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Little luck for the Irish

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Republic of Ireland head to Tallinn this week for the first leg of their Euro 2012 play-off against Estonia, but Giovanni Trapattoni’s preparations have been far from smooth (Estonia 13/8, draw 11/5, Republic of Ireland 11/8 – 90 Minutes).

Not since 2002 have the Irish graced the world stage in a major international tournament although they did go close to reaching the 2010 World Cup finals only to be denied by Thierry Henry’s infamous ‘Hand of God’ moment in Paris.

Trapattoni and his players bounced back in their qualification campaign for next summer’s European Championships in Poland and Ukraine but came up just short thanks to a 3-2 home defeat to eventual Group B winners Russia in October 2010.

The Irish were two points worse off in the final table which has forced them into the lottery of the play-offs although they have been handed favourable opponents in Estonia given the fact they were the lowest-ranked nation in the unseeded half of the draw.

Republic of Ireland’s luck appears to have run out to a certain extent as Trapattoni has a whole host of injury problems to deal with plus the suspension which rules Wolves striker Kevin Doyle out of the Tallinn trip.

Already ruled out alongside Doyle are Leon Best who is set to become a father, Liam Lawrence (ankle), John O’Shea (hamstring) Shane Long (knee) and David Forde (thigh) while there is also a long list of doubts.

Best is set rejoin the squad on Saturday along with O’Shea although the Newcastle striker is carrying toe and groin injuries so will have to be closely monitored by the Irish medical team.

Captain Robbie Keane (11/8 – Anytime Scorer) looks like he has shaken off a leg problem in time to win his 113th cap although fans will be concerned Trapattoni felt he needed Keith Andrews to sit out training on Tuesday as a precaution, while Richard Dunne and Keith Fahey were treated for minor knocks.

The Italian was also without veteran goalkeeper Shay Given because of a stiff neck but it is not expected to stop him from travelling to Eastern Europe.

Trapattoni told the FAI website: “In these two (play-off) games, we have a great opportunity, but we are also aware that we are facing a team that has very good organisation on the pitch and we should not under-estimate them.

“We will have to show our pride. I am proud of our team and it will be very important for us to show all the Irish people our quality, our mentality and our attitude.

“Only with this attitude, we can get over these 180 minutes and achieve qualification.”

Estonia have added midfielder Andrei Sidorenkov and forward Vladimir Voskoboinikov to their squad and boss Tarmo Ruutli says he is delighted with his options.

“All the players are well-known in our team,” said Rüütli.

“There’s no place for major changes or surprises in the squad before the final two matches of the campaign.”

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Blades to brush up in JPT

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The two-week international break allows the lower league sides to showcase their qualities and Tuesday evening brings us several Johnstone’s Paint Trophy quarter-final north and south encounters to assess with the Yorkshire derby between Sheffield United and Bradford City the pick of the bunch.

Sheffield United v Bradford (7.45pm)

A South versus West Yorkshire showdown between the League One Blades and struggling League Two Bantams at Bramall Lane looks a home banker on paper for Danny Wilson’s hosts.

However, the Blades have struggled of late with the 2-1 defeat at Stevenage on Saturday leaving them with just one win in four league outings as they have slipped to fifth spot in the table – six points behind second-placed Huddersfield.

Wilson is calling on his team to get back to winning ways immediately on Tuesday when they face Bradford City as he has no new injury problems to contend with but could make some changes.

United have managed to see off League Two Burton and Rotherham by the same score of 2-1 in the previous rounds and they will hope for an easier time when facing a City side whose 1-0 home defeat to Cheltenham Town on Saturday has left them 21st in the table, just one point ahead of the bottom two relegation spots.

Former Blades duo, defender Andrew Davies and winger Kyel Reid, will miss out for Phil Parkinson’s Bantams due to suspension, while defender Robbie Threlfall and winger Jamie Devitt are doubtful due to respective thigh and hamstring problems.

History is on the Blades side as they have won 16 and lost only four previous meetings with Bradford on home soil so we expect them to cut down their Yorkshire rivals again on Tuesday.

