Monthly Archives: February 2012

APOEL living the dream

Posted on by
Reply

The attention now turns back to European competition and the serious business of the knockout stages of the Champions League gets underway on Tuesday, with defending champions Barcelona involved first up, along with surprise package APOEL FC.

Pep Guardiola’s men remain as the 6/4 outright favourites for glory in Munich at the end of the season, having won twice in the last three year’s, although there may be some objectors given the Catalans struggles domestically.

The La Liga champions look as though they will be relinquishing their domestic title as they have struggled on the road in Spain, drawing too many games, while they go into Tuesday’s clash against Bayer Leverkusen on the back of a surprise 3-2 at Osasuna.

Barcelona may well have had this game in mind though as Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Cesc Fabregas were rested for the weekend loss and look set to return to the starting XI.

Barca’s road form in Spain is in stark contrast to their results on their travels in Europe’s elite competition and it is no surprise they go to Germany as 4/9 favourites in the match betting, with the draw priced at 10/3 and Bayer available at 7/1 to upset the odds.

Guardiola’s side dominated Group H qualifying and actually enjoyed better results away from the Nou Camp, winning all three games, scoring 12 goals and conceding just two in the process.

Bayer, runners-up in 2002, have returned to the knockout phase for the first time since 2004/05 on the back of solid home form, scoring six goals and conceding two goals in three wins at the BayArena.

However, their form domestically has slumped of late, while they will also be missing key midfielder Michael Ballack for the first leg and it is difficult to see them causing a shock.

A draw is possibly the best that they can go for but with the onus on them to attack ahead of the second leg at the Nou Camp, Barca can exploit the gaps to take a crucial advantage.

The other game pits Lyon against surprise package APOEL, who shocked Europe by taking top spot in Group G, which included Zenit St Petersburg, FC Porto and Shakhtar Donetsk.

The French giants secured second spot in Group G behind Real Madrid but only after a dramatic final round of fixtures as a 7-1 win at Dinamo Zagreb took them through with a better goal difference.

Remi Garde’s side have been installed as 2/5 favourites in the match betting to record a first-leg advantage in France, with the draw on offer at 10/3 and APOEL priced at 17/2 to cause a shock.

The experience is very much with the home side as they have reached this stage for the last nine seasons, while APOEL have become the first Cypriot side ever to make the last 16.

However, Lyon have been knocked out at this stage in four of the last five seasons and may well find it harder than the betting suggests against a side that went unbeaten away in the group stages – albeit with three draws.

They were certainly difficult places to go to and the Cypriots can take confidence from those games, particularly as they also have conceded just three goals and kept three clean sheets in six games on the road in Europe (including the qualifying rounds).

APOEL are likely to set themselves up as being hard to break down to give themselves a chance of progressing when they return to Nicosia for the second leg on March 7, so the draw looks tempting at 10/3.

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

Hammers out to sink Saints

Posted on by
Reply

Tuesday night sees a host of games taking place in the Championship, but one game that sticks out above the rest sees top of the table West Ham United take on second place Southampton (West Ham 11/10, draw 23/10, Southampton 5/2).

The Hammers will go into this game well rested, after their game over the weekend at Peterborough fell foul of the freezing conditions the UK endured the past week. West Ham’s last outing saw them record a hard fought 2-1 victory over arch rivals Millwall in a fiery London derby.

Manager Sam Allardyce has stamped his authority on this side and, although they might not be playing in the ‘West Ham style’, they have been getting the results, as they sit a point above the Saints with a game in hand over the South Coast outfit.

It has been the same old names bagging in the goals for the Hammers, with former Chelsea striker Carlton Cole their top goalscorer in the Championship, with nine to his name so far. West Ham (10/11 Championship outright) managed to keep hold of the 28-year-old in the January transfer window and will be looking for the England international to be a threat at Upton Park on Tuesday.

New signing Nicky Maynard will be pushing for his first start for the Hammers following his move from Bristol City and he will cause the Saints defence problems if he features.

