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RVP can join Anfield club

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Holland hot-shot Robin van Persie simply has to be backed to score the first goal in Saturday’s lunchtime tussle between Liverpool and Arsenal at Anfield.

Totesport’s ‘Double Delight – Hat-trick Heaven‘ offer could see the 4/1 for the dynamic Dutchman to bag first pay out 8/1 if he scores another in the match, or 12/1 if he joins the likes of Andrey Arshavin (2009), Peter Crouch (2007) and Robbie Fowler (1994) in the Anfield hat-trick club.

If your player scores the first goal of the match and goes on to score another, we’ll double your First Goalscorer price. If they go on to score a hat-trick, we’ll treble your First Goalscorer price. Who is your money on to bag the first goal of the match at Anfield?.

Van Persie could have had a hat-trick before half-time in last week’s north London derby demolition of Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners’ spearhead has scored 23 Premier League goals so far this season, bagging in 15 of the 26 matches he has appeared in, and grabbing the all-important first goal on eight occasions.

That represents almost one in every three matches in which he has played and suggests there is good value in taking the 4/1 for him to open the scoring on Saturday, while hoping that he adds to his tally later.

Another player who could be incredible value in this market is Yossi Benayoun (11/1 – First Goalscorer). The irrepressible Israeli was a surprise inclusion in Arsene Wenger’s side for last weekend’s 5-2 win over Spurs, but he did enough to suggest he will keep his place against his former club.

Benayoun, who scored two for Liverpool against Arsenal in that epic 4-4 draw between the clubs in 2009, has always had a tidy goal ratio during his injury-hit time in English football.

He has scored once in three starts for the Gunners this season, once in one start for Chelsea last term and 14 in 40 starts for Liverpool in the previous two campaigns, although there were a handful of substitute appearances in each of those years.

Aside from the goalscorer betting, which manager is likely to be smiling smugly into the camera in the post-match interviews and which one will be sourly shrugging at Sky TV’s microphone man?

Totesport makes Liverpool (Evens) the favourites, but with Daniel Agger definitely out with a cracked rib and Steven Gerrard struggling, the bet has to be Arsenal (11/4) to claim a point at 13/5.

Both dressing rooms will be buoyant after their results last weekend but Liverpool’s Carling Cup victory over Cardiff City was a draining occasion – and still left many observers wondering about Kenny Dalglish’s recent transfer activity.

Dalglish will make changes with Durk Kuyt and Craig Bellamy potentially returning to the starting line-up unless the Anfield boss believes Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson are the men to knock the Gunners out of their stride.

Wenger will feel that his faith in Theo Walcott has been partially vindicated by the will-o’-the-wisp winger’s second-half brace last week, but the fact remains that he does not score enough or do enough with his final ball to justify selection ahead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Liverpool are unbeaten in the Premier League at home this season, although they have won only four of their 12 matches. But seven of the last 12 matches between these two have ended in draws and six of them have finished at one apiece – which makes 1-1 in the Correct Score market at 11/2 another tempting option.

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Blackpool set to tame Tigers

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With spring well and truly in the air the end is in sight for those chasing a promotion dream in the Championship. But the mad month of March is going to be a decisive one ahead of the final reckoning, none more so than for Hull City, who travel to Blackpool on Friday in the first of nine matches in 29 days.

Ian Holloway’s Blackpool are seeking a immediate return to the Premier League and have set about their task in fine style, racking up 56 goals – the second highest in the division – to sit in fourth place, two points behind Cardiff in third and a further four away from West Ham in second (Blackpool 10/3 to earn promotion).

Twenty-three of those goals have come from strike duo Kevin and Matty Phillips. Evergreen former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips is showing no signs of slowing down despite his 38 years and he leads the Tangerines’ goalscoring charts with 13.

Matt Phillips meanwhile has shown sparkling form since returning from a loan spell at League One side Sheffield United in the autumn, bagging hat-tricks against Barnsley on Boxing Day and Fleetwood in the FA Cup in January.

The pair are unsurprisingly joint 5/1 favourites to score first against Hull but if a decision needs to be made then the wise old head of Kevin Phillips could just be the one to fire Blackpool in front.

In fact goals are almost guaranteed at both ends whenever Blackpool play – Holloway’s men have netted in all but one of their 13 matches in 2012, scoring exactly three times on five of those occasions. However, they have kept just one clean sheet in 12 games.

