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Spain dominates Europa semis

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It’s business time in the football season, both at home and in Europe, and on Thursday it’s the Europa League that takes centre stage with two big semi-final match-ups to look forward to.

Atletico Madrid v Valencia

It may be cast as the Champions League’s less-important little brother, but try telling these two Spanish sides that the Europa League is a ‘mickey mouse’ competition ahead of this tie at the Vicente Calderon.

Undoubtedly, both clubs want to be back in the main event soon but, for now, more glory in the Europa League will suffice and this really is a clash to whet the appetite.

Both have impressed in the competition so far and obviously know each other pretty well from their domestic endeavours.

Totesport have Atletico Madrid, unsurprisingly given home advantage, as the favourites at 11/10 to win this first leg on Thursday as they look to take a good lead to the Mestalla. These two met at the quarter-final stage of this same competition three years ago and Atletico triumphed on their way to winning the trophy when they beat Fulham in the final.

That is a good omen for Atletico but it will not be a straightforward night for them, despite the fact they have the potential matchwinner, and one of the continent’s true rising star’s in Radamel Falcao, in their ranks (Falcao 6/1 to score two or more).

Expect the home side to come out on top but Valencia (5/2, draw 5/2) will approach the game with confidence as they have had a decent league campaign so far, sitting in third place – five above their semi-final opponents.

They have also edged the league matches between them, winning 1-0 at the Mestalla in the league and drawing 0-0 away – a result, if they can match it here, that they would grab with both hands if it were offered pre-kick-off.

Atletico have won four of their last six going into this game and we see another victory for them, despite their lower league position. Valencia, who were beaten 4-0 at Espanyol on Sunday, will have other ideas but look like having it all to do come the second leg.

Prediction – Atletico 2-0 Valencia (7/1).

Sporting Lisbon v Athletic Bilbao

Perhaps the more attractive of the ties, however, is this Portuguese-Spanish affair which pits in-form Sporting (13/8 in the match betting) against the conquerers of Manchester United earlier in the competition.

Sporting have won every single home game since coach Ricardo Sa Pinto took charge in February – a fabulous run in anyone’s books – but don’t expect that to necessarily continue when an attack-minded, confident Bilbao (7/4, draw 23/10) visit on Thursday.

The La Liga side average exactly two goals a game in this competition so far and have won four of their six away games in the Europa League since the start of the group stage.

The memorable win over Premier League leaders United was the pivotal moment and appears to have given them the belief to think they can go all the way in the competition.

For that reason, they can take the game to Sporting and, unlike the Portuguese sides who have visited the capital recently, they will head there with absolutely no fear.

Totesport have Sporting favourites to edge the first leg but 7/4 on the away win looks tempting as well, given Bilbao’s appetite for the competition this term. All things considered, we are going to sit on the fence here and say a draw is the value at 23/10.

Expect plenty of drama, though, and no shortage of goals in this one. We see a high-scoring 2-2 scoreline as the outcome to leave Bilbao very much in the driving seat for the return leg back in Spain.

Prediction – Sporting 2-2 Bilbao (14/1).

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Old foes meet at Bridge

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Chelsea and Barcelona go head to head in the Champions League on Wednesday evening for the seventh time in just over six years, and the Blues will be out for revenge following their elimination from the competition at the semi-final stage in 2009.

Both teams head into their latest last-four clash in good form, although it is the Spanish outfit who have looked the most impressive in recent weeks.

Under Roberto Di Matteo, Chelsea have taken eight points from their last four league games and booked their place in the FA Cup final thanks to a resounding victory over Tottenham on Sunday.

Barcelona, meanwhile, are hot on the heels of La Liga pace-setters Real Madrid and have taken maximum points from their last five league appointments to keep the pressure on Jose Mourinho’s men, scoring 14 goals in the process and conceding just two.

Barca defender Dani Alves believes that their opponents must show must courage if they are to book their place in the final but, at odds of 4/1 to win the first leg, they aren’t fancied to overcome their alleged fears.

The Catalans are 8/11 to take the advantage with them back to the Nou Camp and 6/1 to scrape an away goal and come away with a 1-0 win.

There hasn’t been more than a single goal between these two teams when they have met on the last six occasions and, with both sides looking confident at the back in recent weeks, that particular scorecast is certainly worth your consideration.

A 0-0 draw is available and 10/1 and is another selection that offers great value. Barca could not find a goal in their first-leg clash with AC Milan in Italy and they may find it tough to find the net at Stamford Bridge, despite the continued imperious form of Lionel Messi.