Prediction: Sheffield United Home 90 Minutes @ 4/9

Value Bet: Sheffield United To Win 3-1 Correct Score @ 10/1

Rochdale v Preston (7.45pm)

Another northern quarter-final sees an all Lancashire battle between two sides struggling badly for form in recent weeks.

Rochdale manager Steve Eyre witnessed his side drop into the League One relegation places following Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at MK Dons which made it no wins in their last six league outings.

They secured a place at this stage of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy courtesy of a penalty shoot-out win against Walsall in the previous round a month ago and will hope to get back to winning ways and pile more misery on North End chief Phil Brown on Tuesday.

Following a good start to the League One season, Brown’s Lilywhites have plummeted down the table to 13th position after Saturday’s 5-2 defeat at Charlton made it one point from seven league games and 21 goals shipped in that time.

A host of injury problems have not helped Brown in that time as he looks to beef up his squad with some loan signings ahead of the game as they look to secure a northern semi-final spot having also needed penalties to win at Morecambe in the last round.

However, Rochdale have problems in defence with loan defender Dean Holden cup-tied, Kim Balkestein still missing through injury, Joe Widdowson out with shin splints and Marc Twaddle currently unavailable, several youth players could feature.

It is a game that will pitch together two relatively local sides, both out of form and looking for a confidence-boosting win and it could well be a very tight affair on the night.

Prediction: Draw 90 Minutes @ 12/5

Value Bet: Preston/Draw Half Time/Full Time @ 12/1

Brentford v Bournemouth (7.45pm)

The pick of the southern quarter-finals sees two League One sides go head-to-head at Griffin Park.

The Bees have had an inconsistent season to date summed up by a home defeat to Stevenage, a home win against Chesterfield and an impressive 0-0 draw at Sheffield Wednesday in their previous three league outings.

However, they go into this tie on home soil boosted by the fact they romped to a 3-0 win at high-flying Charlton in the previous round.

Bournemouth, who defeated Yeovil 3-2 in the last round, have enjoyed an up-lift in form over the past fortnight with seven points out of a possible nine, which included wins against Scunthorpe and Preston sides that were relegated from the Championship last season.

The Cherries are set to sign Simon Francis from Charlton ahead of the game and he could feature as he was an unused substitute in the Addicks’ defeat to Brentford in the previous round.

It is a difficult one to call, but with home advantage in their favour Brentford should have just enough to edge through.

Prediction: Brentford Home 90 Minutes @ 5/6

Value Bet: Brentford To Win 2-1 Correct Score @ 7/1

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Five football conclusions

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Another break for internationals means now is the perfect time to take stock and see what conclusions can be drawn from the 2011/12 football season so far.

Man City can win ugly

The Blues may have been pushed all the way for the win at Queens Park Rangers at the weekend, but win they did which is more than title rivals Chelsea can say this season.

Loftus Road’s tight stands might just shock a few closeted Premier League players this season, however City proved they can grind out three points on the road and that’s no mean feat given their League Of Nations-type squad.

Last term City, who are 10/11 title shots, scored 26 away goals all season and they’re just three short of that tally after six matches away from the Etihad Stadium – enough said.

Fabregas is proving doubters wrong

It’s early days but Cesc Fabregas will want his honeymoon period at the Nou Camp to go on forever after managing to get among the goals since his switch from Arsenal.

For a player not blessed with lightning pace, Fabregas found himself something of a “man for all seasons” at the Emirates rather than getting on the end of things in the box.

But times have changed for the 24-year-old who has already won 60 caps for Spain - no mean feat given his country’s embarrassment of riches.

Fabregas didn’t win enough with the Gunners but he will with the Catalans now he has gone home, with Barca 7/4 for more Champions League glory.

Capello has a duty of care

For a coach who is departing after Euro 2012 next summer it seems stranger that he is looking at youth against Spain this weekend and Sweden next week.

But the Italian has drafted in the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Phil Jones, Danny Welbeck and Jack Rodwell for the friendlies in order to “see something different”.

The last time England played Spain was in February 2009 in Seville and the Three Lions were outclassed by Iniesta, Villa and Xavi so Capello must be careful he bloods his youngsters without destroying their confidence.

England are 9/1 shots to end their long wait for silverware by claiming Spain’s European crown next summer.