They beat Bristol City 3-1 at Ashton Gate on Saturday to bounce back from a heavy 4-1 thrashing at home to leaders West Ham and a 2-0 loss at Everton in the FA Cup.

They have now lost just once in nine league games and prior to the West Ham defeat had won eight home games in a row.

They also have the upper hand in recent fixtures between these two sides, winning three of the last four meetings, including a 1-0 win at the KC Stadium in August.

But before you lump all of your money on Blackpool, it is worth noting that Nick Barmby’s Hull are unbeaten in their last six Championship matches as they launch a late bid for the play-offs.

The Tigers are currently in ninth place on 51 points but have at least one game in hand on all the sides above them and a win on the Fylde Coast will lift them into the play-off places.

In terms of goals they are at the opposite end of the scale to their opponents. The Tigers have conceded only three in their last 11 games, but have scored just seven in the same period.

If they are going to score then it will more than likely come from Matty Fryatt (7/1 to score first) or Robert Koren (8/1). The pair have scored 18 of the club’s 31 league goals this season.

It is that chronic lack of goals though that will see them struggle to take the points from Bloomfield Road, with the prediction being a 3-1 victory for the Seasiders priced at 16/1.

Tigers fans should not despair however. With eight further games in March their defensive solidity could yet bear fruit. And if they can somehow start scoring more freely, then their odds of 13/2 to go up may be worth a flutter.

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Pearce to make England case

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International friendlies do not carry as much significance as perhaps they used to but there has got to be plenty of interest in Wednesday’s affair at Wembley, not least because two of the leading contenders for Euro 2012 go head to head (Holland 13/2, England 8/1 – Euro 2012 Outright).

England have not exactly set themselves up for a good showing in Poland and Ukraine – and not just because the Three Lions always fail at major tournaments – with the manager resigning ahead of the tournament as his captain was relieved of the armband (and will not be getting it back) while arguably the best player, Wayne Rooney, will be missing for two of three group games.

It does not look an ideal situation for anyone but the identity of the men who will be leading the side, both manager and captain, remains to be seen – and there are just three friendlies to sort things out.

Stuart Pearce has been given the immediate task of filling Fabio Capello’s boots with his current remit to oversee the friendly against Holland, while Harry Redknapp appears to be everyone’s choice to become the next permanent manager.

It will be no easy task for Pearce on Wednesday against the side ranked third in the world although the World Cup finalists are only marginal favourites in the match betting at 13/8, with England on offer at 7/4 and the draw priced up at 11/5.

Recent history suggests there is little to choose between the two sides as the last four matches – all friendlies – have ended all square, with Holland triumphing 2-0 at Wembley in 2002 in the most recent positive result.

England have won five and lost four of the 18 meetings between the two countries with nine ending in draws – and in the middle of a season will either side be busting a gut to get the victory?

As is the nature of friendlies these days, there is also the problem of withdrawals to deal with as Pearce has seen Rooney, Kyle Walker, Darren Bent and Tom Cleverley pull out of his first, and possibly only, squad.

The big-hitting trio of Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben have all had their injury problems so both sides may well field less than full strength line-ups.

England endured a dismal World Cup campaign but Capello successfully managed to guide the side to the Euro finals, something they did not achieve four years ago, relatively comfortably.

The Italian noted England’s faltering abilities at Wembley but the team goes into Wednesday’s encounter on the back of a nine-match unbeaten run, winning the last three matches at home.

Even reigning world and European champions Spain have been beaten in that time, albeit in a backs-to-the-wall kind of fashion, so the hosts have at least proved they can be hard to beat.

Holland cruised to the finals on the back of nine wins in Group E and only surrendered their 100 percent record in the last game of the qualifying campaign in Sweden.

Robin van Persie has been in sensational form this season and is an obvious threat and unsurprising favourite at 9/2 in the First/Last Goalscorer betting, while he is priced at 2/1 to bag anytime.

He has enjoyed huge success against English defences and must be considered, given the inexperience in the home side’s backline, which has to cope without both John Terry and Rio Ferdinand.

Pearce does not have too much experience up front either following Rooney’s withdrawal but Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck (both 6/1 – First Goalscorer) have both impressed this season, while Theo Walcott’s (10/1) fine brace for Arsenal made a mockery of recent criticism.

