Monthly Archives: February 2011

City can cut United lead

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After the mid-week international action we return to the Premier League and are treated to a huge match to kick off the weekend as Manchester City travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United. Arsenal are also in action, while there is a six-pointer at the Hawthorns between West Ham and West Brom.

Manchester United v Manchester City (12:45pm)

City boss Roberto Mancini must have ended last weekend with a huge smile on his face after his side thumped West Brom and the rest of the top four either lost or drew. City are now five points behind United and that gap could be even closer come three o’clock on Saturday. You would expect a response from United after their first defeat of the league campaign for Wolves. However, City have pushed United close at Old Trafford in recent fixtures and have what it takes to get the better of Sir Alex Ferguson’s side this weekend. Either way, let’s hope for a better game than the one at Eastlands.

Match Bet – City to win @ 18/5

Arsenal v Wolves (3pm)

These two had very contrasting weekends seven days ago and expect that to have a bearing on this game. Arsenal are likely to have had their confidence shaken by Newcastle’s comeback and this won’t be the walk in the park it might have been two weeks ago. Wolves have been excellent against the top sides this season, beating Liverpool, Chelsea and most recently Manchester United. Expect Arsenal to win, but not by much.

Match Bet – Draw half-time/Arsenal full-time @ 10/3

Birmingham v Stoke (3pm)

Some would probably consider Stoke lucky to have taken all three points against Sunderland last week. However, that never say die attitude the Potters have has served them well this year and they could be looking at Europe if their away form picks up. Stoke have a poor record against Birmingham but Blues aren’t as strong at home as they were 12 months ago and Stoke’s luck should hold to see them through this game.

Match Bet – Stoke to win @ 2/1

Blackburn v Newcastle (3pm)

Is this going to be a case of after the Lord Mayors show for Newcastle after their comeback last week? Probably. They were so poor in the first half and if they give Blackburn a similar head start they are unlikely to complete another remarkable comeback. Rovers haven’t been in the best run of form but have a habit of turning teams over who find themselves in mid-table. This should be a much more low scoring affair than these two sides found themselves in last week.

Match Bet – Under 2.5 goals @ 5/6

Blackpool v Aston Villa (3pm)

For Blackpool fans the trap door back to the Championship is beginning to come into view after five straight defeats. The points tally for this season is likely to be so high that the Seasiders good start is unlikely to save them. In contrast Villa have lost just one in the last seven and are going well. Their frontline should enjoy a fruitful day against a Blackpool defence that has conceded 16 in the last five.

Match Bet – Darren Bent first goalscorer 4/1

Liverpool v Wigan (3pm)

The old saying goes that Kenny Dalglish is magic and based on last Sunday few could dispute that right now. When Roy Hodgson was in charge Reds fans would have looked at this fixture with a bit of trepidation. However, with Dalglish in the hot seat they’ll expect to turn over the Latics with few problems. Wigan are pretty awful on the road and will look at this game as a bonus match, rather than a chance to pick up points.

Match Bet – Liverpool to win 3-0 @ 7/1

West Brom v West Ham (3pm)

February is usually the month when the six-pointer term creeps into the press. This game certainly qualifies for that tag as the Baggies remain outside the drop zone on goal difference alone. They have a new manager in Roy Hodgson but he will watch from the stands this weekend. Expect Hodgson’s arrival to give West Brom a lift but whether they win will depend on which West Ham side turns up. Time to get splinters and sit on the fence with this game.

Match Bet – Draw @ 12/5

Sunderland v Tottenham (5:30pm)

Tottenham could have their minds on other things when they head to Wearside with an impending Champions League tie to come against AC Milanin midweek. Harry Redknapp is caught between a rock and hard place though as a win on Saturday will lift them above Chelsea and into fourth. However, the lure of Tuesday’s trip to Milan might be too much for Tottenham’s players and Sunderland are ready to pounce. They will feel hard done by after last week and will fancy their chances of bouncing back at home.