The Bhoys are behind Lennon

To say Neil Lennon has endured somewhat of a roller-coaster time as Celtic boss would be a massive understatement.

Off-pitch incidents have left a sour taste in the mouth and have forced the Scottish government to look into implementing some anti-sectarian laws. On the pitch the Parkhead outfit have started the season miserably – crashing out of the Europa League meekly before being reinstated because FC Sion fielded ineligible players.

Celtic have also slipped behind Rangers in the SPL title race, however their come-from-behind, never-say-die win at Motherwell was encouraging and shows everyone is pulling in the same direction.

Lennon’s men are 9/4 for SPL glory this term.

Harry’s not always the boss

Being the football man he is from a certain era, Harry Redknapp was bullish about his return from heart surgery last week by claiming the international break had come at the right time so he could be in charge of Spurs against Aston Villa on November 21.

However, the amiable 64-year-old appears to have jumped the gun and it now seems he will not be back until December at the earliest.

Thankfully, the former West Ham and Portsmouth chief seems to have heeded the advice of the medical professionals and looks set to be getting under wife Sandra’s feet for a few more weeks.

But these things have to be handled properly and Redknapp is doing the right thing as Spurs tick over nicely without him.

Spurs are evens to finish in the top four this season.

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Lomas set for winning start

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After another weekend of thrilling SPL action, Monday sees St Johnstone host Aberdeen in what is sure to be a thoroughly entertaining encounter with both sides looking to play exciting, attacking football (St Johnstone 6/5, draw 9/4, Aberdeen 23/10 – Match Prices).

All the focus will be on new Saints boss Steve Lomas, who was appointed to the role last week following the departure of Derek McInnes to Bristol City, and he’ll be hoping his side can give him the perfect start to his reign at McDiarmid Park.

St Johnstone currently sit fourth in the SPL table and have been one of the league’s surprise packages this year and so will be confident going into the game against their lowly opponents.

As a player Lomas was well known for his determination but was also a highly competent midfielder with a lot more skill than people gave him credit for and he will surely be looking to mould the Perthshire club in his image.

Key to this could be ex-Chelsea man Jody Morris, who like his new boss is known for his ability to mix tenacity with skill and is almost always at the forefront whenever St Johnstone do anything positive.

The skipper is always the first name on the team-sheet and his performance will be vital if Lomas is to get off to the perfect start.

Another of St Johnstone strength is their strike duo of Cillian Sheridan (3/2 to score at anytime) and Francisco Sandaza (11/8 to score at anytime) who have notched nine goals between them this season and have struck-up a superb understanding in the short amount of time they’ve been together. Both will be looking to fire their side to victory and make a good impression on the new boss.

However, Aberdeen won’t simply roll over and have some exceptionally talented players themselves and are capable of beating anyone on their day. The Dons have struggled so far this season and currently sit 11th in the table.

Boss Craig Brown is a wily old character and knows how to motivate struggling teams and will fancy his chances of getting his players in the right frame of mind ahead of the match.

Their key player is more than likely to be talismanic striker Scott Vernon (15/8 to score at anytime) who has struggled to rediscover his form of last season but will be determined to find the net again.

However, it seems as if the script is written for Lomas and it’s hard to see anything other than a home win but it will undoubtedly be a tight game.

On paper St Johnstone have a much stronger line-up and, with Sheridan and Sandaza leading the line, should have enough to overpower their opponents.

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Foxes eyeing vulnerable Leeds

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Three games take place on Sunday in the Championship with the pick of the action coming from the King Power Stadium as Leeds travel to take on managerless Leicester. Both teams had high hopes at the start of the season and despite mixed fortunes in the last couple of months, are just outside the play-off zone.

Leicester v Leeds (15:00)

Simon Grayson’s Leeds make the trip down to Leicester after a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Blackpool at Elland Road on Tuesday, and they can expect no joy on the road when they face the Foxes , who are buoyed from their 3-1 win at Burnley during the week.

Although without a permanent manager since Sven-Goran Eriksson was sacked last month, Leicester proved they have enough quality to push for promotion this season in their impressive display in the emphatic victory on Tuesday.

