Monthly Archives: August 2011

In-form Boro can go top

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The top three teams in the Championship are all in action on Saturday, but will that trio maintain their solid start to the season? The unpredictable division offers punters the chance to find big price winners and and search out another few upsets this weekend.

Middlesbrough v Coventry

It’s third versus second bottom at the Riverside on Saturday and the home side will be confident of continuing their unbeaten start to the season.

Boro, who won this fixture 2-1 last season, look a different side this term despite losing players during the transfer window.

Although Marvin Emnes has got most of the headlines following his early-season goal flurry, Tony Mowbray’s defence has to take a lot of credit – conceding just four goals in six league and cup games.

Coventry, on the other hand, have picked up just one points from their opening four league games.

Boro/Boro HT/FT @ 11/8.

Derby v Burnley

The Rams have turned their fortunes around from last season’s struggles and have won their last three games without conceding a goal.

Nigel Clough’s men face another stern test though this Saturday, against a Burnley team that did the double over the Rams last season.

The Clarets have been hampered by early-season injuries, but they are a better side than their league position suggests and are capable of turning the form table upside down.

Draw @ 11/5.

Leicester v Southampton

League leaders Saints face their stiffest test yet this weekend, when they make the journey to the midlands to face big-spenders Leicester.

Nigel Adkins’ side look to have enough quality in their squad to mount a promotion challenge this term and their strike force, of Rickie Lambert, David Connolly and Adam Lallana, are a real handful.

But, although they have struggled at home so far this season, Leicester will prove a tough nut to crack. They showed signs of improvement at Nottingham Forest last week and they must get back to winning ways soon.

Leicester to win @ 6/5.

Brighton v Peterborough

These two teams met in League One last season and not many would have expected them to be in the top stage at this early stage.

Brighton won both meetings last term and will again be fancied by many to collect the three points here.

Gus Poyet’s men look to have that little bit of extra quality and Craig Mackail-Smith will be desperate to score against his former club.

Mackail-Smith to score at anytime @ 6/5.

Crystal Palace v Blackpool

The Eagles go into this game on the back of four straight wins and are always a difficult team to beat at Selhurst Park. Dougie Freedman has tightened things up at the back and Palace don’t look to be missing last season’s star man, Neil Danns, in the middle of the park.

You can guarantee goals with Blackpool, though, and Ian Holloway’s men are likely to put a dent in Palace’s goal against column.

Draw @ 12/5.

Ipswich v Leeds

There has been early season pressure on both of these two teams, but both struggling to make an impact in the opening four matches. Ipswich, in particular, have been leaking goals and losing matches ? with a 7-1 defeat at Peterborough fresh in the memory.

Leeds were much better at West Ham last week, but will have to contend with some new additions at Portman Road ? with Jimmy Bullard and Daryl Murphy joining Town in midweek.

Ipswich/Draw HT/FT @ 14/1.

Hull v Reading

There is a battle of two recent Premier League teams at the KC Stadium and this is another game where early-season pressure could have an impact.

The Tigers home form is shocking, with defeats in their three fixtures at the KC this season.

Reading have not fared much better and a midweek Carling Cup defeat at the hands of League One Charlton, will not have helped confidence in the Royals camp.

1-1 draw @ 6/1.

Portsmouth v Cardiff

Cardiff won home and away against Pompey last season, but this fixture will be a much tougher test for the man from Wales.

Steve Cotterill has made the south-coast outfit difficult to beat, but they now need to find goals from somewhere – with just one in their last four games.

The Bluesbirds have plenty of goals in them, but they have also been shipping plenty.

Benjani has rejoined Pompey this week and he could play a key role in their progress.

Pompey to win @ 11/8.

Doncaster v Bristol City

Both of these teams are likely to be battling it out at the bottom end of the table and, even at this stage of the season, three points here could be crucial.

Both teams have leaked goals and although they have four points more than Rovers, City were dumped out of the Carling Cup by lower league opposition, Swindon, in midweek. Home advantage could be the key.

Doncaster to win @ 5/4.

