Author Archives: SoccerCapper

Crewe to survive Southend test

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Attention on Wednesday turns to the League Two semi-final play-off at Roots Hall in an evenly-poised tie with Crewe and Southend both just 90 minutes away from Wembley.

Cheltenham are the current 6/4 favourites for promotion having established a 2-0 first-leg lead from their semi-final with Torquay, with Crewe on offer at 2/1 and Southend at 13/5 to triumph at Wembley.

This tie is finely poised with Crewe holding a slender one-goal advantage following the clash at Alexandra Stadium on Saturday with centre-half Adam Dugdale proving perhaps an unlikely matchwinner – heading home Ashley Westwood’s free kick early in the second period.

The betting suggesting that Southend are certainly not out of it, though, with the Shrimpers hosting the second leg on Wednesday as 10/11 match favourites, with the draw priced at 12/5 while Crewe can be backed at 3/1 to make it a double success.

Of course a draw will suffice for the Railwaymen, which places all the pressure on the Blues, especially as they also only missed out on automatic promotion by a solitary point.

There was 11 points separating these two sides in the regular season so a lot may depend on how Paul Sturrock’s men cope with expectation and pressure – and maybe any nervous tension that transmits from the crowd, if the Seasiders fail to get in front early.

Southend do have a decent record at Roots Hall without being spectacular – they suffered five defeats in front of their own fans during the regular season, while they were also held six times.

Crewe went into the play-offs on the back of a 16-match unbeaten run – seven wins and nine draws – with Southend the last team to beat them, winning 1-0 at Roots Hall at the start of February.

Whether much can be read into that is open to question – Southend also won 3-1 at Crewe earlier in the season and look what happened at the weekend – but it is certainly something that Sturrock’s men can take into the game.

Bilel Mohsni scored the winner in this fixture earlier in the season and certainly looked as though he can cause Crewe plenty of problems in the first leg. He can be backed at 6/1 to be the First/Last Goalscorer and 13/8 Anytime, although on-loan signing Freddy Eastwood leads both markets.

However, Crewe have made themselves hard to beat on the road of late and are unbeaten in seven and, although five of those have been in draws, Alex have taken a point from trips to promoted Crawley and fellow play-off contender Torquay.

Steve Davis’s men have tended to spread the goals around this season with Nick Powell leading the scoring markets for Crewe at 6/1 First/last and 13/8 Anytime – perhaps providing a bit more value elsewhere with Byron Moore on offer at 8/1 and 9/4, while first-leg hero Dugdale is available at 33/1 and 10/1.

All the pressure is on Southend for this one but they perhaps enjoyed better success on the road this term, and in-form Crewe can secure the necessary result to book their Wembley date.

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Hodgson faces squad dilemmas

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Roy Hodgson will name his squad for England’s Euro 2012 bid on Wednesday and he is likely to face several dilemmas, particularly in defence and attack, before being able to identify the players he feels will fire the Three Lions to glory (10/1 Outright) in Poland and Ukraine.

Starting at the back and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is the only man for the job between the sticks, while Robert Green and Scott Carson have been the only other back-ups due to the dearth of talent available and Ben Foster’s steadfast refusal to come out of retirement.

However, Norwich City’s John Ruddy has been in inspirational form this past season and we feel he deserves a chance ahead of Carson, who Hodgson allowed to leave the Hawthorns for a move to Turkey 12 months ago.

Hodgson’s first big job will be selecting the right men to shut out foreign opposition, starting with a huge game against France on June 11 (England 11/8, France 13/8, Draw 11/5 90 Minutes).

The first names on the squad list in previous years have been former skipper John Terry and Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand, who have struck up a strong central defensive partnership for past managers and have over 150 caps between them.

But with the duo at odds over Terry’s upcoming summer trial for allegedly racially abusing the latter’s brother, Hodgson might feel an alternative selection will be the safer option.

If he goes with Terry, who is younger and is arguably more reliable in terms of fitness than Ferdinand, then the obvious choice of partner would be his Chelsea team-mate Gary Cahill.

The duo have played well together in the heart of the Blues’ defence and Cahill has already shown he has the capabilities to be a success against top opposition after helping shut-out Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final first leg at Stamford Bridge last month.

If Hodgson feels Terry’s involvement could divide the squad, then Ferdinand could be the man he pins his hopes on for the finals.

