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Lions to add to Bolton woes

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The FA Cup returns this weekend with a host of intriguing fifth round fixtures to look forward to. Could we finally have a couple of upsets in what has been an FA Cup where shocks have been few and far between thus far?

Chelsea v Birmingham City 12:30pm

Depending on which Blues you support you are either rather depressed or pretty optimistic about what the rest of the season could bring. For Chelsea fans you’ve seen your team win just two of the last ten in the Premier League and are perhaps considering a season without Champions League football next year.

If you are a Birmingham fan then a 13-match unbeaten run has given you hope of bouncing back at the first time of asking and maybe causing another FA Cup upset. Blues have already claimed one Premier League scalp, when defeating Wolves at Molineux, and are now setting their sights on another.

Chelsea look to be a team in turmoil, with manager Andre Villas-Boas hinting this week that not everyone is happy with his plans for the future at Stamford Bridge. A player revolt is the last thing Villas-Boas needs and as such Birmingham fans might feel as though they have chance.

Chelsea will be without John Terry, Didier Drogba, Ashley Cole and Salomon Kalou, while Villas-Boas could rest some players with the midweek trip to Napoli in mind. Birmingham are without their main goal threats in Marlon King and Nikola Zigic, so one goal is about as much as they are likely to manage.

A Chelsea win is priced at 2/7, with a Birmingham upset 9/1. However, the draw looks to be as close as we will get to an upset, which is available at 9/2. No matter the result Frank Lampard has a good record against lower league opposition and can be backed at 5/1 to score first.

Millwall v Bolton 3pm

After last week’s disastrous defeat to Wigan the last thing Bolton would want is a tough FA Cup tie at the New Den. Given the Trotters current position in the bottom three, the FA Cup might be seen as something of a distraction and as such you’d expect Coyle to rotate his squad for the clash.

Millwall had found themselves in a similar position to Bolton recently, but a run of just two defeats in the last eight has seen them make steady progress away from the relegation zone. They caused something of an upset in the last round when they won at Southampton and at 7/4 are worth a punt to make it through to the quarter-finals.

Lions manager Kenny Jackett has promised to attack from the off and he will hope to have topscorer Darius Henderson fit after a number of weeks out. Over 2.5 goals at even money could also be worth a look given Bolton’s poor defensive record.

Sunderland v Arsenal 5:15pm

The Black Cats should be licking their lips at the prospect of Arsenal coming to visit on Saturday. They might have lost the Premier League encounter between these two last week but after the Gunners took a beating at AC Milan they look right for the picking.

The last few seasons for Arsenal have followed a familiar pattern, with everything going wrong in February. Last season they started February in four cup competitions and ended it with no hope of any silverware. This season could be a similar story, with Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill desperate for his team to go on a run in the FA Cup.

The Gunners once again have defensive problems with Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker sidelined, meaning the unreliable Johan Djourou could get a run out. Sunderland have been boosted by the news that Lee Cattermole is fit to return and on his day he could prove to be a thorn in Arsenal’s side.

Sunderland are 15/8 to defeat Arsenal, with the Gunners 7/5 and the draw 12/5.

Elsewhere, Everton host Blackpool in what should be an intriguing clash in which the Toffees should come out on top. Everton are struggling defensively while Blackpool score for fun so over 2.5 goals at 4/5 could be worth a few quid.

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Royals to reign over Clarets

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Friday’s Championship match pits two of the in-form teams in the division, Reading and Burnley, against one another as the battle for a play-off spot heats up.

The Royals have been steadily climbing the table and currently occupy that coveted sixth place, however, Burnley are desperately trying to claw their back into the play-off picture and three points could go a long way to helping their cause.

These two former Premier League clubs made poor stars to the season but have enjoyed an impressive turnaround in fortunes, Reading winning eight of the last ten to catapult themselves back into the top six.

The Royals came within the width of a post to securing a return to the top flight last season, losing out to Swansea in the play-off final.

As a result of their failure to make it back into the Premier League Reading were forced to sell off the likes of Shane Long and Matt Mills in order to balance the books. It was no surprise then that Reading made a slow start to the season, which has picked up recently following the takeover of Thames Valley Sports Investment.

The takeover by the Russian-backed consortium has given the whole club a lift, especially after they persuaded star winger Jimmy Kebe to sign a new deal.

As far as recent form goes the Royals have produced a mixed bag of results at home, losing to Stevenage in the FA Cup but battering West Ham and Brighton 3-0 in the league.

When they do win at home the Royals have kept clean sheets in six out of seven matches recently. As a result Reading to win 1-0 at 6/1 and 2-0 at 7/1 could well be worthwhile bets.

A look back at recent meetings between the two teams suggests Reading should win this one, bettering Burnley in their last four meetings.

