Category Archives: news-t

Black Cats hungry for more

Posted on by
Reply

Bet on the Premier LeagueSteve Bruce returns to his former club on Monday as he takes his Sunderland side to Norwich City (Norwich 6/4, draw 12/5, Sunderland 15/8 – Match Odds).

The Black Cats were back to their best in their 4-0 thrashing of Stoke last weekend, and should be backed to build on that victory with a win in East Anglia.

With no injury concerns, Bruce is likely to name the same 11 that put four past the Potters in an impressive performance. After a slow start to the campaign, the Black Cats are now up and running and have more than enough quality to see off Paul Lambert’s outfit.

Bruce has admitted it will be business as usual once the whistle goes at Carrow Road, despite confessing he still has a soft spot for his former side.

The Canaries have made a solid start since their promotion from the Championship last season. However, they can’t match the quality in the Sunderland squad and may struggle to handle the visitors this time around.

The home side have yet to win at Carrow Road this season; their latest effort was a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Roy Hodgson’s West Brom.

Goals could be a problem for Lambert’s men in their bid to retain their Premier League status. They lack a goalscorer who is going to go close to scoring in the region of 15 goals this season.

Despite the loss of star striker Asamoah Gyan, Bruce’s side certainly don’t lack goals, as they showed last Sunday at the Stadium of Light.

Nicklas Bendtner was brought into the club on a loan move from Arsenal and has a point to prove, not just to Arsene Wenger, but to the rest of the Premier League. The Danish striker is more than capable of scoring goals at this level but just needs a decent run of games, which is something he is going to get at his latest club. Bendtner is a good bet at 6/1 to score the first goal of the game and a small bet may be worth placing on him to score a hat-trick at 40/1.

The Black Cats are going to be full of confidence as they make the trip to Norfolk. It would be no surprise if they continue from where they left off last weekend and add to their goals scored column with a further three on Monday evening. Take the 22/1 offered on Sunderland winning the game 3-1, which would give Bruce a happy return to his former home.

The last time the former Norwich defender took his side to Carrow Road, Sunderland ran out 4-1 winners in the Carling Cup in 2009. It has been a sharp rise through the leagues since then for the Canaries, who secured consecutive promotions to reach the Premier League. However, they may just get a taste of what the best league in the world is all about on Monday evening.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Rangers to handcuff Villans

Posted on by
Reply

There is just one Premier League game on Sunday as new-boys Queens Park Rangers host Aston Villa. Both clubs have taken seven points from their first five matches but who will come out of this one on top? (QPR 13/10, Aston Villa 23/10, draw 9/4).

Rangers were tipped as one of the favourites to go straight back down before the start of the season and their 4-0 drubbing at home to Bolton on the opening day did little to dispel the doubters (Rangers 11/4 Premier League Relegation).

But what a difference a month makes, with a successful takeover, a cash injection and some talented and experienced recruits to aid the quest to keep the club in England’s top division.

Two wins, a draw and one defeat have followed and the signings that boss Neil Warnock has made have been shrewd, with the pace and skill of Shaun Wright-Phillips and the grit and determination of the midfield workhorse Joey Barton.

Barton certainly comes with baggage but he looks up for the fight and appears to be enjoying his venture down south and he will play a massive part in the Hoops’ plans this term.

There appears to be a decent team spirit at Loftus Road, too, while any side that Warnock puts out will give its all and, with Barton in the ranks, they will not want for passion.

Whether they have the skill and guile to regularly open up opposition defences as the season progresses is open to question but DJ Campbell  has looked lively to date and remains a goal threat.

One thing that Rangers still have to do this season is score a goal at home as they have come up blank on two occasions and have yet to win a top-flight home game.

So, what better time to put that right than when an under-strength Villa side come calling.

The Villa Park outfit are still unbeaten in the Premier League but Alex McLeish’s side have won just one game and drawn all the others and they will be without both Darren Bent and Emile Heskey this weekend.

Gabriel Agbonlahor has started the season in decent form, however, with three strikes, netting half the Villans’ top-flight goals to date.

