Monthly Archives: November 2010

Drogba out to fill his boots

Posted on by
Reply

Five players for your Fantasy Football side…

Premier League leaders Chelsea make the trip to St James’ Park on Sunday to take on mid-table Newcastle and star Blues striker Didier Drogba can fill his boots in the north east (Drogba 18/5 – Enhanced First Goalscorer).

The Magpies will be without both of their regular centre-halves – Fabricio Collocini and Mike Williamson – which means Sol Campbell is likely to make his first league start since his free transfer from Arsenal in the summer.

Drogba has had his injury problems this season but has still plundered six top-flight goals and he will surely merit inclusion in any respectable fantasy side this weekend (Chelsea 6/5 – To Keep A Clean Sheet).

Fulham and Birmingham meet at Craven Cottage on Saturday, with neither side hitting their straps in front of goal so far this season.

The Cottagers have managed just nine so far on home soil, while the Blues have bagged one less on their travels so go for either goalkeeper – Ben Foster or Mark Schwarzer – as there is every chance of a low-scoring affair which raises the prospect of clean sheets (8/1 – 0-0 Correct Score).

Everton are still enduring a slow start with their goals largely coming from midfield, but a home game against on-the-slide West Brom means Australian international Tim Cahill can continue his run after bagging seven to date, including three in his last four (Everton 4/7, draw 11/4, WBA 9/2 – 90 Minutes Betting).

Carlos Tevez currently tops the Premier League goal-scoring charts despite a recent thigh injury, although he sat out Argentina’s friendly against Brazil in Doha in a bid to regain full fitness.

The former West Ham and Manchester United crowd favourite comes up against Stoke’s massive back four on Saturday, but he has the ability to make mugs of them, especially if boss Roberto Mancini decides to unleash the pace of Adam Johnson and David Silva in tandem and not fight fire with fire (Tevez 13/2 – To Score 2 or More).

Peter Crouch could complete a three-pronged attack alongside Drogba and Tevez, despite the fact he has struggled for Premier League goals this term.
But Crouch is too good a player to stay quiet for long and can benefit from Jermain Defoe’s return to fitness.

Crouch and Spurs entertain the beanpole’s former club Liverpool at White Hart Lane and the feel-good factor generated by the north Londoners qualifying for the Champions League round of 16, can continue on Sunday.

The Reds mauled a poor West Ham side last weekend but Spurs’ midfield should overpower a Steven Gerrard-less engine room and there will be chances-a-plenty for the home side (Spurs to win 3-1 – 16/1).

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Championship top two collide

Posted on by
Reply

It’s first v second in the Championship this weekend (QPR 11/10, Draw 23/10, Cardiff 23/10 – Match Betting) and in-form QPR look set to steal a march on their closest challengers, with Cardiff appearing to have hit a slump at a crucial time.

Neil Warnock’s men are currently two points clear at the top and remain unbeaten in the league, although they face their toughest test yet on Saturday.

The R’s (13/10 Championship Outright) have the best defensive record in the league, having conceded just eight goals all season, letting only three in at Loftus Road, so could have the measure off Cardiff’s attacking threat.

The Bluebirds have also held top spot for periods this season but have won just one of their last four matches – which was a 4-2 success at struggling Scunthorpe – and have their work cut out to end their frustrating run this weekend.

At the other end of the table, Millwall look likely to heap more pressure on Darren Ferguson as the Lions seek a second successive away win at Preston.

North End are currently rooted to the bottom and six points from safety and the home fans will be demanding a victory when the Lions visit on Saturday.

After a bright start, Millwall (7/4) have struggled in recent weeks but their 1-0 win at Middlesbrough last weekend will have lifted confidence for another trip north.

Swansea face Portsmouth on Friday night, knowing that a win will move them level on points with Cardiff – for at least 24 hours – and Brendan Rodgers’ men look too strong for the visitors.

A last-gasp equaliser at Doncaster last week maintained a run of just one defeat in 10 league matches and they should be too good for a Pompey squad struggling for numbers at present.

