Midtjylland vs Esbjerg Predictions

Midtjylland finished last season as runners-up in the Superliga by a single point and will be hoping to go one better this time around, beginning with a win in their first game of the new season at home to Esbjerg on Friday. The visitors also had an impressive campaign, finishing in fifth spot, and having already beaten Midtjylland in pre-season will be looking for three points to kick-start the new season.

Midtjylland suffered two defeats and earned one victory in pre-season, while their guests Esbjerg won one, lost one, and drew one of their three friendlies. The pair locked horns at the Gauerslund Stadion in Børkop in late June, where despite controlling the majority of the friendly with 62% of the overall possession and having more corners and more shots than Esbjerg, Midtjylland were beaten 2-0.

The hosts have spent a total of £5.58m on new signings Sory Kaba, Evandes and Paulinho, but haven’t made any money with their only outgoing being winger Rilwan Hassan who joined SönderjyskE on a free transfer. Esbjerg haven’t spent or made any money so far this window, with Mathias Rosenörn, Nicklas Röjkjaer, and Pyry Soiri all coming into the club on free transfers, and Brent McGrath, Lasse Mikkelsen, and Mads Hvilsom all leaving the club at the end of their contracts.

The recent meetings between these two clubs and each side’s form over pre-season and the end of last season suggest that a double chance bet on Esbjerg this Friday has a great chance of paying out. Esbjerg remain unbeaten in their last four encounters with Midtjylland and have won their last two trips to Midtjylland. Midtjylland have lost four of their last six matches in all competitions, while Esbjerg have only lost two of their last six matches. Both teams finished in the top five of the Superliga table last season, and we’re backing Esbjerg to pinch a 1-0 win in the first game of the new Superliga season.

Paul Onuachu ended the last campaign with seventeen league goals for Midtjylland, while teammate Evander chipped in with nine. Romanian striker Adrian Petre scored eleven times in the Superliga for Esbjerg and has impressed since making the move from UTA Arad in 2017. We’re confident that a double chance bet on Esbjerg is the way to go on Friday, and have backed the visitors to claim a 1-0 win. Esbjerg have a really good recent record against their hosts, with wins in their last two trips to Midtjylland, and have outperformed the home side in pre-season.