But if there are to be goals on Wednesday evening then expect that man Messi to be at the centre of any misery the Catalonian giants are able to pile on Chelsea.

The Argentinian maestro is priced at 5/2 to score the first goal on the night and is the closest thing to a safe bet as you’re going to find in the goalscorers market.

A Messi strike and 1-0 Barcelona win is available at 14/1, which seems fairly generous, while a Messi goal and 1-1 draw at the end of the first leg is 16/1, which again seems a little too kind.

Should Chelsea get on the scoresheet then expect Fernando Torres to be pulling out all the stops to impress against his fellow countrymen. The Spaniard’s problems finding the net this season have been well-documented, but at 9/4 to score at any time he is certainly worth thinking about.

Torres’ team-mate Drogba is available at the same odds, while Essien, who scored a screamer against Barca when the two sides met at the Bridge in 2009, is worth a punt at 13/2 to repeat the feat and score anytime.

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Royals poised to take crown

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There are several key games in the Championship on Tuesday which could affect both promotion and relegation as the run-in to the end of the season continues. Reading could clinch promotion while Southampton might also find themselves in a very healthy position with just two games to go (Southampton 1/7 Championship Promotion).

Reading v Nottingham Forest

Reading’s record of eight wins, one draw and one defeat in their last 10 games is promotion form in anyone?s book and that is exactly what might happen on Tuesday evening.

A win for the Royal against Forest coupled with anything but a win for West Ham and Brian McDermott’s men will be plying their trade in the Premier League next term.

It has been a remarkable run from the Berkshire outfit and Friday’s 3-1 victory over Southampton proved beyond doubt that they are the best side in the division and deserve to both gain promotion and win the Championship title.

They will face a Forest side who are 19th in the table and, despite a decent record of having taken 15 points from their past 10 matches, should be no match for Reading on their own patch.

Adam Le Fondre is in red-hot form following his brace against the Saints and it would be fitting if he was to bag the winner and send Reading back to the Premier League after a four-year absence.

Defeat for Reading would not be a disaster as they will have two more games to seal promotion but it would be a brave man to back against a side that has won 14 of its last 16 games.

The Royals will find it a much tougher proposition in the top flight next season if they do make it but that will be the furthest thing from their mind if they get over the line on Tuesday, as the party will begin at the Madejski.

Odds: Reading 1/2, Forest 9/2, draw 11/4

Bristol City v West Ham

The Hammers looked like they would make an immediate return to the Premier League for three quarters of the season but a failure to win games when it matters has been their Achilles heel.

Sam Allardyce’s charges have won three of their last five matches and are still in with a decent shout of gaining second spot in the table but five successive draws in March means their fate is now out of their own hands.

If Southampton win their three remaining games then it will be the play-offs for the Hammers and all the pressure and heartache that the post-season brings.

Victory at Ashton Gate is therefore essential for the Londoners and that will not be easy to achieve as the Robins are fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the table.

They are four points clear of the relegation zone and three points next time out could see them secure Championship safety depending on how Coventry fare against Millwall.

City are unbeaten in five and have won two from three and a draw at fourth place Birmingham on Saturday proved that they are a side who do not intend to drop into League One.

West Ham do have the second best record away from home in the division, however, and so it will be a real test for Derek McInnes’ men to carry on their unbeaten run.

They do have a winnable game to follow with a home clash against Barnsley but the south west outfit would love to have their future sorted on Tuesday evening.

Odds: Bristol City 3/1, West Ham 8/11, draw 5/2

Peterborough v Southampton

Southampton had been on a similar run to Reading before coming a cropper at Blackpool on March 21 and that defeat seemed to knock the wind out of their sails.

A draw to local rivals Portsmouth was followed by victory over Crystal Palace but defeat to the Royals last time out means they have taken just four points from four games and let West Ham back in with a chance of beating them to the second automatic promotion spot.

But they do still have a three-point advantage over the East Enders and that it crucial at this late stage of the campaign.

Victory over the Posh in tandem with a defeat for the Hammers will give them, in golfing parlance, a dormie six-point advantage with two games to go and mean they are in pole position to return to the promised land.

The south coast club have been there or there abouts all season and deserve to go up without having to go through the play-offs, and will face a Peterborough side who are so close to securing their Championship survival.