Match Bet – Sunderland to win @ 13/8

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5 things learnt from internationals

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This week gave us a chance to check out the home nations and the Republic of Ireland in the first internationals of 2011. Hopes were high for most, but for some there was more to be happy about than others. For Wales and Northern Ireland a sense of dread will have been the endearing emotion. With the Euro 2012 qualifiers set to get back underway next month, we examine who can look forward to them and who should watch from behind their sofas……

1 – England have hope after ‘golden generation’

Before England’s win over Denmark, all the focus was on whether Jack Wilshere would do well in his new role as a holding midfielder. Well, as they say, the proof was in the pudding as the 19-year-old showed he is a class above Gareth Barry. The Manchester City man struggled in the World Cup and based on Wilshere’s performance this week, his days as a starter could be numbered. The World Cup and subsequent Euro 2012 qualifiers have shown green shoots of hope, particularly with the likes of James Milner, Joe Hart, Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Michael Dawson showing their international capabilities.

After being let down by Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry and co, England fans might be feeling a little bit optimistic about what the future will hold. England’s win over a decent Denmark team showed the Three Lions have strength in depth, with a raft of changes seemingly not affecting their rhythm. It is probably too early to start talking about England as Euro 2012 contenders, but at 9/1 to win the tournament I’m sure a few punters will be persuaded to take the plunge.

2 – Republic of Ireland should reach Euro 2012

While it is dangerous to read too much into friendly matches, Ireland’s comfortable win over Wales can’t really be ignored. While the first half was nothing to write home about, the second saw them score three good goals and they never really had to break a sweat. The Republic currently sit second in their qualification group behind Russia, who beat them in October.

Ireland are 5/4 to make it through to Euro 2012 and as long as they avoid France in the play-offs, they should be fine. People will say they haven’t made it out of the group yet but with Armenia and Slovakia – who lost to Luxembourg on Wednesday – their closet contenders, it could be a triumphant return to a major tournament after a ten years absence.

3 – Levein starting to get the best from Scots

Wednesday’s victory over Northern Ireland in the Nations Cup might have been expected, but perhaps the manner in which they so convincingly beat Nigel Worthington’s men might have come as a shock. Scotland’s third goal involved a build-up that Spain would have been proud of as they passed Northern Ireland off the park.

Scotland’s hopes of qualifying for Euro 2012 are all but gone, after one win from their first four qualifiers,, but the future is beginning to look bright. Scotland are 8/1 to qualify for their first major tournament since the 1998 World Cup and they seem unlikely to break that duck just yet, especially with Spain in their group. However, the battling display against the world champions and two wins since then have given cause for optimism for 2014 World Cup qualification.

4 – Without their star men Wales are poor

Optimism surrounding Wales was high after Gary Speed took the reins as national team coach. However, reality made a speedy return to Welsh supporters after their disappointing 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Republic of Ireland. Speed had plenty of big name withdrawals to cope with and without them, Wales justify their position as 116th in the Fifa rankings. Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Craig Bellamy are effectively Welsh football right now and until Speed can unearth some fresh talent, they looked doomed to struggle for the next few years.

Wales play England next in their Euro 2012 campaign, which is already over after three defeats in their first three matches.  In Cardiff, and with Welsh fans baying for blood, they might give England a bloody nose but that could be as good as it gets.

5 – Northern Ireland going backwards

Remember the days when Northern Ireland were on the verge of qualifying for a major tournament and David Healy was the most prolific striker in Europe? Well they appear long gone and if you are a supporter of Worthington’s men, you might be concerned. Wednesday was a glimpse into what the future might hold for the North and it wasn’t pretty. Admittedly they had 11 players missing but when you make a big fuss over George McCartney retiring from international football, you know you are in trouble.

Like Wales their hopes of making it through to Euro 2012 are pretty much over, a draw against the Faroe Islands in a game which did nothing to convince Northern Ireland’s fans things will get better. For Worthington and co expect a long, hard 2011.

