EUROPA LEAGUE SEMI-FINALS: Our European football tipster The Ultra previews MANCHESTER UNITED v ROMA and VILLARREAL v ARSENAL both with a recommended BETDAQ bet.

MANCHESTER UNITED V ROMA

8pm After two fascinating Champions League Semi-Finals, it’s Europa League Semi-Final on Thursday night and once again it’s a big night for the Premier League with Manchester United and Arsenal involved. We start with the in-form Man United hosting Roma in a game that they really should win, but as we all know United have thrown in the odd terrible performance in recent seasons. We haven’t seen that type of performance from United lately, but we got it in the Champions League against Istanbul and it cost them dearly. They will need to be below their best to give Roma a chance, who are having a pretty average season. They sit down in 7th in Serie A and if they stay there that will be their worst finish for many seasons. It wasn’t so long ago they were a Champions League side, but now it looks like they’ll miss out on the Europa League next season too.

United were held to a pretty boring 0-0 draw at the weekend away to Leeds, however they did create more with the game finishing 1.05 to 0.33 on xG to them. That stopped a run of wins and it’s actually been quite a while since they lost in the Premier League. You have to go back to the 27th of January for their loss against Sheffield United – they were challenging for the title at the time and losing at home to Sheffield United seemed classic post Alex Ferguson United. They seem to be improving a lot under Solskjaer however, and they are attacking much better these days. They should get a host of chances off this Roma side too who come here without a win in four. If you look at their xG figures you see figures conceded like 2.17, 3.50, 2.22 and 3.21. They were actually incredibly lucky to beat Ajax, with their 2-1 win at Ajax finishing 3.21 to 0.71 to Ajax on xG! I feel everything points to a United win here and they should be shorter than 1.6. I respect Roma used to be a big club, but they are very average this season and there for the taking. It will be difficult to find a better bet on BETDAQ Betting Exchange today.

The Ultra Says:
Four points win Manchester United to beat Roma at 1.6 with BETDAQ Betting Exchange

You can view all markets here -> http://bit.ly/BDQMunRom

VILLARREAL V ARSENAL

8pm Unai Emery takes on his old club in the next Semi-Final as Villarreal host Arsenal. It’s fair to say this is a massive tie for both clubs, with neither having the season they wanted. Villarreal are in a battle with Real Sociedad and Real Betis for a Europa League spot so they may well get European football next season, but Arsenal’s only chance of European football is now winning this competition. Arsenal have been getting worse rather than better despite all their efforts to recover from Arsene Wenger – it’s only now we can appreciate what a wonderful manager he was to get them into the Top Four so much. They have become a mid-table Premier League side now, and without European football and the players that can attract it looks like they will stay mid-table for a while at least. Whatever it is about Arsenal, they just lack a backbone and we have seen that time and time again – they lost another very close game against Everton on Friday.

Villarreal aren’t a top Spanish side however, and Arsenal will fancy their chances of reaching the final. Villarreal were hammered in their last fixture by Barcelona with the 2-1 score line not reflecting how dominant Barcelona were, but they lost a tight game to Alaves prior to that and they have also simply had too many draws in La Liga this season. Although they tend to create an xG over 1 per game, they also concede similar and that’s been a huge issue. This gives Arsenal a good chance, but then again its Arsenal and the question is can they take it? I’m not a big fan of Arsenal, but with the chances Villarreal give away I feel they are worth a small bet here at 3.0 – those odds are too big. Arsenal tend to play a lot better when teams gives them time and space, and they could easily get that here.

The Ultra Says:
One point win Arsenal to beat Villarreal at 3.0 with BETDAQ Betting Exchange

You can view all markets here -> http://bit.ly/BDQVilArs