One point should be enough to ensure they beat the drop due to their superior goal difference over those below them in the standings but the Peterborough fans will be glad that their heroes put some points on the board earlier this term as they have taken just four from their last six games with four defeats.

The players might already be ‘on their holidays’ but there are three games to go and they will want to finish on a positive note.

Posh have won 10 at home this season but it is hard to see them adding to that tally against Nigel Adkins’ men.

Odds: Peterborough 100/30, Southampton 4/6, draw 5/2

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Madrid ready for Munich test

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No teams have reached the semi-finals of the European Cup more than Bayern Munich and Real Madrid and now these two giants are set to go head to head in the first of their last-four showdowns on Tuesday night (Bayern 13/8, draw 12/5, Real Madrid 17/10 – 90 minutes).

Bundesliga giants Bayern have reached the last four of this competition 14 times and have only been bettered by their upcoming opponents at the Allianz Arena, with Real playing in an astonishing 23 semi-finals in this tournament.

So this stage of the Champions League is nothing new for these European powerhouses and games in this competition don’t get much bigger than this.

Having lost to Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga this month, Bayern are all but out of the race for their domestic title, which will give them the freedom to focus on getting past Madrid over the next couple of weeks.

That’s clearly the mindset of the Bavarian outfit, who decided to rest key players in the form of Mario Gomez, Toni Kroos and Frank Ribery for their last Bundesliga outing.

Gomez (9/2 first goalscorer) is a key figure in the Bayern side and he will certainly be causing the likes of Pepe and Sergio Ramos in the Real defence problems.

With the likes of Ribery, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Arjen Robben all capable of a bit of magic in the middle of the park, it should be an intruding battle in the midfield.

Real find themselves just four points clear of rivals Barcelona in La Liga, having held a 10 point lead over the Catalan outfit earlier in the campaign.

Manager Jose Mourinho has to battle on a couple of fronts and he will have some concerns about Barca closing the gap in league, going into this all-important Champions League encounter.

It would be impossible to do a preview on this game without mentioning Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo (7/2 first goalscorer) who has already notched up an astonishing 41 goals in La Liga this season.

The 27-year-old has added eight goals in as many games in the Champions League this term to that tally and the former Manchester United star will certainly have the focus on him on Tuesday night.

With Angel Di Maria returning to fitness and Karim Benzema getting back into some decent form, Real certainly have threats all over the pitch.

Neither side particularly has the tightest of defences so expect goals in this semi-final clash at the Allianz Arena.

These two giants are fairly evenly matched and a draw with a number goals is not beyond the realm of possibility.

A 2-2 (12/1 correct score) draw would put Madrid in a strong position, with away goals potentially making a huge difference, in what are set to be two thrilling legs of Champions League football.

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Stevenage can maintain push

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There is just one game in League One on Tuesday evening, but Carlisle’s (13/5) clash at Stevenage (21/20, draw 12/5 – 90 minutes) could have repurcussions in the race for a play-off place with both sides still hoping to make it into the top seven with four games to go.

Carlisle currently sit just outside the play-off places in eighth but a win this week would move them above Notts County and into seventh while Stevenage, currently three points behind Tuesday’s opponents in ninth, know they are approaching last-chance saloon in their bid to be involved in the end-of-season drama next month.

Going into the game, both sides also know that it looks like there’s just that one play-off place up for grabs now as three from Sheffield Wednesday, MK Dons, Huddersfield and County look certainties to be involved, meaning the Cumbrians, Stevenage and Brentford will have to battle for that remaining spot.

Carlisle’s form going into the game is not that of a promotion-chasing side, however, as Greg Abbot’s side are without a win in four.
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat against champions Charlton can be forgiven as Chris Powell’s men have brushed aside pretty much everyone in the division this term but they will need to get back to winning ways if they are to push for seventh.

Abbot also suffered a blow when it was confirmed the influential Lee Miller, who has scored 15 goals this season, and Chris Chantler will both miss the run-in through injury, so Stevenage will eye a real chance to secure a valuable win themselves.

They come into the game on the back of a stunning 6-0 triumph over Yeovil – a win that finally ended a seven-game run without a victory – and this clash is one of three home games they have out of the final four that remain.

That will give the men from Broadhall Way hope that they can overhaul the points deficit and sneak into the play-offs and, although they have one tough trip on the road to Sheffield United to contend with, Stevenage will fancy their chances – both in this game and in their remaining matches (Stevenage HT/FT – 9/4).