With his Manchester United team-mate Chris Smalling ruled out due to injury, Hodgson could see Manchester City stopper Joleon Lescott as the man who would be ideally suited to Ferdinand.

The duo would complement each other well being a right-foot and left-foot combination and that could work well in the finals.

We expect Ferdinand’s United team-mate Phil Jones to be involved given the youngster’s impressive first season at Old Trafford and his ability to operate at right-back, centre-back or in a defensive midfield role.

However, Jones is more likely to watch from the sidelines as Tottenham’s Kyle Walker is the man to get the nod at right-back with Liverpool’s more experienced Glen Johnson breathing down his neck.

But the fact Johnson has been moved to a left-back role by Reds boss Kenny Dalglish means PFA Young Player of the Year, Walker, has been the best player in that position over the past season and deserves his chance.

Hodgson’s other problem centres on which strikers he will take to the finals given that his options have been depleted due to injury and suspension.

He has already intimated that Wayne Rooney (40/1 Top Goalscorer) will travel despite being banned for the opening two matches against France and Sweden.

Darren Bent is adamant that he will be fit despite being ruled out of Aston Villa’s season with ruptured ankle ligaments since February.

However, we feels it would be too risky to take the forward as a lack of match fitness will work against him when England need their players firing on all cylinders.

Therefore Danny Welbeck is the man who Hodgson will almost certainly give the nod to given the fact he has played the majority of the season alongside Rooney at United which will work in his favour when looking towards the knockout stage (England 13/8 Group D Winner).

Another alternative to Bent would be Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe, who has struggled for game time under Harry Redknapp this season, but always manages to get goals whenever he is pitched into the Three Lions’ team.

Chelsea’s Darren Sturridge is another possibility, but he seemed to drift off the radar in the closing months of the campaign and might well miss the boat.

The fourth striker berth will be a straight fight between three target men – Liverpool’s Andy Carroll, Stoke’s Peter Crouch and Norwich City hitman Grant Holt.

Holt’s 17 goals for the Canaries this past season have led to calls for his inclusion, while Crouch has a fantastic scoring record for England and his presence terrifies continental defenders which is why he would have been a definite selection.

However, £35million hitman Carroll has forced his way to the front of the queue having finished the season strongly, in particular with his recent goalscoring substitute performance in the FA Cup final.

The former Newcastle man has struggled since making the move to Anfield in January 2011, but the signs are he is rediscovering his best form again and that could be timed to perfection for England.

A wildcard pick would be to take Arsenal youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to the finals.

He is an unknown quantity to opposition managers and players and could have a big impact in the finals akin to Paul Gascoigne in the 1990 World Cup and Rooney in Euro 2004.

Although Hodgson could be put off by the fact Theo Walcott was surprisingly taken to the 2006 World Cup by Sven Goran-Eriksson but then did not play a single minute with many feeling he wasted a squad place.

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Terriers’ nerve to be tested

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The focus on Tuesday will turn to the League One play-off semi-final second leg at the Galpharm Stadium as Huddersfield host MK Dons, with the winner’s final opponent already confirmed by kick off.

The Terriers seemingly have one foot at Wembley following a 2-0 win in the first leg on Saturday and they have been installed as the even-money favourites to earn promotion.

Those odds may change in time, with the other semi-final taking place on Monday night, with Sheffield United currently next best in the outright betting at 7/4, Stevenage Borough on offer at 9/2 with the Dons available at 16/1.

Simon Grayson’s men deserved their success at the weekend and have been installed as the 6/5 favourites in the match betting, with Tuesday’s visitors priced at 7/2 and the draw at 12/5.

It may seem strange to see Huddersfield at odds against, particularly after their efforts at Stadium: MK, as well as boasting an impressive home record during the season.

The Terriers only lost three matches at the Galpharm during the campaign, while they conceded a miserly 19 goals – the division’s joint second-best home defensive record.

There will of course be some who see value in the 6/5 but the fact is that Grayson’s men do not have to win the tie to book their place at Wembley on May 26.

A lot may depend on how Karl Robinson’s team approaches the game and of course if they manage to score the first goal – and the rookie boss is certainly making the right noises as far as his club’s fans are concerned.

The Dons have a more-than-decent away record as well with just five defeats on the road as well as 10 wins, which is only bettered by the top three in League One.