Steven Gerrard also looks worthy of consideration at 7/1 First/Last Goalscorer and 7/2 Anytime as he is expected to lead the side and thrives on the extra responsibility.

It is difficult seeing it being a free-flowing, attack-minded game, particularly with Pearce not wanting to harm his chances of permanent appointment with a big defeat, so expect a tight contest.

However, Capello’s former assistant might boost his chances of success if he gets the players confident wearing the shirt and looking like they enjoy playing for their country, which does not appear to have been the case for some time.

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Ireland ‘Czech’ out new talent

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Republic of Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni will start his preparations for this summer’s Euro 2012 finals (66/1 – Outright) with a tricky international friendly test against the Czech Republic at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday.

The Irish qualified for their first major tournament since the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea thanks to a 5-1 aggregate victory over Estonia in the qualification play-offs.

And having been drawn in Group C alongside Croatia, Spain and Italy (Ireland 11/1 – Group C Winner), Trapattoni has been keen to organise testing friendly matches, starting against the Czechs who have also qualified for this summer’s European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.

However, the Italian tactician’s plans for the game have been disrupted by injury problems to key players after Richard Dunne and Darron Gibson were ruled out earlier in the week, while Stephen Kelly and Keiren Westwood have since withdrawn from the squad after suffering thigh and wrist problems respectively.

It paves the way for young Sunderland starlet James McClean to feature, while centre-back Shane Duffy is also in line for his debut.

Czech Republic, who are in a group with Poland, Russia, and Greece at Euro 2012, sit nine places below the Irish in 29th position in the FIFA rankings but boast a great record for qualifying for the European Championships having reached every one since their independence in 1992.

Therefore Michal Bilek’s men will no doubt arrive in Dublin looking to fine-tune their tactics and show their credentials ahead of the summer showpiece tournament.

Bilek does have injury problems to contend with too as Arsenal star Tomas Rosicky has been ruled out of the game after he suffered a back strain in the 5-2 north London derby win against Tottenham, while key defender Roman Hubnik has a foot injury.

Jiri Strajner and David Limbersky have been called up as their replacements and will no doubt aim to force their way into Bilek’s plans as the clock ticks down towards Euro 2012.

Despite the fixture being a friendly both sides are likely to look for a morale-boosting victory and it is sure to be a competitive affair.

Ireland have a good record against the Czech Republic in friendly internationals on home soil with respective victories in 2000 and 2004, while they drew 1-1 in their last European Championship qualifier in Dublin in 2006.

The Czechs have not won in Ireland since a 3-1 friendly victory in 1994, while they came out on top in the previous meeting between the sides when Marek Jankulovski scored the only goal of the Euro 2008 qualifier for the hosts in September 2007.

It is likely to be a close-fought encounter but expect Ireland, who have not lost since a 3-2 home defeat against Uruguay almost 12 months ago, to just edge it against a Czech side which has won their previous three games.

Prediction: Home 90 Minutes @ 13/10
Value Bet: Ireland To Win 2-1 Correct Score @ 8/1

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Premier League lessons

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Another round of Premier League fixtures is out of the way and things are starting to take shape at both ends of the table, here are three things we’ve learnt from the latest round of fixtures (totesport – Barclays Premier League).

1) The title is heading to Manchester

Any hope Spurs had of landing their first league title since 1961 now appears to be over following their 5-2 loss at Arsenal on Sunday.  Spurs are now 10 points adrift of league leaders Manchester City and eight behind reigning champions Manchester United. With just 12 games to go it would take a magnificent effort from the north Londoners, combined with poor results for the Manchester duo, for them to take the top prize.

Manchester City are the 8/15 favourites to secure the Premier League crown, United can be backed at 6/4 and Spurs have now drifted out to 50/1 to land the title after their north London derby defeat.

2) Arsenal’s season isn’t over yet

While Spurs may be reeling from their heavy defeat at the Emirates it may mark a return to form for the Gunners.

Following their 4-0 loss at AC Milan in the Champions League and FA Cup exit at the hands of Sunderland it appeared as if Arsenal’s season was all but over before we had even entered March.  However, while silverware may again prove elusive for Arsene Wenger’s men this season they may yet secure a top four finish, which could be massive if it convinces star man Robin van Persie to agree new terms at the Emirates.