Carlisle edged the earlier game between these two 1-0 back in September and another tight match is predicted but we see Stevenage gaining revenge and claiming a narrow win, take 2-1 at 8/1 (correct score market) to keep their play-off hopes alive.

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Rampant Gunners to worry Latics

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Monday night’s clash at Emirates Stadium is a big one for both Arsenal and Wigan Athletic, but perhaps more so for the visiting Latics (Arsenal 7/2, draw 9/2, Wigan 10/1).

Wigan go into the game in North London lurking dangerously above the relegation zone, with just five games left to secure another term in the Premier League.

They hold a two-point lead over third-bottom Bolton Wanderers, having played one game more, and a three-point cushion over out-of form Blackburn Rovers.

With Blackburn and Wolverhampton Wanderers in desperate form and short of points, it looks like one from three for 18th spot.

Inconsistency is a trait of all the sides at the bottom. However, Wigan, as they always tend to do around this stage of the season, have started putting results together.

Roberto Martinez’s side have won three of their last four games, including an historic double – a first Anfield win over Liverpool and a first-ever victory over Manchester United at the DW Stadium. They were also unfortunate in a controversial 2-1 defeat at Chelsea.

There has been a slight shift in emphasis of late, with Wigan less reliant on good football and more willing to roll their sleeves up and work hard for their points.

The midfield pairing of James McCarthy and James McArthur have played a key role in Wigan’s recent resurgence.

Shaun Maloney was the hero in Wednesday’s 1-0 win over United and he is 16/1 to open the scoring against Arsenal.

Skipper Gary Caldwell scored a rare goal in front of the Liverpool Kop last month and the Scot is 14/1 to score at anytime on Monday.

Arsenal need a win for their own reasons. The Gunners have managed to turn a disappointing campaign into a respectable one with nine wins in their last 10 games.

They have leapfrogged rivals Tottenham Hotspur into third spot and will cement a Champions League spot with victory over Wigan.

However, the charge has come too late as far as some Arsenal fans are concerned. Damaging back-to-back defeats to AC Milan and Sunderland ended their hunt for silverware and stretched their trophyless run to seven years.

The Gunners faithful will expect a more successful summer in the transfer market as they bid to return to the top of English and European football.

First things first, they need to secure Champions League football for next season.

Despite Wigan’s resurgence, you would expect the hosts to run out comfortable winners.

They have won their last seven home games in all competitions and should have too much firepower for Wigan. Robin van Persie is the obvious dangerman (first goalscorer 2/1), while defender Thomas Vermaelen represents good value at 14/1.

Wigan can only boast one win from their previous 13 Premier League meetings with Arsenal, but have proved recently that history counts for little.

There is plenty of fight in the Latics side, but they will struggle to contain a rampant Arsenal side on their own patch. It is hard to look past a home victory in this one.

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Michel set for Getafe return

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Bet on La LigaAs Sevilla continue their quest for European football, manager Michel will make a return to his former club Getafe as they go head to head in La Liga at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez on Monday night (Getafe 13/8, draw 9/4, Sevilla 13/8 – Match Betting).

The Red and Whites stand no chance of qualifying for the Champions League this season, with Spanish powerhouses Real Madrid (5/2 Champions League outright), Barcelona and Valencia looking set to sweep up the top three places in the table.

However, Sevilla find themselves just outside the Europa League qualification places and so the side from the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan look set to do battle with the likes of Osasuna, Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid for a place in Europe’s secondary competition next term.

Michel will be desperate to secure a top seven finish in La Liga this season and three points against his former club would be a massive boost for the Andalusian outfit.

If Sevilla do secure Europa League football it will be largely down to their star striker Alvaro Negredo, who is reportedly attracting interest from a host of top clubs from across the continent.

The 26-year-old has been in fine form in recent weeks and will be going into this game against Getafe full of confidence having bagged himself a brace in the 3-0 victory over Zaragoza on Thursday.

With four wins in their last five outings, Sevilla are a side in form so expect Negredo to cause Getafe all sorts of problems at the back.

As for the Dark Blues, they have been going through mixed form of late but the most important thing for the club and its fans is that they will be retaining their La Liga status for next season.

The club are sat in mid-table and have a nice 14-point cushion between themselves and the relegation zone, with games running out for the likes of Sporting Gijon, Real Zaragoza and Racing at the bottom of the table.

Getafe have the worst goal difference of any of the top 15 teams in the league but the club have worked wonders to keep themselves away from the battle at the bottom.