The Dons also shared a 1-1 draw at the Galpharm earlier in the season and should not be ruled out at the prices – even though a 1-1 draw at home during the regular season counted for little at the weekend.

Jordan Rhodes put the Terriers on the road to victory in the first leg and it is no surprise that the 36-goal hitman is the 7/2 favourite to open the scoring again, while he is odds on at 4/5 to get on the scoresheet during the match.

Keeping the Scottish international quiet will be key to the Dons’ hopes but what may be music to the ears of the underdogs is that Huddersfield have a history of failing to cope with a bit of pressure.

The Terriers have dropped 28 points from winning positions during the current campaign and, with a two-goal advantage, any concession could see Grayson’s men retreat into their shells to protect what they hold.

Of course, things do not necessarily have to pan out like that but the Dons look good value to win on the night and put Huddersfield’s nerves to the test.

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Blades look bound for Wembley

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The League One play-offs continue on Monday and Sheffield United are strong 10/11 favourites to beat Stevenage and book a place at Wembley, as Danny Wilson’s men look to follow city rivals Wednesday into the Championship.

After a goalless draw in the first leg at Broadhall Way, the Blades – backed by a big home crowd at Bramall Lane – will be confident of beating a team that finished 17 points behind them in the table.

Sheffield United collected 90 points in the regular season, which would in any other year would have seen them gain automatic promotion, but the form of the top two condemed them to the lottery of the play-offs.

The loss of leading scorer Ched Evans has been a major blow to their hopes of clinching the third promotion place, but they have been boosted by the return to fitness of Richard Cresswell (5/1 – First Goalscorer), who made a late appearance off the bench in the first match.

Cresswell, who has 10 goals this term, has the experience as well as the quality at League One level to cause plenty of problems for the Stevenage backline, with the former Wednesday striker expected to partner Chris Porter up front.

The Blades have lost just three times at home this season – the last of those a 3-2 reverse to Oldham at the start of March – but there are some reasons for the visitors to be optimistic of pulling off a shock.

Gary Smith’s side drew 2-2 at Bramall Lane and were a matter of moments away from three points before a late equaliser from United (4/6 – To Score The First Goal).

Wilson’s men have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last seven home games and although Stevenage drew a blank in the first leg, there will be more gaps on Monday as the Blades go for goals.

The Boro (16/1 – To Win From Behind) have have lost just one of their last five away games, and their last two results away from Broadhall Way have seen them draw at Bramall Lane and win 6-0 at Yeovil.

Sheffield United, though, have both the physical presence and overall ability to see off their opponents and, if so, take their place at Wembley as favourites to secure a place in the Championship next season.

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Youngsters to star at Euro 2012

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Following the conclusion of possibly the most exciting Premier League season ever, we now switch our attention to this summer’s European Championships in Poland and Ukraine where the likes of Robin van Persie (9/1 – Tournament Top Goalscorer Outright), David Silva and Wayne Rooney will all be flying the flag for their respective nations.

However, these tournaments often produce surprises and it’s not always the big names that come to the fore. Over the last few years we’ve seen the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Andrey Arshavin and Arjen Robben all come of age at the Euros and there are a number of Premier League youngsters who could announced themselves to the footballing world this summer.

The first one to look out for is Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny who is expected to be between the sticks for co-hosts Poland (3/1 to win Group A).

After years of struggling to find a first-class stopper, the Gunners were forced to take a punt on youngster Szczesny and it’s certainly a gamble that has paid off and he’s now undoubtedly the club’s number one.

He has also recently established himself in the international side and his country’s performances will have a lot to do with how he deals with their opponents’ attacking threats.

Real Madrid are rumoured to be keeping an eye on the confident 22-year-old and a string of strong showings in the summer will only help to raise his profile.

Another Arsenal player who could make a big impact is controversial striker Nicklas Bendtner who will lead Denmark’s (12/1 to win Group B) line as they look to progress from Group B.

Whether you love him or hate him, there is no doubt that Bendtner is a talent and he always seems to produce his best on the bigger stages. The 24-year-old has also said that after spending the season on loan at Sunderland, he will never play for the Gunners again meaning he’ll have something to play for as he’ll want to impress.

Despite all his doubters, the Copenhagen-born star does have fans within the game and some good displays in the summer, could persuade one of Europe’s top sides to sign him.