Burnley will welcome a return to home comforts on Saturday and expect the Clarets to put a dent in Derby’s promotion bid.

The Rams, currently fourth, look to be punching above their weight at the moment and they will struggle against a Burnley side who have lost just once at home this term and will be desperate to make up for poor form on the road.

Two former Premier League teams meet at the Riverside, with both Middlesbrough and Hull struggling at the wrong end of the table.

The difference is though that Hull (21/10) appear to be getting their act together, with two wins and a draw in their last three games, while Boro are struggling for any consistency.

With the home fans getting more anxious at the Teessiders bottom-three position, the Tigers will fancy their chances of extending their unbeaten run to four.

Sunday sees the latest East Anglia derby, as Norwich and Ipswich go head-to-head at Carrow Road (Norwich 11/10, Draw 23/10, Ipswich 23/10 – Match Betting).

The Canaries hold local bragging rights at the moment, sitting eighth in the table compared to 13th-placed Town, and they are expected to get the better of their rivals this weekend.

City’s home form is nothing special, but Ipswich look to be on the slide after a decent start to the season – losing their last three games.

Scunthorpe cannot buy a win at home and have lost six of their nine matches at Glanford Park this season, to leave them fifth from bottom. Coventry, fresh from a win over Burnley last weekend, are likely to pile more misery on the Iron on Saturday.

Barnsley entertain Watford on Saturday and with both teams sat in mid-table and with patchy form behind them  – don’t be surprised to see a stalemate at Oakwell.

Bristol City’s ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ performances pretty much some up the division and they face another inconsistent team this weekend, when Sheffield United arrive at Ashton Gate – anyone’s guess as to how that will end up!

Leeds’ away record has been impressive, with just two defeats in nine matches away from Elland Road and they will fancy their chances of victory (Leeds 5/2) at Reading, who are also stuck in the mid-table quagmire.

Crystal Palace may still in the bottom three, but they have shown signs of improvement – two wins in the last three and almost won at Sheffield United last week. The Eagles (6/4) look good for a win over Doncaster, who are a different side on their travels compared to at home.

There is a Midlands derby at the Walkers Stadium on Monday night, when Leicester could spring an upset with victory over Nottingham Forest.

Although Forest are 11 places ahead of the Foxes, Sven’s men are resurgent and have not lost at home in the league since the former England manager took charge in mid-October.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Champions League selections…

Posted on by
Reply

If Tottenham can secure a victory over Werder Bremen at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night the north Londoners will guarantee their spot in the knock-out stages of the Champions League (check out Champions League outright and match markets on totesport.com).

There is still everything to play for in Group A, with all four teams still in with a mathematical chance of qualifying for the next round.  However, Bremen have managed to score just three times in their four fixtures to date, conceding nine in the process, and two of their three strikes came in their opening game – a 2-2 draw with Spurs on September 14.

The German outfit are enduring a difficult campaign, they’ve managed just one win on the road in the Bundesliga and have conceded an astonishing 21 goals in just seven games.  Spurs are priced at 4/9 to win the fixture outright, but considering Bremen’s obvious defensive frailties it might be worth considering Spurs to be winning at half-time/full-time, which pays out at evens.

Gareth Bale has been in fine form in Europe and his pace caused havoc amongst the Inter Milan defenders in their last two Champions League fixtures. The Wales international has managed to score three times in his last two appearances and is a very inviting 9/4 to score at anytime on Wednesday night.

When Rangers made the trip to Old Trafford in mid-September the contest was dubbed the ‘Battle of Britain’ but the two sides could only manage to play out a fairly dire goalless draw.  Manchester United travel to Ibrox on Wednesday needing just a point to ensure their progression to the knock-out stages, but boss Sir Alex Ferguson has decided to rest key defensive duo Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic and neither will play any part on Wednesday.