Millwall v Barnsley

The Lions have made a solid start to the season and are unbeaten at the New Den so far this term. Millwall won this fixture 2-0 last term and look likely to seal another three points.

Despite a shock win at Reading last week, it would be a major surprise it the Tykes could secure back-to-back away wins.

Millwall to win 2-0 @ 13/2.

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British clubs eye Europa progress

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Six British clubs feature in Thursday night’s second leg Europa League play-off clashes and all, except for Hearts, have a great chance of making the group stages of the competition.

Dnipro (0) vs Fulham (3)

The Cottagers look set to make it through to the group stages after a convincing performance at Craven Cottage last week, where they overcame Ukrainian side Dnipro 3-0.

The west London club will struggle not to repeat a victory tomorrow night, although Martin Jol’s side may take their foot of the gas slightly. However, new boss Jol will be keen that his side get back to winning ways after a disappointing 2-0 away defeat to Wolves at the weekend.

A 2-1 Fulham victory can be backed at 10/1, with last week’s double-goal hero Clint Dempsey 15/8 to score at anytime in the fixture.

Tottenham (5) vs Hearts (0)

One could be forgiven for declaring this game a dead-rubber due to the huge five-goal advantage that Spurs take into this second leg.

However, with so much transfer speculation around White Hart Lane at the moment, many of the players set to be in action for the north London club will have a point to prove to manager Harry Redknapp.

Peter Crouch, who may be surplus to requirements if Emmanuel Adebayor’s loan deal is secured, is 4/1 to score first while fellow striker Roman Pavlyuchenko – who has been linked with a switch to Sunderland – is also 4/1 to grab the first goal of the evening.

A Hearts comeback is out of the question, especially away from home, but the Scottish outfit can be backed at an appealing 21/5 to score first.

Birmingham (0) vs Nacional (0)

In perhaps the most intriguing tie of the night, Blues face a tricky task at home against Portuguese side Nacional as the Championship outfit aim for the Europa League group stages.

Birmingham were unlucky not to grab an away goal last week, after Steven Caldwell and Chris Wood both rattled the woodwork on three separate occasions between them.

Wood, who is on-loan from West Brom, is yet to score this season but can be backed at a tempting 6/1 to score first tomorrow evening, while Caldwell is 40/1 to achieve the same feat.

Nacional, however, will be scenting a chance to progress into the group stages and know how vital an away goal could be at St Andrew’s.

The Portuguese outfit are 5/1 to grab a 1-1 draw and break Birmingham hearts courtesy of the away goal rule -  a result that would put an end to the club’s first foray into Europe for 49 years.

Rangers (1) vs NK Maribor (2)

Rangers appear to face the toughest task of all the British clubs on Thursday – barring Hearts of course – as they seek to overturn a 2-1 deficit against Slovenian champions NK Maribor.

The Scottish champions will hope that their away goal proves vital, but the fact that they threw away a 1-0 lead in Slovenia could prey heavily on their minds in the return game.

Ally McCoist’s men are 5/1 to claim a 1-0 victory at Ibrox, which would be enough to see them through to the group stages.

Nikicka Jelavic and Steven Naismith, who have both bagged three goals already this season for the Glasgow side, are 7/2 and 9/2 respectively to score first.

FC Sion (0) vs Celtic (0)

Celtic will hope to get their season back on track when they travel to Switzerland to try and complete a victory over FC Sion.

Last week’s contest saw a stalemate in which Neil Lennon’s men looked unimpressive in front of goal.  And, after a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to St Johnstone on Sunday, Lennon will be desperate to get a victory.

The Hoops are 7/4 to claim a victory and Kris Commons can be backed at 13/2 to score first.

Lennon will be pleased that his men did not concede an away goal during the first leg, but that could be scant consolation if they fail to progress to the group stages of the competition.

It could well be a nervy affair at Parkhead but the Bhoys are bound to go for goals early on in a bid to secure a group-stage place. However, Sion will be a threat on the break so Celtic to be leading at half-time and losing at full-time can be backed at an attractive 25/1.

