Monthly Archives: March 2011

Wednesday Champions League

Posted on by
Reply

Crouch Lennon

Tottenham have looked far from out of their depth in the Champions League so far but they come up against a Milan side out for revenge after the first-leg result, while Schalke and Valencia sit level. There must be a winner in both ties so who will be celebrating at the final whistle?

Tottenham v AC Milan

Spurs have surpassed many people’s expectations in their first Champions League adventure and they are holding a one-goal advantage over AC Milan following the first leg.

A late Peter Crouch goal, which came from a superb speedy break from winger Aaron Lennon, means Harry Redknapp’s side hold the upper hand against the team currently sitting top of Serie A.

There is no doubting the attacking potential of AC Milan as they can boast the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho and Alexandre Pato, but Spurs have shown this season they can rip teams apart with their own prowess going forward.

For that reason, it is going to be vital for Spurs that they can get Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart on the pitch. The duo have been missing for several weeks but Redknapp has admitted both could play at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night.

Spurs are 6/5 to win the game while Milan are 11/5.

Milan are likely to come to north London and attack, with their confidence boosted from a 1-0 win over Juventus at the weekend. If they go hell for leather they will cause problems for a Spurs side that has been leaking goals in recent weeks.

They let in three at Wolves on Saturday and another three to Blackpool in the previous game and, with no disrespect to those two teams, they do not boast the same attacking threat as Massimiliano Allegri’s side.

It is 8/11 for both teams to score and 12/5 for there to be 4 or more goals in the game, which could look good bets given the attacking talent on show.

There is also the underlying tension that is likely to still exist from the fracas that took most of the headlines after the first leg. Genaro Gattuso is not travelling to White Hart Lane due to a four-match suspension handed out for his headbutt on Joe Jordan, but even without his presence there could be some animosity on and off the pitch.

Spurs will be hoping all the headlines are made on the pitch this time around and they can get the right result to extend their maiden voyage into the Champions League and write another chapter in the history of the club.

Schalke v Valencia

Schalke and Valencia go into their last-16 second-leg level at 1-1, so the German side’s away goal could come into play at the end of extra time. Felix Magath is under massive pressure after they dropped to tenth in the Bundesliga, courtesy of a 1-0 defeat to Stuttgart on Saturday, and he needs a result to appease the baying crowd.

Schalke’s Champions League exploits have been the only saving grace for their suffering fans, but they do boast the attacking experience of Raul and if Klaas-Jan Huntelaar recovers in time to play, they could cause Valencia problems.

The Spaniards sit third in La Liga after their 2-1 win over Real Mallorca and that game was their third in a row where they have won despite going behind. They even managed to rest top scorer Roberto Soldado for that game, while the experienced pairing of David Albelda and Joaquin should both be back from injury.

It was hard to separate the two teams during the first leg in Spain and a second draw in 90 minutes is 9/4. If there is a result within the allotted 90 minutes then Schalke are 6/4 to get the win.

Both sides should fancy their chances of getting the victory but given the host’s struggles then Valencia at 9/5 to get the win could be seen as a good bet.

However, if Schalke and Valencia let the nerves of making the final eight get to them it could be a tense game and 21/10 for there to be 1 goal or less could come into the equation.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Race heats up for play-off places

Posted on by
Reply

A resurgent Hull City welcome Burnley to the KC Stadium on Tuesday night in a clash between two sides gunning for Championship play-off places (Hull 11/8, draw 9/4, Burnley 9/5 – match betting).

The Yorkshire-Lancashire battle between seventh and eighth place should be an exciting contest between two sides desperate to get back into the Premier League.

Hull will be full of confidence going into this game off the back of a gutsy 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Not many teams pick up away wins against Forest and Nigel Pearson’s side are pushing the top six clubs hard for the play-off places.

Burnley are in an excellent position and could leapfrog both Leeds United and Forest if they can win their two games in hand and other results go their way.

Both these teams are in good form but Hull might just edge this one in front of their home fans.

Norwich City travel to the Walkers Stadium to take on Leicester City in another big game in and around the playoff positions (Leicester 10/11, draw 12/5, Norwich 11/4 – match betting).

The Canaries were left frustrated at Carrow Road in their last outing, as they were held to a 1-1 draw against bottom of the table Preston.

Goal-machine Grant Holt admitted after the game that Preston were hard to break down because they put bodies behind the ball to battle out a crucial point in terms of their Championship survival.