The Gunners’ 5-2 win over Spurs moved them back into the top four, ahead of Chelsea on goal difference, and after a disappointing couple of weeks that victory may be just what Arsenal needed to get their top four charge back on track.

Arsenal can be backed at 11/8 to secure a top four finish, while Chelsea are priced at 5/6.

Liverpool landed the Carling Cup on Sunday with a hard-fought victory over Championship outfit Cardiff.  The Reds are seven points adrift of Arsenal but Liverpool have not given up on Champions League qualification and they’re priced at 10/3 to grab a top four spot, while Newcastle are 16/1.

3) The relegation battle is down to five

West Brom, Stoke and Fulham all picked up three points over the weekend to move well clear of the drop zone and it now appears as if there are five teams remaining in the relegation battle, and all of them are struggling for form.

Wigan, who have picked up four points in their last two games, remain at the foot of the table with just 20 points but only goal difference separates them from a stuttering Bolton side who slumped to a 3-0 loss at Chelsea on Saturday.

Blackburn and QPR have 21 points, while Wolves are on 22, and it seems as if three of the current bottom five will be heading into the Championship, unless one of the sides above them suffers a dramatic dip in form.

QPR have a particularly difficult run in, they still have to face Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Spurs before the season comes to a close, while their final game of the season is a daunting trip to Manchester City.  The Loftus Road side are priced at 10/11 to suffer an immediate return to the Championship.

In contrast, Bolton have just Manchester City and Spurs of the ‘top six’ left to play, with a trip to the Etihad on the horizon for the Wanderers this weekend.  However, Owen Coyle’s men have been frankly abysmal all season, aside from a couple of impressive displays, and it will take a remarkable change in fortunes, and form, if they are to survive.  The Wanderers can be backed at 8/11 to go down.

Wigan have been rooted to the foot of the table all season but they have come back from similar circumstances in the past.  Latics are 1/3 to suffer relegation after a seven-year stint in the top flight.

Blackburn have just sold key defender Chris Samba and appeared to have conceded defeat prior to a ball being kicked in their defeat at Man City at the weekend.  Steve Kean’s men are 8/11 to be relegated, which would come as no surprise following their turbulent campaign to date.

Wolves were the only side in the relegation mix to show any fight this weekend as they came from 2-0 down to record a 2-2 draw at Newcastle.  The Molineux outfit, who are now under the guidance of Terry Connor following the sacking of Mick McCarthy, are priced at 8/13 to be relegated.

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Charlton out to extend lead

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Charlton Athletic are flying high at the top of the League One table and the race for promotion is hotting up with the frontrunners set to take on Chesterfield on Tuesday night (Chesterfield 3/1, draw 5/2, Charlton 10/11 Match Betting).

The side from The Valley are on course to make a swift return to the Championship as they hold a 10-point lead at the top of the table, with games running out for the chasing pack.

Charlton head into this game at the B2net Stadium on the back of a 2-0 victory over Stevenage Borough and once again Bradley Wight-Phillips got his name on the scoresheet.

Chesterfield boss John Sheridan will make his side fully aware of the threat the attacking player will pose as he hopes to add to his 15 goals for the season.

The visitors on Tuesday have not lost a game in their last nine outings and will be full of confidence when they make the trip to the Derbyshire outfit, who currently sit rock bottom of League One.

With the club five points away from emerging out of the relegation zone, The Spireites are fighting for their lives and will not want that gap to increase this week.

However Charlton (1/6 League One title outright) have made a habit of seeing off sides at this level and should come away from Chesterfield with all three points as they edge closer to the title.

One club who will be looking for Chesterfield to do it a favour is Sheffield United, who will be looking to get back to winning ways when Scunthorpe United travel to Bramall Lane on Tuesday (Sheffield Utd 1/2, draw 3/1, Scunthorpe 6/1 Match Betting).

The Blades will still be hurting following their 1-0 defeat to arch rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the Steel City derby last weekend.

Fortunately for manager Danny Wilson and his men, they have not had to wait long to put things right following the derby loss.

Having drawn a rare blank against the Owls, the Blades (5/1 League One title outright) will be determined to get back to scoring goals when they host the Irons, with the likes of Chad Evans and Richard Cresswell set to cause Scunthorpe problems.