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Carling Cup previews

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There are plenty of Carling Cup ties to get stuck into on Wednesday night with several Premier League teams in action. There will doubtless be many fringe players on view, and it will be a chance for the lesser lights to carry out a giant-killing act (totesport – Carling Cup).

Exeter City v Liverpool

The feel-good factor is back at Anfield after a period in the doldrums with ‘King’ Kenny once again at the helm.

The Merseysiders have spent millions of pounds to try to bring the good times back and look to have a squad capable of challenging for silverware.

While the Premier League may be beyond them at this stage of their rebuilding, cup competitions have always been important to the Anfield faithful and veteran defender Jamie Carragher has stated that they will be taking the Carling Cup seriously as it is a competition that they could realistically win.

With that in mind and a strong squad to choose from, the likes of Dirk Kuyt, Maxi Rodriguez and Raul Meireles could all feature against the Grecians, while several other squad players may get a run-out.

The League One outfit have garnered just one point from their four league outings to date but will see this as a chance to topple one of the biggest clubs in the world and should go into the clash with little or no fear.

But Liverpool are tipped to take care of the Devon club and maybe go all the way to Wembley this time around.

Odds: Exeter 7/1, Liverpool 2/5, draw 7/2

Everton v Sheffield United

In contrast to their rivals from across Stanley Park, Everton have little or no money to spend and have failed to bring in any new players over the summer months.

They have played just one Premier League match this season and went down 1-0 to new-boys Queens Park Rangers, despite dominating the game.

There appears to be an air of despondency hanging over Goodison Park at present and a good Carling Cup run could be just what the doctor ordered to lift the mood.

Manager David Moyes does not have the luxury of a big squad to choose from and so it is likely that several first-team regulars will be given an outing against the Yorkshire side.

Tim Cahill, Jermaine Beckford and Louis Saha are all doubtful for the second round tie, while the Scot will also have to do without Seamus Coleman, Magaye Gueye and Diniyar Bilyaletdinov.

The Blades have made an excellent start to their League One campaign with 10 points from their first four games and they will fancy their chances of an upset against an Everton side who are low on confidence.

United boss Danny Wilson has stated that he will try to win every cup game that the club plays in this term and not just focus on promotion back to the Championship.

Stephen Quinn will be given a late fitness test after a rough outing against Tranmere while Ryan Flynn and new signing Kevin McDonald may well return from injury.

Odds: Everton 4/9, Sheffield United 13/2, draw 100/30

Blackburn Rovers v Sheffield Wednesday

Blackburn are one of four Premier League clubs yet to gain a point this season after defeats to Wolves and Aston Villa and boss Steve Kean is already under pressure.

This is a game he could do without, as defeat in front of the Ewood Park faithful would have the fans and press calling for his head.

Rovers have been stretched by injuries just two games into the season and there will be a number of unfamiliar faces in the line-up as the Scot looks to rest some players for the weekend clash with Everton.

But he cannot afford to be too complacent as Wednesday have made a solid, if unspectacular, start to their League One campaign and are tipped for promotion back to the Championship.

Radosav Petrovic looks set to make his full debut and the tough-tackling Serb could be what the side needs to lift them back to winning ways.

Gel Givet is set to play alongside Grant Hanley in the centre of defence with Ryan Nelson given the night off to prepare for the weekend clash with Aston Villa.

Jason Lowe and Bruno Ribeiro could well feature in what has become a must-win clash for the north-west outfit.

Owls boss Gary Megson is set to ring the changes as on-loan winger Ben Marshall will be rested while skipper Rob Jones will also miss out despite recovering from a broken nose sustained in last week’s defeat to Bury.

Odds: Rovers 8/15, Sheffield Wednesday 5/1, draw 3/1

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End-game looms for Wenger

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They say it never rains but pours and for Arsene Wenger a deluge of questions await should a worrying start to the new season be compounded by an early exit from the Champions League on Wednesday.

