Sevilla’s plain sailing season start set to stall at Atletico

Europa League champions Sevilla (9/2 to win) go into this match on a run of five straight victories in all competitions, but now have the challenging task of travelling to La Liga title holders Atletico Madrid (odds-on at 8/13).

The Bathtubs, as Unai Emery’s side are nicknamed, sit equal on points with top-of-the-table Valencia, as well as Barcelona, after being undefeated in their opening five games. Atletico have also not lost this term, but find themselves two points behind.

They can take confidence in the fact that they have not lost in their last nine meetings with Sevilla in all competitions. Remarkably, though, five of those were draws, and you can take odds of 11/4 for the spoils to be shared again. Last season’s encounter at the Vicente Calderon finished 1-1; that scoreline once more is priced at a more enticing 6/1.

One unexpected player for Atleti who could find himself on the scoresheet is centre back Miranda, who was a Premier League target in the summer. The Brazilian has already netted three times this term in five La Liga matches, while his defensive partner Diego Godin has also been on target.

Miranda, who is 15/2 to score another anytime, has spoken about his side’s set piece threat, saying: “We practice [set pieces] a lot and have a great passer like Koke, and we have great finishers like Raul [Jimenez], Godin and even myself.

“We will continue to work and train [on them] because a set piece can decide a match.”

Midfielder Koke, who has also been on target against Sevilla in the past, is a 9/4 chance to net anytime. With last season’s scoring sensation Diego Costa now on Chelsea’s books, Diego Simeone can look to new recruit Mario Mandzukic.

The Croatian and former Bayern Munich striker has scored three times already in six appearances in all competitions for his new side, and could return for this fixture after missing the last two league games with a broken nose. Mandzukic is 4/1 to net last.

For the away side Sevilla, meanwhile, they can rely on Colombian attacker Carlos Bacca, who has four goals already this campaign in La Liga. He is an enticing 13/5 to be on target again anytime, and a 12/1 chance to bag a brace or better.

Aleix Vidal has got two this term, and the Catalonian winger, signed from Almeria this summer, is 5/1 in the anytime market.