Liverpool vs Bologna prediction: Reds 13/2 to make light work of Italians

Liverpool welcome Italian side Bologna to Anfield seeking to claim another scalp of an Italian side in the Champions League and maintain their impressive home record in the competition (8pm, TNT Sports 2 & Discovery+).

The Reds opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 win over AC Milan in Italy, despite going a goal down after just three minutes, and they return to European competition sat top of the Premier League after Saturday’s win at Wolves.

Opponents Bologna are still looking for their first win in the competition after being held to a goalless draw by Shakhtar Donetsk on match day one in their return to the European Cup following a 60-year absence.

Draws have been a key feature for the Italian side this season with five of their opening seven games ending all square. In fact, they have managed just one win so far, that coming away at Serie A’s bottom side Monza, when goals from Kacper Urbanski and Santiago Castro earned them a 2-1 win.

They currently sit 13th in the Serie A table, already six points behind league leaders Napoli.

Liverpool have won each of their last 10 European group stage/league phase matches at Anfield, netting at least twice in each of their last nine. So, it’s no surprise they are big favourites with betting sites to win this one.

Football betting sites are offering just 1/5 on a Reds win, 14/1 for Bologna to take the points and 11/2 on a draw.

The two sides have never met before with Bologna the 10th different Italian opponent that Arne Slot’s side have faced in European competition, after Inter, Juventus, Roma, Genoa, Milan, Fiorentina, Napoli, Udinese, and Atalanta.

In European competition, sides from no other nation have beaten Liverpool at Anfield more times than Italian clubs (seven – level with Spanish) and the Reds have lost three of their last five at home to Italian sides, but we don’t expect Bologna to make it four out of six this time around.

The Reds have scored three goals or more against Manchester United, Milan, Bournemouth and West Ham this season and we’re going for the same again on Wednesday.

They have conceded just four goals in all competitions while Bologna have scored just seven so far, and we aren’t expecting them to trouble the Liverpool goal.

Liverpool vs Bologna prediction 1: Liverpool to win 3-0 - 7/1 William Hill

Liverpool fans expect Mohamed Salah to score every time he steps on the pitch and they haven’t been disappointed lately. The Egyptian has been in excellent form, scoring five in his first eight games of this season having bagged 31 for club and country last term.

Should he score against Bologna, Salah would become the first Liverpool player to score in five consecutive home games in the European Cup/Champions League, with the Egyptian scoring in all four of his appearances at Anfield in his previous season in this competition (four goals in 2022-23).

The striker also has a lot of experience playing against Bologna during his spells playing for Fiorentina and Roma.

He has played against them three times and scored five goals including a hat-trick in Roma’s 3-0 home win in November 2016.

You can get 3/1 on him scoring first or last on betting apps or a top price of 5/6 on him scoring anytime.

But at a slightly bigger price is Salah to score two more times, available at 4/1 with Betfred, as well as some new betting sites, and that’s the bet that catches our eye.

Another Liverpool player who likes playing against Bologna is Federico Chiesa who has scored seven goals in 11 appearances against them, including a hat-trick in Fiorentina’s 4-0 home Serie A win on 29 July 2020 - but he’ll miss the match injured.

Liverpool v Bologna prediction 2: Mohamed Salah to score 2 or more - 4/1 Betfred

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