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Let the Top 4 battle commence

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A few weeks ago it seemed it was ‘five teams from four‘ in the Premier League to fill the coveted Champions League places, but Liverpool’s recent resurgence plus Chelsea’s continued inconsistency means the race for the top four may just be about to get interesting.

For the sake of argument, let’s take it as a given that Manchester United, City (1/7) and Arsenal will, in whichever order, finish first, second and third this season (we can save that particular debate for a later article) so it’s with keen interest that we look at who can land fourth, with Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool lining up to do battle at the minute.

Fernando Torres cited it was his wish to be competing for the top trophies season after season as the reason why he jumped ship from Anfield and joined the Blues at Stamford Bridge in the transfer window, but the Spaniard could yet be left with egg on his face if Chelsea do not even make it into the Champions League places next season.

That prospect would have been laughed at back in the early months of the campaign when Carlo Ancelotti’s side were sweeping all before them and looking every inch back-to-back title winners, nevermind a great bet for Champions League glory, but the exit of Ray Wilkins in the autumn took everyone by surprise and a shocking downturn in form followed.

The Londoners are just about clinging on to fourth at the minute but it’s by no means guaranteed with Spurs (13/8) looking like the most likely side to benefit if they continue to stumble.

Harry Redknapp’s men have generally impressed this season with not only some fine results but a free-flowing, attacking brand of football orchestrated by Player of the Year contenders Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart. Luka Modric, Aaaron Lennon and Jermain Defoe have also been key players and who would bet against them finishing fourth once again – as long as they can maintain their form over the next few months.

Well, to answer that question – Chelsea, probably (1/8). However, last weekend’s reverse at home to Liverpool merely added fuel to the fire in the case against the Blues while, equally, it added weight to the claim that maybe, just maybe, Kenny Dalglish can perform one of the quickest resurrection acts seen in the top flight for many a year.

That Liverpool are even in with an outside chance of fourth (7/1) in February – they were in the relegation places in October – is great credit to the Scot for the way he has turned things around on Merseyside. A defeat and draw in his first two games ensured he did not enjoy a brilliant start but, since then, the Reds have won four on the bounce without conceding a goal and are the form team in the Premier League ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Wigan.

It would still take quite a turnaround for Liverpool to make it to fourth in May but it’s by no means out of the question. Torres is one who is looking nervously over his shoulder already.

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Five potential EPL weekend shocks

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Following the international action, the Premier League is back this weekend but any chance of a repeat of the crazy goalscoring we saw last weekend looks slim. However, there are plenty of betting opportunities, as ever, and here we take a look at some possible shocks and value bets to earn you some money.

The Manchester derby is the early game but, as is often the case with local showdowns, it’s best to steer clear of this one with pretty much anything able to happen at Old Trafford in what could be an early pointer as to who could end up winning the title come May.

Looking at the weekend coupon, though, there are plenty of other value bets to be had in another intriguing set of fixtures in the top flight.

Birmingham host Stoke at St Andrew’s looking to build on the 1-0 win at West Ham while the Potters are fresh from the late, late win over Sunderland so this one looks tight as well. However, at 2/1 the visitors – no doubt backed by a loud and large away following – seem attractively-priced to pull off a victory in the West Midlands.

With still only nine points separating bottom and eighth in the table, there are plenty of teams sweating over their top-flight status and Blackpool, despite all their early-season coupon-busting, are now very much in the relegation fight everyone expected them to be in all along. They entertain Aston Villa, who are the slight favourites at 11/10 for this one, but we fancy the Seasiders to secure a much-needed Bloomfield Rd win at 23/10.

Apart from the late capitulation at Stoke, Sunderland have been fairly solid home and away all season, so expect Spurs to find it tough going at the Stadium of Light this weekend. A 1-0 success for Steve Bruce’s men looks tasty here at 7/1.

West Brom versus West Ham at the Hawthorns has all the makings of a scrappy but full-blooded relegation six-pointer on Saturday and the Hammers, despite being bottom, are not as bad as all that. In Victor Obinna, Freddie Piquionne and now Robbie Keane, they have players to cause any defence problems so we see another away win here. Get on the Hammers, who some thought could be challenging for a European spot by now, at 13/5.