As for Southampton (4/1 Championship outright) they head into this game on the back of a comprehensive 2-0 victory over Burnley at St Mary’s, with their new striker Billy Sharp getting his first goal for the club since his switch from Doncaster Rovers. Alongside top goalscorer Rickie Lambert, who has scored 20 goals in the Championship this term, Sharp should thrive with his new employers and the pair will be a handful for the West Ham defence.

Neither side wants to lose this game and with little to choose between the pair, this one might be a draw at Upton Park.

Elsewhere, Blackpool have not lost a league game in 2012 and they will be looking to continue that record when they travel across the Pennines to take on Doncaster Rovers at the Keepmoat Stadium (Doncaster 2/1, draw 12/5, Blackpool 13/10). The Tangerines currently find themselves fifth in the table as they push for a swift return back to the Premier League following relegation last season.

Blackpool come up against a Doncaster side who have not played this month, after seeing their last two games against Reading and Crystal Palace cancelled due to frozen pitches. With the loss of their top goalscorer Sharp, the Yorkshire outfit might well struggle for goals and with the Seasiders looking strong in defence, the visitors should come out on top in this one.

Tuesday will also see struggling Nottingham Forest make the long trip to the North East to take on ninth place Middlesbrough (Boro 5/6, draw 5/2, Forest 10/3). Forest battled to a 1-1 draw with Watford in their last outing, with points vital to the East Midlands outfit if they are to get out of the relegation zone.

Manager Steve Cotterill will be pleased to be taking on a Boro side who are not playing their best football of the season after a strong start. Tony Mowbray’s side will still be a tough prospect at the Riverside and could well get back to form with a win over a Forest team who continue to struggle in front of goal.

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

Big boys to sneak it on Monday

Posted on by
Reply

After another superb weekend of Serie A action, Mondays sees two mouth watering games with Champions League chasing Napoli (40/1 Champions league outright) hosting Chievo while Luis Enrique’s Roma travel to Siena.

Despite impressing in the Champions League, where they have progressed to the knockout stages, Napoli have struggled for consistency in the league and currently sit seventh, ten points off the European spots (Napoli 8/15, draw 11/4, Chievo 11/2).

They will see the Chievo match as the perfect chance and will look to in-demand striker Edison Cavani to fire them to glory. The Uruguayan is thought to be on the shopping lists of a number of Europe’s top clubs and he’ll certainly be looking to get on the scoresheet.

Chievo continue to defy the odds and despite their limited resources look as if they’ll once again avoid relegation quite comfortably.

To win in Naples you have to be prepared to compete and in Michael Bradley the Veronans have one of the best combative midfielders in the business. Bradley is at the heart of everything his side does and will be looking forward to the challenge of facing the likes of Marek Hamsik and Gokhan Inler.

However, home advantage should play its part and with the likes of Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi in attack, it’s hard to look past them for a comfortable win.

The other match is at the Stadio Artemio Franchi and also looks as if it could be a thriller with both Siena and Roma known for their open and exciting styles of play (Siena 21/10, draw 11/5, Roma 13/10).

Siena are currently teetering on the edge of the relegation zone but, having drawn with Juventus in their last league game and then followed it up with a cup win against Napoli, Giuseppe Sannino’s side are sure to be full of confidence.

Their player to watch is likely to be striker Emanuele Calaio (7/4 to score at anytime) who has scored four in his last five games and is in the form of his life. He will be looking to once again find the net and fire his side away from the drop zone.

Roma have proved to be somewhat of an enigma this season and, despite bringing in a number of new players, the Giallorossi have struggled for form. However, they’re still in contention for the Champions league places and will expect to win.

Key to their chances is sure to be captain Francesco Totti (11/8 to score at anytime) who has been in superb form in the last few months and will be looking for another big game. The veteran playmakers’ form has resulted in calls for him to end his international retirement and play for Italy in Euro 2012 and he’ll certainly look to dictate affairs on Monday.