A 2-0 home defeat by top-four rivals and new-look Liverpool on Saturday means the north Londoners remain without a win from their opening two games of the domestic season and Wenger is charged with the task of galvanising an inexperienced squad for a difficult assignment against Udinese in north-east Italy.

Confirmation on Monday that the Frenchman has received a two-match ban from Uefa for breaching the terms of a previous Champions League suspension means his involvement at Stadio Communale Friuli may be limited. This, coupled with a host of injury problems, makes for worrying times for Gunners fans.

The loss of captain and talisman Cesc Fabregas has blunted Arsenal as an attacking unit and principal striker Robin van Persie is in desperate need of support – not helped by yet more conjecture about the future of Samir Nasri.

Arsenal were fortunate to secure a 1-0 first-leg win on home soil and their wretched away form in Europe – just one win in eight games – suggests they have to be opposed and Bianconeri could be the bet at 9/4 To Qualify.

The Serie A side have lost only twice at home in the league since the turn of the year – and four in total all last season – and also kept six clean sheets among their 11 wins.

Arsenal will have the edge in terms of match sharpness given that the Italian season does not start until this weekend but a lack of teeth in the final third is as tangible as it is worrying for seasoned Arsenal followers fearing a horror start to the new campaign.

A Udinese team short of competitive games against a nervous and immature Arsenal side makes for a difficult fixture to pin down in terms of a betting proposition, but the 5/2 for Total Goals (1 or less) in the 90 minutes appeals given that punters have both teams running for them.

Udinese only managed to score more than two goals on three occasions in Serie A at home all last season and the enormity of the fixture means the 5/6 for Under 2.5 goals looks decent.

Wenger, who had the look of a condemned man at the final whistle on Saturday, was adamant in his assessment that his players will turn the corner and that he will not walk away from the club.

“I don’t feel it is all doom and gloom. I feel there are also positives,” he added.

After Wednesday, next up for Arsenal is the small matter is a trip to Old Trafford to take on 6/4 Premier League title favourites and reigning champions Manchester United.

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Spurs out to put record straight

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There is another North West versus London clash to round off this weekend with Manchester United hosting Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford on Monday night, with honours even so far.

The away sides have prospered in those regional clashes as well with Liverpool upsetting Arsenal 1-0 at the Emirates while QPR put their 4-0 thrashing on the opening day behind them with a surprise 1-0 victory at Everton.

United of course opened their title defence with a 2-1 win at West Brom and, given their record at Old Trafford last season, it is no surprise to see them installed as 8/13 favourites in the match betting.

However, there is a case to be made for Harry Redknapp’s side causing an upset on the road at a big price of 5/1, with the draw on offer at 14/5 – if you forget Spurs’ wretched run against the Red Devils.

Summer signing David De Gea has come under fire following less than convincing performances for United in the Community Shield and opening Premier League game and is sure to be nervous as he tries to fill the shoes of Edwin Van der Sar.

Add to that the fact that the first-choice central defensive pair of captain Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have both been ruled out with injury, while right-back Rafael Da Silva is sidelined for 10 weeks, and De Gea will have a new-look defence in front of him.

Jonny Evans looks likely to be partnered by Phil Jones at centre-back with Chris Smalling continuing to fill in on the right, although there is some good news for Ferguson as Patrice Evra looks set to return from a knee injury.

Javier Hernandez is also unavailable with concussion sustained pre-season so there are worries for United – and it appears to be a question of whether Spurs can capitalise.

This will be Spurs’ first game in the Premier League as their scheduled opener was called off due to the riots but they did enjoy a comfortable run out in midweek with a 5-0 win at Hearts in the Champions League qualifying first leg.

Chelsea target Luka Modric is available again after missing that game with a groin problem, providing a massive boost for Harry Redknapp, who will be without Ledley King, William Gallas and Alan Hutton, while Peter Crouch faces a fitness test on an ankle problem.

Rafael van der Vaart and Jermain Defoe both scored in the midweek rout and are both on offer at a tempting 8/1 to open the scoring at Old Trafford, although United will not afford them the time and space they enjoyed against the Jambos.