Wilson and his men are hoping to keep in touch of Charlton and pull away from Wednesday in third place and, against an Irons side struggling for form in their last two outings, they should get back to winning ways to give their fans something to cheer about following the defeat at Hillsborough.

Another side pushing for an automatic promotion spot is Huddersfield Town and having secured a first victory under newly-appointed manager Simon Grayson, the Terriers are set for a trip to Broadhall Way to take on Stevenage Borough (Stevenage 13/10, draw 3/1, Huddersfield 2/1 Match Betting).

Tottenham Hotspur failed to secure a win at Stevenage in the FA Cup with their star-studded squad and the home side will prove a tough nut to crack for Town.

However Huddersfield have the not so secret weapon Jordan Rhodes in their armoury and if anyone can get past a stubborn defence it is the Scotland striker.

Boro will be no pushovers on home soil but Huddersfield will be boosted by a new manager at the club and should edge this one.

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Can Crawley tame the Shrews?

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There is a huge game at the top of League Two on Monday evening as two sides with automatic promotion ambitions go head-to-head when Crawley Town travel to take on Shrewsbury Town at the Prostar Stadium.

Steve Evans’ Crawley side (11/4 League Two Outright), who were pre-season favourites to walk through the division following their promotion from the Conference, have encountered a blip in form of late, which has resulted in the side slipping from the summit of League Two to fifth spot

However they do have between two and four games in hand on the teams above them – including Monday night’s opponents Shrewsbury (12/1 Outright) who sit in fourth position and a point better off – due to their recent run to the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Evans, who will hope his men can recapture the form which brought them 10 wins and two draws from 12 games in the final three months of 2011, should have Hope Akpan available while Kyle McFadzean will again deputise for broken foot victim David Hunt at right-back.

But their work will be cut out to secure maximum points in Shropshire and improve a recent run of just two wins from nine matches. Crawley have won five on the road this season, but only one away-day success has come in six games against top-10 opponents.

And Shrewsbury, being one of the strongest home teams in League Two with 11 wins and three draws from their 14 outings in front of their own fans to date, will represent one of the sternest tests that the Red Devils could have come up against.

Graham Turner’s side, who will be without striker Tom Bradshaw due to a Wales Under-21 call-up but hope to have left-back Joe Jacobson fit from the groin injury suffered at Swindon last midweek, have won all six matches at home to top-half rivals so far so will be very confident of seeing off Crawley.

A repeat of Crawley’s 2-1 win from the fixture between these two sides at Broadfield Stadium earlier in the season would be the perfect tonic for Evans’ side. However, the Shrews will look at Crawley’s tendency to ship goals when they do lose, as they have conceded three or more goals in four of their five defeats this season, to give them hope of a crucial win.

Crawley have not scored in only four of their 29 matches this season so we expect goals, but Shrewsbury appear to be the best bet to shade a closely fought encounter.

Prediction: Home Win 90 Minutes @ 7/5
Value Bet: Shrewsbury Town To Win 2-1 Correct Score @ 17/2

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Spurs set for Emirates result

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Tottenham will be looking to do the double over Arsenal on Sunday when the arch-rivals meet at the Emirates Stadium with much more than three points at stake (Arsenal 6/4, 12/5 draw, Spurs 7/4 – 90 Minutes).

If the rumour mill is to be believed – always a dangerous idea in the roller-coaster world of Premier League football – this weekend’s north London derby could mark Spurs chief Harry Redknapp’s final appearance in the dug-out for this domestic firecracker of a fixture.

The popular Londoner is the new England boss-elect in many people’s eyes and he would do well to glance over to the home bench on Sunday to see just how quickly fortunes can change at the highest level.

It’s not so long ago that Gunners chief Arsene Wenger was being linked with top jobs, like the one at Real Madrid, although it maybe feels like a lifetime away for the Frenchman given his side’s current struggles both at home and in Europe.

It may be stretching the point to suggest Wenger would struggle to walk into another job these days, but it shows how far his side has slipped that next season’s first north London showdown might well see new managers on board for both sides.

Clearly Wenger’s future will not be decided this weekend, but how much would a win over the men from White Hart Lane lighten the mood at the Emirates?

But enough about the sub-plots as Sunday’s game is all about the here and now for both sets of fans, with Spurs looking to back-up October’s 2-1 home Premier League win over Arsenal. A repeat scoreline pays out at 10/1.