His class could make the difference and although it will undoubtedly be a tight match, Roma should sneak it.

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

City set sights on top spot

Posted on by
Reply

There are two Premier League games on Sunday and all the action takes place in the West Midlands, comprising a derby that has implications at the bottom of the table and Manchester City looking to reclaim their place at the top of the table.

Wolves v West Brom
The 146th Black Country derby takes place at Molineux, with Roy Hodgson’s West Brom looking to hold onto the bragging rights after winning the clash at The Hawthorns in October.

The Baggies fans will travel the short distance glad they are away from home as, despite the fact they have won only three games in 12, some 18 of their 26 points earned this season have been on the road.

For Mick McCarthy this game will all be about restoring confidence. Their come-from-behind win at QPR last week ended a run of nine games without a win and they need to follow that up with another three points to drag themselves away from trouble. (Wolves 6/4, draw 9/4, West Brom 2/1)

Kevin Doyle (11/2 First Goalscorer) returned with an assist and the winning goal at QPR last weekend and McCarthy must decide whether the Irishman gets in ahead of Steven Fletcher and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake.

The addition of Sebastien Bassong is hoped to shore up a defence that has conceded in each of their last 21 matches, but Karl Henry, Michael Kightly, Kevin Foley, Jamie O’Hara and Dave Edwards are all set to miss out.

West Brom have a dangerous Irish striker of their own in the shape of Shane Long (13/2 First Goalscorer) and he is set to be given as much time as possible to prove his fitness after troubles with chest and back pain. Hodgson could also give Keith Andrews and Liam Ridgewell their debuts.

Both these sides need points, but McCarthy should have Wolves highly motivated and that could be key in bringing the Black Country bragging rights back to Molineux.

But more importantly, it would add points and confidence to the Wolves cause and those two things have been of short supply in recent months.

Aston Villa v Man City
City saw their arch-rivals Manchester United leapfrog them to the summit of the Premier League thanks to their Saturday lunchtime win over Liverpool.

The predicted procession to glory by City has halted and now they are looking susceptible and it is only two wins from their last nine games away from home.

It is also a struggling time for Alex McLeish and there seems to be a section of the Villa support that never did, and never will, accept the Scot at the club.

The fact Villa have not won in their last six home games does not help McLeish enamour himself to the fans, but they boast a dangerous attack that could trouble the City back four. (Villa 4/1, draw 11/4, City 8/11)

James Collins, Marc Albrighton and Gabby Agbonlahor are expected to miss the game but Villa’s spine of Shay Given, Richard Dunne and Stiliyan Petrov are present and Darren Bent (13/2 First Goalscorer) and Robbie Keane will pose a real threat.

City should be boosted by the return of Vincent Kompany – after he missed last weekend’s game with a knee issue, but Yaya and Kolo Toure and Mario Balotelli remain absent.

Roberto Mancini’s side have looked more susceptible in recent weeks, but there is no doubting their strength and it should be that overall quality that means they have too much for McLeish’s workmanlike Villa. (6/1 City 2-0 victory)

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

Reds to upset United flow

Posted on by
Reply

The Premier League is beginning to reach boiling point at both ends of the table and Saturday gives us a number of fixtures which could have big ramifications at the top and bottom. We start with the big game between Manchester United and Liverpool before moving onto a relegation six-pointer and intriguing clash at Goodison Park in the bid to pick out some winning bets for Saturday.

Manchester United v Liverpool 12:45pm

The meetings between these two are normally red letter days in the Premier League and this one is no different, with United going for a 20th title and the Reds desperate for a top four finish. United produced one of the comebacks of the season last week at Chelsea, although the Blues’ lack of defensive ability certainly helped their cause. However, any team that comes from 3-0 to secure a share of the spoils is bound to be full of confidence.

Liverpool’s home form has been less than impressive this season but on the road they have looked solid and been tough to beat, recording victories at Arsenal and Chelsea. The Reds will also fancy their chances having won two out of the last three against United, albeit they were all at Anfield. Liverpool’s record isn’t the best at Old Trafford, with just two wins in the last nine but at 7/2 the price is too good to turn down.

