Mallaz84

Eintracht Frankfurt have played 4 competitive games so far this season. All 4 of those games have seen 4 or more total goals scored. Galatasaray have scored 3 or more goals in 4 of the 5 games that they have played so far this season.

Manchester City and Napoli are two sides that are more than capable in front of goal, and both sides scored 3 goals in their last games coming into this game. City won the Manchester Derby 3-0 at home to United on Sunday, while Napoli picked up a 3-1 win away at Fiorentina on Saturday.

Erling Haaland scored twice in Manchester City's 3-0 home win against Manchester United at the weekend. He also scored 5 goals in his previous game during the international break when Norway battered Moldova 11-1. Haaland has scored in all of his last 4 games for club and country, 9 goals in total.

As a Newcastle fan, I am hopeful, but not exactly confident, that we can get something from this game on our return to the Champions League. Home advantage and a 52,000 strong crowd of passionate fans should work in our favor. Unfortunately, we have to face one of the best teams in the world, Spanish champions Barcelona. Barcelona come into this game on the back of a 6-0 home win against Valencia in La Liga, and they are unbeaten after 4 games so far this season (W3 D1). Barcelona have played 3 away games, winning 2 and drawing 1, extending their unbeaten away run to 5 competitive games. Newcastle haven't had the best start to the season, with just 1 win from our first 4 league games (D2 L1), a 1-0 home win against a Wolves side that is currently rock bottom of the league and the only side in the league to have yet picked up a point. However, we have kept 3 clean sheets and our only defeat was against Premier League champions and current league leaders, Liverpool (2-3 at home).

Newcastle have kept 3 clean sheets in our 4 league games so far this season. However, those clean sheets came in games against 3 of the current bottom 5 teams in the Premier League. Teams that have scored just 3 goals between them after 4 games each. We conceded 3 goals in our 1 game against a decent side when we lost 3-2 at home to Liverpool. Barcelona have scored 13 goals in the 4 games that they have played this season, scoring 3 or more in 3 of their games, and winning 6-0 at home to Valencia last time out.

Sporting are clearly the superior side here and warrant their status as favourites. They are currently the highest scoring team in the Portuguese Premier League, with 15 goals in 5 games, and are currently second top of the league with 12 points from 5 games.

This game should be a formality for Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon, hence them being clear favorites. Many people thought that they would struggle for goals after Gyokeres left for Arsenal in the summer, but they have hit 15 goals in their 5 league games so far this season. 3 goals per game average, so back over 2.5 total goals here.

Sporting kept clean sheets in both of their first 2 league games this season, but have failed to keep a clean sheet in their 3 league games since. However, I am backing Sporting to win to nil. Kairat Almaty have scored just 2 goals in their last 4 competitive games, winning their last 2 games 1-0 (both league games), but Kairat Almaty were unable to break down Celtic over two legs, plus extra time, and needed a penalty shootout to progress through the final qualifying round.

Sporting's Colombian striker Luis Suarez has scored in 4 of his last 5 games for club and country, scoring 9 goals in those 5 games, including 5 goals in his last 2 (4 goals for Colombia in a 6-3 World Cup Qualification game away at Venezuela, and the winning goal for Sporting in their 2-1 away league win at Famalicao last time out).

Umea FC are rock bottom of the Swedish Superettan with just 9 points from 22 league games. Umea have taken just 1 point from their last 4 league games, and have lost 4 of their last 5 across all competitions. Ostersunds FK should be looking to pick up their first league win since July here, given their home advantage, and ending their run of 7 games without a win (D3 L4).

Shamrock Rovers are currently 7 clear at the top of the Irish Premier League, with 2 games in hand over second-placed Derry City. They can potentially extend their lead to 10 points with a win over bottom-of-the-league Cork City here.

Gent's form so far this season has been highly inconsistent, with 2 wins, 2 draws, and 2 defeats from their 6 league games. But they do come into this game on a run of 3 games unbeaten. Gent won 2-1 away at Antwerp last time out, despite being reduced to 10 men in the 14th minute and going 1-0 down in the 36th. Dender are bottom of the league with 2 points from 7 games and have lost their last 5 games.

Bottom of the league Dender have scored just 2 goals in the 7 league games that they have played so far this season. They have lost their last 5 games, and have failed to score in 4 of their last 5 games.

Lyon's perfect start to their Ligue 1 campaign, 3 wins from 3 with 3 clean sheets, came to an end on Sunday when they lost 3-1 away at Rennes. Lyon had taken the lead but, after being reduced to 10 men in the 75th minute, went on to concede 3 late goals. Angers won their opening game of the season 1-0 at home to newly promoted Paris FC, but have taken just 2 points from their 3 league games since.

Rio Ave are currently 4th bottom of the league with 3 points from 4 games, and have yet to win a game this season (D3 L1). FC Porto are currently top of the league with a 100% record after playing 5 league games.

Portuguese league leaders FC Porto have won all 5 of the league games that they have played so far this season. They have kept 4 clean sheets and have conceded just 1 goal, which came in a 2-1 away win at current Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon. Rio Ave have played 4 league games so far this season and have yet to win a game (D3 L1).