The Foxes on the other hand will play a much more open game and will believe they can pick up all three points.

There should be plenty of goals in this game between two attacking sides but the Canaries could just get one over on the Foxes.

Sheffield United are having a torrid time in the Championship this season and are without a win in their last 14 games.

Manager Micky Adams is still looking for his first win with the South Yorkshire side but he might have to wait a bit longer, as they take on Forest at Bramall Lane on Tuesday (United 23/10, draw 23/10, Forest 11/10 – match betting).

Forest could go into the automatic positions if they can compound United’s misery and other results go for them and Billy Davies’ players will want to keep the pressure on QPR and Swansea at the top of the table.

With the type of form the Blades are in, it’s hard to see them winning this game and they may have to wait longer still for that elusive victory, with games against Watford and Leeds to come.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Gunners ready to run gauntlet

Posted on by
Reply

Those who have ever visited Camp Nou will know it is an awe-inspiring venue, fit for the best football on offer. Over the years Barcelona have delighted the 90,000-plus supports inside their coliseum and Tuesday night is shaping up to be another classic (Barcelona v Arsenal).

Last year Arsenal were taught a lesson by Lionel Messi as he scored all four of Barca’s goals in a 4-1 win for the home side. The Catalan giants will be looking towards the Argentinean magician to help overturn the 2-1 advantage Arsenal take to Spain as the Gunners prepare to batten down the hatches for the inevitable storm. We take a look at whether Arsenal can survive to keep their Champions League dream alive and which team might be going through from Shakhtar Donestk and Roma in Tuesday’s other last-16 clash.

Last year’s last-16 tie with Barcelona was a reality check for Arsenal fans who might have considered their team to have been on a par with the Spaniards. As it was the Gunners looked a long way off being anywhere near good enough to get the better of Barcelona and some feared it would be a case of déjà vu when the two went head-to-head this year.

However, Arsenal were magnificent at Emirates Stadium three weeks ago and while they rode their luck at times the Gunners deserved their 2-1 win. The victory broke the record of having never beaten Barcelona in European competition and went someway to ease the pain of last year’s defeat. They must now finish the job at Camp Nou. The Gunners are 7/1 to beat Barcelona in 90 minutes, while the home side are 2/7 and the draw is available at 9/2.

Even the most optimistic Arsenal fans will think that a win is probably beyond them given their current injury problems. In the three weeks since the two teams last played Arsenal have lost Robin van Persie, Theo Walcott and Alex Song to injury. Cesc Fabregas’ participation is touch and go, although manager Arsene Wenger is confident the Spaniard will play against the club who are desperate to sign him. Wenger has also hinted he will make changes to the team in order to have some fresh legs involved so expect a few surprise selections.

Barcelona have a few concerns of their own with first choice central defenders Carlos Puyol and Gerard Pique absent, although with Xavi, Andreas Iniesta, David Villa, Messi and Pedro all fit that might be little consolation. Those who have watched Barcelona recently will know they aren’t at their flowing best but it just takes one or two great performances from those names previously mentioned and Arsenal could be out of Europe again.

The safest bet of the night looks to be for both teams to score at 8/11 given their respective attacking talents and lack of defensive skills. Arsenal will concede at some point and as such will have to score themselves to avoid going out on the away goals rule. With that in mind over 2.5 goals at 2/5 is probably going to be another safe bet based on the last three meetings.

Given Arsenal’s injury problems and their defensive naivety you fear another thrashing could be on the cards. However, a bit of luck and another performance like the one they produced in the first leg could give Wenger one of his greatest nights in charge of the Gunners.

Elsewhere in the Champions League, Roma head to Ukraine looking to become the first team in years to beat Shakhtar Donestk at home.  Having lost the first leg at the Stadio Olimpico 3-2 caretaker manager Vincenzo Mentella looks to have a huge job on his hands to keep the Italians European dream alive. For those who aren’t interested in matters at the Nou Camp or fancy a double Shakhtar are 10/11 to win at home, which doesn’t seem a bad price when you consider they are unbeaten in 11 matches at the Donbass Arena.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Can England do the double?

Posted on by
Reply

It could be a double European celebration for English teams this season, with five teams still battling for Champions League and Europa League glory. Could there be a double Premier League celebration come May?

Champions League

Although the English dominance may have waned slightly in recent years, with no winner since 2008, the strength of the Premier League is there for all to see. Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal have all shown in patches that they are capable of mounting a challenge for Europe’s top prize.