Finally, the west London derby on Monday evening at Craven Cottage sees Chelsea hoping to bounce back from the defeat against Liverpool with a win over Mark Hughes’ Fulham. But we see more misery for £50million man Fernando Torres and co with the home side worth a punt at 19/5 to achieve the three points here.

So, with a few derbies and relegation scraps to look forward to there will be no repeat of last week’s goal-fest – just plenty of shocks to keep us entertained. Or that’s how we see it anyway.

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Jack’s the lad for Capello

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The proposed inclusion of Arsenal starlet Jack Wilshere will get tongues wagging as England get their preparations for the return of their Euro 2012 qualification campaign underway with a tricky international against Denmark (England 5/4 To Win) in Copenhagen on Wednesday.

Three Lions coach Fabio Capello stressed after last summer’s World Cup debacle in South Africa that he would start building for the long term by gradually drafting in the anticipated stars of the future, while also ensuring the country does not miss out on another European Championships next year (England 1/6 Group G Winner).

A host of young players were drafted into an experimental squad for last November’s 2-1 friendly defeat against France at Wembley. However, as a potentially dangerous qualifier against Home Nations rivals Wales in Cardiff is approaching next month, Capello has opted to bring back most of his big guns to face the Danes – but Wilshere’s continued involvement suggests the Italian tactician meant it when he recently said he would build a team around him.

Capello declared an intention to hand 19-year-old Wilshere (5/1 Anytime Goalscorer) a midfield holding berth in Copenhagen which will no doubt have Gareth Barry sweating over his England involvement for the rest of the qualification campaign and beyond.

On the prospect of playing alongside Wilshere on Wednesday, his Gunners team-mate Theo Walcott, who is also looking to prove a point after being left out of Capello’s World Cup squad, praised his qualities and also the level of talent emerging such as right-back Kyle Walker, who has been included in the squad for the first time, and Liverpool’s injured £35million hitman Andy Carroll.

On Wilshere, Walcott said: “Jack is a dream to play with. He has confidence and plays with no fear. He is so gifted. If he gets an opportunity this week I am sure he will grab it with both hands.”

Skipper Rio Ferdinand is injured while his stand-in Steve Gerrard is also missing due to a groin injury so there could be starts for Tottenham’s Michael Dawson alongside John Terry in defence and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is in line to get the captain’s armband.

If Dawson does feature it will mark a successful return to the fold after he feared his Euro 2012 qualification campaign was over when he suffered ankle and knee injuries against Bulgaria in September.

He said: “I am happy the chance with England again has come around again. I have been back playing for a couple of months and, if you get in England squad, it is through what I have been doing for Spurs.

“I want to do as well as possible and Wednesday is a chance to stake a claim for Cardiff next month, a qualifier.”

Wayne Rooney got the backing of Capello last week after his two-goal blast against Aston Villa and he is set to start in attack alongside Aston Villa’s £24million hitman Darren Bent against Denmark.

Joe Hart has come in for some criticism in recent weeks, but Capello is set to stick with the Manchester City man between the sticks this week in the hope he can get his confidence back before the Wales date (7/4 England To Keep A Clean Sheet).

Prediction: Draw/England Half Time/Full Time @ 9/2
Value Bet: Wayne Rooney 1st scorer/ England To Win 2-1 @ 25/1

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The Championship promotion race

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QPR currently have a seven point lead at the top of the Championship and look as if they’re heading towards the promise land of the Premier League but the other promotion spots are very much up for grabs, with just 10 points separating second placed Nottingham Forest and Hull City, who are currently 12th (QPR 4/6 – Championship outright).

Forest (11/10 to be promoted) have been on a fantastic run and have not tasted defeat in the league since way back on November 29, when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Leicester.  Boss Billy Davies has a good pedigree in the division, having led Derby, Preston and Forest into the play-offs in recent years and the Scottish manager will be desperate to go one better than last season, where Forest were knocked out in the semi-finals by Blackpool.

