5 Europa Conference League Tips - 6/10/22

West Ham will be looking to continue their perfect start in the UECL by picking up another win when they travel to Belgium on Thursday.

Anderlecht have struggled in all competitions so far this season, sitting tenth in the Belgian Pro League with four wins from their opening ten league games. They managed to get a win on their opening UECL Group B game against Silkeborg but could only draw in the stalemate away to FCSB. Last time out the Purple and Whites lost at home to Charleroi in the league on Sunday.

West Ham can make it three wins from three with another UECL win on Thursday, after seeing off FCSB and Silkeborg in their opening two games. After a poor run of form in their few league games, David Moyes’ side finally returned to winning ways with a 2-0 win over Wolves at the weekend so will be full of confidence. Both games that the Hammers have won in Group B so far has seen them concede goals but still come out on top.

One of the favourites for the competition, Villarreal, can make a big step towards clinching top spot in Group C when they face Austria Vienna at the Estadio de la Cerámica.

The Yellow Submarine have a 100% record from their first two UECL games, with Unai Emery’s side seeing off Lech Poznan at home before beating Hapoel Be’er Sheva 2-1 away from home.

Alex Baena scored the winner in that game three weeks ago and has been in good form for Villarreal since returning from his loan at Girona in the summer. It’s now three goals in two appearances in the UECL for the 21-year-old, who will be after his seventh goal in all competitions against a Vienna side that are seventh in the Austrian Bundesliga and have picked up just one point in the UECL so far.

Another team with two wins from two and looking to make light work of Group A is Istanbul Basaksehir, who face RFS away from home on Thursday.

Istanbul are comfortable at the top of Group A, and are also doing well in the Turkish Super Lig, unbeaten and top of the standings after seven games. The Grey Owls have won eight of their last nine in all competitions. They have also been dominant in the UECL, starting with the 4-0 away thrashing of Hearts before cruising past Fiorentina 3-0 in their last game. It could be another high-scoring win for the Turkish outfit when they travel to Latvia on Thursday.

The other game in Group A sees Italian outfit Fiorentina make the trip over to Scotland to take on Hearts.

Hearts are second in their European group after picking up a win against RFS in their last game. Fiorentina could only manage a draw at home to the Latvian outfit on the opening night before being trounced by Istanbul in Turkey. Viola are 11th in Serie A following three defeats and just one win in their last five games.

Whilst Fiorentina are the favourites on paper, the Italians have struggled this season and Hearts could make a game of it. There have been 13 goals in the Jam Tarts’ last four games in all competitions.

AZ Alkmaar will want to carry on their impressive start to the season, when Apollon Limassol are the visitors at the AFAS Stadion.

Alkmaar have started well both domestically on continentally, unbeaten so far this season and sitting top of both the Dutch Eredivisie and Group E in the UECL. Pascal Jansen’s men go into Thursday’s tie on a strong run of form, with three wins in a row in all competitions, which includes the massive 2-1 over Ajax two weeks ago.

Dani de Wit scored in that win over the Dutch champions and has been on fire of Alkmaar. The attacking midfielder has 11 goal involvements (nine goals and two assists) in the 16 games he’s played in all competitions this season.