Euro 2016 Qualifying Tips: Sweden to crash Russia's no Capello party

Russia 2.12 v Sweden 4.20; The Draw 3.40
Saturday, 17:00
Live on Sky Sports 5

The Russian fans who launched a fundraising campaign to buy out Fabio Capello's contract saw their wish granted when he exited in July, but it would be misguided to expect immediate improvement under his successor Leonid Slutsky.

Whereas the World Cup 2018 hosts won all five home games in the build-up to the 2014 edition of that tournament, their Moscow experiences have been miserable in this process, losing to nil against Austria in June and being held by bottom side Moldova. They even drew a March friendly with Kazakhstan.

Sweden meanwhile are unbeaten away despite visiting the other top-four teams, with their 1-1 draw in Vienna marking the only points that Austria have dropped in Group G.

Recommended Bet: Lay Russia to win @ 2.14

Spain 1.27 v Slovakia 16.50; The Draw 6.40
Saturday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports 5

1.27 is a short price on Spain conquering Group C leaders Slovakia given that they haven't dropped a point yet and won the reverse fixture 2-1 in Zilina.

However, there is a trend powerful enough to blow away all that Slovakian goodness: the European Championship holders have won 15 successive home qualifiers for the competition. Indeed, since June 1995, they have contested 25 such matches and dropped points in just one of them.

Seventeen of their 24 victories came accompanied by a clean sheet too, while they were ahead by the interval in the most recent five. Slovakia were 2-0 down within 18 minutes on their previous trip to Spain.

Recommended Bet: Back Spain to lead at half time and full time @ 1.86

Switzerland 1.55 v Slovenia 8.00; The Draw 4.30
Saturday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports Red Button

Both-teams-to-score backers have been able to claw back a few minor successes recently but, on the whole, Group E has been a "No" punter's paradise, with a mighty 15 of the 18 encounters delivering at least one clean sheet.

All three of Switzerland's home outings feature in that majority - 4-0 and 3-0 triumphs over Lithuania and Estonia, and a 2-0 defeat to England - as does the initial meeting between this duo, which was claimed 1-0 by Slovenia in Maribor owing to a late Milivoje Novakovic penalty.

Switzerland have taken 12 points from a possible 12 since to leapfrog them, conceding once in the process, hinting at appeal in their 2.34 win to nil odds, though this columnist prefers the safer alternative of boarding the "Both Teams to Score? No" bandwagon.

Recommended Bet: Back both teams to score? No @ 1.68