Cardiff (6/4 promotion) have the considerable talents of Craig Bellamy, Michael Chopra and Peter Whittingham to call upon and at the start of the season many were tipping the beaten play-off finalists to mount a challenge for the title.  The Bluebirds started the campaign well, despite the disappointment of missing out on promotion, but have stuttered of late.  However, Cardiff did manage to secure a 1-0 win at the home of bitter rivals Swansea last time out and if they can rediscover their best form the Welsh side could well challenge for the title, they trail QPR by eight points at the moment but they have a game in hand (Cardiff 6/1 – Championship outright).

Swansea (3/1 promotion) occupy a play-off spot at present and have produced some impressive displays over the course of the season to date.  The Swans play an exciting, attacking brand of football and despite their derby disappointment last weekend should be able to secure a top six finish.  The Liberty Stadium side do not have the same financial backing as the likes of Cardiff and QPR but Swansea seem to have a great team spirit and work well as a unit, all the ingredients are there for the South Wales side to be this season’s Blackpool.

Leeds (10/3 promotion) and Norwich (5/2) were both playing in League One last season but the duo have settled into life in the Championship quickly and are both in the top six at this stage of the season.  In Grant Holt Norwich have a top class striker but he has struggled of late and if they are to continue their push for the second automatic spot the frontman will have to get back amongst the goals sooner rather than later, although he did grab his first goal in six games in the loss at Burnley last time out.

Leeds also have some decent players and could well hang onto their spot in the top six, but the Yorkshire side have a woeful record in the play-offs in recent seasons, both in the Championship and League One, and will probably have to finish second if they’re to go up this season.

Millwall (12/1 promotion), Leicester (4/1), Watford (9/1), Burnley (4/1), Reading (6/1) and Hull (12/1) are also involved in the battle to secure a play-off spot and they will all be confident they can pick up enough points between now and the end of the season to secure a top six spot.  Reading have been in fine form of late and were unlucky not to take all three points in their recent draw with Cardiff, while QPR inflicted a narrow 1-0 defeat on the Royals at the Madjeski Stadium last time out.  Hull have also been on an impressive run of late and of the chasing pack I would suggest Reading are the most likely side to break into the play-off spots, while at 12/1 the Tigers look good value considering they have lost just once in their last 15 league games.

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Republic of Ireland v Wales

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Bet on footballGary Speed will take charge of his first full international as Wales manager on Tuesday night when his side travels to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin to face Ireland (Republic of Ireland v Wales to end as a draw – 13/5).

This is the opening fixture of the inaugural Carling Nations Cup which sees Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland battle it out for supremacy amongst the home nations.

Speed will be without ten of his players for the opening fixture as he looks to turn things around for his nation ahead of further Euro 2012 qualifiers. Wales are currently ranked 116th in the FIFA world rankings and have long suffered on the international stage.

Three of Speed’s key men who will be missing for the game are Cardiff’s Craig Bellamy, Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey and Tottenham’s Gareth Bale.

However, former captain Bellamy will be travelling to Dublin to be around the camp to add support to the team. Bellamy and Speed were team-mates at Newcastle and the current Wales manager does not want to push Bellamy into playing.

Speed said: “I am sure everyone is aware of Craig’s situation and it would be wrong of me to ask him to play on Tuesday after playing on Sunday. The last thing we want is players going back to their clubs injured.”

Wales will look to striker Robbie Earnshaw to provide them with firepower up front and he believes that their current FIFA ranking does not do them justice. The Nottingham Forest hitman is also looking forward to life under Speed.

He said: “There is a freshness about the place with Gary taking over, everybody wants to do well for themselves and the new manager.”

Earnshaw, who has scored 14 goals for Wales, will hope to add to that tally in Dublin (Earnshaw to score anytime – 9/4).