Wayne Rooney opened his account against West Brom and is the 7/2 favourite as First/Last goalscorer but United were far from impressive as they struggled to the victory.

Rooney’s goal, according to Opta, was the only effort on target for United, and they are sure to need more to take maximum points against a side looking to get back into the Champions League.

This fixture though is at Old Trafford and United are a different beast on home territory, winning 18 of 19 matches there last season on their way to claiming a record 19th title.

Spurs also have an awful record against United and have not won any of their last 24 matches against Sir Alex Ferguson’s men – last tasting victory with a 3-1 at White Hart Lane ten years ago.

Die-hard Lilywhites’ fans may find it difficult to remember their last success in Manchester as it came 22 years ago with a 1-0 success, while this fixture last year ended 2-0 to the home side.

However if you can put that run to the back of your mind, 5/1 on the away win offers good value, particularly with inexperience running through the United rearguard – while the game looks like it will offer plenty of goals.

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Things we learned this weekend

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There won’t be many more managers in the Premier League who will have endured a more difficult weekend than Arsenal (20/1 Champions League outright) boss Arsene Wenger.

The Gunners are yet to win a game in the top flight this season, or even score a goal, after a disappointing goalless draw against Newcastle United last weekend was followed up by a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool at the Emirates on Saturday.

When you are down on your luck it looks like things are going against you and Liverpool’s opener had nothing to do with the Reds as Arsenal defender Ignasi Miquel slammed the ball at team-mate Aaron Ramsey to then see it find its way in the goal.

That followed the sending off of Emmanuel Frimpong, who showed his inexperience at this level and exposed the lack of strength in depth in the Gunners squad. Now the pressure is building on Wenger, who has also had to deal with the loss of his skipper Cesc Fabregas, who completed his protracted move to Barcelona earlier in the week.

With Samir Nasri set to leave the Emirates before the end of the month, the Gunners boss will have to splash the cash to appease the club’s fans if he still wants to be in charge at the Emirates next season.

Another man who finds himself under pressure is Ireland rugby coach Declan Kidney, who saw his side suffer their third straight defeat ahead of the World Cup next month.

The Irish went down 22-26 to the French on Saturday to leave Kidney’s side with their confidence  on the floor ahead of the major tournament, following another defeat to Les Bleus last weekend and a loss to Scotland in Edinburgh.

Things won’t get much easier for Kidney, as his side get set to host Six Nations champions England next weekend and questions have now been raised over Ireland’s preparations ahead of the World Cup.

Only a win will do against the English after this weekend’s latest defeat has placed unwanted pressure on Kidney and the Ireland (20/1 World Cup outright) squad.

In the 13-man form of the game, Wigan Warriors once again showed they are the side to beat in the Super League this season as they hope to defend their title. The Lancashire outfit thrashed the Bradford Bulls on Friday night with a superb second-half performance at the DW Stadium.

Sam Tomkins bagged himself another brace as the Warriors ran in 12 tries to put themselves in a strong position at the top of the table.

Wigan (1/4 Challenge Cup outright) are perfectly placed to do the double this season, as they continue to look strong in the Super League and have booked their place in the final of the Challenge Cup, where they will face Leeds Rhinos at Wembley.

Looking at the way they took apart the Bulls, it’s hard to see any side stopping the Warriors securing a famous double this term.

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Hammers out to slam Whites

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Sunday throws up a Championship clash that years ago would have been a regular meeting in the Premier League, as West Ham United host Leeds United at Upton Park in a mouth-watering fixture (West Ham 7/10, draw 13/5, Leeds United 4/1 Match Prices).

These two sides are arguably two of the biggest and best supported clubs in the second tier of English football this season and there will be an electric atmosphere when these two giants meet.

West Ham found out that getting out of the Championship may be no easy task after they suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Cardiff City in their opening game of the season.

However, manager Sam Allardyce and his players have responded well from their disappointing loss to the Bluebirds and secured victories over Watford and Doncaster Rovers in their last two outings.

The Hammers could be boosted by striker John Carew, who is set to make his debut for the club following his summer move to Upton Park.