Derby games are notorious for the form book going out of the window and this is a match Arsenal simply cannot afford to lose if they are going to keep the chance of a top-four finish in their own hands.

So the incentive is there for the Gunners, while it could also be argued Spurs’ relatively comfortable status as the third best team in England this season might see them just fall short at the Emirates.

Redknapp’s men still have the FA Cup to go for this term but they are unlikely to edge past both Manchester City and Manchester United to defy odds of 16/1 about them winning the title.

Spurs duo Emmanuel Adebayor (knee) and Rafael van der Vaart (calf) are expected to be fit while Benoit Assou-Ekotto (groin) and Luka Modric (illness) also look like they will make it.

Arsenal defenders Laurent Koscielny (knee) and Kieran Gibbs (groin) face fitness tests but midfielder Aaron Ramsey (ankle), defender Francis Coquelin (hamstring) and centre-half Sebastien Squillaci (groin) are still sidelined.

Prediction: Stalemate at the Emirates – 2-2 pays at 14/1

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Bellamy to break Cardiff hearts

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Craig Bellamy has been arguably Kenny Dalglish’s shrewdest signing in his second spell in charge of Liverpool (2/5 in Match Betting) and the Welsh striker could take centre stage against his boyhood club Cardiff City (15/2, Draw 7/2) in the Carling Cup Final at Wembley on Sunday.

Bellamy (4/1 First Goalscorer), who leads Liverpool this season with six Premier League goals, missed last weekend’s FA Cup win over Brighton with a back problem, but has been passed fit to start – as has defender Daniel Agger.

The ex-Bluebirds striker insists he is a changed man since returning for a second stint at Anfield and has put his volatile days of arguments and scuffles well behind him.

Fellow striker Luis Suarez has been the one making the headlines for all the wrong reasons this season and he too may well feel he owes Dalglish and the Liverpool fans a performance in a big game after disappointing in the much-hyped affair at Old Trafford.

Suarez has scored three goals in the competition this season, including a stunner at Stoke City and could be worthy of support in the Anytime Goalscorer market (11/8) because of Cardiff’s recent defensive struggles.

Malky Mackay’s side have conceded nine goals in their last four Championship matches, which will give the Scottish tactician cause for concern as they step up in class to face a Liverpool side driven on by Steven Gerrard – who always turns up on the big occasion for his club (7/1 Two or More goals).

Liverpool have progressed to the final by recording an impressive run of wins away from Anfield against Exeter, Brighton, Stoke, Chelsea and Manchester City.

They have scored 12 goals en route, but only four of these have come in the first halves of matches – which suggests the cagey Reds could be content to win the Cup final in the second half (10/3 Draw/Liverpool in HT/FT).

Kenny Dalglish’s side have added motivation in this competition which they have won more times than any other side as a win at Wembley, their first visit since the 1996 FA Cup loss, match would see the Merseysiders equal Manchester United’s record for most English domestic cup wins.

Liverpool are facing a lower-tier opponent in the League Cup Final for the fourth time and they have won on each previous occasion, against Bolton in 1995, on penalties in Cardiff against Birmingham in 2001 and after a replay over West Ham in 1981.

And the scale of Cardiff’s task can be seen by the fact that just one of the last seven sides from outside the top tier to reach the League Cup Final has won (Sheffield Wednesday in 1991).

Cardiff’s 2-0 win over Blackburn in the quarter-finals this season was the club’s first win in 11 League Cup meetings with top-flight sides and they progressed at the expense of fellow Championship sides Leicester, Burnley and Crystal Palace – twice needing penalties.

Bluebirds striker Kenny Miller (11/2 Anytime) believes his first visit to Wembley Stadium tomorrow could result in the best moment of his playing career.

Miller has denied Liverpool before, scoring a last minute equaliser against them for Wolves at Molineux in 2004, and would love to help City frustrate them again tomorrow.

He is one of the experienced men in Cardiff’s dressing room but is not the only potential scorer for the Welsh standard bearers – who have a few midfielders with an eye for goal.

Peter Whittingham (15/2 Anytime) has 10 to his name already this season, Don Cowie (10/1) enjoyed a goalscoring purple match when he grabbed six goals in the first two months of the campaign, while Aron Gunnarsson (11/1) has been chipping in with his fair share (5 in 28 Championship starts).