Caretaker manager Jon Rudkin was able to leave Jermaine Beckford on the bench for the game at Turf Moor, with David Nugent and Paul Gallagher both rewarding him with goals. On paper, the Foxes have one of the best starting XI’s in the Championship and it is only a matter of time before they go on a winning run, which will push them into the play-offs at the very least.

Take Leicester at 10/11 to overcome the Yorkshire side and David Nugent looks a good bet to score the first goal of the game against Leeds at a generous 5/1.

Brighton v Barnsley (15:00)

After a flying start to life in the Championship, Brighton have not won a league game since September 10. They have though had a tough fixture list in recent weeks, so they will appreciate the visit of Barnsley to the Amex Arena.

Keith Hill’s side have been no pushovers this season, but they are unlikely to be in the top of the table come the end of the season. Hill took over the reins at Oakwell in the summer and was handed one of the smallest budgets in the Championship, which the objective to remain in the league this season.

Craig Mackail-Smith surprised a lot of people when he signed for south coast club in the summer, despite generating a lot of attention from Premier League clubs. He is a good price at 9/2 to score the opening goal in the game.

The home side look the best bet and the Seagulls to be winning at half-time/full time at odds of 7/4 looks a decent price.

Reading v Birmingham (15:00)

Birmingham travel to the Madjeski Stadium after a tough European encounter with Club Brugge on Thursday evening, in which they came back from a 2-0 deficit to take a point from the game.

It is the perfect time for the Royals to take on the Chris Hughton’s side, on the back of a European encounter and they are a solid selection at 6/5.

Reading have a solid home record so far this season, they have not been beaten on home soil since early September.

Adam Le Fondre (9/2 First Goalscorer) signed from Rotherham before the summer transfer window closed. He has made a good start to his career at the club, scoring four goals in his opening seven games.

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Messi fires warning to rivals

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Lionel Messi has warned his opponents that there is more to come as he and his Barcelona team prepare to tackle Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. The champions are unbeaten in their four away games to date in La Liga, but two wins and two draws have seen them slip behind Real Madrid.

The little Argentine blew away rumours that he was in crisis with successive hat tricks against Real Mallorca last weekend and against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League in midweek – Messi is 6/1 to score another hat-trick on Sunday.

The striker now has 22 goals in 17 games this season and surpassed 200 on Wednesday to become Barca’s second all-time goal scorer. He now has an incredible 202 goals in just 286 appearances and is understandably 2/1 favourite to score first at San Mames.

Despite his latest accolade the 24-year-old has already switched his attentions to Bilbao, with Barca a point behind Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga – keen to improve on some unconvincing away form.

Indeed Pep Guardiola’s men could begin the game four points behind their great rivals, with Real tackling Osasuna earlier in the day (Match Betting –R Madrid 1/12, draw 9/1, Osasuna 20/1).

“The most important thing is to win the three points this weekend because it’s a very difficult stadium to win at,” said Messi. “They are a great team, they study their rivals in depth, and they aren’t afraid to take the game to you.

“I’m not aiming to break the record this year. I hope to do it someday seeing that I want to stay here for the rest of my career. I feel great physically, strong enough to play as many games as possible, like last year.”

Messi and his team-mates travel to the Basque country (Match Betting – Athletic 10/1, draw 9/2, Barcelona 1/4) to play an Athletic side, who have recovered from a poor start to the season.

Marcelo Bielsa’s men are unbeaten in nine games across all competitions and have risen to ninth in the La Liga standings.

Bielsa will hope that star striker Fernando Llorente will be fit enough to last the 90 minutes. The striker has been struggling with a knee injury in recent weeks but showed why he is so important for Los Leones with two goals in their last league game at San Mames against Atletico Madrid 10 days ago (Llorente 10/1 to score first).

Scoring will be a whole lot tougher on Sunday though as they become the latest club to try and beat Victor Valdes, who broke a club record in midweek by going 787 minutes without conceding a goal stretching back to mid-September. It is no surprise then that Barca are at 8/11 to keep yet another clean sheet.

The Catalan giants have also comfortably outscored their opponents this season, scoring 32 goals to Athletic’s 15, suggesting any goal-fest could be distinctly one sided – a 4-0 Barcelona victory is 11/1.

Don’t expect Bilbao to sit back and try and contain their illustrious opponents though, striker Oscar de Marcos insists his side will go out for the win.