Carew (11/2 First Goalscorer) will add some extra power up front and with his physical presence he is bound to cause a less than reliable Leeds defence problems on Sunday.

As for the Whites they have come through a torrid spell at the start of the season where they lost their opening two games to Southampton and Middlesbrough, before securing a 4-1 win in their last outing against Yorkshire rivals Hull City.

A lack of movement in the summer transfer window has been a major concern for Leeds fans with 34-year-old midfielder Michael Brown being the only permanent outfield signing since the end of the last campaign in which the West Yorkshire outfit finished seventh in the table.

Many believe Leeds over-achieved in the Championship last season and their early form this term would back that claim, as the Whites have struggled with key strikers Luciano Becchio and Davide Somma both out with long-term injuries.

However there were plenty of positives to take out of the win over Hull, with Adam Clayton looking strong in midfield alongside the Honduran international Ramon Nunez (5/2 Anytime Scorer), who has scored three goals already this season.

Loan-man Andy Keogh showed promise in his first game for Leeds on his return, having made one appearance before being sold by former manager Kevin Blackwell in 2005.

This should be an exciting game between two very attacking sides, who do have frailties at the back so expect plenty of action on goal.

With the Hammers at home they should come out on top in this one but it would not be surprising to see Leeds come away from the capital with a draw if the likes of Max Gradel and Robert Snodgrass enjoy time and space on the ball at Upton Park.

In Sunday’s other game, Middlesbrough host Birmingham City at the Riverside, with the home side hoping to continue their unbeaten start to the season (Middlesbrough 21/20, draw 12/5, Birmingham City 13/5 Match Prices).

Seven points from nine spells out a strong start by the former Premier League outfit who underachieved last term.

As for the Blues they have won one and lost one in their opening two games of the Championship with new manager Chris Hughton looking to take his side back to the top flight as quickly as possible.

This will be another close encounter but Birmingham might just bag all three points in this one with the extra quality they possess in their squad.

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Premier League preview – Sunday

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There are three Premier League matches on Sunday with two sides that won their opening game, Bolton and Manchester City, set to face each other. New boys Norwich are also in action so we will take a look at how things might turn out on Sunday evening.

Bolton v Manchester City

Bolton are now firmly established as a top-flight club and they dealt ruthlessly with the threat of Premier League newcomers Queens Park Rangers last weekend. While the 4-0 scoreline may have flattered them slightly, it was still an excellent way to get their campaign up and running.

But Sunday’s clash will be a real test of their mettle as they welcome a City side to the Reebok who have real title ambitions after another summer of big-money signings.

Record signing Sergio Aguero bagged a brace on his City debut against Swansea and could well be handed a starting berth against the Trotters. The Argentina international hit-man looks a real talent and the Bolton rearguard will have to keep a close eye on him throughout the 90 minutes.

But such is the talent on show at the Eastlands club these days that goals could come from anywhere and there are even rumours that Carlos Tevez might make an appearance.

Bolton’s Ricardo Gardner will undergo a fitness test on his groin problem, while new signing Tuncay will be available if his work permit is sorted out in time.

Both sides scored four goals last time out and, while home advantage will certainly help Bolton, an away win seems the likely result here.

Odds: Bolton 7/2, City 5/6, draw 13/5

Norwich City v Stoke City

Norwich made the best start of the three promoted teams, gaining a creditable 1-1 draw away at Wigan Athletic, and Sunday’s clash at Carrow Road will be the first top-flight game there for six years.

There is sure to be a carnival atmosphere and that will help them against a well-organised and tough Potters outfit, who came away from Stamford Bridge with a point after a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in their season-opener.

Stoke may feel the effects of Thursday’s trip to Switzerland when they played FC Thun in the Europa League but their 1-0 victory will have given them a confidence boost heading into the weekend’s fixture.

Norwich centre-back Zak Whitbread was forced off against Wigan because of a knee problem and his participation against Tony Pulis’ men is in doubt but Daniel Ayala, who joined from Liverpool on Tuesday, is waiting to fill his boots.

