It always used to have an after the Lord Mayor’s Show feel about it but the UEFA Cup looks a really good tournament this year and with the Champions League becoming ever more predictable, tonight’s fixtures make a refreshing change.

The pick of the ties involving English clubs is undoubtedly at Fratton Park, as Portsmouth host European giants AC Milan. It’ll be somewhat of a culture shock for the majority of the Milan stars but a trip to a wet and windswept English coastal town is all they deserve after missing out on Champions League last season.

I’d like to say that I can see Pompey (2/1) giving Milan an awful scare here but missing four first team players and failing to see off Hull City in the Premiership at the weekend doesn’t bode well. Jermain Defoe, Sol Campbell, Lassana Diarra and Nico Krancjar all miss out tonight with John Utaka also sidelined.

Milan however have rediscovered some league form, currently lying second in Serie A and the likes of Kaka, Ronaldinho and Pirlo should have enough here for Portsmouth. You can back the Italians at a tasty 11/10 with totesport.

Kaka was reported as showing an interest in joining Manchester City when interviewed this week. God help us if that happens but his inclusion tonight may have shortened the Blues odds as they travel to Shalke 04. City are without fellow Brazilians Elano and Robinho and with wretched away form in the Premiership, just one win this campaign, they don’t look backable at 9/4.

The Germans currently top Group A and a win here will ensure a safe passage into the knockout rounds. You can back Shalke 04 at even money with totesport.

The remaining match involving English clubs see former winners of the competition Spurs, make the short trip across the North Sea to play Dutch outfit NEC Nijmegen. I’ve had to do some serious digging to analyse NEC’s chances here and I can tell you that they currently sit eighth in the Dutch Eredivisie and have yet to lose at home. On the surface that looks pretty good form but the Dutch league lacks strength in depth and Spurs probably represent the best chance of an English club winning in the UEFA Cup tonight.

NEC lost their first game of Group D versus Dinamo Zagreb who Spurs went on to beat 4-0 at home in their second match. An away win here will virtually see Spurs through to the knockout stage for the third time in consecutive years.

Spurs do travel without the cup-tied pair of Roman Pavlyunchenko and Vedran Corluka whilst they miss Luka Modric and Alan Hutton with injury and Ledley King is rested. That means there’s chances for Frazier Campbell and sixteen year old John Bostock to make names for themselves and the 11/10 about a Spurs win looks too good to turn down.

You can bet in-running on all three of the English clubs involvement in the UEFA Cup tonight by clicking here.

To bet on any of the UEFA Cup matches click here.