However, it is not just Wales who are resting key players due to injuries and club schedules. The Irish side will also be without certain key figures which will make this a tough game to call. Captain Robbie Keane has withdrawn from the squad, along with Leon Best, Liam Lawrence and James McCarthy.

Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni will be downcast at the prospect of not having the charismatic Keane leading his troops. Keane has recently found form again since making the switch from Spurs to West Ham and would have given Ireland a real boost going into this fixture.

Trapattoni will have the services of Wolves forward Kevin Doyle (Doyle to score a hat-trick – 33/1 joint favourite) at his disposal and he comes into this fixture full of confidence after scoring the winner against Manchester United at the weekend.

The Italian has also promised to give Seamus Coleman and Ciaran Clark their Republic of Ireland debuts. Both youngsters will no doubt be relishing their first international caps after excelling in the Premier League this season.

Neither side comes into the game with a good record. Ireland are without a win in their last three games whilst Wales head to Dublin on the back of three straight defeats.

Both sides will be keen to get a victory and gain some momentum ahead of their Euro 2012 qualifying games in March.

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5 things learnt this weekend

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It was an action-packed weekend of football, Six Nations rugby, one-day cricket and golf, with quite a few surprises along the way. Betting punters were given some big clues as to potential future bets and here’s what we found out over the last 72 hours…

1 – City can still win the Premier League title

Manchester City were the only team in the top four to gain a victory this weekend and Roberto Mancini’s side have renewed title hope…mainly due to their rivals form. United were beaten at Wolves and their away form will still be a big concern to Sir Alex Ferguson, while Arsenal and Chelsea look all over the place at the back.

Hat-trick hero Carlos Tevez is currently the best striker in the league and can lead City (12/1 Premier League Outright) to top spot, but he has prove his worth in next weekend’s Manchester derby.

2 – The letter ‘W’ is cursed!

All of the bottom four teams in the Premier League begin with the letter ‘W’ and three of West Ham (8/13 to be relegated), Wigan (4/7), Wolves (8/11) and West Brom (6/4) look set to go down. Wigan and Wolves gave themselves hope with massive home wins, but the inconsistent Hammers lost again at home and the managerless Baggies need some inspiration from somewhere after 13 defeats in 18 games.

If you are not convinced about this season’s curse check out the League One table, where Walsall also sit in the drop zone! Wycombe fans may disagree, as they are currently second in League Two.

3 – Six Nations is a two-horse race

England (11/10 Outright Winners) and France (13/8) showed they are the two teams to beat in the Six Nations this year, while Italy may not be propping up the rest come mid-March. Martin Johnson’s men should have beaten a confidence-shot Wales by more, while France didn’t need to be at their best to rack up four tries against Scotland.

Ireland’s last-gasp win in Rome highlighted how Declan Kidney’s side have gone backwards, with their title hopes looking slim despite a first-game victory. A much improved Scotland could have a say on where the title goes, which must be either Twickenham or the Stade de France.

4 – England can’t win the World Cup

After a brilliant Ashes success Down Under, confidence in England’s one-day squad looks shot after a 6-1 series defeat to Australia. Injuries have also plagued Andrew Strauss’ squad and with two weeks until the tournament starts, the selectors have no idea who will be in the squad as they await medical reports.

Arguably their two most important 50-over stars, Graeme Swann and Eoin Morgan, are among those rated doubtful and without them, the best England (6/1 Outright Winner) can hope for is qualification from Group B.

5 – Veteran star can win the Masters

This weekend’s golf has shown that the veterans can still pose a threat in the Majors, after a timely return to form for two stars. Thomas Bjorn was in inspired form to take the Qatar Masters title by four shots, with the Dane proving the doubters, who thought his Tour career was finished at 39 years of age, wrong.

Meanwhile, Vijay Singh (80/1 to win 2011 Masters) has enjoyed a renaissance on the US Tour with the 47-year-old carding four sub-70 rounds at the Phoenix Open. The Fijian is a former winner at Augusta and a three-time Major Champion.