United (15/2 to win 2010-11 Champions League) look the most likely of the quartet to reach the Wembley showpiece and should progress to the quarter finals after a goalless draw in Marseille in their last-16 first-leg encounter.

Chelsea (9/2 Outright Market) seem almost certain to progress as well after an impressive 2-0 away win in Copenhagen, with this competition now their only target. This is the trophy Roman Abramovich craves and a victory at Wembley on May 28 seems the only thing that can save Carlo Ancelotti’s job.

Spurs (1/4 to qualify for quarter finals) look a decent outside bet to win the trophy in their debut Champions League campaign, having shown they are more than capable of posing a threat to anyone over two legs. The lack of European experience in the Spurs backline may cause problems later in the tournament though.

Arsenal (8/1 to win in Nou Camp) have every chance of lifting the trophy for the first time… if they can hold off Barcelona. It looks unlikely though, despite Arsenal holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg. Expect the blow of an early European exit putting pay to the Gunners’ hopes of silverware this season.

Europa League

Manchester City look to have all the credentials to be a success in Europe this season, but the dwindling confidence in the camp is a concern. Roberto Mancini’s squad have made light work of reaching the last 16 of the Europa League, but face a tricky test against Dynamo Kiev.

Having struggled to come to terms with the Premier League, Edin Dzeko will be a key player if City (4/11 to get past Kiev) are to reach the final in Dublin on May 18 as he has plenty of European experience behind him.

Liverpool (11/2 Europa League Outright) could make it an all-England final, draw permitting, with solid defensive performances the cornerstone of their progression to the last 16. A lack of goals is the only concern for the Reds, who will face Portuguese side Braga in the next round.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Blackpool to suffer the Blues?

Posted on by
Reply

Blackpool play host to Chelsea on Monday evening in what could be a season defining match for both teams.

When the sides met in September, the Blues ran out 4-0 victors with Seasiders’ boss Ian Holloway describing the difference between the two sides as ‘light years’.

However, Blackpool kicked on from the disappointment and had a solid first half to the season and looked comfortable in the top half of the table.

Unfortunately though, they have started to slide down the standings but after a superb 3-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur, they looked to have stopped the rot after only picking up one point from a possible eighteen in their previous six matches.

Despite this, Holloway’s side followed the Spurs result with a crushing 4-0 away defeat to fellow strugglers Wolves and this plunged them firmly into the relegation dogfight once again (Blackpool 11/10 to be relegated).

The Tangerines’ cause is also further damaged by the absence of their skipper and talisman Charlie Adam who is suspended along with top scorer DJ Campbell. However, they may be able to call upon the experience of former Celtic left-back Stephen Crainey to steady the defence.

Chelsea have also struggled this season, despite making a superb start which made it look like the league was theirs to lose. Despite winning their first four league games, they then went on a disappointing run that saw them pick up only nine points in November and December.

This run coincided with injuries to key players such as Alex and Frank Lampard and the England midfielder’s return to the side seems to have reignited the Blues’ title challenge. They will be looking to kick on after their victory against table toppers Manchester United last Tuesday (Chelsea 2/7 to beat Blackpool).

Chelsea will be hoping their £50million British record signing Fernando Torres will be in the mood as he looks to notch his first goal in a Chelsea shirt. He is likely to be partnered up-front by a recalled Didier Drogba (Torres 3/1 favourite to score first).

Chelsea go into the game with history on their side having won at Bloomfield Road on each of their last six visits, with Blackpool’s last home victory against the Blues coming in 1965. However, Chelsea’s form on the road has been shaky this term, having only won two of their last nine games away from home and this will give the Seasiders confidence (Blackpool 17/2 to beat Chelsea).

Whatever the outcome, it’s sure to be an exciting match with both teams looking to play exciting, expansive football  and the result is bound to have a profound effect on the outcome of the final Premier League standings.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Reds look to wreck Fergie’s title tilt

Posted on by
Reply

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish will be aiming to put one over his old foe Sir Alex Ferguson and put another dent in Manchester United’s Premier League title bid when the sides met at Anfield on Sunday, before Wolves will be aiming to bolster their survival hopes by hurting Tottenham’s Champions League qualification aspirations at Molineux.