However, striker Wayne Rooney is expected to make his first start in over a month and fans may be treated to a few goals in this encounter after a disappointing stalemate in the reverse of this fixture.  Rangers have managed to find the target 34 times in just 14 SPL games to date, while United have averaged two goals a game in the Premier League so far.  With United resting some key players and Rooney back in action there is a decent chance this game could provide a better spectacle than the meeting between these two at Old Trafford, especially as Rangers need to take something from the game to keep their European dream alive, and over 2.5 goals pays out at 11/10, under 2.5 goals is priced at 4/6.

Schalke 04 host a resurgent Lyon in Group B and both teams are well placed to progress to the knock-out stages.  Lyon top the group with nine points, Schalke are second with seven points and Benfica remain in contention to make it through to the next round with six points.  A win for Lyon would guarantee their spot in the knock-out stages but the trip to Germany will be tough, with Spanish legend Raul now plying his trade for the Bundesliga side.

The former Real Madrid striker helped himself to his first hat-trick for his new employers in their 4-0 demolition of Werder Bremen at the weekend and he can be backed at 11/8 to score anytime against Lyon.  However, Lyon have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes of late and came back from a goal down to seal a 3-1 victory at Lens on Sunday, with qualification within their reach the French side could well emerge from this tie victorious and Lyon are priced at a very attractive 11/5 to win the contest outright.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Chelsea looking for home comforts

Posted on by
Reply

Depending on who you listen to, Chelsea are in  crisis, manager Carlo Ancelotti is about to walk out and the Stamford Bridge walls are crumbling around Roman Abramovich – OK maybe the last bit is exaggerated, but all is not well in west London.

However, the Blues are 1/7 favourites in the match betting to see off MSK Zilina in the Champions League on Tuesday and the stats back up such short odds.

Ancelotti’s men have won four out of four in Group F to guarantee progression while they are all but assured of top spot as they lie six points clear of both Spartak Moscow and Marseille, with two games to go.

Zilina, by contrast, have a 100 per cent losing record and have managed just one goal in those four defeats, while they are coming into the match on the back of a record 7-0 home drubbing against Marseille in the last round of matches.

The one goal the Slovakian outfit have scored did come against Chelsea but not before the English champions had surged into a 4-0 lead, with Nicolas Anelka scoring twice.

Chelsea might already have booked their progress but after losing three of their last four domestic matches, scoring just one goal, they will be looking to make a point in front of their own fans and guarantee top spot before making a tricky trip to Marseille.

The Blues have now gone 22 games unbeaten in the group stages of the competition, winning 16 with six draws, while they have amassed 40 goals and conceded only seven.

Chelsea have the power to put this game to bed by half-time as they did in Slovakia (2/5 in the Half-Time/Full-Time market) while Anelka (9/4 first goalscorer), who has scored five times already in the competition, could set them on their way.

The other game in the group sees the two sides battling for qualification along with Chelsea go head to head at the Luzhniki Stadium as Spartak Moscow entertain Marseille.

The French outfit of course smashed seven past Zilina last time out and have a decent record in Russia, having lost just two of six games, but they were beaten 1-0 at home by Spartak (6/4 in the match betting) on matchday one and have lost seven of the last 10 Champions League away matches, and the home side should just have the edge.

Arsenal’s 100 per cent start to the campaign, in which they scored 14 goals, came undone at Shakhtar Donetsk last time out but having smashed six past Braga at the Emirates on matchday one, they look good value at 5/6 to seal their progression.

The other game in Group H sees Shakhtar Donetsk travel to Serbia and with qualification, and even top spot, to play for the Ukrainian outfit (4/6 to win) should be fully motivated to secure the points against winless Partizan Belgrade.

Real Madrid are on fire this season and remain unbeaten under Jose Mourinho in all competitions, albeit through an injury-time equaliser against AC Milan at the San Siro last time out.

In truth, los Merengues should have wrapped up the game inside the first half, while Filippo Inzaghi’s equaliser was offside, and with the potent frontline they possess, Real (5/4 in the match betting) should secure top spot with a win in Amsterdam.

