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Spartak can upset the odds

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Despite a lack of British involvement in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, there remains some tasty-looking encounters between some top European sides on Thursday.

Liverpool, Man City and Rangers were all dumped out of the often-derided competition in the last round to underline the quality of sides left in the tournament and also highlights the fact it still remains one of the toughest trophies to win.

Big-hitters from Portugal (Porto, Braga and Benfica), Spain (Villarreal), Holland (FC Twente and PSV), Russian giants Spartak Moscow and experienced Ukrainians Dynamo Kiev make up the last eight and all four first-leg ties look difficult to call.

Porto v Spartak Moscow

The third Portuguese club still in the competition, Porto, face a tricky home tie against Spartak on Thursday but are favourites at 2/5 to come out on top in the first leg, with the Russian side traditionally a much more formidable outfit back in Moscow than they are on their travels.

However, an impressive 1-0 win at Ajax in the last round will give them hope of another away win here and the fact they have started their domestic campaign poorly (one win, two defeats) suggests they are concentrating on Europe for now. A bold prediction it may be, but Spartak can win at 15/2 on Thursday.

Benfica v PSV Eindhoven

Expect the home side to edge out PSV here, as they look for a first-leg lead to take to the Netherlands. Benfica are trailing arch-rivals Porto by a huge 16 points at the top of the Primeira Liga at the minute, so the Europa League remains their only realistic chance of success this season.

A 2-1 home defeat against Porto last time out has only increased the pressure on coach Jorge Jesus but, with talent like Oscar Cardozo and Javier Saviola to call upon up front and a vociferous home crowd backing his side, a narrow win should be achieved. Go for a 1-0 win to Benfica with totesport at 11/2.

Dynamo Kiev v Braga

These two upset the odds and the chance of an English winner with impressive victories over Liverpool and Manchester City in the last round, so whoever progresses out of the tie should not be underestimated.

Kiev appear to have the more in-depth quality in their squad, but Braga can come away from Ukraine with a draw (11/4) as they look to continue what has been an extremely enjoyable European adventure for them this season.

Villarreal v FC Twente

Villarreal were only narrowly beaten 1-0 by Barcelona on Saturday and overcame Bayer Leverkusen in the last round, but are unlikely to have it all their own way against Dutch league leaders Twente at El Madrigal. Guisseppe Rossi remains the ‘Yellow Submarines’ star man and they will be relying on him for goals, but this again looks a tight contest.

Twente nearly threw away a 3-0 first-leg lead in the last round, when they went down 2-0 at Zenit St Petersburg, so expect them to have learned from that experience as they aim to keep it tight in Spain. 1-1 here at 11/2 looks an interesting option.

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Scottish Premier League preview

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There are three SPL matches on Wednesday with Celtic hosting Hibs the pick of the games. Neil Lennon’s side could well find themselves in second beforehand if Rangers overcome St Johnstone on Tuesday so a win is vital for the Hoops’ title aspirations (Celtic 4/7 Rangers 5/4 – SPL outright winner).

It is shaping up to be a tight finish at the top of the table as we head into the final furlong of a season that, truth be told, has been overshadowed by the ugly scenes of confrontation between the Old Firm duo in last month’s Scottish Cup tie.

A six-point plan has now been drawn up by the SFA to try and quell the level of ill-feeling between the two clubs that was described as “shameful” by the governing body in the aftermath of that now infamous game. But with the top-two as closely-matched in the table as they are ahead of the midweek games, the intense rivalry between Glasgow’s two clubs is again the main focal point – but at least this time it’s on the pitch.

Rangers are currently two points behind Celtic ahead of Tuesday’s game but know they cannot afford another slip-up like the 3-2 home defeat against Dundee United on Saturday if they are to go on and win the title. With all the off-field issues over the club’s ownership also dominating the agenda this week, it’s tempting to say Saints can grab a draw in this one but a narrow win for Walter Smith’s side looks on the cards. Take 2-1 to the Gers at 7/1.

Celtic then host Hibs 24 hours later and, again, we can’t see anything but a win for Lennon’s side as they will be spurred on by the prospect of regaining top spot. The weekend clash at  was postponed so the Hoops will be fresh and raring to go. Celtic HT/FT at 4/6 does not offer too much value so Draw/Celtic at 16/5 is worth a punt with Hibs restricting the Bhoys for 45 minutes.

Elsewhere on Wednesday, Motherwell host Dundee United and these two have so far enjoyed decent campaigns with the former currently sixth and the latter fourth in the table. A recent 3-0 win for Motherwell in the Scottish Cup is fresh in the memory so we go with another win for Craig Brown’s side here.