The game of the day gets underway on Merseyside at 1.30pm as Liverpool play host to United with Ferguson’s side aiming to win their 19th league title (8/13 Outright) this season which would see them pull one clear of Liverpool. And, while Dalglish’s men still harbour slim hopes of securing a top-four finish (10/1), they will no doubt take great delight in trying to halt their big rivals?’ championship mission.

Chelsea’s 2-1 win against United on Tuesday opened up the title race and Ferguson will be looking for his side to slam the door shut as quickly as possible, starting at Anfield.

However, the Scot is not helped by the continued injury absence of Rio Ferdinand, while his other first-choice central defender, Nemanja Vidic, is banned after seeing red at Stamford Bridge.

Therefore, young rookie Chris Smalling will be partnered by Wes Brown at the back which could hand Liverpool a great opportunity to strike a blow to the Red Devils.

It will be also a special day for Ryan Giggs as he will be making a club record 607th league appearance and he is 3/1 to score at anytime in the game.

Dalglish has been hit by the loss of Martin Kelly due to a torn hamstring, but Raul Meireles should shake off a knee injury and £35million January signing Andy Carroll could be handed his debut at some point after his recovery from a long-term thigh problem.

Liverpool have won their last two home games against United, while Dalglish’s last home match in charge of Liverpool against Fergie’s United ended in a 4-0 win back in September 1990.

However, Ferguson has the edge over Dalglish in league meetings to date, while his side have won five of their last seven league games and will be aiming to make it six on Sunday.

Prediction: Liverpool To Win @ 7/4
Value Bet: Correct Score Liverpool 2-1 Man United @ 9/1.

WOLVES V TOTTENHAM

The later 4pm game on Sunday sees a near top-versus bottom scenario taking place at Molineux as Wolves will look to continue their good home record against the Premier League’s big boys when Tottenham arrive in town.

Mick McCarthy’s men have defeated Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United on home soil so Spurs boss Harry Redknapp will not want to his side added to that list of scalps.

However the Londoners, who are looking to keep their bid for a second successive top-four finish alive (Spurs 6/5), will be again without Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart, although they hope to have them back for the Champions League tie against AC Milan in midweek.

Wolves’ hopes of securing three points which could take them out of the relegation zone (4/7 To Stay Up) will not be helped by the loss of loan star Jamie O’Hara, who is ineligible to face his parent club.

Steven Mouyokolo and Ronald Zubar are ruled out with injury while Dave Edwards and Dave Jones are doubts, but Stephen Hunt is fit again.

Victory for Wolves would see them record three consecutive top-flight home wins for the first time in over 30 years, but they have their work cut out against a Spurs side that has won six games on the road so far this term – the second best record in the Premier League behind Arsenal’s seven.

Wolves chances of coming out on top could be helped by Tottenham having one eye on Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 second leg against AC Milan at White Hart Lane which they start with a 1-0 lead from the first leg.

Prediction: 90 Minutes Draw @ 23/10
Value Bet: Scorecast Kevin Doyle 1st Goal Wolves 1-1 Spurs @ 33/1.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Warnock’s R’s to go Foxes hunting

Posted on by
Reply

Another busy day of action in the Championship on Saturday will see the majority of teams fighting it out for points to sustain a promotion push or scrap to survival from the dreaded drop. Here are the top five 3pm fixtures of the day which will have a big impact on automatic promotion, play-offs and relegation matters.

QPR v Leicester

Game of the day in the Championship sees two very contrasting managerial styles go head-to-head at Loftus Road as Neil Warnock’s league leaders face Sven-Goran Eriksson’s play-off chasing Foxes.

The R’s are unbeaten in the league since the New Year’s Day’s defeat at Norwich and have picked up 20 points in the ten games since to sit five points clear at the top of the Championship (2/5 Outright) with 12 games remaining.

Eriksson has transformed the Foxes’ fortunes since taking over from the axed Paulo Sousa earlier in the season. And, having guided them away from the relegation scuffle, they now sit one place and two points outside of the top-six play-off places following a run of one defeat in their last 10 league games, which included seven wins.

Leicester are well priced at 7/2 for promotion, but they will find it difficult to put any points on the board this weekend.

A 2-0 defeat at Cardiff was followed by a 1-1 home draw against Coventry in midweek which shows signs that their good run is faltering and QPR will capitalise on that.

Prediction: Draw/QPR Half Time/ Full time @ 7/2
Value Bet: QPR 3-1 Leicester @ 18/1.


