LIVERPOOL’S Champions League hopes are slim – but they’re not dead after back-to-back defeats for Man United.
The Reds trail their rivals by seven points with a game in hand so must defeat Hull tonight.
Brendan Rodgers’s side struggled to break down West Brom at the weekend but should have better luck against a side just a point clear of the drop zone and in deep trouble.
Hull ended a run of five league games without a win at Crystal Palace at the weekend but their home record is the second worst in the division and they’ve struggled against better sides.
I wouldn’t rush to back Liverpool at odds on but William Hill are tempting me by going evens. Daniel Sturridge remains out but Liverpool have enough quality to beat a side who will miss Nikica Jelavic.
Hull haven’t kept two clean sheets in a row since October 2013 so stats say they’ll concede. Without Sturridge the first-scorer favourite is Raheem Sterling at 13-2 with Stan James but I’d rather back Team of the Year star Philippe Coutinho at 8-1 with Betfred.
The Brazilian has netted in two of Liverpool’s last three away games and has been their best player this season. There is another big game in the English Championship with Rotherham guaranteed safety by beating Reading at home.
Steve Evans’s side did well to bounce back from being deducted three points for fielding an ineligible player to draw late on with Norwich at the weekend.
And I can see them going one better with a win that sends Wigan and Millwall down. Reading have nothing to play for and looked jaded at the weekend as they crashed at home to Brentford so Rotherham are worth a look at evens with Ladbrokes and Coral.
Colchester are a best 5-4 at Betfred and must be worth a look against a Swindon side who will almost certainly rest players. Swindon will finish fourth no matter what happens in their final two matches so will be looking ahead to the play-offs.
United will climb out of the bottom four with a win and give themselves a real chance of survival. They won 3-2 at Fleetwood at the weekend and boss Tony Humes could field an unchanged line-up for the third match running.
Swindon boss Mark Cooper has options and hasn’t confirmed what sort of line-up he’ll put out while he’d prefer not to lose surely Colchester’s desire will be the greater.
I haven’t settled on the top tips yet but I’m happy to risk one point on a Liverpool, Rotherham and Colchester treble at 8-1 with Coral and Betfred.
Recommended Bets
Liverpool
(1-1, William Hill)
Coutino to score
(31-10, BetVictor)
Rotherham
(1-1, Ladbrokes, Coral)
Colchester
(5-4, Betfred)
1pt Treble
Liverpool
Rotherham
Colchester
(8-1, Betfred)