Rangers will need to counter his threat and, if they can keep the shackles on the England international hitman, they will have an excellent chance of taking all three points, with little goal threat coming from other areas of the park at present.

Jermaine Jenas could make his debut for the Midlanders after recovering from a thigh injury but he may have to settle for a place on the bench.

With two key members of the squad missing, McLeish might well be happy to settle for a point in west London but most things points to a QPR victory and it would be no surprise to see them break their home goalscoring duck and walk away with the spoils on Sunday evening.

Rangers have never lost at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League – although the sides have not met since the mid-1990s – but there seems every chance of that record remaining intact come Sunday evening.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Saints to shine on in Burnley

Posted on by
Reply

Bet on the ChampionshipThere have already been plenty of surprises in the Championship this season in what’s shaping up to be another unpredictable campaign. Southampton have impressed so far and lead the pack ahead of another busy weekend. Here we pick out some top games.

Burnley v Southampton

The Saints face a tricky game at the weekend as they travel to Turf Moor to face Burnley. If Southampton have been the surprise package at the top so far, the Clarets have equally been the shock strugglers and currently sit 20th in the table, only out of the relegation zone on goal difference.

Despite their lowly position, Eddie Howe still has a talented squad at his disposal and will be looking for the likes of Zavon Hines and Andre Abougu to stand up and lead the team to victory.

However, the South coast club have the momentum going into the game and with the class of Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana, they should just sneak another victory (Burnley 11/5, draw 23/10, Southampton 5/4).

West Ham v Peterborough

Another promotion chasing-side in action on Saturday is West Ham, who play host to Peterborough in a match that has the potential to be a belter.

After being relegated from the top flight last season, Sam Allardyce has taken over the reigns at Upton Park and made the team more of a unit, especially in defence after years of inconsistency.

Despite mumblings among fans about the former Bolton boss’ playing style, the Hammers currently sit in fifth and victory could see them move further up the table.

However, Peterborough are a team who can beat anyone on their day and since Darren Ferguson’s return to the club last season, have gone from strength to strength.

Despite losing star man Craig Mackail-Smith, the Posh have made a good start to the season and will be looking at Saturday’s game as a chance to cause an upset.

Both sides like to play football but the Hammers should have the firepower to record a convincing win against the London Road club and will see it as a must-win game even at this stage of the season if they are to bounce straight back up (West Ham 8/13, draw 11/4, Peterborough 9/2).

Doncaster v Crystal Palace

The final match that we are picking out on Saturday is Crystal Palace’s trip to South Yorkshire to take on Doncaster.

Rovers are currently bottom of the league but it’s the dawn of a new era at the Keepmoat Stadium as Dean Saunders takes charge after his appointment on Friday.

Palace have had a typically inconsistent start to the season but will be pleased with their mid-table position after some difficult games.

The Eagles are without a number of their key players for the match but should welcome back experienced duo Julian Speroni and Darren Ambrose.

Palace’s injury problems could take their toll and, keeping in mind  the tradition of manager’s normally winning their first game, Rovers should pick-up their first victory of the campaign in this one (Doncaster 6/4, draw 9/4, Palace 9/5).

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Potters can end United run

Posted on by
Reply

It’s a packed day of Premier League action on Saturday, with the top four all in action. Manchester City will look to make a statement in the early kick off, while rivals United conclude proceedings in the evening game. Here we try to pick out some best-value bets for what could be another unpredictable weekend.

Stoke v Manchester United (5.30)

United have been inspired this season and although they have seen off both Chelsea and Arsenal in their 100% start to the season, Saturday’s trip to the Britannia Stadium could prove their toughest test to date.

The Potters have lost all six meetings against Sir Alex Ferguson’s men since returning to the top flight, but they now have probably the strongest squad they have ever had. The aerial threat of Peter Crouch and new signing Cameron Jerome may yet cause problems for the youthful United backline.

Suggested Bet: Draw @ 10/3.