Group C’s Premier League-based player to watch has to be Sunderland and Republic of Ireland (11/1 to win Group C) winger James McLean who, after coming from nowhere this season, will have no fear when it comes to facing Europe’s top nations.

McLean was unknown until Martin O’Neill took over at the Stadium of Light in December but has since established himself in the Black Cats side with a series of dazzling displays.

In this era of patient build-up and intricate passing, the 23-year-old is a totally different animal and his direct running and pace may cause some huge problems, as his trickery could open up teams from the start while his pace could expose tired defences if he’s used as an impact sub.

In Group D there are a number of youngsters to pick from but out of all of them Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck (66/1 – Tournament Top Goalscorer) looks as if he could have a massive tournament.

For years the 21-year-old has been tipped for the top and now looks to be fulfilling the promise after establishing himself in the United first team.

With team-mate Rooney suspended for the first two matches, Welbeck could get the nod to lead the line for the Three Lions and he’ll be confident that he has the ability to fire them to the knockout stages.

With the dual capabilities of being able to both hold the ball up and run in behind, the youngster can cause problems to any defence and this summer could see him emerge as one of the biggest names in the game.

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Ставки на матч Россия – Чехия! ЦСКА – Олимпиакос – финал Евролиги!

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Хоккей. Чемпионат Мира

Россия – Чехия. Я безусловно поздравляю всех с победоносным шествием российской команды наNemec Vampola 1 242x300 Ставки на матч Россия Чехия! ЦСКА Олимпиакос финал Евролиги! международном первенстве. Сегодняшняя встреча с чешской командой может встать в ряд красивых побед сборной Малкина и Билялетдинова. Но я хотел бы предостеречь всех от настроя типа «всех порвем».

Так как чемпионат мира не выигрывается на предварительном этапе. Все самое интересное будет в 1/4 Финала, когда после двух недель игры в «красивый хоккей» все будет решаться в одной встрече. А вот там мы сможем увидеть, как любая сборная, которая будет соперничать с нашей командой устроить натуральный «анти-хоккей», который будет основан на оборонительных действиях граничащих с героизмом.

При таком раскладе отдельные персонажи будут кататься с Евгением Малкиным по всей площадке и при возможности провоцировать его, а что хоккей такая игра…

Ну а сегодняшний матч наверняка окажется весьма открытым, как для России 1.70, так и для Чехии 3.75 все в принципе предрешено, другое дело – личные счеты. Слишком много чехов играет в КХЛ, так что им есть, что доказать своим российским друзьям.

Верю в Тотал Больше 4.5

Баскетбол. Финал 4-х

ЦСКА – Олимпиакос. Приятной новостью в преддверии финала стало признание Андрея Кириленко MVP этого сезона Евролиги. Личные достижения конечно важны, но когда на кону победа, то такие вещи часто не имеют решающего значения. Готов поспорить, что Андрей с радостью променял бы это звание на титул чемпиона.

Все безусловно ждали в финале ЦСКА 1.25, но вот вторым финалистом прогнозировалась «Барселона». И если «армейцы» смогли выкрутиться из безвыходного положения, то «Барса» уже играет за 3-е место.

Если ЦСКА и в этой игре позволит пропустить 29 очков за первую четверть, то судьба матча будет предрешена.

Возможно в прошедшем матче с «Пао» мы увидели смену поколений в ЦСКА – это когда Шишкаускас, пускай и после травм, но проводит не самый вразумительный матч, а  Алксей Швед в нужный момент «потащил» команду за собой!

Безусловно, в предстоящем матче многое будет зависеть от Кириленко и Хряпы, но возможно Швед и Воронцевич сыграют не менее заметную роль.

ЦСКА – станет обладателем евролиги этого сезона…

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  1. «Локомотив» и «Рубин» добьются синхронных побед? Россия и Сербия – славянское дерби! Футбол. Лига Европы. Штурм – Локомотив. Отставка Юрия Красножана несколько…

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Davies to fire Trotters to safety

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Bet on the Premier LeagueAfter 37 exciting rounds of fixtures, there is still plenty to play for at both ends of the table on the last day of the Premier League season, with Bolton (1/3 to be relegated) and QPR (9/4) battling to avoid the final relegation place.

Bolton occupy 18th right now and know that only a victory at Stoke will keep them in the top-flight while 17th-placed QPR will believe that an unlikely point away at leaders Manchester City should be enough for them to avoid the drop.