Wins over Barcelona (5/6 Champions League outright), Valencia and Atletico Madrid have proven that Getafe are capable of springing a shock against the bigger teams in Spain.

But with La Liga football all but assured for next season, there may be the temptation to take the foot off the gas a little, with one eye possibly on a nice summer holiday.

The last time these two sides met in the league, Sevilla ran out 3-0 winners at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan back in December and it would not be surprising to see a similar scoreline on Monday night, with Michel getting one over on his former team (Sevilla 3-0 winners 25/1).

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Blues to join Reds in final

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After Saturday’s superb first semi-final, which saw Liverpool beat local rivals Everton to claim a place in the FA Cup final, Tottenham and Chelsea face each other on Sunday to decide who will return to Wembley to meet the Reds in May (Spurs 13/8, draw 23/10, Chelsea 7/4 – Match Betting).

As both Premier League games between the London sides have ended in draws this season, the two teams will be looking for the extra ingredient that will see them beat their opponents to keep their hopes of domestic silverware alive.

At the turn of the year, Tottenham looked as if they could win the Premier League title after staying in touch with both Manchester United and Manchester City at the top of the table, but they have struggled in recent weeks and have now dropped to fourth behind local rivals Arsenal.

They lost last time out against Norwich but the FA Cup is a totally different kettle of fish and they will be looking to win their first piece of silverware since capturing the League Cup in 1998.

Key to their chances of victory will undoubtedly be the performance of Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart (13/8 to score at any time) who, after starring in the early part of the campaign, has struggled recently. However, he always seems to perform on the big stage and his ability to play clever passes and unlock defences could make the difference.

The Blues are currently in a rich vein of form under interim boss Roberto di Matteo, having won four of their last five matches in all competitions.

They may have a mouth-watering Champions League semi-final tie with Barcelona on Wednesday but they will be desperate to beat their local rivals first. They will also have a number of players who will be looking to put in a strong display against Spurs to give themselves a chance of being included in the starting line-up for the clash against the Blaugrana.

Like Spurs, much of their attacking threat comes through their playmakers and Spanish international Juan Mata (15/8 to score at any time) could play a vital role in proceedings. Mata is a similar player to Van der Vaart so expect him to pop up all over the field as he looks to break down the Tottenham rearguard.

This looks almost too close to call but with captain John Terry fit and Chelsea being the form side, they should just sneak it 1-0. However, it’s guaranteed to be tight (Chelsea 13/2 to win 1-0).

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Rooney to rescue United

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No doubt the pressure is back on Manchester United in the Premier League title race after Wednesday night’s results.

The Red Devils’ 1-0 defeat to Wigan means a win against Aston Villa is a must if they are to keep Manchester City at arm’s length in the title race. However, Alex McLeish’s men are in desperate need of three points to stave off the threat of relegation and won’t make life easy for United.

A quick look back at past results would suggest Sunday should be a stroll in the park for the Manchester side, with Villa winning just one of their last 32 league games against the Red Devils. They also have managed just one win at the Theatre of Dreams in the last 30 visits. However, Wigan had an equally dismal record against Sir Alex Ferguson’s men before Wednesday night and look what happened there.

Ferguson was livid with his players after their defeat at the DW Stadium and you’d expect a reaction from United, with the Scot suggesting he will bring back Paul Scholes after he sat out Wednesday’s game. The 37-year-old was at his masterful best as United brushed aside QPR on Easter Sunday. His experience, coupled with Ryan Giggs and Rio Ferdinand’s, is likely to prove vital over the next five games, with Scholes’ presence likely to act as a calming influence for the younger players.

Along with Scholes, United will be looking towards Wayne Rooney to do the business for them, the England striker having scored nine goals in the last nine matches. As you might expect, United are a short price to win the game, with 1/4 being offered, while Villa are 11/1 and the draw is 5/1. As such, you might have to look elsewhere for a bit of value and Rooney to score first at 13/5 looks a good bet given he has broken the deadlock in five of the last six matches in which he has scored.

United should be comfortable winners and you can get them at 8/11 to win to nil, a likely scoreline given Villa’s troubles in front of goal as they have managed to score more than one goal only once in the last nine games.

No doubt Villa will make life awkward for United, getting plenty of men back behind the ball and packing the midfield, as has become manager Alex McLeish’s style. However, when you are looking for a win, this tactic perhaps isn’t the way to go about things and the best they can seemingly hope for is a draw, with 0-0 on offer at 14/1.