Manchester City v Everton (12.45)

Everton have been City’s bogey team in recent years, doing the double in the last two seasons and they have also won on their last four visits to Eastlands.

Tim Cahill has scored at City on the last three occasions and is due a goal, so don’t be surprised if he pops up with another!

It will be interesting to see how Roberto Mancini’s men respond to the slip up at Fulham, but a stubborn Everton is not the ideal opposition to be facing at this time.

City will have to stand up to the physical test and cope better at the back than they did at Craven Cottage.

Suggested Bet: Cahill to score @ 5/2.

Arsenal v Bolton (3pm)

Arsene Wenger must go into Saturday’s game not knowing what to expect from his stuttering side, who will be without the experienced Yossi Benayoun through injury.

They looked to be cruising at Blackburn last week and threw it away and will now have the added pressure from the home support.

Bolton are not as bad as their league position (second bottom) suggests, with a tough early-season fixture schedule causing a poor points return. The suspension of Ivan Klasnic is a blow, but Owen Coyle might decide to flood midfield in order to frustrate the Gunners.

Suggested Bet: Draw @ 10/3

Chelsea v Swansea (3pm)

Chelsea were impressive in defeat at Old Trafford last week and Fernando Torres looked to be recapturing some form – before that shocking miss!

A lot of eyes will be on the team-sheet, as to whether Frank Lampard will play, but either way Chelsea should be too strong for the Swans.

Brendan Rodgers’ side picked up a much-need win over West Brom and they look to have a real chance of surviving this term. They will make it difficult for Chelsea to break them down and will look to frustrate the home side for long spells.

Suggested Bet: HT-Draw/FT-Chelsea @ 4/1.

Liverpool v Wolves (3pm)

Many people were shocked by Liverpool’s poor display in defeat at Spurs last week, but a midweek Carling Cup success at Brighton seemed to indicate that Kenny Dalglish has got them back on track.

With Steven Gerrard close to full fitness, the Reds have got the boost they need at just the right time and don’t be surprised to see Craig Bellamy among the goals following his strike in midweek.

Wolves’ confidence must be at a low ebb, after back-to-back home defeats, and a trip to Anfield is not a fixture they would have picked to try and bounce back, despite winning here last season.

Goals look to be a problem again for Mick McCarthy’s team and they will get little change from the Liverpool defence.

Suggested Bet: Liverpool to score in both halves @ 23/20.

Newcastle v Blackburn (3pm)

The home side, somehow, find themselves fourth in the table and hats off to Alan Pardew, who has worked wonders with a wafer thin squad. An unbeaten start to the campaign is likely to continue against Blackburn, although they may have to settle for another draw.

Rovers will head to Tyneside full of confidence after back-to-back wins over Arsenal and Leyton Orient. Steve Kean’s men have conceded five goals in those two games and a leaky defence is still a concern.

Suggested Bet: Over 2.5 goals.

West Brom v Fulham (3pm)

Roy Hodgson comes up against his former club on Saturday, with both sides struggling for form at this early stage of the season. The Baggies looked to have turned the corner with a win at Norwich, but their heavy defeat to Swansea will have concerned the manager – they are always tough to beat at home though.

Fulham have showed signs of getting to grips with what Martin Jol is seeking, with their display at Chelsea in midweek giving cause for optimism. Bobby Zamora looks like being key to their chances at the Hawthorns.

Suggested Bet: Zamora to score at anytime @ 15/8.

Wigan v Tottenham (3pm)

Everything here looks to point to an away win – Wigan have lost their key man Hugo Rodallega through injury, while Emmerson Boyce is also a doubt.

Spurs have got back on track after a poor start and following their crushing win over Liverpool, should secure a third league win on the bounce.

Suggested Bet: Correct Score – Tottenham 3-0 win @ 16/1.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Leeds can thwart old boy Gus

Posted on by
Reply

Leeds United boss Simon GraysonIt’s a quick turnaround for both Brighton and Leeds this week, as they prepare to do battle at the AMEX Stadium on Friday night. The Championship rivals had high-profile Carling Cup ties in midweek and physical recovery – or the resultant fatigue – could prove key in this clash (Brighton 21/20, draw 12/5, Leeds 13/5 – Match Betting).