The return of Luis Suarez is likely to prove to be a catalyst for the game and if you fancy the Uruguayan to fan the flames of hate at Old Trafford further by scoring he is priced at 15/8 to hit the back of the net at anytime. Suarez is likely to start up front having been rested against Tottenham, meaning Andy Carroll could drop to the bench despite his good form.

Bolton v Wigan 3pm

These two north-west outfits are in grave danger of falling through the trap door this season and as such will view this encounter as the perfect chance to get one over on their relegation rivals. Before last weekend’s defeat to Norwich, Bolton were beginning to put a run of form together. The loss at Carrow Road shouldn’t have set the Trotters back too far though as they created enough chances to have secured a share of the spoils. Bolton boss Owen Coyle made some shrewd acquisitions in January and with players returning from injury they should have too much for Wigan.

Wigan have looked doomed for a number of weeks now and, despite a 1-1 draw with Everton halting a run five consecutive defeats, you get the feeling the Latics have had their time in the top flight. A lack of goals and too many individual errors at the back have cost Roberto Martinez’s men time after time and they show no signs of solving either issue.

Bolton are evens to beat Wigan, with a 2-0 win for the home side price at 7/1.

Everton v Chelsea 3pm

Chelsea’s players are probably still wondering how they didn’t manage to beat United last week, having been 3-0 up with just under 40 minutes to play. The result will have knocked the confidence of Andre Villas-Boas’ men and the way with which they surrendered that three goal lead so meekly will have Blues supporters worried.

Chelsea are 5/4 to win at Everton, a price which is very short when you consider they have won just one of the last five at Goodison Park in all competitions. The Toffees have shown they are more than capable of upsetting the big boys recently with a great win over Manchester City. David Moyes shopped well in January to add some much needed depth to his squad, Landon Donovan again doing the business for the Scot.

Chelsea have looked fragile this season and Everton know how to make a team feel uncomfortable. The Toffees are on offer at 9/4, with the draw also a solid bet at 12/5.

Elsewhere on Saturday, QPR travel to Blackburn for another relegation six pointer. Can Mark Hughes’ expensive ensemble do a job against one of his former clubs? The R’s are priced at 21/10 to pick up a much needed win. There is also a big game down at White Hart Lane as Newcastle look to keep their hopes of fourth alive with a win over Tottenham. Spurs should round off a good week for Harry Redknapp and are priced at 4/9 for the win.

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

«Манчестер Юнайтед» возьмет реванш у «Ливерпуля»? Онлайн-трансляция матчей «Реал Мадрид» – «Леванте» и «Осасуна» – Барселона»!

Posted on by
Reply

Футбол. Чемпионат Англии. Премьер-Лига

Манчестер Юнайтед – Ливерпуль. Для болельщиков красных сегодняшний день ознаменовался прекрасной новостью. Гордость и легенда клуба Райан Гиггз подписал новоеRooney alone 1 300x201 Манчестер Юнайтед возьмет реванш у Ливерпуля? Онлайн трансляция матчей Реал Мадрид Леванте и Осасуна Барселона! соглашение с клубом, теперь можно не сомневаться, что валлиец закончит карьеру в «МЮ» 1.80. По мнению Алекса Фергюсона, для всех болельщиков Райн превратился в настоящий символ Юнайтед!

«МЮ» сейчас находится на большом моральном подъеме, и хоть им не удалось переиграть «Челси» на выезде, но такие ничьи порой стоят целой победы. Когда вы проигрываете «аристократам» на их поле со счетом 0:3 в начале второго тайма, а в итоге сводите матч к ничьей – это дорогого стоит!

Чуть больше чем десять дней назад голы Аггера и Кюйта «положили «МЮ» на лопатки», но происходило все это на Энфилде, так что теперь у «манкунианцев» есть хороший шанс отыграться!