Following their promotion in 2001, Bolton have largely been one of the mid-table stalwarts of the division, with their strong defensive play and plucky resilience.

However, they have struggled recently due to a number of long-term injuries to key players, as well as a lack of investment within the squad, and now stand on the brink or relegation.

They travel to the Britannia Stadium on Sunday and, as already mentioned, need to win to stand any chance of avoiding Championship football next season (Stoke 11/8, draw 5/2, Bolton 15/8 – Match Betting).

However, it will not be easy as Tony Pulis’ side always present a tough challenge, especially on home soil.

Like many before them, Stoke appear to be rather burnt-out following their first season of European football and have struggled in the second half of the campaign.

However, despite their problems, they still have a number of quality players who could threaten Owen Coyle’s men, most notably Peter Crouch. The lanky striker appears to have come back into form recently and he’ll be looking for another big showing following talk of a potential return to the England squad.

If the Trotters are to survive, they will need a big performance from skipper and talisman Kevin Davies (7/4 to score any time). After an indifferent campaign, the veteran has once again proven his worth in recent weeks, scoring a number of vital goals. He’ll relish the challenge of facing the Potters’ physical defenders and he could score the goal that keeps his side up.

After Wigan won at the Britannia on the final day of last season, Bolton will fancy their chances and should just sneak it in an extraordinarily tight encounter.

In the other match which will have a say on relegation, Mark Hughes takes his QPR team to the North-West to face former club Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium (City 1/7, draw 8/1, QPR 16/1 – Match Betting).

The Hoops have an advantage in that the situation is in their hands and a draw would probably see them survive due to their vastly superior goal difference.

However, they face a Citizens team that knows a win will see them claim their first title since 1968 and after a topsy-turvy season, they will be desperate for the points.

The one to watch for City is undoubtedly Carlos Tevez (4/7 to score any time) who, following his much publicised problems in the first half of the season, has inspired his team-mates since returning to the fold in March. He will be desperate to make the difference at the Etihad so look out for a big performance from him.

Despite the odds being stacked against them, QPR can hold some hope in that they have fared reasonably well against the big teams this year, having beaten the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.

If they are to have any hope of success on Sunday though, striker Djibril Cisse (3/1 to score any time) will need to have the game of his life. The inconsistent Frenchman has scored five in seven since joining the club in January and in the right mood can trouble any defence.

However, City will surely win this quite comfortably and the result could see Rangers return to the Championship after just one season in the top flight.

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Party time for City and Arsenal?

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The final day of the Premier League season is upon us and there are still plenty of issues to be sorted out with both Manchester clubs duking it out for the title, while three sides are still in with a shout of the other Champions League places.

The two Manchester giants go into Sunday’s finale level on points with City on top courtesy of a much better goal difference.

In theory, there is still hope for Sir Alex Ferguson and his men but the match betting and common sense suggests that it will be the blue half of Manchester celebrating come Sunday night (City 1/10, United 11/2 Premier League Outright).

City have only failed to pick up maximum points on one occasion at the Etihad Stadium this season and, having been given a second chance, they are not going to let the title slip away.

QPR are the visitors on Sunday and although they have been picking up wins to keep them out of the relegation zone, all those recent successes have come at Loftus Road.

Mark Hughes may like to make a point to his previous employers but his team have been awful on the road, with a paltry eleven points easily the Premier League’s worst record, while they suffered a 6-1 drubbing on their last outing at Chelsea.

United could still win on goal difference but City have smashed in 52 goals in 18 matches at home and are likely to score  more against the Hoops – making United’s trip to Sunderland irrelevant.

Three teams are still chasing two places for next season’s Champions League, meanwhile, which could be reduced to one depending on Chelsea’s result in this year’s final.

Arsenal (1/33 Top 4 Finish) are still in control of third place despite last week’s hiccup against Norwich following a 3-3 draw at the Emirates, while Spurs (1/10) were held 1-1 at Aston Villa and Newcastle (9/2) were beaten 2-0 by City.

The Gunners are one point better off than arch rivals Tottenham and two clear of Newcastle with a game to go, and know that a win will guarantee Champions League football next term.

Arsene Wenger’s men are on the road as they travel to the Hawthorns to take on West Brom and have failed to win any of their last four matches, but the French tactician will not let his charges slip up at the last hurdle.