The home side put in a good showing against Liverpool on Wednesday, but were eventually beaten 2-1 and Gus Poyet, a former Leeds assistant manager, is now looking to avoid three defeats in a week. The Seagulls slipped out of the top two last weekend, with a 1-0 defeat at Leicester – their first league defeat of the season.

Brighton have won two and drawn one of the three Championship games so far in their new stadium, which has already created an intimidating atmosphere. But the test comes now, with expectations rising on the south coast and it looks like goals might be an issue.

Poyet’s side have scored three in their last three league games, with just one coming from a striker – Ashley Barnes’ lone strike at Bristol City. Summer signing Craig Mackail-Smith (5/1 First Goalscorer) is still their main goal threat, but he has got just two league goals to his name and hasn’t scored in the Championship since mid-August.

The home side will miss key man Will Buckley through injury, while the manager will also make a late check on new Spanish capture Vicente after his run-out as a substitute against Liverpool. Defender Marcos Painter is back in contention after suspension, while Will Hoskins is back after a hip problem.

Leeds (8/1 Promotion Betting) appear to have turned the corner after a tricky start to the season, although how they respond to Tuesday’s comfortable defeat to Manchester United remains to be seen.

Simon Grayson’s men are going for a third league win in a row, but their first away from Elland Road.

The Whites’ resurgence looks to have coincided with the return to fitness of Luciano Becchio (15/8 To Score At Anytime), who could form a successful partnership with the in-form Ross McCormack. The loan capture of Danny Pugh from Stoke could also have a big impact in the middle of the park.

Leeds’ major problem, however, has come at the back, with Grayson’s side already conceding 12 goals in seven games. The return from suspension of Patrick Kisnorbo will strengthen the manager’s options, as the Yorkshire outfit look to extend a six-game unbeaten run against the Seagulls – which includes wins in their last three trips to Brighton.

The extra day of rest may yet prove crucial, with Leeds certainly capable of taking at least a point from the AMEX – if they can stop the threat of Mackail-Smith.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Flying Seagulls eye Reds’ scalp

Posted on by
Reply

The second batch of Carling Cup third round matches continue on Wednesday night with two all Premier League encounters and holders Birmingham at big-spending Manchester City, but the stand-out tie is Brighton playing host to Liverpool.

BRIGHTON V LIVERPOOL 7.45pm

Gus Poyet’s side have taken the Championship by storm this season following promotion from League One, although they tasted defeat for the first time in seven outings at Leicester City on Saturday.

However, the Seagulls have not lost a competitive game at their new Amex Stadium with Liverpool’s Premier League rivals Sunderland being dumped out after extra-time there in the previous round.

And, with Kenny Dalglish’s side enduring an early season stutter following back-to-back defeats at Stoke and Tottenham, they could find the going tough on the south coast this week.

The Reds’ hopes will be boosted by the anticipated return of skipper Steven Gerrard (7/4 Anytime Goalscorer) following a six-month injury absence, but Charlie Adam and Martin Skrtel are banned following red cards at Spurs in Sunday’s 4-0 defeat.

Daniel Agger is missing with a broken rib so Sebastian Coates could make his first start for the club.

The sides have not met for over 20 years when Liverpool edged a five-goal thriller in the FA Cup, but they could be in for a long night on this occasion if they are to reach round four.

Prediction: Draw 90 Minutes @ 3/1
Value Bet: Brighton/Draw Half-Time/Full-Time @ 12/1

MAN CITY V BIRMINGHAM 7.45pm

Holders Birmingham will have their work cut out to emulate a repeat success in 2012 as they look ahead to a daunting trip to face money-bags City at the Etihad Stadium.

The Blues slipped out of the Premier League following the elation of defeating Arsenal at Wembley in February, while Chris Hughton has replaced Alex McLeish as manager.

Cash problems have seen several of last season’s cup heroes depart St Andrew’s and Hughton’s men have managed just two wins from their opening six games in the Championship.