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3 from 6 as drop battle heats up

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Bet on the Premier LeagueIt may have been a record-breaking weekend for goals in the Premier League, but it was also notable for some of the division’s so-called dead-men stirring back into life as two of the bottom three secured vital wins and dragged a clutch of clubs into the fight for survival.

It could be that clubs as far up as Newcastle in tenth position will be embroiled in a relegation battle, but I feel it will boil down to three clubs from six who will eventually go to the wire in the battle for Premier League salvation.

From the bottom up I will look at the six clubs who are in for a nail-biting finale to what has been a remarkable season in England’s top-flight.

WEST HAM

Avram Grant’s Hammers looked on course for the drop after being in the dreaded bottom spot at Christmas which historically means Championship football will be on the menu the following August (8/13 Relegation).

And after the midweek 3-1 win at Blackpool had them on the cusp of jumping out of the bottom three, they crashed 1-0 to drop rivals Birmingham at Upton Park on Sunday.

This has put the Londoners back on the foot of the table, albeit just two points from safety.

They have a massive game at fellow strugglers and managerless West Brom coming this weekend so will get another chance to try and break free from the shackles of the drop zone.

With the likes of Robbie Keane, Gary O’Neil, Wayne Bridge and Demba Ba all brought in last month, I can see the Hammers emulating West Brom’s 2005 antics and re-writing the history books by achieving the ‘Great Escape’ after being bottom at Christmas (6/5 To Stay Up).

WOLVES

Had I assessed the sides who I felt were destined for the drop two days ago then I would have made Mick McCarthy’s men absolute bankers (8/11 Relegation).

However, it is amazing how one result can shatter your way of thinking and Saturday’s stunning 2-1 win against Manchester United certainly did that.

The Molineux success not only ended Sir Alex Ferguson’s bid for a record 30-game unbeaten run, but it also ruined a fair few betting coupons of people hanging on that one last result!

On top of that it moved Wolves – who had gone into the match on the back of three successive defeats – off bottom spot and to within two points of 17th place.

They have a tough date at Arsenal to come this weekend, but a massive Black Country derby at West Brom follows, as does a home clash with Blackpool.

The outcome of those games could determine which division they are playing in next season (Evens To Stay Up).

WIGAN

Roberto Martinez’s side did their survival hopes the power of good with a 4-3 win against Lancashire rivals Blackburn at the DW Stadium on Saturday to follow up a valuable point picked up at fellow strugglers West Brom in midweek.

The win against Rovers was their first league success at the eighth time of asking and will have boosted their confidence for the coming games.

However, as they face Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City in the next three matches, they could be looking up at everyone else soon (4/7 Relegation).

WEST BROM

The Baggies are on the slippery slope following a fantastic return to the top-flight when they only lost twice in their opening nine games.

However, they have lost 13 of their last 18 matches, with Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Manchester City leaving the side out of the bottom three by virtue of having a better goal difference than Wigan.

The defeat at Eastlands has also cost boss Roberto Di Matteo his job as Albion chairman Jeremy Peace revealed he had to act now to stop the rot and try and ensure his club do not live up to their ‘yo-yo’ tag by dropping back to the Championship after just one season in the top flight (1/2 To Stay Up).

The choice of new boss, with Sam Allardyce hotly tipped, will be crucial for their survival hopes.

They also have massive games against West Ham and derby rivals Wolves in the next two weeks and the results of those could make-or-break the Baggies’ season.

At the moment 6/4 for relegation looks a good bet.

BIRMINGHAM

Alex McLeish’s Blues have been unfortunate to slip into the relegation battle as they have been distracted by the weather, not to mention their run to the Carling Cup Final (11/4 Outright) and fifth round of the FA Cup.

They do have at least one game in hand on all of the teams around them, whilst also possessing the battling qualities needed to pull away from danger. These were displayed in the 1-0 win at West Ham on Sunday which followed the 2-2 draw against Manchester City at St Andrews in midweek.

Nikola Zigic seems to have finally found his feet in England, while new loan signing Obafemi Martins is still to come into the fold.