All three sides below Real still have a chance of qualifying and Auxerre look good value at 12/5 to make home advantage count against a Milan side that has not won either away match to date and may just adopt a defensive strategy to try and avoid being beaten.

Roma have the greater need when they entertain Bayern Munich on Tuesday night as they are from certain of making the knockout stages, whereas the Germans have booked their place with plenty to spare after winning their first four games.

The Giallorossi (5/6 favourites in the match betting) will be looking to avenge a 2-0 defeat earlier in the campaign and have won nine of their last 11 home games in UEFA competition, while Bayern might prefer to focus on domestic matters after a disappointing start to their Bundesliga campaign.

Something has to give in Tuesday’s other fixture as FC Basel have lost both home matches, while CFR Cluj have been beaten twice on their travels and given the fact that Cluj won the reverse fixture 2-1 earlier in the campaign, there may be some value in taking the 9/2 on offer.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Top 10 midweek football bets

Posted on by
Reply

Chelsea face group F whipping boys MSK Zilina on Tuesday in the Champions League and will surely bounce back to winning ways with a clean sheet at Stamford Bridge (Chelsea 4/7 to win to nil).

It is true that the Blues conceded three goals to Sunderland at home but Tuesday’s opponents have only scored once in their four European games this term, while letting in 15 and, while it is not a big price, surely a win to nil is a banker for Carlo Ancelotti’s men, who have already qualified for the last 16.

Arsenal need a point against Braga in Group H on Tuesday to progress to the knock-out stage and they are tipped to get it against a side who could also qualify.

The Gunners have looked excellent in Europe and should be too good for Braga, but home advantage and the fact they are fighting for their lives could inspire the hosts against Arsene Wenger’s men (draw 13/5).

Rangers took a point from Manchester United at Old Trafford and will be a tough nut for Sir Alex Ferguson’s men to crack at Ibrox.

United have not played particularly well this season, despite remaining unbeaten, but this could be where it all ends, with the Gers tipped to win by a solitary goal (Rangers 9/1 to win 1-0).

Tottenham have been superb in Europe and have won back-to-back Premier League matches and they can qualify for the Champions League knock-out stage with victory over Werder Bremen.

The Germans have scored just three goals in Europe this term but Spurs have scored 12 and 2-3 goals (21/20) seems a good bet, with Spurs scoring all of them.

Bayern Munich are already through to the last 16 and will probably play a weakened team at Roma who should win this one at a decent price (5/6)  to give themselves a great chance of joining the Germans.

Real Madrid have secured their passage to the knock-out stage but Italian giants AC Milan still have it all to do.

Victory over Auxerre coupled with a Madrid win against Ajax would see them progress and they are tipped to get the win at a price which could tempt many punters (11/10).

Southampton take on league-leading Brighton in a south coast clash on Tuesday and are tipped to add to their five home wins so far this season with another success.

Brighton have stuttered in their past couple of League One games and we believe the Saints will continue their five-match winning streak at St Mary’s (10/11).

Charlton have had an up-and-down few weeks but are good value to beat Bristol Rovers on Tuesday evening (4/5).

The Addicks have won their last two in all competitions at The Valley and, with Rovers suffering injuries among their back line, they should make it three this week.

League Two leaders Chesterfield face an Oxford side who are just one place above the relegation zone and surely this must be the banker of the night on Tuesday.

Seven wins already at home means they will be full of confidence and are a decent price to make that eight against the U’s (8/11), who have won just once on their travels to date.

If you are seeking value away from home then look no further than Bury’s trip to Sincil Bank to face Lincoln City.

The Shakers have won an amazing six times away from Gigg Lane while the Imps have won three, lost three and drawn three at home.

Bury (11/8 to win) look a tasty price to continue their heroics on the road.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

10 things we now know…

Posted on by
Reply

It has been a busy weekend of football. Here is what we have learned in the last two days (check out midweek match prices on totesport.com).