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City set to turn screw

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On a busy Saturday of Premier League fixtures, Manchester City look well set to extend their lead at the top of the table while it looks grim for those sides at the bottom.

Chelsea v Bolton

It has been a difficult week for Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas. A disappointing FA Cup draw at home to Birmingham was followed up by a convincing 3-1 defeat by Napoli in the Champions League.

To make things worse the Portuguese is also rumoured to be battling a dressing room revolt. A win at all costs is need against Owne Coyle’s Wanderers.

AVB may gain some solace from the fact Chelsea have not lost to Bolton since 2003 and the Trotters go into the game on the back of consecutive defeats to Wigan and Norwich.

Four of Wanderers’ six wins have been away from home this season but Chelsea will have too much for them at the Bridge, even with their own wretched form.

Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Bolton @ 7/1

Newcastle v Wolves

What a disastrous fortnight it has been for Wolves. A humiliating 5-1 home defeat to bitter rivals West Brom led to the dismissal of Mick McCarthy. But a string of managers have turned down the chance to take the job, meaning assistant boss Terry Connor has been put in charge until the end of the season.

A run of 14 points from 22 games leaves them third from bottom in the table and they face a Newcastle side who have lost just twice at home all season. They also welcome back key duo Cheick Tiote and Yohan Cabaye.

With Chelsea and Arsenal struggling for form the Magpies are eyeing an unlikely spot in the top four so don’t look beyond them in this encounter.

Prediction: Newcastle 2-0 Wolves @ 6/1

QPR v Fulham

After bringing in six new players in the January transfer window new QPR manager Mark Hughes was hoping for an immediate response from his struggling side. However, consecutive defeats to fellow strugglers Wolves and Blackburn means they have now won just once in 13 games and only sit outside the relegation zone on goal difference.

He will no doubt receive a frosty welcome from the Fulham fans after he walked out on the club after just 11 months in the job last summer. With five of their last eight matches against the current top six Hughes knows his side have to get a result from this game if they are to stand a chance of staying up.

Martin Jol’s Fulham have the worst away record in the division, meaning this is the time for the Hoops to grab a vital victory.

Prediction QPR 2-1 Fulham @ 17/2

West Brom v Sunderland

West Brom fans have been on cloud nine for the past fortnight after their 5-1 thrashing of Wolves at Molineux. Now they will be hoping they can transfer that form to the Hawthorns, where they have lost the last three and notched just eight goals all campaign.

They host a Sunderland side who are equally confident. Martin O’Neill has had the Midas touch at the Stadium Of Light, inspiring them to pick up 16 points from their last eight Premier League games to shoot up into the top 10.

O’Neill will be keen for his side to maintain that momentum, especially with an FA Cup quarter-final on the horizon, sothe Black Cats could claw the Baggies back down to earth with a bump.

Prediction: West Brom 1-2 Sunderland @ 10/1

Wigan v Aston Villa

Despite being favourites for relegation and propping up the rest of the division, Roberto Martinez’s Wigan are showing tremendous spirit to keep their survival hopes alive. Four defeats in a row in January looked to have condemned the Latics to the Championship, but a home draw with Everton and a vital win at Bolton means they are just two points from safety.

They will be eyeing another win against an Aston Villa side that are in danger of being sucked into the relegation dogfight. They may be seven points clear of the bottom five but with games against Wigan and 17th-placed Blackburn to come their run-in may suddenly become more uncomfortable.

However, they have lost just once in six away from home while Wigan are winless at the DW since August, meaning there could be a welcome victory for Alex McLeish’s men.

Prediction: Wigan 1-2 Aston Villa @ 10/1

Man City v Blackburn

Even the most optimistic of Blackburn fans are doubting their side’s chances against Manchester City on Saturday evening. Roberto Mancini’s table-toppers are unbeaten in 22 matches at the Etihad and are the only club in Europe’s six major leagues to still have a 100% home league record.

However, people were making similarly gloomy predictions when Steve Kean’s men went to Old Trafford on New Year’s Eve. But their shock 3-2 win over the champions gave them real hope in the battle against the drop.

That said, with the return of Yaya Toure bolstering City’s midfield and the tantalising prospect of going five points clear of United in front of them, there will be no result other than a home win.

Prediction: Man City 3-0 Blackburn @ 6/1

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