Fellow-strugglers St Mirren entertain Aberdeen as well on Wednesday with the Dons still having an outside chance of securing a top-half finish before the table splits into half for the final run-in. They are currently nine points behind Motherwell but this is their game in hand so an away win here is well worth considering at 15/8.

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Preston target great escape

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Preston North End produced one of the shocks of the season on Saturday as they beat high flying Swansea 2-1 at Deepdale to keep the dreams of Championship survival alive.

Manager Phil Brown and his side will take plenty of confidence from the win but they will now have to turn their attentions to Tuesday night’s clash against Reading at the Madejski Stadium (Reading 4/7, draw 13/5, Preston 5/1 in the match betting).

The Lilywhites sit eight points off safety in the Championship table, with a game in hand over Crystal Palace who sit in 21st place, and have 24 points to play for between now and the rest of the season with Preston hoping to perform a miracle and avoid the drop into League One.

Brown is one of the best managers to have in this position, as he has experience of relegation dogfights after he helped Hull City avoid the drop from the Premier League in 2009.

Preston have started to get a decent run of results in the Championship and they are currently on a three-game winning streak, since they were beaten by Leeds United 2-1 in a disappointing performance from Brown’s side.

Wins over Scunthorpe United, Coventry and Swansea have boosted confidence at Deepdale and they will be looking to pick up more points against play-off chasing sides.

Reading (4/1 to win promotion) currently find themselves in sixth spot having gone on an eight game unbeaten run in the Championship.

Striker Shane Long has been in fine form for the Royals and his brace was enough to give his side a 2-0 victory over Portsmouth on Saturday.

With Nottingham Forest losing to Leeds on the weekend, a win for Reading on Tuesday would give them a three-point lead over the play-off chasing pack.

The Berkshire club have two big games against fellow play-off contenders Leeds and Forest to look forward to but they won’t be able to take Preston lightly in a league as unpredictable as the Championship.

Reading manager Brian McDermott has really lifted the mood at the Madejski Stadium and confidence is high amongst the players.

Preston will be desperate to continue their three-game winning streak but they will have to improve their away form as they have only won three games on the road this season.

Reading are favourites going into this game but with Brown and his players battling for their lives at the bottom of the table, they might bag all three points on Tuesday night.

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What we learnt this weekend

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Another weekend of top-class sport has come and gone and it is time to take stock and reflect on what we have learnt from the various contests that have taken place.

1. Roy Hodgson is still a decent manager

The 63-year-old has managed all over the world including spells at Inter Milan, FC Copenhagen and with the Switzerland national side (West Brom 5/2 to be relegated).

But, after taking Fulham to the final of the Europa League last season, he opted to make an ill-fated move to Liverpool following Rafael Benitez’s departure.

Despite having an excellent CV and plenty of experience, his time at Anfield seemed doomed from the start with the fans never really warming to him and with the legendary Kenny Dalglish seemingly waiting in the wings.

After his departure from Liverpool, West Brom wasted little time in bringing him in to replace Roberto Di Matteo and he has already tightened up the side, who are now unbeaten in six Premier League games.

The stage was set with the visit of Liverpool to the Hawthorns on Saturday and the Baggies’ 2-1 victory will have given Hodgson plenty to smile about on Saturday evening.

2. Manchester United will win the title

United’s season was encapsulated in the second 45 minutes of the match against West Ham United on Saturday.

Down 2-0 at half time and seemingly out of sorts, they roared back to win 4-2, with Wayne Rooney scoring a hat-trick to ensure that they are in pole position to claim the title this term (United 1/5 to win Premier League).

The Red Devils have never really been at their best this season but have found ways to win and remained unbeaten in the top-flight until losing 2-1 to Wolves back in early February.

It seemed incredible that it had taken so long for them to lose in the Premier League, as they were outplayed on several occasions only to secure a winner or equaliser at the death to maintain their title challenge.

They have now lost three times this season but, with teams below then faltering, another second-half comeback has given them breathing space from which they will surely go on to win the title.

3. Spurs are struggling without Gareth Bale

Bale has rightly been lauded for his exploits this season and his two performances against Inter Milan in the group stage of the Champions League will live long in the memory.

But injury has robbed Harry Redknapp of his star winger for the past few games and the north Londoners look a shadow of the side who seemed on course for another tilt at the Champions League next term.

Since beating Sunderland on February 12 they have taken just three points from four top-flight games and have scored only four goals, drawing a black in their last two Premier League outings.

Bale’s return to fitness cannot come soon enough and he may get a run-out against Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday, but the Wales international star is needed in the Premier League too to ensure that Spurs will be playing at least Europa League football next season.

4. Phil Mickelson is far from a spent force

The Californian won the Masters last year and looked set to challenge Tiger Woods for the coveted number one world ranking but, despite Woods’ on and off-course woes, he could not shift him from the top spot and failed to win another tournament all year.

