Nations League Thursday Tips: Back 5/2 Norway & 17/2 special on Klopp's Germany debut

Portugal v Wales Tip - Winning start for champions at 2/13.00

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19:45 kick-off
Live on BBC Wales

New Portugal boss Jorge Jesus takes charge for the first time as the Nations League champions take on Craig Bellamy's Wales, who are 13/114.00 to win in Lisbon as they return to the top tier of the competition again. Ronaldo is still hanging on in there at 41 and with 15 goals in 20 Nations League games he's the big anytime scorer favourite at 8/131.61.

Wales took just a point from six games in their last League A season, they've won just two of eight aways (against Liechtenstein and Kazakhstan) and are without the likes of Harry Wilson, Karl Darlow and Joe Rodon so I don't hold out much hope of a result.

Eight of Portugal's last nine at home saw both teams score, and although the bookies aren't expecting an away goal, Bellamy could do with a decent performance here. Wales do have pace on the break, so I'll back them to find the net even in a losing cause.

Norway v Denmark Tip - More goals in 5/23.50 home win

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19:45 kick-off

Norway were promoted to League A and showed they're one of Europe's big guns now with that World Cup run to the quarter-finals. They're 3/41.75 at home in this Scandinavian derby and have lost just three of 22 internationals - two at the World Cup and one a friendly in the Netherlands.

10/34.33 Denmark are in their fourth straight League A campaign but suffered that World Cup qualifying penalty heartbreak in the Czech Republic, have won just once in five and have gone six Nations League aways without victory. They do have a great head-to-head record though as they're unbeaten in seven with Norway's last win at home in the series coming back in 1994.

Erling Haaland of course is expected to score at 8/111.73 and Norway's strong recent form in Oslo (W10 D3) should hold up, unlike their leaky defence which has contributed to 12 of their past 13 seeing both teams score - lets chalk this up to another.

Netherlands v Germany Tip - Back 17/29.50 OddsBoost in Klopp v Xavi clash

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19:45 kick-off

Jurgen Klopp has made his mark already by naming two different 22-man squads for Germany's four games this international break, so that's one to watch out for if looking at player props and indeed match results - although he's been at pains to insist both squads are balanced.

It inevitably means though that neither squad is a full strength Germany, so they're 17/102.70 underdogs for the game in Amsterdam - which will also be Spanish legend Xavi's first game in charge of the 11/82.38 Dutch side.

To face the Netherlands and the first game against Greece, the likes of Joshua Kimmich, Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Lennert Karl and Serge Gnabry will form the backbone. Havertz in particular could thrive after five goals in seven for his country and seven shots on target in his last four. He's a 6/42.50 OddsBoost to score or assist.

Brian Brobbey is in red-hot form for Sunderland, and scored three at the World Cup. Donyell Malen's withdrawal leaves him as an obvious starter so 15/82.88 on him to score looks attractive.

There's a lot of questions to answer here however, so although I'd go for a home win I'd rather take the Sportsbook OddsBoost 17/29.50 double here on Havertz and Brobbey having 2+ shots on target each. Germany have a new team so won't be great at the back and Brobbey is in such good form he'll be a handful, while Havertz will be Germany's main man up top.

Serbia v Greece Tip - Back 11/53.20 Belgrade stalemate

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19:45 kick-off

Serbia and Greece meet for the first time in competitive football after the Greeks achieved promotion while the Serbs won a relegation play-off with Austria. Both sides have just played friendlies since last November with a combined one win from four - although with World Cup qualification gone, a lack of motivation will have been a factor.

Serbia are 13/82.63 favourites with Greece 17/102.70 - with neither side having a recent history of goals. The last three games in Belgrade failed to see both teams score while seven of Serbia's last eight Nations League games produced under 2.5 goals. For Greece four of their last five went under 1.5! Under 2.5 here is 8/111.73.

Both sides do have decent attackers though and Greece's final World Cup qualifiers were filled with goals so I'll avoid going one way or another on that and instead back the draw - which has a great chance here with both sides playing a first competitive fixture in nine months it could be a touch scrappy.

Kosovo v Rep Ireland Tip - Hosts to win with clean sheet

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19:45 kick-off

Kosovo take a step up into League B as 13/102.30 favourites after just one home defeat in 10 (W7 D2) which has helped them to their highest ever ranking at 78th. Ireland have one win in six on the road are despite more experience at this level are 2/13.00 underdogs.

The draw has to be respected here at 2/13.00 and I wouldn't count on too many goals as six of the last nine for both teams saw under 2.5 goals. Kosovo have kept a clean sheet in four of their last five wins so they build their success on keeping things tight and pinching goals.

And with Ireland failing to score in nine of their last 11 defeats, if backing the hosts we may as well tag on a clean sheet.

Austria v Israel Tip - Goals galore in Linz

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19:45 kick-off

Austria look a bit too good for League B judging on their World Cup display, and they can start to prove that here with a home tie against Israel first up in Linz - where they're big 4/111.36 favourites.

The hosts should win, whether Israel score or not is the question as they have in the last four head-to-heads which have all been absolute goal fests averaging almost six goals a game - so let's hope for a few more here.

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