Football Bet of the Day: Big Eck to net a big win

Alex McLeish has found redemption with Genk

After making a winning start to the week, Kevin Hatchard's treating us all to a trip to Belgium.

Genk v KV Oostende
Tuesday February 3, 19:30

As I sat in a Finchley pub last night with betting.betfair's League One expert Alan Dudman, Israel-based journalist Joshua Hickman sent me Twitter-based updates live from the Tel Aviv derby (oh yeah, me and Dudders know how to tear it up, don't you worry), and it was a nervy night. 

Hosts Maccabi went 1-0 up in 10 minutes, and made it 2-0 just after half-time. The unders bet was under threat, with Maccabi looking to batter rivals Hapoel. But the visitors did us proud with a rearguard action, and a winner was ours. I celebrated with some delightfully spicy Thai crackers - ah, the good life.

It's with a spring in our step that we look for more excitement in...erm...Belgium. We're hoping for a thrilling performance from a team managed by...erm...Alex McLeish. Now then, before any Aston Villa fans start foaming at the mouth, "Big Eck" is actually doing a fine job with Genk, and they're up against struggling KV Oostende.

It won't surprise Villa, Birmingham or Rangers fans to know that McLeish has built his team on a platform of cloying defence. Genk have the joint-best defence in the Belgian Pro League, with just 22 goals leaked in 23 games. 

The surprising part is that on home soil, McLeish's Genk are playing some expansive stuff. They have won five of their last six games at the Cristal Arena, scoring 14 goals in the process and keeping five clean sheets. All five of those victories have come by a margin of two or three goals.

KV Oostende aren't enjoying themselves quite so much. They have lost four of their last five games, including an embarrassing 7-1 thumping at home to Kortrijk. Indeed, Oostende lost all four of those games by at least a two-goal margin.

Oostende's away form is certainly nothing for Genk to worry about - they have lost seven of their 11 road matches, and have scored just 10 goals on their travels. Genk are averaging nearly two goals per game at home, and I'm happy to back them -1.0 on the Asian Handicap to boost the price above evens. 

Recommended Bet

Back Genk -1.0 on the Asian Handicap at 2.05n/a 

2015 P/L (1 pt per bet)

Points Staked: 15

Points Returned: 13.05

P/L: -1.95 points