“We have had a very good run recently,” the striker told Sport.”We know that to beat Barca is very difficult, but we will try to get the three points. We will not go for the draw, we will do our best and enjoy the game.”

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Get ready for Sunday goal-fest

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There is a triple header in the Premier League on Sunday to get stuck into following the European action in midweek, which could have a big impact at both ends of the table. It all kicks off with a crucial clash at the foot of the league as Wolverhampton host Wigan, with the kick off at 13:30.

Wolves v Wigan (13:30)

The Latics currently prop up the Premier League after picking up just five points from their opening ten games and are 7/4 favourites to still be there at the end of the season.

Wolves are just one place above the relegation zone but if they were to lose, Wigan would draw level, making Sunday’s result a crucial clash at this early stage of the season. Mick McCarthy’s men do have home advantage and are installed as 20/21 favourites in the match betting, particularly as they entertain a side that holds the second-worst away record in the division.

The Latics have picked up just one point on their travels – a goalless draw at Swansea – and have managed just one goal away from the DW Stadium, so it is no surprise to see them on offer at 3/1, with the draw available at 5/2.

Punters may fear backing either side in this one given their problems so far this season but, with the respective defences on show, it is not hard to see Over 2.5 goals being a distinct possibility at odds of 10/11.

Bolton v Stoke (15:00)

This particular match throws up some interesting contrasts which could serve the punter either way with the match betting standing at 7/5 for a Bolton win, 2/1 for Stoke and 9/4 the draw.

Owen Coyle’s men have been awful this season and especially at home where they have yet to pick up a point, while they have shipped in 27 goals – easily the worst in the Premier League.

Stoke though are poor travellers, have only mustered eight goals in their opening ten games and have struggled in games immediately following a European venture – a tournament in which they are unbeaten and average two goals a game.

The Trotters have lost 13 of their last 15 league games, but they have played most of the so-called big boys this season and their form has got to turn around sooner or later (or has it).

As well as struggling to find the net, Stoke have had problems defensively with just one clean sheet in the last six league games, while they have a number of injury problems going into Sunday’s clash.

Ryan Shawcross and Marc Wilson are struggling after being substituted through injury against Newcastle last Monday, while Matthew Etherington, Jermain Pennant and Rory Delap are also doubts.

Fulham v Tottenham (16:00)

An attractive-looking fixture to round off the weekend’s Premier League action and the threat of more goals, as Fulham and Spurs do battle at Craven Cottage.

Martin Jol’s men have started to find their rhythm after a slow start to the campaign and go into the match on the back of successive victories, with Andy Johnson (6/1 First/Last Goalscorer) bagging a brace in Thursday’s 4-1 demolition of Wisla Krakow.

The Cottagers though, who have won and lost just one each of their opening five home games, are 11/5 to make home advantage count, with an in-form Spurs side the 5/4 favourites and the draw priced at 12/5.

Forgetting the result in Russia on Thursday, Spurs have put the horrors of the two Manchester defeats at the start of the season behind them to climb up to fifth in the table, with a game in hand, after winning six and drawing one of their last seven league games.

Goals have not been hard to find either as Spurs have scored twice in each of those last seven league games and Rafael van der Vaart has got to be considered at 5/1 First/Last and 11/8 Anytime in the goalscorer markets.

The Dutch ace has bagged in his last five Premier League games, scoring the first in three of them, and should well feature again in what is expected to be a high-scoring game (Over 2.5 goals – 5/6).

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Mourinho’s men to be early risers

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Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has given his backing to earlier kick offs for his La Liga-chasing outfit as the Bernabeu faithful prepare to set their alarm clocks for a midday match against Osasuna this Sunday.

The Portuguese boss is positive about La Liga’s move to try and capture a greater audience share in Asia and can reflect on his experiences at Chelsea, when lunchtime starts were not uncommon.

“If I get to choose between 12pm and 10pm, I prefer 12,” he said.

But will his expensively-assembled group of players react well to the 6am wake-up calls and the indignity of pasta for breakfast?

Wayne Rooney became the latest top player to voice his opposition to early starts just last week as he went back to former club Everton with Manchester United.

