There are three games in the Premier League on Sunday and, as is usually the case at this stage of the season, the outcomes could have major significance at the top and bottom of the table (totesport – Premier League).
Manchester United v Everton (12.30pm)
United’s blip, if it was just that, at Wigan earlier this month will probably be forgotten if they see off Everton (2/7 – match prices) at home this weekend, and there aren’t many people around who think this will result in anything other than another victory for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to edge them closer to a 20th title (1/7).
Rivals Manchester City will have let out a howl of frustration when they realised it was David Moyes’ side who are the visitors as the Blues have a truly awful recent record at Old Trafford. You have to go back to August 1992 for the Merseysiders’ last win there, while their recent Premier League record at United reads: played five, lost five.
Ferguson’s title-chasers may have got a helping hand, or should that be dive, last week when they saw off Aston Villa with the minimum of fuss but, even with Ashley Young’s theatrics, the result was never in doubt and expect more of the same in this one.
How Everton (10/1, draw 9/2 – match prices) react to their heartbreaking FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool at Wembley will be key to how much of an easy ride the Red Devils get on Sunday, but they still have a very outside chance of claiming a European place to inspire them and, more importantly, the small target of trying to finish above their Mersey rivals in the table.
However, we envisage nothing other than a comfortable home win here with 2-0 at 5/1 appealing in the correct score market.
Wolves Man City (4pm)
The aforementioned City (4/1 Premier League outright) know three points at Molineux is a must if they are to remain in the title race and, with the Manchester derby around the corner, expect them to maintain the light pressure on United with a routine victory.
The 6-1 thrashing of Norwich last time out, which included a rejuvenated Carlos Tevez hat-trick, showed the rest of the league that City can still turn on the style after what had been a faltering last month or so and they will approach this trip to the Black Country hoping to rack up a similar goal difference-boosting scoreline.
It is unlikely to be as easy as it turned out at Carrow Road with Wolves knowing they need a win themselves to somehow try and prevent them from slipping back into the Championship and this one could be level at half-time with that in mind. So Draw/City – HT/FT at 7/2 may well be worth a punt.
Expect Tevez and Aguero to again be the tormentors in attack, though, and both should be backed to score anytime at 8/11 to ensure City still retain an interest in the title going into the derby and all but relegate doomed Wolves.
Liverpool v West Brom (4pm)
This game is probably more notable for the return of Roy Hodgson to Anfield than anything else but Liverpool will be determined to secure a much-needed home victory (4/9 – match prices) as, so far, they have accumulated their lowest points total at Anfield for many a season.
The Reds have won just five games in front of their own fans and have drawn a whopping nine – easily the highest amount in the whole division.
That sort of record led Hodgson to be sacked in January 2011 after barely six months in charge and, while Kenny Dalglish is getting much more time than his predecessor, he knows home form has not been good enough and another slip-up here will not be tolerated despite the celebrated success in the Cups.
The Baggies (13/2 to win, draw 7/2 – match prices) have proved a difficult side to beat all campaign, however, and are well clear of trouble now at the bottom as they sit 13 points above the drop zone. Hodgson will want to prove a point and is sure to set up his side to be solid in the hope Dalglish’s men again fail to break down so-called weaker opposition.
Andy Carroll has looked a different player in recent weeks and his two late winners in the last two games will give him the confidence to believe he can yet be a success at Anfield so is worth backing at to score first at 5/1 while a narrow 2-1 win for the Reds also looks appealing at 7/1.
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