Футбол. Чемпионат Испании. Примера

Осасуна – Барселона. «Сине-гранатовые» пускай и тяжело, но пробились в финал Кубка Короля. «Валенсия» сделала по сумме двух матчей практически все, что только можно, но даже этого оказалось недостаточно. Но что поделать, если против вас играют лучшие игроки современности, и если не Хави, то Месси, не Месси, то Фабрегас -  найдут путь к вашим воротам…

Шансы на победу «Осасуне» 8.00 может предоставить только госпожа погода, которая накинулась на север Испании. Смогут ли теплолюбивые барселонцы 1.36 к этому привыкнуть? Хотя с другой стороны – это прекрасная тренировка перед поездкой в Ливеркузен на встречу с «Байером» в рамках Лиги Чемпионов.

Не забывайте, что посмотреть этот матч вы можете в прямой трансляции на нашем сайте! Для этого вам надо всего лишь зарегестрироваться.

Реал Мадрид – Леванте. Это будет последний тур перед лиго-чемпионской каруселью, которая закружит «Реал» 1.07 и «Барсу» в бесконечной круговерти. В такой ситуации преимущество в семь очков для «Реала» может стать ключевым в борьбе за чемпионство.

Криштиану Роналду, как и Жозе Моуринью, хочет победить в обоих турнирах, в которых «Мадрид» продолжает принимать участие. А Чемпионат Испании и Лига Чемпионов перевешивают любые 10 Кубков Короля. Правда, «Реалу» придется поднапрячься, чтобы переиграть «Леванте» 23.00. Скромный коллектив из Валенсии в этом году всерьез претендует на место в Лиге Чемпионов.

Этот матч вы также сможете посмотреть в прямом эфире!

Related posts:

  1. «Манчестер Юнайтед» в погоне за «Манчестер Сити», помешает ли ему «Челси»? . Онлайн-трансляция матча «Атлетико Мадрид» – «Валенсия»! Футбол. Чемпионат Англии. Премьер-Лига Челси – Манчестер Юнайтед. Футболисты «Челси»…
  2. «Реал Мадрид» едет в «гости» к «Хетафе». Павел Погребняк может дебютировать в матче с «Манчестер Сити». Футбол. Испания. Примера Хетафе – Реал Мадрид. Как бы забавно…
  3. Роналду и Месси в битве за «Кубок Короля»! «Арсенал» и «Тоттенхэм» – «разборки» в северном Лондоне! ЦСКА с «Зенитом» встретятся на Неве. Футбол. Кубок Испании. Финал Барселона – Реал. Мы добрались до…

Список похожих постов предоставлен вам плагином YARPP.


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

Hammers to boost title hopes

Posted on by
Reply

The Championship has been possibly the most exciting league in Britain this year and despite West Ham (10/11 Championship outright) currently holding a four point lead, they know that any slip-ups are sure to be punished by the chasing pack.

That slip-up could come this weekend as Sam Allardyce and his men travel to London Road to take on Peterborough, who have their own agenda as they look to avoid relegation following their promotion in the summer (Peterborough 13/5, draw 5/2, West Ham evens).

Darren Ferguson’s side have been solid rather than spectacular this season but are currently in a bit of a slump having not won since beating Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day. However, they always seem to raise their game against the top teams and will be looking to break their streak against the Hammers.

Key to their chances will be playmaker George Boyd, who has long been hailed as one of the best players outside the Premier League. The Scot has the ability to unlock any defence and West Ham will have to be wary of his threat whenever the Posh have got the ball.

The Hammers themselves have disappointed recently but have somehow maintained their position atop the table and now look almost certain to earn promotion back to the Premier League.

Sam Allardyce’s side once again proved their credentials by beating local rivals Millwall last Saturday, despite going down to ten men early on after captain Kevin Nolan’s sending off.

Nolan’s absence will pile more pressure on stand-in captain Mark Noble, who was the architect of last Saturday’s victory. He’ll once gain look to control the game and is sure to be at everything positive for his side.

