squad, it’s easy to see why Spurs have been made the clear favourites. While they may have won Slovenia’s top division, relatively few have actually been capped by their country.

That’s not going to be a guaranteed sign of our dominance on the night but it might just be a useful indication.

There is that question as to what side Nuno will field. A few changes to the regular league starting XI should still be enough to claim the win but a similar team to the one that played away in Portugal could leave us in trouble.

There seems to be little point in backing Spurs for the win even if you are confident of our chances on Thursday night. The odds are just too short to be of interest so we’ll focus on the side markets instead.

Both Teams to Score looks far from certain but a price of 33/20 is a high one for this market so it is worth considering. We have to go fairly high in the total goals betting to get any outstanding returns but, if you’re happy with something relatively modest, a stake Over the 3.5 line is respectable at 5/4.

Best Bets

  • Both Teams to Score at 33/20 with MansionBet
  • Over 3.5 Goals at 5/4 with MansionBet

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