Stoke trio Jonathan Woodgate, Jermaine Pennant and Asmir Begovic were rested for the Swiss trip but should all start in East Anglia.

The Canaries’ stay in the Premier League lasted just one season last time and they will need to win the majority of their home games if they want to reverse that trend this time, and a home clash with Stoke will certainly have been pencilled in as one they can take three points from.

Odds: Norwich 6/4, Stoke 15/8, draw 23/10

Wolves v Fulham

Wolves were another side to take maximum points from their opening salvo with an excellent 2-1 win at Blackburn, while the Cottagers held Aston Villa to a goalless draw by the Thames.

The Molineux outfit waited until the final game of last season to secure their top-flight status but have started this term in a positive fashion as they look to consolidate their place in England’s top division.

Fulham are under new management and look to be an organised unit under Martin Jol although, like Stoke, they might suffer from their midweek European outing.

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy may name the same side that won at Blackburn, with defender Richard Stearman fit again after hurting his back against Rovers.

Fulham could recall Dickson Etuhu, John Arne Riise, Philippe Senderos and Andrew Johnson, who were rested and dropped to the bench for the clash with Dnipro.

Both sides will be looking for a top-10 finish this year and a draw looks a sensible bet for this one.

Odds: Wolves 11/8, Fulham 11/5, draw 9/4

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Sven to beat successor McClaren

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Two former England managers go head-to-head in the stand out fixture in the Championship this Saturday, as Nottingham Forest entertain Leicester in a big Midlands derby. A lot is expected from both Steve McClaren and Sven Goran Eriksson, who will come out at the City Ground? We take a look at this Saturday‘s fixtures and try and work out the best bets in an unpredictable league.

Nottingham Forest v Leicester

Both teams have not started as they would have hoped, with both in the bottom half of the table after just one win in their opening three games.

Leicester have recorded back-to-back home defeats and the Championship’s big spenders need to respond.

Forest, meanwhile, have scored just one goal in their opening three league fixtures and have brought in Matt Derbyshire and Ishmael Miller to try and resolve the issue.

The home support may work against the home side and don’t be surprised if Leicester bounce back in fine style.
Leicester to win @ 19/10.

Southampton v Millwall

Saints top the table after three matches and are already looking like a promoted team that will be towards the top end of the table rather than struggling against the drop. Even the exit of Alex Chamberlain has done little to scupper the St Mary’s hopes.

Despite picking up five points in three games, Millwall have been leaking too many goals and that will probably be their Achilles heel.
Lambert to score at anytime @ 6/5.

Brighton v Blackpool

The Seagulls seem to have taken to their new ground like a duck to water and they’re away form has been impressive as well – with wins at Portsmouth and Cardiff.

This will prove a stern test, though, against a Blackpool team capable of bouncing back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Kevin Phillips has found his goalscoring boots, so the rest of the league better watch out!
Draw/Draw HT/FT @ 4/1.

Derby v Doncaster

Nigel Clough’s men have been one of the surprise packages of the season so far, having been stuck in a relegation fight for much of last term.

The Rams have picked up maximum points from their opening three games and have kept clean sheets in their last two matches.

Doncaster have been hit hard by two key injuries, to Billy Sharp and James Coppinger, and an already thin squad is struggling to cope in their absence with Rovers currently bottom.
Derby to win @ 5/6.

Burnley v Cardiff

Both teams challenged for the play-offs last season, but it’s hard to know how the much-changed sides will progress this term.

Cardiff look to have the stronger of the two squads and look more dangerous away from home when they can hit teams on the break. Kenny Miller and Rob Earnshaw could prove too much to handle for a Clarets backline that is leaking goals.
Draw/Cardiff HT/FT @ 5/1.

Hull v Crystal Palace

The Tigers’ poor home form has followed a familiar path from last season and two KC defeats to Blackpool and then Macclesfield in the Carling Cup don’t bode well.

But Nigel Pearson’s squad should be strong enough to beat a Palace team, who despite sitting sixth, will rely heavily on their home form this season.
Koren to score at anytime @ 3/1.