Noble’s quality could prove the difference at London Road and the Hammers will be confident of success but its sure to be a close game (West Ham 7/1 to win 2-1).

Another game that jumps out from the Championship on Saturday is the clash at the Walkers Stadium which sees Leicester take on Cardiff (Leicester 5/4, draw 9/4, Cardiff 7/4).

The big-spending Foxes have disappointed this season after bringing in a number of high-profile players, while Cardiff have once again confounded the critics and are challenging for promotion to the top flight.

The East Midlands club have often struggled at the back but seem to have settled down in recent times with Sean St Ledger stepping into partner Matt Mills. The duo will be vital on Saturday and will be looking to establish themselves as the first choice defensive pair ahead of Sol Bamba’s return from the African Cup of Nations.

Cardiff’s game is based on moving the ball quickly on the ground and central to this is midfielder Peter Whittingham, who has once again proved himself to be his side’s key player. The former Aston Villa man will be looking forward to testing himself against some of the best players in Championship.

However, home advantage should prove enough and a win could help Nigel Pearson’s side make a late run for the promotion places (Leicester 8/1 to win 2-1).

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

Friday’s football picks

Posted on by
Reply

Southend will view the visit of Rotherham United as a chance to get back to winning ways in League Two on Friday, while Wolfsburg host SC Freiburg in Germany’s Bundesliga and FC Twente entertain Heracles Almelo in Eredivisie in the Netherlands.

Southend United v Rotherham United

Southend have hit a wall in recent weeks and are without a win in three in all competitions but have a chance to reinvigorate their promotion push when out-of-form Rotherham head to Essex.

Paul Sturrock pulled no punches with a damning assessment of his players’ second-half performance against relegation-threatened Plymouth, when they let slip a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 in the last five minutes, and will demand a response.

He told BBC Essex: “In the first half we were so dominant. We were in their faces and the right positions.

“We decided that 2-0 is what it’s about and you can’t do that. We decided we were a football team and played it square and back. We’ve paid the price.”

The Millers have only won one in five in League Two and have slipped to 13th in the table, while they have only won four away from South Yorkshire.

The 10/11 about the Shrimpers to collect maximum points (5/2 draw 3/1 Rotherham – match prices) and go, temporarily at least, to the top of the table is good enough.

Wolfsburg v SC Freiburg

It is difficult to make a case for Germany’s rock-bottom club SC Freiburg at odds of 3/1 (8/11 Wolfsburg 5/2 draw – match prices) at the Volkswagen Arena on Friday.

Breisgau-Brasilianer returned from the winter break with an encouraging win against fellow basement dwellers Augsburg but have not won in two since.

The Wolves were not disgraced when losing 2-0 to Bayern Munich and last week held Borussia Monchengladbach to a goalless draw in Lower Saxony.

They have not lost a home game in all competitions since a 3-2 defeat by Hertha Berlin at the end of October but, either side of that, have been a tough nut to crack on home soil and the return of Mario Mandzukic (11/10 – Score Anytime) will boost them in the final third.

FC Twente v Heracles Almelo

Steve McClaren’s FC Twente have been in sparkling form since the return of the top flight in the Netherlands – scoring nine and conceding once – and can go level on points with PSV and AZ with victory on Friday against Heracles at De Grolsch Veste.

The match prices – FC Twente 2/9 draw 21/5 Heracles 17/2 – would indicate this is a formality for the Tukkers and even a cursory look at Heracles’ shambolic recent away form would back this up.

Heraclieden have not win in five on the road in the top flight and McClaren’s men should have little trouble franking their recent form.

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

Chelsea ‘best of the rest’

Posted on by
Reply

The race for the Premier League title appears to be a two-horse race between Manchester City and Manchester United, with 17/1 shots Tottenham having work to do to gatecrash the party, but who is set to finish in the top four with them?

Assuming the two Manchester clubs and Spurs don’t blow up over the last 14 games of the season, one of them will be crowned as the champions of England, with City the current 1/2 favourites to secure the title in May.