However, the Clarets have happy memories of the Madejski Stadium having secured a place in the play-off final there in 2009. Burnley were ultimately promoted, but have struggled since coming straight back down the following season.

The board at Turf Moor decided to bring Eddie Howe in as manager in a bid to rebuild the club and after a shaky start their patience finally seems to be paying off. Burnley have lost three of the last 14 in the Championship, winning six of those games to move within five points and four places of Reading and the play-offs.

The Clarets picked up another three points against Barnsley at home in midweek, but it is their away form that has probably been more impressive, winning at the likes of Middlesbrough, Hull City, West Ham and Brighton in recent months.

Howe’s men are 11/4 to claim another victory on the road and with their crippling injury crisis finally starting to ease this price might tempt a few. Reading are 4/5, with the draw 12/5, and as previously mentioned the Royals to win to nil is the best bet if you fancy Brian McDermott’s men.

The Royals look to have the momentum, but as many punters have learned the outcome of matches in the Championship are tough to predict, especially when two in-form clubs meet.

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Italians set for Europa glory

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The surprise inclusion of Champions League flops Manchester United and Manchester City may dominate the Europea League headlines but there are plenty of other contenders for the top prize and Serie A is well represented in the last-32 stage.

Lazio host Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid on Thursday night and both sides are likely to rest some key players for Europe, with league commitments the more pressing priority for the two clubs.

Lazio are currently third in Serie A and on course to book a spot in the Champions League, while Atletico Madrid are off the pace in their own hunt for a top-four finish and will be keen to keep their key men fresh for domestic action.

However, Lazio have an impressive record in Rome, both in Serie A and Europe, and could well be too strong for a weakened Atletico side, who managed just one win away from the Vicente Calderon in the Europa League group stages.

Lazio are 13/10 to secure the win, while the draw can be backed at 9/4 and Atletico Madrid are 21/10 to pick up a victory in the Italian capital.

Udinese are in the hunt for Champions League qualification and the Serie A side have also made changes for their European fixtures to date in the current campaign, opting to rest men for their midweek Europa fixtures.

However, despite the changes made by boss Francesco Guidolin for their European ties, Udinese remain unbeaten at home in Europe and have won 10 of their 12 Serie A fixtures to date at the Stadio Friuli.

Udinese host Greek side PAOK on Thursday and should be able to seal the victory which is priced at 8/11.  The draw is available at 5/2 and a PAOK win is 4/1.

Lokomotiv Moscow are a tough side to beat on home soil and the Russian outfit host Athletic Bilbao on Thursday.

Bilbao have taken their European commitments seriously this season, naming strong squads throughout the group stages, but Moscow is always a tricky place to go regardless of which side you happen to be facing. It should be a tight contest but home advantage could well be crucial and Lokomotiv can be backed at 7/5 to secure the win.

However, while Lokomotiv could win at home the second leg is a different matter all together and over the course of 180 minutes Bilbao should come out on top, with Athletic Bilbao 1/2 to qualify for the next round.

German side Schalke boast an unbeaten away record in Europe this season and the Bundesliga outfit travel to FC Viktoria Plzen, who failed to qualify from a Champions League group that included AC Milan and Barcelona.

Plzen are in the Europa League as they finished third in Group H ahead of BATE Borisov but they managed just one victory in their Champions League campaign and will struggle against Schalke.

Schalke are 6/5 to seal the victory and take an advantage back to Germany for the second leg, while a draw is priced at 11/5 and a home win is available at 12/5.

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England trio begin Europa tilt

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The European adventure continues for England’s top two clubs although not in the competition that either would have liked as they get their Europa League campaigns underway on Thursday, while surprise package Stoke are also in action, looking to put their poor domestic run behind them.

Big spending Manchester City head the outright betting at 5/1 for Europa League glory in Bucharest in May, which is hardly a surprise given the riches at manager Roberto Mancini’s disposal.

However, the question is how seriously will the Premier League leaders be taking this competition, given the way their season has gone so far.

When they were banging in goals for fun and thumping title challengers Manchester United and Spurs away, the talk was about winning every competition they were in.

However, they have been knocked out of the Champions League at the first opportunity, albeit from a tough looking group, were knocked out of the FA Cup (again as early as possible) while they fell at the semi-final stage in the Carling Cup.

Despite a magnificent start to the Premier League campaign, the Citizens have not run away with it as yet, particularly as they have been far from consistent in 2012.

Mancini’s men take on defending champions FC Porto in the first leg of their last-32 clash at the Estadio do Dragao on Thursday, with the Portuguese giants as, if not more, disappointed that they failed to make it further in the Champions League.

Porto’s home form was the principal reason for their failure to get out of Group G, just one win and two draws to finish behind APOEL FC and Zenit St Petersburg.