They will be the first to admit they draw too many home games, but I would be astonished if the Blues are relegated this season (7/2 Relegation).

BLACKPOOL

As much as it pains me to do this, I am afraid that Ian Holloway’s Seaside entertainers have got to be included in the main contenders for relegation this season.

They were written off before a ball had even been kicked, but Blackpool have produced some exceptional results this season, with five away wins so far and a league ‘double’ over Liverpool the highlight (Seasiders 8/15 To Stay Up).

However, since the second win against Kenny Dalglish’s Reds, the Tangerines have lost five games on the bounce to slip to within two points of the bottom three.

They have conceded 16 goals in those games and this is not a major surprise given that they refuse to shut up shop at any point in matches and appear to have a ‘we’ll score more goals than you’ attitude.

While this might have worked for them earlier in the season, it is now catching up with them and if Holloway continues playing the same tactics then the curtain could come down on Blackpool this May as far as Premier League football is concerned (11/8 Relegation).

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Torres out to haunt Reds

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A player scoring the winning goal for his new team against his former club is a formula which has made headlines for years in football. On Sunday Fernando Torres will line up in the blue of Chelsea, rather than the red of Liverpool, when his former club come to Stamford Bridge and it seems written in the stars the Spaniard will score. We take a look at Chelsea v Liverpool, as well as West Ham against Birmingham in our preview of Sunday’s Premier League matches.

Chelsea v Liverpool

All roads lead to west London this weekend and the word on everyone’s lips is Torres. Having completed a dramatic £50million switch to the Blues on transfer deadline day on Monday, it seems fitting the first club he would face is Liverpool. The 26-year-old is 10/3 to score anytime against the Reds and it seems inevitable he will end up on the scoresheet.

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has said he is undecided as to whether to start Torres but, after splashing out £50million, owner Roman Abramovich will want to see his latest acquisition on show. The reigning Premier League champions are odds on to beat Liverpool given their recent revival. However, anyone who has watched Chelsea recently will know they are nowhere near the side that won the title last season.

Liverpool have won just twice on the road all season and, Sunderland’s shock win at Stamford Bridge aside, Chelsea have been as strong as ever at home. Chelsea have to win to keep pace with league leaders Manchester United or risk falling further than ten points behind. On the flip side its just as important the Reds win to close the gap on the last Champions League qualification spot, currently held by Chelsea.

The Reds have one of their replacements for Torres ready to make his first start in the form of Luis Suarez and he has already opened his account, coming off the bench to score against Stoke in midweek. If you fancy both Suarez and Torres to score then Tote are offering that special at 6/1.

Its tough to look beyond Chelsea this weekend and with little value in the 90 minutes market, a best bet could be Torres to score and Chelsea to win at 13/8.

Birmingham v West Ham

Sunday’s first game at Upton Park has been overshadowed somewhat by proceedings at Stamford Bridge but is no less important for two sides battling to beat the drop. Its been just 11 days since the two clubs last went head-to-head as Blues managed to turn around a two goal deficit to beat the Hammers in the semi-final of the Carling Cup.

Hammers fans will be hoping the players can use their bitter defeat to Birmingham as motivation to gain revenge and leapfrog the St Andrew’s outfit out of the relegation zone. Both teams are on 24 points after the midweek matches, picking up valuable results. West Ham’s win at Blackpool was a rare away success for Avram Grant’s side on the road and they look as though they are beginning to turn things around.

The signing of Robbie Keane on loan could prove to be a stroke of genius if he keeps them up. The Republic of Ireland skipper is 9/2 to score first and you wouldn’t bet against him getting his first home goal after his strike on Wednesday.

While West Ham look as though they have plenty of goals in them, Birmingham have struggled to hit the target on a regular basis and their fans will fear that this weakness could cost them their place in the top flight.

Blues are 5/2 to win at Upton Park but it looks beyond them and the Hammers to repeat their Carling Cup first leg win of 2-1 at 15/2 could be the bet to go for in this one.

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