Scunthorpe v Swansea

A massive game with implications at both ends of the Championship table is taking place at Glanford Park as third-bottom Scunthorpe face manager-of-the-month for February Brendan Rodgers’ Swans.

The Iron looked dead and buried in the relegation places until a rally of seven points from three games in which they defeated Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United on home soil and picked up a point against Derby County.

Successive defeats since at Bristol City and Portsmouth have used up most of their games in hand and they still sit four points adrift of fourth-bottom Crystal Palace.

However, a visit from the in-form Swans is the last thing they need as five wins from six games in February has put them back into the automatic promotion places and 6/4 with Totesport to reach the Premier League.

The Swans have eight wins on the road, but they have also lost seven and Scunthorpe, who only have three home wins all season, will hope the manager-of-the-month jinx hits the Welshmen this weekend. With neither side wanting to lose out, the hosts could upset the form book and snatch an unlikely point.

Prediction: Draw @ 5/2
Value Bet: Scott Sinclair 1st Goal 1-1 Draw @ 22/1.

Norwich v Preston

Another top versus bottom scenario is set to unfold at Carrow Road as promotion-cashing Norwich (5/2 Promotion) welcome bottom-of-the-table Preston North End.

Paul Lambert’s Canaries are fourth and three points behind second-placed Swansea so will be looking for three points from this fixture after last weekend’s win at Barnsley erased memories of being held 1-1 by an injury-hit Doncaster side in their previous home outing.

Phil Brown’s Preston look doomed to relegation as they are 11 points adrift of safety after just five wins this season.
They did hold QPR and Nottingham Forest to draws in recent weeks, but Norwich should be too strong on Saturday.

Prediction: Norwich/Norwich Half Time /Full Time @ 6/5
Value Bet: Norwich To Win 3-0 @ 9/1.

Nottingham Forest v Hull

Promotion-cashing Forest face a Hull side still harbouring hopes of sneaking into the play-off places at the City Ground this weekend.

Billy Davies’ men are 6/5 for promotion despite seeing their charge towards the top-two places hit the buffers in recent weeks with one win in six and they were lucky to escape with a point at Middlesbrough in midweek thanks to Dele Adebola’s injury-time equaliser.

However, with an unbeaten home record under their belts this season, Forest will hope to emulate their recent 2-1 win over promotion rivals Cardiff this weekend.

Nigel Pearson’s Tigers arrive five points adrift of the play-off places and in desperate need of a win.

However, Forest cannot play any worse than they did at Boro on Tuesday, and need to use that as a wake-up call to get their promotion bid back on the rails.

Prediction: Forest To Score In Both Halves @ 7/4
Value Bet: Forest To Win 2-1 @ 7/1.

Burnley v Crystal Palace

Eddie Howe’s Burnley will look to take a step closer to the play-off places against a struggling Palace side boasting the worst way record in the Championship at Turf Moor.

The Clarets are four points outside the top-six, but have two games in hand on their rivals and could make the end-of-season battle for a place in the Premier League (6/1 Promotion).

Burnley have won three of their last four matches, while Palace have improved under manager Dougie Freedman, but still have just one away win all season as they sit four points clear of the drop zone.

It all points to a home banker but I feel Palace could pose a few problems for the Clarets and there will not be a great deal in this game.

Prediction: Draw/Burnley Half Time/Full Time @ 3/1
Value Bet: Burnley 2-1 Palace @ 7/1.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Gunners have United in sight

Posted on by
Reply

It’s another jam packed Saturday of Premier League football, with title hopefuls Arsenal looking to close the gap at the top on the potentially stuttering Manchester United.

The Gunners have the opportunity to close the gap to just a single point if they can beat Sunderland at the Emirates after United were beaten by Chelsea in the week (Arsenal 2/5, draw 16/5, Sunderland 13/2).

United do not play until Sunday, when they face a tough trip to north-west rivals Liverpool, so this is the perfect chance for Arsene Wenger’s side to put pressure on at the top of the table.

Sunderland will be no pushovers, though, as Steve Bruce has turned the Black Cats into a good footballing team that can be very hard to beat.

Bruce’s side have already picked up an away win over Chelsea and draws at Anfield and White Hart Lane this season, but the Gunners should still prove to be too strong for them this weekend.

Saturday also throws up a West Midlands derby between Birmingham and West Brom.

This is a massive game for these two rivals in their bids for Premier League survival, as both sides sit just above the relegation zone.

