Opta Stats: Liverpool to score and Arsenal to bag three

Arsene Wenger is a master at securing Arsenal a last-16 place

Opta's insights support Liverpool and Arsenal's goalscoring prospects in the Champions League on Tuesday...

(Both games start at 19:45 on Tuesday)

Real Madrid v Liverpool (ITV)

The Reds haven't failed to score in three successive Champions League games since September 2006

Liverpool's 0-3 home defeat to Real Madrid started a sequence of three blanks in four, but both the historic trend above and the Champions League holders' record as hosts this term indicate that the visitors will find the net at the Bernabeu. Carlo Ancelotti's men have conceded in four of their most recent five encounters in front of their fans, with Elche among those sides to find a way through.

Recommended Bet: Back both teams to score @ 1.748/11

Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 55 goals in 54 Champions League appearances for Real Madrid

The slender price on Ronaldo striking at any point in the 90 minutes both emphasises how high a regard he is held in and how poorly Liverpool's defence is viewed. While Brendan Rodgers' team have shut out just one of their past dozen opponents, Ronaldo has scored a frankly frightening 20 times in his latest 12 club outings, notching in every one. The 1.141/7 Ballon d'Or favourite is also a goal shy of Raul's Champions League record mark of 71.

Recommended Bet: Back Ronaldo to score @ 1.548/15

Arsenal v Anderlecht (Sky Sports 5)

Anderlecht have conceded in 11 successive Champions League games, letting in 28 (2.5 a game)

Arsenal haven't been too prolific this season, often limiting themselves to one or two goals a match, yet showed greater ambition in both their last Champions League tie at the Emirates (a 4-1 victory over Galatasaray) and Premier League fixture (a 3-0 triumph against Burnley). Anderlecht meanwhile leaked three times at home to Borussia Dortmund, and twice in the space of two minutes against the Gunners.

Recommended Bet: Back Arsenal to score three or more goals @ 2.3211/8

Lukas Podolski has scored in six of his nine Champions League appearances for Arsenal

The Germany international has indeed fired in four of his previous five Champions League clashes, another example of his statistics being far stronger than you would expect judging by the way that he is received by both supporters and his manager. Podolski has at least made it onto the pitch in six of Arsenal's last ten games, and it might only require a cameo to boost his figures given that seven of the north Londoners' past nine goals came in the closing 21 minutes, with four in the 90th.

Recommended Bet: Back Podolski to score @ 2.767/4