Arsenal are 4/6 to register the win and it is hard to argue as West Brom (4/1 to win, Draw 3/1) have struggled in front of their own fans with just six wins at the Hawthorns this season.

Robin van Persie is, of course, the man to watch out for as he looks to cement his position at the top of the Premier League goalscoring charts, having notched 30 in 36 games so far, and he is the 3/1 favourite to score the first or last on Sunday.

Earlier in the season, Tottenham were making it look as though it was a three-horse race for the title but they then endured a torrid run to hand the initiative back to the Gunners.

Harry Redknapp’s men, though, are at least expected to seal a place in the top four (Spurs 4/11, Draw 4/1, Fulham 8/1 Match Betting) as they have home advantage against poor travellers Fulham, who will be without their top scorer Clint Dempsey through injury.

The Lilywhites will then have to put on their Bayern Munich scarves for the Champions League final as a Chelsea win in the showpiece will condemn them to Europa League football next term.

Newcastle have been one, if not THE, surprise package of the season, having made a fist of the Champions League race for so long – and they still are in with a chance going into the last game.

However, the season may well just have caught up with them now and they face a tough trip to Goodison Park to take on an in-form Everton side -who have the carrot of finishing above arch rivals Liverpool with a win themselves.

The Toffees have not been conceding many at home as they have rallied from another slow start to finish with a flourish.

David Moyes’ men have only conceded two goals in their last nine home games, losing just one, while they have banged in 10 in their last three – and also scored four at Old Trafford – with Nikica Jelavic (5/1 First/Last Gaolscorer, 11/8 Anytime) continuing his rich vein of form.

Newcastle have certainly set the Premier League alight this season with their brand of football and although they are set to fail at the final hurdle, a fifth-placed finish above Chelsea and Liverpool is still a remarkable achievement.

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Terriers to get their teeth into Dons

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The Football League play-offs continue on Saturday with two huge matches as in League One Huddersfield Town look to secure a positive result at MK Dons, while in League Two Southend United aim to do the same at Crewe Alexandra.

Simon Grayson takes his Terriers to Stadium MK in a 12.30pm kick-off on Saturday for a game which will bring together two sides who were separated by just one place and one point in the final league table.

The fact Huddersfield took forth spot means they will have home advantage in the second leg, so the emphasis is on picking up a result to take back to West Yorkshire on Tuesday.

Huddersfield are no strangers to the end-of-season lottery, having won promotion via this route in 1995 and 2004 respectively, while this is their third successive attempt to reach the Championship.

They travel south in good form against MK Dons having not lost to them in seven matches stretching back to August 2008, with six wins and two draws from their 12 League One encounters.

Grayson, who has pedigree in the play-offs having been a winner as a player with Leicester in 1994 and 1996, and then took Blackpool up to the Championship in 2007, will have the League One’s prolific top scorer Jordan Rhodes (15/2 – 2 Or More Match Goalscorer) back in the side after he was rested for the final two matches.

Lee Novak or Kallum Higginbotham will miss out, while fellow striker Alan Lee is back in contention after shaking off a knee injury.

MK Dons boss Karl Robinson is looking to lead the club to the Championship for the first time since the change from Wimbledon back in 2004.

His side were looking set to go into the play-offs on a real high, but a final-day defeat against Walsall scuppered their hopes of making it five successive wins.

The Dons are also in their second successive play-off bid and have lost all three they have been involved in so far at the semi-final stage, so the omens are not good.

Defender Gary MacKenzie could be back following an illness, while Alan Smith (10/1 – First Goalscorer), who is on loan from Newcastle, is set to retain his place behind a front two of Dean Bowditch and Charlie MacDonald.

Nothing could divide the sides in the two regular season fixtures as they both ended 1-1, but Huddersfield may have the slight edge and take a slender lead back home for the second leg.

Prediction: Huddersfield Away 90 Minutes @ 23/10.

Value Bet: Huddersfield To Win 2-1 Correct Score @ 11/1.

League Two

Southend United must pick themselves up at Gresty Road in the 5.30pm kick-off after narrowly missing out on automatic promotion last Saturday when Crawley Town snatched third place by just a point.