“Just have to say 12 o’clock kick off is no good for players. Trying to force pasta down at 9 in the morning is not nice,” he said on Twitter.

And there is some evidence to suggest that top-level footballers do not always produce their best when their body clocks are messed around with.

In nine Premier League matches to have kicked off before 1pm on a Saturday so far this season, there have been 22 goals scored – an average of  2.44 per game – which is significantly lower than the overall average for the English top-flight of 2.98 goals per game.

Of these matches, seven have produced fewer than 2.5 goals, with only Wolves’ second half comeback to draw 2-2 with Swansea and Blackburn’s 4-3 humbling of Arsenal really offering more than five out of 10 for entertainment.

And the first halves of these nine matches have almost all been disappointing with only eight goals scored before the break.

The Spanish situation is remarkably similar, but possibly less significant when you consider that neither Real or Barcelona have played at the early kick-off slot yet – while Manchester United, City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal have all contributed to the early English boredom.

However, the statistics are startling. In eight matches played so far at 12pm (Spanish time) on the eight Sundays there have been only 13 goals. That is an average of 1.63 and compares unfavourably to the Primera Division’s overall average of 2.52 goals per game.

And the Liga lads clearly don’t have much success in hitting the back of the net when some of them would normally just be hitting the hay as only four goals have been scored in the first halves of those eight matches.

So, will Mourinho’s free-scoring Real buck the trend against the Pamplona club this Sunday?

Currently averaging 4.25 goals per game at home and with 14 of their 32 strikes having come in the first half, there won’t be many people taking Totesport’s 20/1 on a 0-0 draw.

But maybe a halftime stalemate followed by a second half Real Madrid win looks tempting at 9/2.

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Gunners to exact Baggies revenge

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For those of us who prefer a Saturday morning lie-in the early Premier League kick-off between Newcastle and Everton might be too early, but there are still five traditional 3pm games which promise fireworks.

Arsenal v West Brom

The Baggies pulled off one of the shocks of the season last year to inflict a 3-2 defeat on the Gunners at the Emirates and a repeat 2-3 scoreline can be backed at 50/1.

But before punters get too carried away it must be pointed out that win was West Brom’s first at Arsenal since 1983 when Billy Joel was topping the UK charts with ‘Uptown Girl’.

West Brom have problems up front for this one and will come up against an Arsenal side still buzzing from last weekend’s demolition job at Chelsea.

Last season: Arsenal 2-3 West Brom

Prediction: In-form Robin van Persie to score two or more @ 10/3

Aston Villa v Norwich

A couple of seasons ago these two sides were separated by a couple of divisions but now they are just a point apart in the Premier League – with the Canaries a place better off in eighth spot.

It’s debatable whether or not the men from East Anglia will be in the top half when the season ends but they have already enjoyed wins over Sunderland and Bolton and held Liverpool at Anfield.

Factor in creditable performances in losing causes against Chelsea and Manchester United and it is easy to make a case for Paul Lambert’s men.

However, Villa have been hard to beat this season and the most the Canaries can surely hope for is to plunder a point.

Last season: N/A

Prediction: A 2-2 draw pays out at a tasty 14/1

Blackburn v Chelsea

Poor old Steve Kean can’t seem to shake off the boo boys this season thanks to a record of played 10, won one, drawn three and lost 6.

Amazingly that one victory came against Arsenal – albeit a shambolic one – and the pressure will not be easing this weekend when Chelsea come to town.

Back-to-back defeats in the Premier League for the Blues is simply unheard of since the Roman Abramovich takeover of 2003 but that is the record they take to Ewood Park courtesy of London derby defeats at the hands of QPR and Arsenal.

But they are too good a side to not bounce back against a Rovers outfit who are currently even money to be playing in the Championship in 2012/13 – although a clean sheet might be hard to come by in Lancashire.

Last season: Blackburn 1-2 Chelsea

Prediction: Chelsea to take it 3-1 @ 10/1

Liverpool v Swansea

The Reds may be sitting in sixth spot in the table after 10 games but it has been a slow-burning start to the season for Kenny Dalglish’s men whose unbeaten home record masks three draws from their five games in front of the Kop.

