Europa League Betting: Back Hearts to trouble depleted Liverpool

Hearts have scored five goals in three games, and Liverpool have created chances in all of their games so far, so I'm surprised Over 2.5 Goals is priced up at a tasty 2.1211/10.

Liverpool are aiming to recover from a dreadful start to the Premier League season, but Kevin Hatchard suspects in-form Hearts may give Brendan Rodgers' men another rough ride.

Hearts vs Liverpool, Europa League playoff round first leg, Thu 19:45 BST, Live on ITV 4

Match Odds: Hearts 7.06/1, Liverpool 1.594/7, the draw 3.953/1

Liverpool suffered a disastrous start to their Premier League campaign on Saturday, as they lost 3-0 at West Brom. The result should be given some context - Liverpool in general and Luis Suarez in particular wasted a host of chances before Zoltan Gera's stunning opener, and then Reds defender Daniel Agger was harshly sent off. That said, such a heavy reverse will be a psychological body-blow.

Liverpool are clearly taking time to adapt to new boss Brendan Rodgers' methods, with defenders like Martin Skrtel looking particularly uncomfortable with the new regime. Rodgers likes his teams to build patiently from the back, and this will inevitably cause early-season apprehension. In the previous round of the Europa League, Liverpool were extremely fortunate to keep a clean sheet in a 1-0 first-leg win at Belarussian side Gomel, although their 3-0 win at Anfield in the second leg was more convincing.

Rodgers has elected to leave Suarez and Skrtel at home, with skipper Steven Gerrard and full-back Glen Johnson also omitted. Joe Cole and Jose Enrique are injured, while new signing Oussama Assaidi is ineligible.

That list of absentees will give encouragement to a Hearts side that is yet to taste defeat under new boss John McGlynn. The Jambos have won one and drawn two of their SPL matches so far, and their performances at Tynecastle have been encouraging. A solid 2-0 win against St Johnstone was followed by a frustrating 2-2 draw against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Hearts were 2-0 up but let their lead slip, conceding a last-gasp equaliser.

Given Liverpool's weakened squad and their defensive shakiness, I think they are a bit too short at 1.594/7. Hearts have started the season confidently, and may be worth backing on the Asian Handicap with a one-goal start at 1.9520/21. Hearts have scored five goals in three games, but their collapse against Inverness showed some defensive frailty. Liverpool have created chances in all of their games so far, and so I'm surprised Over 2.5 Goals is priced up at a tasty 2.1211/10.

Recommended Bet: Back Hearts +1.0 goals on the Asian Handicap at 1.9520/21

Best Bet: Back Over 2.5 Goals at 2.1211/10

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Trouble for Arsenal as Iniesta sings Song's praises

"If they lose van Persie and the increasingly influential Song then their status as almost guaranteed top-four finishers will surely be under threat."

Alex Song has emerged a Barcelona target, with the Spanish media claiming the midfielder wants to move...

If there's one thing Barcelona players enjoy more than passing opposition teams into submission, it's talking about Arsenal players, and Andres Iniesta has been busy continuing that proud tradition.

After Cesc Fabregas moved there following years of nudges and winks from his former youth-team pals, it looked as though the Gunners could finally forget about the Barca mob and move on.

Unfortunately for the 13.012/1 fourth favourites for the Premier League, Barca players just can't keep schtum and Alex Song the latest player to be the subject of water cooler gossip at the Nou Camp.

And if you trust the word of the Spanish sports papers, it's starting to look very much like the player could be on his way there, with reports saying that Song has agreed personal terms with the club.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Iniesta said: "He's a prodigy. I don't know how many years he's been playing but he isn't a discovery from yesterday. He's a good player and I've seen in a couple of publications that he could be joining our team.

"I don't know if that would be the case but if he comes here we'll welcome him the best we can. If he comes here it's because he has the ability to play here, no doubt."

There's been mounting speculation that Song could be heading for Barcelona following something of a breakthrough season for the Cameroon international.

He anchored the Arsenal midfield brilliantly last term and provided 11 assists for his team-mates, linking particularly well with Robin van Persie.

If he was to join Barcelona - who are currently 2.166/5 second favourites for the La Liga title - then that would be another huge blow to Arsenal's potential Premier League title challenge and maybe even their top-four ambitions.

Arsene Wenger's men are currently expected to ease into the Champions League spots and can be backed at 1.715/7 to do just that.

However, if they lose van Persie and the increasingly influential Song then their status as almost guaranteed top-four finishers will surely be under threat, making them worth consideration for a lay.

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