With Birmingham boosted by their Carling Cup win over Arsenal, they will be full of confidence going into this game and could just grab a victory in this relegation six-pointer (Birmingham 11/8, draw 21/10, West Brom 2/1).

Owen Coyle has done a great job with Bolton this year and, after suffering a slight blip in form, the Trotters have started to put in some decent performances.

Boosted by Chelsea loan-ace Daniel Sturridge ,they will be a challenge for any side and it’s Aston Villa’s turn on Saturday (Bolton 6/5, draw 12/5, Villa 2/1).

Last time out in the league, Villa finally looked like the team everyone expected to be before the start of the season, as they took apart Blackburn Rovers 4-1 at Villa Park last weekend. Gerard Houllier’s players have started to settle under the Frenchman’s leadership and they may just bag all three points at the Reebok.

Rovers, who looked so poor against Villa, travel to the capital to take on a Fulham side who are starting to edge their way to safety in the Premier League.

Now four points clear of the relegation zone, Mark Hughes’ side have only lost one of their last eight outings in the top flight and should pick another valuable three points at Craven Cottage (Fulham 4/6, draw 13/5, Rovers 4/1).

Newcastle United host Everton at St James’ Park, in what should be a close contest as both club’s push for a place in the top half of the table (Newcastle 6/4, draw 23/10, Everton 13/8).

Jermaine Beckford is starting to show the Premier League what he is all about after he bagged a brace against Sunderland last weekend.

Newcastle will be without Joey Barton through injury but Stephen Ireland is set to come into the side to make his debut for the Magpies.

This game is too close to call and both teams would probably settle with a point each from this one.

West Ham United welcome Stoke City to Upton Park with the Hammers looking to see off the Potters.

Avram Grant’s men are just a point away from safety and will be desperate for back-to-back victories after they impressively took Liverpool apart 3-1 last Sunday.

Stoke are six points off the relegation zone and they would love to keep the chasing back at bay with another three points. With the Potters being tough to beat they will probably play out a draw against a resurgent West Ham (West Ham 11/10, draw 23/10, Stoke 23/10).

In Saturday’s late kick-off, bottom-of-the-table Wigan take on top-four chasing Manchester City at Eastlands (City 4/11, draw 7/2, Wigan 7/1).

Italian striker Maro Balotelli has found a rich vein of form and will be looking to get on the scoresheet against the Latics.

It’s hard to see anything but a home win in this game, which City should cruise against a struggling Wigan outfit.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

McCoist targets Old Firm revenge

Posted on by
Reply

Rangers assistant boss Ally McCoist feels his side’s recent 3-0 defeat at Celtic Park has inspired his side ahead of Wednesday’s Scottish Cup fifth-round replay against their fierce rivals at the same venue (match betting 90 minutes – Celtic evens, draw 12/5, Rangers 11/4).

Celtic appeared to take a significant step forward in their pursuit of the SPL title with the victory over Rangers on February 20 as a brace from Gary Hooper and a strike from Kris Commons condemned the Gers to defeat.

Rangers offered very little in the encounter last month and McCoist and boss Walter Smith have both admitted the Light Blues were not at their best but McCoist feels that result has revitalised their campaign.

Since the defeat at Celtic, Rangers have impressed and booked a spot in the last 16 of the Europa League with a 2-2 draw at Sporting Lisbon, with the Glasgow side progressing on the away-goal rule.

In their last SPL fixture Rangers saw off St Johnstone 4-0 at Ibrox, while Celtic lost 2-0 at Motherwell, and McCoist’s side now sit five points adrift of the Bhoys in the league table with two games in hand.

McCoist, who will take over as boss once Smith steps down at the end of the season, admits Rangers did not perform in their defeat at Celtic Park but feels the result has proved to be a catalyst for the Gers’ change in fortunes.

“If you get beat 1-0 and were unlucky, you could maybe paper over cracks and kid yourself on a bit,” said McCoist.

“After that performance, there was no kidding ourselves on.

“Hopefully it’s a lesson learned because we feel, as disappointing as we were and Celtic did play well, we can play a lot better than that, we can play miles better than that.”

Rangers will be without on-loan winger Vladimir Weiss as he suffered an ankle injury in the win over St Johnstone.  Weiss has not been completely ruled out as yet but it appears highly unlikely he will feature and Smith has conceded he stands little chance of lining up against Celtic.