Norwich and Sunderland are two of the clubs to have taken a point home with them which underlines how hard Liverpool sometimes find it to meet expectation levels.

In contrast, away wins at Arsenal, Everton and West Brom have kept them in with a shout of the top four.

This weekend represents a great chance to take three more points against the worst travellers in the Premier League so far this season, with promoted Swansea shipping 14 goals in five games on the road to date.

Last season: N/A

Prediction: Liverpool to win 3-0 @ 7/1

Man Utd v Sunderland

History tells us Steve Bruce has never beaten his old boss in 17 attempts since becoming a manager and that statistic is underlined by the fact the former Red Devils star has used more clubs than Tiger Woods in attempting to pull the feat off.

It would be easy to simply put this one down as a banker home win – for good reason as Sunderland have not won at Old Trafford since 1968 – hence odds of 1/4 about a United victory.

United also know any slip-up will play into current league leaders Manchester City’s hands so there are enough factors at play to back up the form book as Sir Alex Ferguson celebrates 25 years at the helm.

Last season: Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland

Prediction: United to win 4-1 @ 12/1

Suggested treble: Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool

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League One and Two Picks

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There is a full schedule in League One and League Two this weekend which means there are a lot of options available for those who look further down the league ladder. Here is our guide to five games on Saturday which gives great options for any accumulator.

League One: Huddersfield v Walsall

This game looks a banker on paper, as Walsall have struggled on the road in League One this season while Huddersfield remain on this incredible record-breaking unbeaten run of 41 league games.

Lee Clark rejected Leicester’s advances this week to continue his project at the Galpharm, while in Jordan Rhodes Huddersfield have the most in-form and potent striker in the Football League.

While the Terriers ride high in the league, Walsall are on the brink of dropping into the relegation places and with only one win in their last 13 games in total, and no away win since August, they look like lambs walking to the slaughter on Saturday.

Prediction: A win for Huddersfield @ 4/11

League One: Oldham v Bury

Oldham have been in the goals in recent games but still boosted their attacking options with the loan signings of Luca Scapuzzi and Andreas Mancini from Manchester City this week.

Their last two games have been on the road and both have resulted in 3-3 draws, with Preston and Carlisle respectively, so they will be hoping to be leaner in defence against Bury at Boundary Park.

Paul Dickov’s side have not been as proficient in front of their home fans but that could change with the signing of the two City stars.

The former AC Milan youth man Scapuzzi has impressed in the Carling Cup while Mancini is the son of the City boss and both will be out to prove a point in League One.

Bury have conceded a lot of goals this season so Oldham should fancy their chances of finding the back of the net at Boundary Park.

Prediction: Oldham win @ evens

League One: Leyton Orient v Hartlepool

Leyton Orient may be unbeaten in their last seven matches but they have struggled at Brisbane Road and they face a Hartlepool side that excel on the road.

Mick Wadsworth’s side have won four of their last six matches on the road – compared to their poor home form at Victoria Park of only two wins in the same period – and they could be boosted by the return of experienced midfielder Nolberto Solano.

Both these teams seem to prefer playing away from home, which suggests a possible shock could be on the cards, but in reality a draw looks a distinct possibility.

Prediction: A draw @ 5/2

League Two: Plymouth v Morecambe

Things are looking a bit shinier for Plymouth off the pitch but things need to improve on it this weekend as they risk being marooned at the bottom of League Two.

While they want a win the league’s best travellers arrive at Home Park, with Morecambe having won five of their eight away games this season and drawing the other three.

Their morale will be riding high and last time on their travels they plundered four at ninth-placed Port Vale, which could be worrying reading for Pilgrims fans dreaming of getting only their second home win on Saturday.

Prediction: Away win for Morecambe @4/5

League Two: Bradford v Cheltenham

Cheltenham are unbeaten in their last five away games, with four wins and one draw, and travel to a Bradford side who are struggling near the wrong end of the table.

Bradford tend to score as many as they concede at Valley Parade and are struggling to really get any consistency – in the last six games they have won two, drawn two and lost two.

Their home form is the only thing really saving Bradford from being in a worse position this season but they will need to step up a level when Cheltenham roll into town.

Prediction: A punt at a draw at @12/5

These results combine to form a tasty five-way accumulator

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