This is perhaps reflected in the match betting with both sides available at 13/8 to take a first-leg advantage, while the draw is on offer at 23/10.

Mancini will have the Toure brothers back from African Nations Cup duty to bolster the ranks, while Mario Balotelli is available despite his domestic ban.

But whether the Italian tactician decides to go with his fringe players remains to be seen, although his squad is arguably the strongest in Europe.

However, indifferent away form has been the problem of late and Porto are likely to go all out for the win to maintain the defence of their trophy, with Hulk (6/1 First/Last Goalscorer) leading the charge up front.

United, 7/1 outright second favourites, have named a strong-looking squad as they make their bow in Europe’s second tier competition, although Ryan Giggs, Dimitar Berbatov and Patrice Evra have been left at home.

The Red Devils did not appear to have the toughest of groups in the Champions League but still failed to progress with a 2-1 defeat in Basel condemning them to a place in the Europa League.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s men take on another Champions League drop-out, although Ajax were far from disgraced in their failure to progress, only losing out on goal difference to Lyon in a group which also included Real Madrid.

The betting suggests that this is a foregone conclusion with United odds on favourites at 5/6 to win at the Amsterdam Arena, with Ajax available at 10/3 and the draw at 5/2.

United have improved their form of late to remain in Premier League contention but it is still taking something of a chance backing them at the prices, given only one away victory in Europe this year – and that was 2-0 at group whipping boys Otelul Galati.

Ajax are not the force they once were but, with the draw of United, the players will no doubt be up for this one and it is set to be a tight affair.

Stoke have surprised a few in getting this far and their reward is a tough draw against Spanish giants Valencia, who consolidated third place in La Liga with a 4-0 demotion of Sporting Gijon.

Stoke’s form has been poor of late, losing their last three games, but they did enjoy dominance at the Britannia in Europe before Christmas, winning two and drawing one in Group E.

Valencia’s form on their travels in the Champions League cost them progression but they have enjoyed previous success in this competition and, as the third best side in Spain, obviously are no mugs.

It will be a real contrast of styles and although Valencia have been installed as the 6/4 favourites in the match betting, Stoke (7/4) can take something into the second leg – albeit a draw, priced at 23/10.

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Gunners eye Italian Job

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Wednesday’s football highlight is undoubtedly Arsenal’s trip to AC Milan in the Champions League as Arsene Wenger puts aside the Gunners’ Premier League top-four chase and instead focuses on his quest for European glory (Arsenal 20/1 – Champions League Outright).

The north Londoners may have returned to fourth spot after a dramatic win at Sunderland last time out, but with the top three of Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham almost home and dry, the pressure will be on Arsenal right up until the end of the season.

The 2005/06 finalists travel to Milan for the first leg of the last-16 tie and Wales star Aaron Ramsey certainly believes attack is the best form of defence against the current Serie A leaders, who have shipped just five goals domestically in the San Siro this term.

The midfielder wants the Gunners to go for the jugular although it could be argued his view is one seen through rose-tinted spectacles.

Ramsey told Arsenal’s website: “If we can go there and get a few goals and then come back to the Emirates then that’s going to be a fantastic result for us.

“Hopefully, we can get a couple of goals and keep them out as well.”

True, Arsenal do have a 100% winning record from two European trips to the San Siro but it must be remembered the last time they went there was four years ago and much has changed at the Emirates since then.

In 2008, Wenger’s side managed a 2-0 win thanks to goals in the last eight minutes and the same scoreline this time around is an 11/1 shot.

Milan used to enjoy a commanding record against British clubs on home soil but that has changed over recent seasons, although they could well restore their reputation this year against a leaky Arsenal defence.

The one fear hanging over them must be Thierry Henry who returns to MLS after this game following a loan spell and the Frenchman is – along with captain Robin van Persie – a tasty 13/2 to score the last goal.

Serving as a palatable starter to the main course in Milan is the night’s other Champions League game on Wednesday between rank outsiders Zenit St Petersburg (80/1 – Outright) and Benfica (50/1), which is an early kick-off at the Stadion Petrovskiy.

Neither the Russians nor the Portuguese outfit are expected to be crowned the Kings of Europe but one must make the quarter-finals.

Zenit eliminated another Portuguese side in their last European game after a goalless draw at Porto, although they did ride their luck at times.

However, the cold of a Russian winter might not appeal to Benfica on the night and they will be happy to return to Portugal still in touch with the 2008 UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup winners so the 6/5 about a home win looks too inviting a price to miss out on.

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APOEL living the dream

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Hammers out to sink Saints

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Big boys to sneak it on Monday

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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City set sights on top spot

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Reds to upset United flow

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

Manchester United v Liverpool 12:45pm

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

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

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

Bolton v Wigan 3pm

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

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

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

Everton v Chelsea 3pm

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

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

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

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

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