The Gers will also be without key man Steven Naismith and youngster Jamie Ness, while long-term absentees Kirk Broadfoot and Lee McCulloch will also miss the Old Firm showdown (Rangers 21/10 to win the Scottish Cup).

Celtic have no major injury concerns but they will be without on-loan goalkeeper Fraser Fortser and midfield playmaker Joe Ledley through suspension, meaning Lukasz Zaluska will start in goal (Celtic 15/8 to win the Scottish Cup).

There were six booking when the two sides last met at Celtic Park and the likes of Rangers forward El-Hadji Diouf and battling Celtic midfielder Scott Brown could certainly be in danger of picking up a card in the encounter.

Both Diouf and Brown are priced at 8/1 to receive the first yellow card of the game, as is Celtic defender Madjid Bougherra, and it is certainly an interesting market considering the passion that both sets of players will surely put into the Old Firm fixture.

Some reports have suggested Smith will employ a five-man defence, as he did with reasonable success in the Champions League earlier in the season, and the game could well be a tense affair.

Both sides are priced at 9/1 to win on penalties, while Rangers are 12/1 to win in extra-time and Celtic are 9/1.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Wednesday’s FA Cup Preview

Posted on by
Reply

We are starting to sort the men from the boys in the FA Cup as we head towards the quarter final stage and Wednesday’s two matches will give two sides the opportunity to advance one step closer to glory.

For the victor in the fifth round replay between Arsenal and Leyton Orient a daunting trip to Old Trafford awaits. Can Orient go one better this time around and heap further cup woe on the Gunners? At Eastlands Manchester City and Aston Villa will view a quarter-final at home to Reading as a golden ticket to reach the semi-finals. We look at both matches and point you in the right direction as to where you should put your money.

Manchester City v Aston Villa (7:45pm)

With Roberto Mancini and his Manchester City team conceding the title after Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Fulham the cup competitions offer the Italian the last chance to secure some silverware. In the Europa League it looks as though only a handful of teams could cause City too many problems and should they get past Villa on Wednesday night they will begin to believe a double is in the offing. However, Villa’s last hope of success this season is the FA Cup and having come within touching distance of silverware last year in the Carling Cup they’ll be eager to go one step further this time around.

Earlier in the season City thrashed Villa 4-0 at Eastlands but that was a different Villa team and Gerard Houllier will have been pleased with the progress they have made since then. The Villains have lost just one of their last nine in all competitions, including a 1-0 win over City at home. With survival in the Premier League looking more and more likely the trip to Eastlands has taken on the added importance of keeping the club’s season alive. A win against City and Villa will be confident of beating Reading in the next round to reach the semi-finals for the second year running.

However, Houllier’s options are depleted with James Collins, Carlos Cuellar, Darren Bent and Jean Makoun all absent. The youngsters who struggled earlier in the season might have to be thrown back in against a City side that could contain Carlos Tevez, Eden Dzeko, Mario Balotelli and David Silva. City have their own problems in defence and if Villa can keep the formidable quartet quiet at the other end they have a chance. City can not afford to take Villa lightly or it could be just the Europa League they are left playing for this season.

Match Bet: Aston Villa to win @ 5/1.

Arsenal v Leyton Orient (7:45pm)

Having tipped up a draw in the first game between these two unevenly matched teams it would take a brave man to put their money on this fifth round replay to go to extra time this time around. Had Chelsea not beaten Manchester United on Tuesday the atmosphere inside the Emirates Stadium would have been very downbeat after Sunday. However, hope springs eternal for the Gunners and the notoriously quiet home fans might be looking on the bright side of life again. The amount of games Arsenal are playing appears to be taking its toll in terms of injuries and the last thing they need is this replay against an Orient team who have been flying of late.

Russell Slade’s men have not lost any of the last 13 matches in all competitions, a run of results which includes their famous FA Cup wins away at Norwich and Swansea. However, anyone who watched the first match will know Orient were outplayed for much of it and were perhaps a tad lucky to earn a replay. Wednesday night will be seen as just a bonus night for Orient and should Arsenal be professional they should easily roll over the League One side.

How Arsenal react to Sunday’s Carling Cup final defeat will be the key to this game. If they come out looking to make amends then Orient could get a hammering. If they come out feeling sorry for themselves – and this could be more likely – then a hard-fought victory for Arsene Wenger’s men seems on the cards.

Match Bet: Arsenal to win 2-0 @ 11/2.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.