The Shrimpers finished three places and 11 points better off than rivals Crewe, while their final day 2-0 win against Macclesfield at Roots Hall meant they ended the campaign on a great run of four wins, a draw and five successive clean sheets.

They also have history on their side with 13 promotions via the play-offs which makes them the most successful side to be promoted via this route.

Boss Paul Sturrock has a near fully-fit squad to choose from, so will head north optimistic that his players can take their good run of form into the match.

Crewe will be no pushovers, though, as they ended the regular season on the back of a 16-match unbeaten run – seven wins and nine draws – which was enough to snatch the seventh and final play-off spot.

Ironically Alex’s last defeat was against Saturday’s opponent’s Southend as the versatile Bilel Mohsni (10/1 – 2 or More Match Goalscorer) scored the only goal at Roots Hall on February 18 to add to the brace he scored in the Shrimpers’ 3-1 win at Gresty Road in October.

Boss Steve Davis‘ hopes of gaining revenge for being doubled in the season will not be helped if skipper Dave Artell does not shake off a foot injury suffered in training.

But Ashley Westwood has not suffered any setbacks to his foot injury and is in line to feature as Crewe aim to improve on just one successful promotion in five previous attempts in the play-offs.

However, looking at the statistics, Southend were unfortunate to go up automatically and coupled with their excellent run of form, they should have too much for Crewe and come out on top in this one.

Prediction: Southend Away 90 Minutes @ 7/4.

Value Bet: Southend To Win 2-0 Correct Score @ 12/1.

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Three big issues for Prem finale

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The Premier League reaches its conclusion on Sunday and, with plenty still at stake, here we pick out three big issues still to be resolved this weekend.

1 – The destination of the title

Manchester City (1/10 to win Premier League) are very much in the driving seat to win their first top-flight title since 1968 and know a win over QPR at home will finally see them over the line ahead of local rivals Manchester United (11/2).

In what has been one of the most unpredictable races of the last few years, Roberto Mancini’s side appeared to have thrown away their chance when losing at Arsenal in April, but United’s slip-ups at Wigan, at home to Everton and then in the derby has given the Blues the edge again.

Relegation-threatened QPR have plenty to play for themselves but City should keep up their proud unbeaten home record and get the win required to render United’s result at Sunderland meaningless.

The smart money is on both United and City to win to hand the latter the trophy on goal difference but, after one of the most unpredictable seasons in years, it would be safe to say neither of the top two will be taking anything for granted this weekend.

2 – One more side to be relegated

Wolves and Blackburn are already down and either QPR or Bolton will be joining them in the Championship next season.

Mathematically, Aston Villa can also still be demoted, but that would take a 17-goal swing so it’s a straight fight between the R’s and the Trotters to see who finishes 18th.

Bolton (1/3 to be relegated) currently sit in the final relegation place, two points behind Rangers (9/4), and face a tough trip to Stoke City on Sunday, knowing they need a win to move above Mark Hughes’ side.

Hughes goes to the Etihad to face his former club and will do well to get anything out of that but Bolton winning at the Britannia also looks a long shot so it could be curtains for Owen Coyle’s side.

3 – Third place up for grabs

Arsenal, Spurs (1/10 – top four finish) and Newcastle can all still secure third and, with it, definitely a place in the Champions League next season.

Chelsea’s Champions League final against Bayern Munich a week on Saturday means that only third is guaranteed a place in next season’s competition because if Roberto Di Matteo’s men win in Munich they will take the fourth place available to Premier League sides.

Alan Pardew’s Magpies (9/2 – top four finish) have had a season beyond their wildest dreams and have stayed in contention for the top four right up to the end when many thought their season would tail off.

They visit Everton, themselves wanting a win to ensure they finish above Liverpool, knowing this is a tough last-day assignment. A win and poor results for the north London duo could hand them third but it looks very unlikely.

Spurs, meanwhile, have picked up again since Harry Redknapp was overlooked for the England job and host London rivals Fulham. They should come out on top in this one and hope arch-rivals Arsenal slip up at West Brom.

The Gunners are favourites to claim third, though, and go to the Black Country on Sunday hoping to spoil Roy Hodgson’s farewell at the Hawthorns.

It will not be easy for Arsene Wenger’s side as the Baggies are sure to do all they can to finish on a high in front of the departing England boss but, with Robin van Persie aiming to equal the league top-scorer record with 31 goals, expect Arsenal to do it.

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