1) Fans who declared earlier in the season that Chelsea were going to walk the title race were completely, and utterly, wrong. The Blues were on fire at the start of the campaign, but three losses out of four has seen their lead at the top of the Premier League diminish and they are now having to scrap like the rest of them (Chelsea 6/5 Man United 11/5, Arsenal 4/1, Man City 8/1 – Premier League outright).

2) Wayne Rooney has some way to go if he wants to win over the Manchester United fans. It was a mixed reception from the Old Trafford fans when he came on as a substitute, and many claim the cheers among the jeers were for Paul Scholes rather than Rooney. If Rooney (22/1 – Premier League top goalscorer) had not fluffed his lines and scored on Saturday he might be back in their good books, but time will probably make the best healer. Speaking of cold receptions???

3) Fans will boo only when they are winning. Arsenal fans were vocal in their hatred towards William Gallas for long periods – but only up to when Tottenham pulled back their lead. Then suddenly the booing stopped and the Gunners fans went strangely silent as Younes Kaboul gave the visitors a shock win. Harry Redknapp had made Gallas captain and declared him the undoubted man of the match – has the Frenchman made Arsene Wenger realise he made a mistake?

4) Another Arsenal one, everyone always knew Wenger was not exactly Mr Muscle, but we were shocked to see him lose a fight with a bottle of water after Spurs got their third goal. Shocking, but ultimately funny for all watching on TV.

5) Rangers have been suffering with huge injury problems and as a result their defence is leaking goals. They went behind to the mighty Kilmarnock before launching a comeback, and that tendency to concede goals does not bode well considering Manchester United, with Rooney back in the line-up, are heading to Ibrox in the Champions League on Wednesday (7/2 Rangers 5/ draw 4/5 Manchester United – match prices).

6) Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll (14/1 – top Premier League goalscorer) really cares for his club. The way he chased after the ball after getting the goal back at Bolton and raised one arm in salute to the Geordie fans showed how much his heart his in Newcastle. The same definitely cannot be said about Fabricio Colloccini, however, as his cowardly and shocking assault on Johan Elmander was not the actions of a man who values the badge on his chest.

7) Could we have seen the goal of the season already? The superb volley from Luke Varney was a sublime moment. A finer dipping volley from 30 yards we are not likely to see this season, and it is just another great moment among an amazing season for Blackpool (4/5 to stay up) so far.

8) What has happened to the West Brom that beat Arsenal and drew with Manchester United? They rose as high as fourth in the Premier League and now they sit only two points above the relegation zone and are looking a shadow of the side they were. Roberto Di Matteo needs to inspire a win sooner rather than later, or it could be a repeat of Burnley’s campaign last time out and you know how that ended (West Brom 11/4 to be relegated).

9) Is the Middlesbrough job a poisoned chalice? They were touted as Championship favourites, Gordon Strachan failed and walked away and now Tony Mowbray is already feeling the wrath of the Boro fans after only a few weeks. How long will the Riverside faithful put up with sitting in the relegation places?

10) Money maybe can buy success. There has been massive debate in the Premier League about buying glory (Man City et al), but is it being proven to work down in the Blue Square Premier?  Steve Evans spent huge money for a non-league side during the summer on what is being called ‘Project Promotion’, up to £250,000 on Richard Brodie, and their 7-0 win over Altrincham sees them riding high in the table.

It is, however, a good feeling for old-school football fans to see AFC Wimbledon beating them to top spot. Tradition rather than exuberance is leading the way but for how long?

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Redknapp dreaming of title

Posted on by
Reply

Despite having only just making it into the Champions League last season, Harry Redknapp has set his sights on winning the title after victory over Arsenal, claiming his Tottenham side, who are 66/1 to finish top come the end of the season, can win the Premier League.

Redknapp’s quotes came after his side had produced a remarkable turn around to beat the Gunners on their own patch for the first time in 17 years and will probably be put down to over excitement at the result.

Seeing as how Spurs haven’t won the title since 1961 it might be a little bit optimistic of Tottenham fans and punters to expect them to be winning the league less than a year after they had scraped into the Champions League.