Third-placed Tottenham, who saw boss Harry Redknapp cleared of tax evasion charges on Wednesday, have a seven-point cushion over Chelsea at the moment, so if it’s a case of just one top-four spot being up for grabs who will grab it?

The race, so it seems, is between Andre Villas-Boas’ Blues, Newcastle, Arsenal and Liverpool, with the answer set to be known in just over three months time.

Chelsea (4/9)

For the first time in years, Chelsea are not challenging for the top prize by virtue of the fact they are 14 points worse off than the league leaders.

This season was always going to be about rebuilding under Villas-Boas and he appears to be safe as long as he makes it into the top four and gives the Champions League a real crack.

The Blues certainly need a fresh injection of funds to freshen up a squad that can no longer rely on the likes of Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard to reproduce their magic given their advancing years.

But the west Londoners should have enough, although it may go down to the fire as they face Newcastle, Arsenal and Liverpool in three of their last five Premier League games of the season.

Newcastle (14/1)

The Magpies have been the surprise package of the season although there were real doubts they could compete following the exits of a number of first-team stars and owner Mike Ashley’s sometimes strange decisions.

But the Toon Army have new heroes to worship following the departures of the likes of Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan, Jose Enrique and Joey Barton since January 2011 – although it appears the top four is beyond them for the time being.

That said, boss Alan Pardew, who was not the most popular man on Tyneside after replacing Chris Hughton, deserves huge credit for the side’s form.

However, tough-looking games at Spurs and Arsenal plus the home derby against in-form Sunderland between now and the middle of March will probably put a different complexion on matters.

Arsenal (5/2)

Boss Arsene Wenger reckons his side have a great chance of breaking back into the top four and while his side is bubbling with confidence after destroying Blackburn, it must be remembered Rovers have won just four games this term.

Interestingly, one of those victories was against the Gunners at Ewood Park back at the start of the season, with the north Londoners enduring a dreadful August by also losing to Liverpool and Manchester United while being held by Newcastle.

It must also be pointed out Arsenal are back in Champions League action this month while they have a tough run in the league, with trips to Sunderland and Liverpool plus the small matter of a home derby against Spurs on February 26 at the Emirates.

The best they can probably hope for is an FA Cup run, with Wenger’s boys 11/2 to go all the way to Wembley and win the most famous of football trophies.

Liverpool (2/1)

Kenny Dalglish’s outfit have spent a lot of money to fail to reach the Champions League after an absence of a couple of seasons.

Lesser characters in the game – and at Anfield in particular – might have come under more pressure given the Reds’ woeful form on their own patch.

Like Chelsea, Liverpool’s strongest characters around the club – Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard – are knocking on a bit but there does not appear to be too many ready-made replacements in terms of leadership.

Gerrard, though, still has a few more years in him, but he will be fortunate to feature again at Champions League level again before hanging up his boots.

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

Capello quits England job

Posted on by
Reply

England remain 8/1 shots to win Euro 2012 following the resignation of boss Fabio Capello with immediate effect.

The Italian has gone after a fall-out over the decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy last week, with the Chelsea skipper facing a trial over alleged racist comments made to QPR’s Anton Ferdinand earlier in the season.

The FA must now find a man to prepare the Three Lions for the European Championships and also the programme of international friendlies ahead of the showpiece tournament in Poland and Ukraine this summer.

An FA statement confirming Capello’s resignation was issued by the FA on Wednesday evening.

It read: “The Football Association can confirm that Fabio Capello has today resigned as England Manager.

“This follows a meeting involving FA Chairman David Bernstein, FA General Secretary Alex Horne and Fabio Capello at Wembley Stadium.

“The discussions focused on The FA Board’s decision to remove the England team captaincy from John Terry, and Fabio Capello’s response through an Italian broadcast interview.

“In a meeting for over an hour, Fabio’s resignation was accepted and he will leave the post of England Manager with immediate effect.”

Spain are the current 9/4 favourites to win Euro 2012.

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