They go to City on the back of a 4-1 thumping at Southampton and will do well to avoid a similar result as Hughton plans to make changes as his side struggle with the demands of domestic and Europa League football.

City will also be much-changed, but the likes of Owen Hargreaves (10/3 Anytime Goalscorer) could be called upon to make his debut for Roberto Mancini’s side, who should have too much for the visitors.

City have not lost in their previous 10 matches and have scored 17 goals in five league games so far this term so expect a few more in this game.

Prediction: Man City Home 90 Minutes @ 1/5
Value Bet: Man City 4-0 Correct Score @ 10/1

CHELSEA V FULHAM 7.45pm

A London derby at Stamford Bridge will see Andre Villas-Boas getting his first taste of cup football in England and it is likely that, while he will have his sights set on lifting the trophy (11/2 Outright), he will make some alterations to his side from the one that lost 3-1 at Manchester United on Sunday.

That said, Didier Drogba (10/3 First/Last Goalscorer) is expected to return to action to spear-head the Blues’ forward line.

Fulham will also be depleted as Aaron Hughes, Andrew Johnson and Bobby Zamora look set to all miss out, although £10.6million summer signing Bryan Ruiz could feature.

Fulham have not got past this stage since the 2004-05 season and, with Chelsea enjoying a superior head-to-head record, everything points to a home win.

Prediction: Chelsea Home 90 Minutes @ 3/10
Value Bet: Drogba, D 1st Goal Chelsea 2-0 @ 14/1

Meanwhile, in Wednesday’s three other games, Premier League rivals Everton and West Brom go up against each other at Goodison Park.

David Moyes’ Toffees (4/6 Home) have won five of their last seven home games, while Roy Hodgson’s Baggies (9/2 Away) might sit bottom of the Premier League table, but they have only lost three of their last 10 on the road in all competitions.

The return of Louis Saha to the Everton forward line might prove the difference, but this tie is expected to go the distance (13/5 Draw).

Championship leaders Southampton (4/7 Home) should have no trouble in accounting for League One outfit Preston (5/1 Away) at St Mary’s, but a tight game is in store (12/5 Draw) in South Wales when Cardiff (11/8 Home) face Championship rivals Leicester City (19/10 Away) at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Spain stars in Mestalla shoot-out

Posted on by
Reply

Roberto Soldado and David Villa will bid for top billing when unbeaten leaders Valencia entertain champions Barcelona in the pick of five La Liga matches on Wednesday.

Former Getafe striker Soldado has pushed his claim to be the principal striker for Los Che with five goals in three game league games so far this season – including a hat-trick in a 4-3 win against Racing Santander on the opening weekend of the Spanish season – and will be desperate to show former Mestalla favourite Villa he is not missed.

Villa – who scored 107 league goals in five seasons for Valencia, before leaving for Camp Nou at the start of last season – has had to play second fiddle to free-scoring Argentinian maestro Lionel Messi but finally opened his campaign with a brace in the 8-0 rout of Osasuna at the weekend.

The World Cup winner missed the corresponding fixture at Mestalla last season (which Barca won 1-0), but will be anxious to put one over his former employers.

Soldado, given his start to the season, is a wholly attractive 9/4 to score anytime against Barca. He is also a speculative 8/1 to score first, which he has done is two of Valencia’s three La Liga games so far.

Villa cannot be ignored at 5/4 to score anytime with the incentive of going back to the Mestalla, while Barca can be backed at 1/3 in the To Score First Goal market, which is priced accordingly given that this bet would have landed in all of their three La Liga games so far.

Gerard Pique, who suffered a calf injury during training for the Spanish Super Cup on August 23, took part in training on Monday but Pep Guardiola has given no indication whether he will replace makeshift central defender Javier Mascherano.

Elsewhere in La Liga on Wednesday, Real Madrid should get back on track against winless Racing Santander at Campos de Sport de El Sardinero (Racing Santander 11/1, draw 5/1, Real Madrid 2/9 – Match Prices).