Many Villa fans will be nervously looking over their shoulders after a run of one win in 11 matches, leaving them just six points clear of the drop zone. McLeish’s appointment clearly hasn’t worked, the former Birmingham City boss failing to use the assets he has correctly. The Scot has had little money to spend but his biggest signing, Charles N’Zogbia, hasn’t done it for him so far.

The former Wigan man is one of four players returning to the Villa set up after Monday’s 1-1 draw with Stoke, with Carlos Cuellar, Ciaran Clark and Nathan Delfouneso also available.

Even with a few fresh faces in the team, it is going to take a minor miracle for Villa to get anything out of the game and United should be able to breathe a bit easier come Sunday night.

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City won’t cage Canaries

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With the Grand National and an FA Cup semi-final to look forward to on Saturday you could be forgiven for overlooking the four Premier League matches. However, you would be foolish to do so as every game has something riding on it, none more so than the early game between Norwich and Manchester City.

Norwich v Manchester City 12:45pm

City fans will have all but given up on the Premier League after last week’s defeat to Arsenal. However, they may travel to Carrow Road in a more optimistic mood after rivals Manchester United lost to Wigan, while City beat West Brom 4-0. Manager Roberto Mancini might still believe the title is out of their reach but victory at Norwich, coupled with another United slip-up will mean the Manchester derby could be a title decider again.

Having played without any pressure on them on Wednesday, we could see a return to the pessimistic and frail looking outfit which never really got going at the Emirates Stadium last week. City’s away form has been dreadful since November, with just two wins in 10 games hampering their title hopes. Given their poor form, it might come as a surprise to know you can back Norwich at 6/1 to win in the match betting, with City at 8/15 and the draw at 3/1.

The Canaries caused a big upset with a win at Tottenham on Easter Monday and will be flying (pardon the pun) ahead of the visit of City. The last time the Eastlands outfit visited Carrow Road, Delia Smith’s famous ‘Let’s be avin you’ rallying cry failed to inspire her beloved Norwich as they slumped to a 3-2 defeat. Norwich will hope the TV chef doesn’t have to get on the pitch this time, although five wins from 44 matches against City suggests she might have to have a word. With that in mind the draw at 3/1 could be the best bet.

Sunderland v Wolves 3pm

The situation for Wolves is pretty simple – lose at Sunderland on Saturday and leave yourself needing to get something from the trip to Manchester City the following week to avoid relegation.

The Molineux outfit looked destined for the drop after slipping nine points from safety following their defeat to Arsenal on Wednesday. Every club at the bottom has shown some signs of life recently, except for Terry Connor’s men and they look to have already given up the fight.

With Wolves having conceded at least two goals in the last nine games, Sunderland with a -1 handicap at 11/8 looks like the bet of the weekend. Martin O’Neill’s men have little to play for but the Northern Irish manager will be looking for a reaction after being hammered at Everton in their last outing.

Swansea City v Blackburn 3pm

After a fantastic season Swansea look as though they might cross the line with a bit of a whimper following four straight defeats. Despite having not made it past the 40-point mark, some of Brendan Rodgers’ players seem to already be planning their summer holidays. They have scored just once in the last four matches and have seen fortress Liberty stormed twice in that time by Everton and Newcastle. Despite all that they are still favourites at Evens in the match betting, with Rovers on offer at 3/1 and the draw at 12/5.

Blackburn might feel unlucky not to have beaten Liverpool on Tuesday but they failed to take their chances, something they can’t afford to do in Wales given how well the Swans keep the ball. Yakubu grabbed his 15th and 16th goals of the season against the Reds and between him and Junior Hoilett, Blackburn have a couple of players capable of winning the game. Yakubu to score anytime at 15/8 might be worth a punt, as might Rovers to win the game at 3/1.

West Brom v QPR 3pm

Has Mark Hughes finally turned things around at Loftus Road? Three wins in the last five would suggest so, with Rangers finding some form at just the right time. However, those wins have all come at home and on the road you have to go all the way back to November to find their last away win.

The Hawthorns used to be a place visiting teams liked going to but Roy Hodgson has put that right, winning three of the last four as they continue to maintain a place in mid table. West Brom’s results have been tough to predict this season and as such it might be best to sit on the fence for this one, with the draw at 12/5 in the match betting. If you are feeling brave West Brom are 11/10, while QPR are 13/5.

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