Weekend acca predictions: Five teams to back across Europe

Included in this week’s five-team football acca are teams from Germany, France and Italy, while champions Manchester City are fancied to come out on top in Sunday’s big clash against Liverpool.

Saturday, 2.30pm

Eintracht Frankfurt (17/10) to beat Bayer Leverkusen (29/20), Draw (5/2)

Bayer Leverkusen have been unable to match last season’s levels and after finishing third in the Bundesliga in 2021-22 are struggling on all fronts this term.

The departure of a couple of experienced players added to the loss to injury of attacking sensation Florian Wirtz has hit Bayer hard — they are currently fourth from bottom in Germany, have been dumped out of the DFB-Pokal by third-tier Elversberg and sit bottom of Champions League Group B.

Frankfurt suffered a couple of disappointing away defeats going into this match, losing at Bochum in the league and Tottenham in Europe, but Oliver Glasner’s men showed tremendous spirit in pushing Spurs hard when down to 10 men.

Eintracht have already beaten league leaders Union Berlin and RB Leipzig 4-0 on home soil this term, and last season thrashed Leverkusen 5-2 in Frankfurt.

Prediction: Frankfurt to win (17/10)

Saturday, 4pm

Lorient (6/5) to beat Reims (11/5), Draw (12/5)

Having only narrowly avoided relegation to Ligue 2 in each of the last two seasons, Lorient suddenly find themselves putting the pressure on Paris Saint-Germain at the head of Ligue 1.

And while there is certainly a feeling that the relative minnows of French football will eventually slip back into the chasing pack, Lorient have largely deserved their impressive return of eight wins and a draw from ten league games.

Four of those victories came against clubs currently in the top half of Ligue 1 and this weekend they face a Reims side who have won only one of their ten league games.

While managerless Reims have collected five draws, including a shock 0-0 at home to PSG last weekend, they have lost both away trips to teams in the top 11 of Ligue 1.

Prediction: Lorient to win (6/5)

Saturday 7.45pm

Atalanta (5/8) to beat Sassuolo (4/1), Draw (3/1)

Second-placed Atalanta are unbeaten in Serie A this season, winning six of their nine outings and drawing the other three.

And while visitors Sassuolo are no pushovers, Italy’s ninth-placed side have largely punched their weight and no more in 2022-23, the Neroverdi are unbeaten in five games against teams below them in the league but have picked up just one point from four matches against sides currently above them.

A 3-0 defeat to out-of-form Juventus in their only away trip to a side above them in the league does not bode well and Sassuolo could be heading for more trouble in Bergamo.

Prediction: Atalanta to win (5/8)

Sunday, 4.30pm

Manchester City (3/4) to win at Liverpool (14/5), Draw (3/1)

Liverpool are on a 27-match Premier League unbeaten run at Anfield but that record has never looked more vulnerable than it does this weekend.

The Reds are horribly off the pace in the top flight, taking just two points from four away games and slipping 14 points behind surprise leaders Arsenal in the race for the title.

And nor have they always convinced on home soil, remaining unbeaten at Anfield but looking second-best for spells of their recent 3-3 draw with Brighton, while they were also held to a 1-1 draw by Crystal Palace.

Manchester City, on the other hand, have been moving up the gears in frightening fashion.

The Citizens smashed Manchester United 6-3 a fortnight ago and followed up with a 4-0 dismantling of Southampton last weekend, making it 23 points from a possible 27 and 33 goals scored in just nine league games.

Pep Guardiola’s side have not lost any of their last five league meetings with Liverpool, winning 4-1 and drawing 2-2 on their last two trips to Anfield, and they look set to add to Jurgen Klopp’s woes this weekend.

Prediction: Manchester City to win (3/4)

Monday 5.30pm

Roma (7/10) to win at Sampdoria (4/1), Draw (13/5)

Sampdoria are rooted to the bottom of Serie A, winless and with just three draws from nine league outings — if current form is anything to go by, their recent flirtations with relegation could prove altogether more serious this term.

Now they host a Roma side who have struggled against the best teams in Italy in recent times but have been ruthless against the lesser outfits.

Jose Mourinho’s men won 14 and lost just two of 22 meetings with teams outside the top nine last term and this season have won six and drawn one of seven meetings with teams below them in Serie A.

Prediction: Roma to win (7/10).