However, Redknapp was not to be denied another moment in the sun as he went on to say that he thought his Spurs’ side can beat anyone in the Premier League.

“We can beat anybody and this win today has put us right back in the race again. It is wide open,” said Redknapp

“We can achieve anything. We have to believe. It is not impossible to win the title. Let’s see how we go.”

While one half of north London would have been celebrating long into the night, it was a different story in the red half, with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger left kicking himself at his side’s failure to hold onto a two goal lead, a result which would have sent them top.

Chelsea losing at Birmingham might have been a good result in the eyes of some Arsenal fans but had they not capitulated they would have been a point clear right now.

Arsenal are still 4/1 to win the Premier League but the 3-2 reverse could have a huge impact on the Gunners season and the coming weeks could be a struggle, something Wenger claims he is well aware of.

“What is worrying for me is that we had an opportunity to go top of the league and when you have to deliver, we can’t. That’s worrying because that’s part of our job,” said Wenger.

“We put ourselves in the right position and we failed, so we have to accept that. That is mental more than football.”

While Wenger was in a downbeat mood after Arsenal’s defeat West Ham manager Avram Grant was amazingly upbeat considering his team’s predicament.

The Hammers were pitiful in their 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday evening and look for all the world like they will need a miracle to save them from relegation, with totesport agreeing after they made them the 4/7 favourites for the drop.

Grant’s time at Upton Park has been a disaster and the natives have begun to turn on the former Chelsea and Portsmouth boss, signing the name of potential replacement Paulo Di Canio at Anfield.

Despite the pressure Grant still believes he can turn things around and save the hapless Hammers.

“I am concentrating on my job. Even now in this situation we can get out of this,” said Grant.

“If I can take West Ham to the place I want to take them that is what is important.”

While Grant  desperately trying not to discuss the obvious frailties of his side Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wasn’t afraid to bemoan his side for not scoring more than two against nine-man Wigan.

“We really could have done our goal difference a power of good in the last 20 minutes. We missed a lot of chances and we could have had five or six, easily,” said Ferguson.

United’s win over Wigan moved them into second, level on points with Chelsea at the top of the league, but that was overlooked in favour of concentrating on the return of the chosen one, Wayne Rooney.

The 25-year-old made his long-awaited return to Old Trafford, coming off the bench for the last half an hour to a decent reception from the United faithful, who had every right to be disgruntled with Rooney after the recent contract saga.

Ferguson wasn’t forthcoming with praise for Rooney on his comeback but hoped we would see the real Wayne when United take on Rangers (11/2 to qualify from Group C) in the Champions League on Wednesday.

“It was a quiet comeback. He got involved in a few bits of the interplay. He needed 25 minutes or so,” said Ferguson.

“He will play against Rangers on Wednesday, that is the perfect game for him to come back and get 90 minutes.”

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Rovers start new regime

Posted on by
Reply

Rovers manager Sam AllardyceBlackburn Rovers will be desperate to start life under their new owners, Venky’s London Limited, with a victory and Aston Villa beware, with Gerard  Houllier’s men visiting Ewood Park (Blackburn 13/10, draw 11/5, Aston Villa 11/5 – Match Betting) on Sunday.

The new owners started their business as a poultry firm in India and they will be looking for Rovers to ‘rule the roost’ at Ewood Park and maintain their impressive home form.

Blackburn go into this game on the back of a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, but had won back-to-back games prior to that.

Sam Allardyce’s men sit just two points above the relegation zone, despite decent wins against Wigan Athletic and Newcastle United, but at home they are always a tough nut to crack.

Villa meanwhile, will be disappointed that they could not make a two goal lead count against Manchester United at Villa Park last weekend, but it was a much improved display.

The Villains welcome new signing Robert Pires into the squad for this clash after the former Arsenal midfielder signed a short-term deal with the Midlands’ club this week.