The left-hander was diagnosed with an arthritic condition mid-way through the year and confessed that he had been playing through pain at certain tournaments.

But he looked right back to his best with victory in the Houston Open on Sunday with a final-round 65 giving him a three-shot victory in Texas.

The 40-year-old has won three Green Jackets to date but a dip in form and the fact that he is not getting any younger made many question whether or not he would ever win another major.

Sunday’s result proves that he is still more than capable and made the rest of the golf world take note with the Masters set to begin on Thursday (Mickelson 13/2 to win Masters).

5. One-day cricket is alive and kicking

India’s superb victory over Sri Lanka  in the World Cup final ended a tournament that has provided thrills and spills and reinvigorated the 50-over game.

The emergence of Twenty20 cricket threatened to kill off the one-day game and it is true that the middle overs of an ODI can be a bit predictable, with batsmen prepared to knock the ball around and wait for the final few overs to attack.

But both India and Sri Lanka proved that it can be an exciting format of the game, with the outcome of the match in doubt until the last few overs.

The 2007 World Cup was a bit of a damp squib and did little to enhance the 50-over game’s reputation with empty stands commonplace, but the Asian crowds got behind the 2011 tournament and it was a real festival of cricket, with the best two teams contesting the final.

T20 cricket may be exciting but just ask the billion or so Indian fans whether there is still a place for 50-over cricket.

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Warnock to haunt Blades

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Monday throws up an intriguing battle in the Championship as Queens Park Rangers boss Neil Warnock welcomes his former club Sheffield United to Loftus Road (QPR 4/9, draw 16/5, Sheffield Utd 13/2).

Warnock enjoyed the most successful spell of his managerial career with the Blades as he led the South Yorkshire club back to the Premier League. The Sheffield-born manager spent eight years at Bramall Lane, where he managed to reach an FA Cup and Carling Cup semi-final.

He resigned from his position at the club following relegation from the Premier League in 2007 and, after a three-year-spell at Crystal Palace, the 62-year-old is now enjoying life at QPR.

The Hoops currently sit six points clear at the top of the Championship table with a game in hand over second place Norwich City, who recorded an impressive 6-0 victory over Scunthorpe United on Saturday.

QPR (1/10 to win the Championship) have not lost at home since December 10 when they were comprehensively beaten 3-1 by Watford. That was QPR’s one and only defeat of the campaign so far, as they have made Loftus Road a very difficult place to pick up points for visiting teams.

Sheffield United are next to try their hand and they will be desperate to pick up all three points.

Local rivals Barnsley did not do their neighbours any favours on Saturday as they were beaten by Championship strugglers Crystal Palace.

That leaves the United seven points off safety, with a game in hand, and their away form this season has been very poor. Only three wins on the road in the current campaign have not helped their cause and Monday’s trip to Loftus Road will not be an easy one.

Despite all the doom and gloom the Blades are on a three-game winning streak, as they look to avoid playing their arch rivals Sheffield Wednesday in League One next season. Impressive victories of Nottingham Forest, Watford and Yorkshire rivals Leeds United (7/2 to win promotion this season) have given Blades fans something to cheer about.

Manager Micky Adams has come under plenty of criticism during his time at Bramall Lane after they went 15 games without a win. However with some decent results in recent weeks, United will believe they can get something from this game against QPR and close down the gap on Crystal Palace.

When these two side met earlier in the season the Hoops breezed to a 3-0 victory at Bramall Lane.

Things are getting edgy at both the top and bottom of the table and a repeat result is unlikely. However QPR may just have that extra bit of quality to pick up all three points on a day that will conjure up mixed feeling for Warnock.

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Real set to make amends

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Following the internationals and domestic competitions, the focus returns to Champions League activity this week, with the first quarter-finals taking place on Tuesday.

Here is a look at both matches: Real Madrid v Tottenham and Inter Milan v Schalke 04.

Spurs have enjoyed a tremendous first campaign in the competition, surprising many on their route to the last eight. However, they take on the biggest of the big boys in a mouth-watering clash against nine-time winners, Real Madrid.

The Spanish giants are second favourites in the outright betting at 19/5 so it is no surprise to see them installed at 4/11 in the match betting to take a lead to White Hart Lane, with Spurs available at 7/1 to cause yet another surprise. The draw is on offer at 7/2.

Jose Mourinho’s men have been a different class domestically to most of their rivals but have run into the obvious problem of Barcelona, while Los Merengues have put recent European troubles behind them on their march to the quarter-finals.

Mourinho lost his nine-year, 150-match unbeaten home league run (accumulated as coach of Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Madrid) at the weekend with a shock 1-0 defeat to Sporting Gijon at the Bernabeu which may tempt some into taking the 7/1 on Spurs, who did of course triumph 1-0 at the San Siro against AC Milan in the last-16.