Atletico Madrid will be hoping to make it three clean sheets on the bounce in all competitions, when they play host to basement club Sporting Gijon (Atletico Madrid 2/5, draw 10/3, Sporting Gijon 13/2 – Match Prices).

And this summer’s big-spenders Malaga will be expected to collect maximum points and keep a third La Liga clean sheet against strugglers Athletic Bilbao (Malaga 4/6, draw 11/4, Athletic Bilbao 4/1 – Match Prices).

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

United out for revenge

Posted on by
Reply

There are some tasty looking fixtures on Tuesday night as the Carling Cup becomes the focus once more, with two all Premier League clashes as well as an old rivalry renewed.

Leeds host Manchester United at Elland Road in a fierce rivalry clash with the Red Devils, unsurprisingly, strong favourites at 8/15 with the hosts available at 5/1 to spring a surprise and the draw at 3/1.

Sir Alex Ferguson has a tendency to field his fringe players in what is perceived by many as the weakest competition but he does have previous, having won the trophy three times in the last six years (United 6/1 to go all the way again).

A weakened team came unstuck against West Ham last season so there is always the potential for an upset, and Leeds did exactly that when landing a huge price to knock United out of the FA Cup in 2010 with a 1-0 at Old Trafford, when a League One side.

With the riches on offer by earning promotion to the Premier League, there is no guarantee that Simon Grayson will pick his strongest side, despite leading Leeds past Bradford and Doncaster to make it this far.

Ferguson might still be smarting from the FA Cup shock and with his side having made an impressive start to the season, it would be difficult to see his charges doing anything other than progressing.

United have won on their last two visits to Elland Road and have never lost to Leeds in the Carling Cup but it could be worth waiting for the teams news to see if that offers hope to the underdog.

Stoke and Tottenham go head-to-head at the Britannia Stadium after contrasting fortunes at the weekend, with the Potters getting trounced 4-0 at Sunderland, while Spurs enjoyed a 4-0 demolition of Liverpool.

Team selection is going to be key in this game with both managers also having to contend with the demands of the Europa League.

Tony Pulis’ men do have home advantage and have made the Britannia a difficult place to go – just ask Liverpool and Chelsea – and have been installed as marginal favourites at 8/5 in the match betting, with Spurs on offer at 13/8 and the draw at 12/5.

It may pay to side with the north Londoners on this occasion as they are coming into form having registered back-to-back wins in the top-flight and won home and away against Stoke last term.

They also have the less arduous task on Saturday when they travel to Wigan, with the Potters hosting the league-leading defending champions.

Aston Villa entertain Bolton in the other all Premier League fixture and this looks like a home banker, with Alex McLeish’s men priced at 5/6, the draw at 12/5 and Owen Coyle’s side available at 7/2.

Villa are unbeaten in their last eight home matches in all competitions and have a fantastic record in the competition, lifting the trophy five times and reaching the final eight times.

Things have gone spectacularly wrong for the Trotters following a 4-0 opening weekend win over QPR, having lost four successive league games, conceding 13 goals in the process, while the only win in the last five was a 2-1 home success over League Two Macclesfield in the second round.

It is difficult to see Arsenal (1/5), Wolves (4/5) and Blackburn (4/11) coming unstuck at home, while Newcastle (5/4) should have enough to see off Nottingham Forest (21/10), given the Championship side’s early struggles this season.

Middlesbrough (13/10) are fancied to continue their good form at Crystal Palace (19/10), with Rochdale (7/4) and Milton Keynes Dons (13/5) capable of winnign at Aldershot (6/4) and Burnley (Evens) respectively.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

Jewell targets crucial win

Posted on by
Reply

Ipswich v Coventry is the Championship game on Monday evening, when both teams will go in search of much need victory. Both Town and City are loitering above the relegation zone and either manager will be feeling the heat should there team end up on losing this fixture (Ipswich Evs, draw 23/10, Coventry 11/4 – Match Betting).