With the backing of new owners the Rovers players will be looking to impress but will need to end a poor run against Villa, having lost three of the last four meetings at Ewood Park.

Manchester City desperately need to get their season back on track, when they travel to Craven Cottage on Sunday.

City have only won one of their last five Premier League matches and manager Roberto Mancini has come under pressure for playing negatively.

With the amount of attacking talent at Eastlands, you would expect them to try and win every game and this will be another stern test of the top four credentials.

However, last weekend against Birmingham, the Italian boss brought off leading goalscorer Carlos Tevez (21/5 to score the first goal against Fulham) for defensive midfielder Gareth Barry, with the game goalless with seven minutes remaining.

It’s doubtful that Mancini will be that negative again after the criticism that fans directed at the Italian manager, but he will be up against a Fulham team whose manager will be out to prove a point.

This is an important home game for Fulham, who just sit one point above the relegation zone in the Premier League, with ex-City boss Mark Hughes looking to put one over on the club he left last season.

Half of the last 14 games between these two teams have ended in draws, but without Moussa Dembele and their star striker Bobby Zamora, it looks like a struggle for Hughes’ men.

In Monday evening’s game, Sunderland take on Everton at the Stadium of Light and the Black Cats will be full of confidence after they demolished Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge last time out.

Asamoah Gyan is fast becoming the signing of the season as he has notched up five Premier League goals in 10 appearances, eight of those as a substitute.

The Ghana striker is starting to form a tidy partnership with Danny Welbeck up front for Sunderland and they could be a threat to the Toffees on Monday, with Darren Bent still sidelined.

Everton  have won just one of their last five games and they will face another tough test in the North East, as they look to climb the table after another poor start to the season.

There could be a start for Jermaine Beckford, who has impressed when coming off the bench in recent matches, scoring a fine curling shot against Bolton in the dying moments of the game.

However, with the mood Sunderland are in the Black Cats look a good shout to take the points (Sunderland 6/4, draw 23/10, Everton 9/5 – Match Betting).

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Saturday’s EPL betting preview

Posted on by
Reply

Arsenal will go into the north London derby full of confidence after back-to-back away wins but Tottenham are not without hope because Arsene Wenger’s men have already lost at home twice this season (Arsenal 8/13 match betting v Tottenham).

Harry Redknapp will have Jermain Defoe back in the squad while Arsenal starlet midfielder Jack Wilshere is set for a late fitness test.

As ever with derby matches form does not come into the equation and the home side are tipped to continue their winning run on Saturday lunchtime.

Birmingham may be in the bottom three but they are a much tougher nut to crack at home with just one defeat this term at St Andrew’s.

However there is always the danger of a Chelsea backlash after their incredible 3-0 defeat to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge last time out.

The Blues of west London are capable of beating anyone on the day but we believe this will not be their day with a draw the likely result (draw 13/5).

Blackpool have won only once at home this season while Wolverhampton Wanderers have yet to win away from Molineux but that could all change this weekend at Bloomfield Road.

Wolves have been praised for their performances this term despite not picking up many points but surely their persistence will pay off against an unpredictable Blackpool side who will be without first-choice keeper Matt Gilks (Wolves 9/5 match betting v Blackpool).

Bolton have been the surprise team this season and face a Newcastle side who have also punched above their weight with 18 points from their first 13 games.

There is not much to choose between the clubs in the table but the Magpies excellent away form should see them secure a point at the Reebok Stadium (draw 9/4).

Manchester United could have Wayne Rooney back for the visit of Wigan and this must be the banker of the weekend in the top flight.

The Red Devils have drawn their last two fixtures and rarely will Sir Alex Ferguson’s men go three games without a victory.

Wigan have won only once on the travels and are a different side away from the DW Stadium while United remain a dominant force on their own patch and should win by at least two clear goals (United 11/2 to win 2-0 correct score).

West Brom and Stoke have both garnered 16 points so far this term but the Baggies have not won in four and face a Potters side who have won their last two, including a 2-0 victory over Liverpool.

