Football Bet of the Day: Spanish hosts to spring a surprise

• Hosts struggling, but form has improved

• Albacete are unreliable favourites given their form

• Back Cartagena to avoid defeat at 1.845/6

Cartagena v Albacete
Friday 20 December, 19:30

St Gallen fought back strongly to draw 1-1 at Heidenheim in the Conference League last night, which ultimately didn't help them, but it did extend our winning streak. We'll head to Spain's second tier now, because I fancy Cartagena to cause an upset against Albacete.

Cartagena finished a respectable 14th in the second tier last term, but they are in the thick of a relegation battle this time around. The Zebras (I'm serious, that's what they are called) have lost 15 of their 20 league games, and they are a daunting nine points adrift of safety.

So we'd be mad to back them, right? Well, maybe not. Cartagena are currently on their best run of the season, with two wins from the last six games, and they won 1-0 at Andorra in the Copa Del Rey. On home soil, they have lost just two of their last five.

Albacete are only five points above the dropzone, and importantly for our purposes, they have won just six of their 20 league games this term. The Clockwork Cheese (I swear I'm not making these up) have won just two of their last nine on the road. Overall, they have failed to score in their last three matches.

I'll keep this simple and back Cartagena Double Chance at 1.845/6, which means a home victory or a draw nets us a winner.

Now read Kev's Bundesliga preview here!