Bristol City v Portsmouth

These two teams sum up this division – entertaining and unpredictable!

Having lost their opening two matches heavily, City bounced back with an unlikely win at Leicester.

Pompey meanwhile, have won one, drawn one and lost one of their opening three matches.

Nicky Maynard is the stand out player in this one, although Dave Kitson’s height is likely to cause the home team problems at the back.
Maynard – First Goalscorer @ 5/1.

Coventry v Watford

Both of these two teams sit in the bottom three at present – Coventry have lost all three of their matches to date while Watford have just one point from a possible nine.

Watford have a better squad on paper, but Coventry are always difficult to break down and may have enough to sneak a win.
Coventry to win @ 11/8.

Reading v Barnsley

The Royals are still trying to bounce back from the loss of key players Matt Mills and Shane Long, but they should have too much for a struggling Barnsley outfit.

Keith Hill accepted the Tykes were beaten at home by a much better team in Middlesbrough in midweek, so a trip to the Madejski looks a daunting prospect.
Reading to win 2-0 @ 11/2

Peterborough v Ipswich (5:20pm)

Darren Ferguson’s men have surprised many with their solid start to the new campaign, with four points from their opening three games. Posh have plenty of goals in them, but so do Ipswich and this could be a high scoring affair.

Michael Chopra got two on the opening day and is due another goal this weekend.
Chopra to score at anytime @ 3/2.

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‘Battle of Britain’ Preview

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Tottenham take on Hearts in a ‘Battle of Britain‘ as the highlight of this Thursday’s Europa League play-offs which will also feature Celtic, Rangers, Stoke City, Birmingham City and Fulham.

Manager Harry Redknapp may seem more concerned about the ticking clock in his head that counts down to the final frantic minutes of the transfer window than Spurs’ Europa League campaign and he probably is, which makes Hearts a great bet at 4/1 (90 Minutes) to take a first-leg lead down to London.

The Tynecastle club’s owner was widely criticised for axing ex-boss Jim Jefferies after the 1-1 draw to Hungarians Paksi in the previous round, but his decision didn’t look so bad when Hearts ran out 4-1 winners in the second leg.

New coach Paulo Sergio is endearing himself to the fans and local press alike and saw his team turn Aberdeen over 3-0 at home last weekend.

Spurs, however, are yet to play a competitive match this season after their opening Premier League match was called off following the riots and may be a bit short of competitive match sharpness for a clash which, as any Anglo-Scottish affair could be, may be tasty.

John Sutton grabbed a brace at the weekend and, although he didn’t score their first, the ex-Motherwell man is 7/1 (First Goalscorer) to bag the opener against Spurs while Hearts are 9/5 (To Score First Goal) if you prefer.

Stoke City may be worth opposing on their travels too as they, like Spurs in the Champions League last year, take on a useful Swiss team on a plastic pitch.

FC Thun are currently top of the Swiss standings following a 5-2 home win at the weekend and with the safety net of the second leg at the Britannia Stadium, Stoke boss Tony Pulis may field a weakened line up for this first leg.

Pulis has spoken about the concern he has that the hard surface may lead to injuries in his squad in the lead-up to the match, so the 2/1 on offer for a home win looks incredibly tempting.

Without wanting to sound totally anti-English here, Birmingham City’s Europa League involvement may not last much beyond this round either as they face a first-leg trip to Madeira to take on CD Nacional.

Chris Hughton is without a number of key players for the clash and, although Nacional are not up there with the best teams in Portugal, they have a good defensive record.

The Blues may be able to come away with a small deficit from the match to keep them in touch over the tie and a scoreline of 1-0 to Nacional at 9/2 (Correct Score) or HT Draw/FT Nacional at 10/3 (Half Time/Full Time) appear to be the safest wagers.

Now for the good news! Celtic look a great bet to win their home leg against FC Sion and at 8/15 should be in most accumulators, while Rangers (6/4) and Fulham (4/6) can also make progress against Maribor and Dnipro at bigger, but slightlier riskier prices.

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