However Tony Pulis’ men rarely win on the road and a draw seems the likely result here for two sides who will feel that finishing in mid-table obscurity is as good as it gets (draw 11/5).

Finally Liverpool are in desperate need of three points when basement boys West Ham arrive at Anfield on Saturday but will have to do without the services of the inspirational Steven Gerrard, who is out for four weeks.

The Hammers have improved in recent times and are unbeaten in three, and Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson knows that if they lose to the bottom club they will be dragged back towards the relegation zone, which looked a distant memory after three successive victories just a couple of weeks ago.

With Fernando Torres in the side the Reds will be confident of victory, however, and are tipped to win this one by a solitary goal (Liverpool 4/9 match betting v West Ham).

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Bougherra adds to Rangers’ woes

Posted on by
Reply

Rangers are sitting pretty at the top of the Scottish Premier League but Walter Smith is struggling with an injury crisis ahead of the trip to Kilmarnock (7/1 in the match betting).

The champions bounced back from their first defeat of the season to Hibernian earlier in the month by beating Aberdeen, but now they have to add Madjid Bougherra to an injury list that already includes Maurice Edu, Sasa Papac, Nikica Jelavic, James Beattie, Andy Webster, Steven Naismith and Steven Whittaker.

Rangers are 2/5 to win this weekend but could have one eye on their forthcoming Champions League game against Manchester United, and that could be their downfall as they face a Killie side that are unbeaten in their last four matches and have scored 10 goals in the process.

Dundee United were always going to face a daunting challenge travelling to Celtic Park, but they are not being helped by the number of injuries they are struggling with.

Peter Houston is without Craig Conway, Darren Dods, Scott Severin and Mihael Kovacevic for the clash, so is hoping that Danny Swanson and Jon Daly are available to come back into the side.

Celtic (1/4 to beat Dundee United) have stuttered since their staggering 9-0 win over Aberdeen, but their home goalscoring record has been impressive this term and the Terrors have only mustered 9 goals on their travels all season.

Hearts (1/2 to continue the winning run) have consolidated their third place with an impressive three wins in a row, in which they have scored six goals without conceding. That run included a victory over Celtic at Tynecastle only ten days ago and they have no new injury worries so can rely on the same side that have done them so well in recent weeks.

Hamilton (11/2 to win, 14/5 the draw) probably stand more chance on the road that at home, as they have won eight of their nine points on their travels. The facts suggest though that it will not be a goal-packed game, as Hearts have scored eight goals at Tynecastle and the Accies have scored six away from home all season, but Jim Jeffries knows a win for his side can see them further secure their third place standing.

Inverness CT (5/4 to win) have struggled at home this season and Hibernian (2/1 to win, draw 23/10) have not excelled on their travels, suggesting a draw could be the way forward. However both sides are currently chasing a third successive Clydesdale Bank Premier League victory, and Terry Butcher will be looking for the Highland side to continue their strong start that sees them sitting fifth in the table.

Derek Riordan will be looking to go out on a high before starting a suspension and help Hibernian get a third win on the bounce, but Colin Calderwood, who is recovering from a poor start as Hibs boss, goes into the game with David Wotherspoon, Daryl Duffy, Graham Stack and Merouane Zemmama all injured.

St Mirren (19/10 in the match betting) have struggled so far this season but Danny Lennon is finally getting an almost full squad available after seeing his side decimated by injuries in recent weeks. Motherwell (13/10 favourites to win) have had an up-and-down time of late but will want to keep the pressure on third-place Hearts win a win at New St Mirren Park.

Things have all been a struggle at Aberdeen recently. The Dons sit second bottom of the SPL and have only won two of their home games. Things have not been much better for St Johnstone, with five successive losses seeing them only one point and one place ahead of Saturday’s opposition.

Both teams are desperate for a result to go their way (Aberdeen 6/5 to win, St Johnstone 21/10) so they can climb away from the bottom reaches of the league, so it is likely there will be a war of attrition at Pittodrie this weekend.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.