Paul Jewell’s side have endured a poor start to the new campaign, and have been on the receiving end of a couple of thrashings from Southampton and Peterborough. They do have wins to their name against Leeds and Bristol City, and are certainly capable of getting the better of an average-looking Coventry side at Portman Road.

Goals should not be a problem to come by for Jewell’s side, with Michael Chopra and Daryl Murphy both capable of scoring plenty at this level. Chopra is 9/2 to score the first goal and despite drawing a blank since a brace on the opening day, there looks to be good value in backing the former Cardiff striker – there is certainly more to come from the 27-year old once he fully settles in.

Ipswich made 12 additions to their squad over the summer and have not quite gelled as a unit yet, but it is only a matter of time before they start firing and can easily move up the table quickly. If they do settle as a side, they have the players on paper to challenge for a play-off spot.

Coventry, on the other hand, look set to be in a battle to remain in the Championship this season. They have won just one game so this season, which was their previous game at home to Derby. Goals have been hard to come by for the Sky Blues, just five goals in seven games so far, and without a regular goalscorer, it would come as no surprise if Coventry are not in or around the danger zone come the end of the season.

The one bit of solace for the Sky Blues comes at the back, as defensively they have been pretty solid, with no-one yet turning them over.

Both Paul Jewell and Andy Thorn have come under a little bit of pressure and even at this early stage in the season, this could prove to be a crucial match. With a lot riding on this match, don’t be surprised if both teams try to keep it tight. Ipswich (2-1 Correct Score – 7/1) will be particularly anxious in front of their home fans, but should have enough to prevail.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.

McCoist ready for Old Firm clash

Posted on by
Reply

ally mccoistAlly McCoist may be preparing for his first-ever Old Firm game as manager on Sunday, but he is no stranger to the feisty Glasgow encounter (Rangers 6/4 draw 9/4 Celtic 9/5).

The 48-year-old hit 273 goals in 581 appearances during a 15-year-long playing career at Ibrox, before enjoying two spells as assistant to manager Walter Smith.

Smith retired over the summer allowing McCoist to make step-up into his first managerial role. The former Scotland international has made a solid start to life in the Ibrox hotseat, wining five and drawing one of their opening six league games to sit a point clear of Celtic at the top.

However, he now faces his biggest test to date when his side play host to their bitter local rivals on Sunday lunchtime.

The Old Firm games are often pivotal in deciding who wins the SPL title, given the last side to win the league outside of the Glasgow duo was Aberdeen in 1985.

McCoist is all too aware of the size of Sunday’s encounter, especially on a personal level now he is manager.

“I was very lucky as a player against Celtic and hopefully I’ve kept some of that luck,” said McCoist. “The pressure as assistant manager was very intense and I realise the responsibility is certainly greater.

“I understand the enormity of the occasion, having played in so many and being an assistant in so many. I’m not sure it will feel any different because the desire to win and to do well will be absolutely massive.”

The Gers did suffer early season disappointment in Europe, losing at first to Malmo in Champions League qualifying and then to NK Maribor in the Europa League.

However, their early European exit does mean they have had a week to prepare for Sunday’s game, a luxury not afforded to Celtic, who lost 2-0 away at Atletico Madrid in the Europa League Thursday night (Rangers 6/1 to win 1-0).

Their boss Neil Lennon believes that could work in their favour, affording them an early chance to make amends for that defeat in Spain.

“Going from the European game into the Old Firm game is probably the best thing that can happen,” said the 40-year-old.

“Sometimes you can come back from a European game and there is a flatness going about your SPL duties but with a game of this magnitude, it can be easy to motivate the players.”

Lennon had the upper hand in Old Firm clashes last season, winning three, drawing two and losing two of the seven matches.

After one of those games – a Scottish League Cup clash in March – Lennon and McCoist had an infamous fight on the touchline.

The duo promptly apologised after the game, aware of the influence their behaviour may have on the terraces, but their presence in each dugout merely adds to what is already a passionate affair.

Value bets:

Nikica Jelavic to score first 5/1
1-1 draw 11/2.

Want £200 Free? Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.