However, the Gijon defeat will surely sharpen the focus for the Champions League, not least because Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona potentially await in the semis and as the saying goes, lightning never strikes twice.

Real have won all four games at the Bernabeu in the Champions League without conceding a goal, which included a 3-0 win over bogey-side Lyon in the last-16 clash when the wheat had been sorted from the chaff.

They also finally ended their last-16 hoodoo, reaching the quarters for the first time in seven years, and will be keen to make amends for the weekend loss which has all but ended their hopes of usurping Barca in La Liga.

Harry Redknapp’s men have of course given huge entertainment to anyone who has seen them in Europe this season, with the possible exception of Arsenal supporters, but in the last-16 clash against AC Milan there appeared to be a change of focus, with less emphasis on the all-guns blazing approach.

Spurs sneaked the away goal at the San Siro to win 1-0 but they had struggled in the group stages with defensive frailties undermining their obvious goal threat. They scored eight goals in three away matches but did not win a game.

There has been much talk about Gareth Bale’s heroics in the second-half against Inter but it should not be forgotten they were played off the park in the first half and went in at the break 4-0 down.

The 1-0 win against AC Milan probably says more about the Italians than it does about Spurs, who have recently let in three goals each to Premier League strugglers Blackpool and Wolves, while they have not won in five matches since that San Siro success.

Injuries have also not helped Spurs and although Redknapp believes Bale will be fit for the first leg, perhaps more worryingly for his side is that Cristiano Ronaldo (3/1 to be First/Last Goalscorer) is expected to turn out for Real.

Real certainly have the pedigree to come up with the goods and the best Spurs can hope for is an away-goal to keep them in the tie, with the return-leg at White Hart Lane on April 13.

Defending champions Inter are 1/2 favourites to make home advantage count in the night’s other encounter but they go into the match on the back of a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of arch rivals AC.

The Italian giants did of course lose 1-0 in the home leg of their last-16 clash against Bundesliga opposition Bayern Munich, only to win 3-2 away and go through on away goals.

Schalke are available at 11/2 to cause a shock, with the draw on offer at 11/4, but backers will be hoping that the Germans can keep their European form going because they have been anything but consistent in their domestic campaign.

Ralf Rangnick recently took over the reins at Schalke but it was Felix Magath who steered the side past Valencia in the last-16, with a 1-1 draw at the Mestalla before a 3-1 success at home sealed progression.

It looks a tall order for the German side to follow in Bayern’s footsteps with a win at the San Siro and Inter are fancied to edge a tight contest.

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City out to ease top-four fears

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Manchester City fans might be getting a horrible feeling that this season is going the same way as the last based on recent results. Once again Tottenham are breathing down their neck for a spot in the top four and City are desperate to give themselves a bit of breathing space by beating Sunderland on Sunday.

Blackpool are looking to do the same thing but at the other end of the table, when they travel to Fulham. The Seasiders are floundering after a great start and are in desperate need of three points. We preview both of Sunday’s important Premier League matches.

Fulham v Blackpool (1:30pm)

For Blackpool fans a quick look at the current form table will make grim reading for the men from the seaside. Only Blackburn have been in a worse run of form than Ian Holloway’s men and supporters might be starting to get that sinking feeling.

Last time out Blackpool threw away three points at Blackburn, relinquishing a two goal lead as they slipped closer to the drop zone. Depending on Saturday’s results, Blackpool could start this game inside the bottom three, although with the Premier League as it is they won’t be too far off safety. Holloway believes three more wins will be enough to secure his team another season in the top flight. However, the trip to Craven Cottage is unlikely to hold much joy for the Seasiders.

Fulham have lost just three times at home all season and have made the Cottage into a fortress recently. Blackpool have pulled off a number of shock wins on the road this season, but Fulham have been in decent form recently and look good to beat the drop.

Bobby Zamora has hit the ground running on his return and nearly inspired a comeback against Everton last time out. Mark Hughes will look at this game as a great chance to move further away from the relegation places and secure a comfy mid table finish.

Match Bets – Under 2.5 goals @ 13/10 and Fulham to win @ 4/7

Manchester City v Sunderland (4pm)

In the build-up to this game, Roberto Mancini has been talking about how he will still be City boss next season, even if they fail to make it into the top four this year. Not many would agree with him, especially City’s owners after shelling out £150million on new players.

City need to achieve something this year, whether that be a Champions League finish or the FA Cup they must show they are a team on the up if they want to become one of Europe’s elite. Sunday represents a perfect opportunity to at least maintain the four point gap between themselves and Tottenham when they take on a struggling Sunderland team.

The Black Cats haven’t won a game since they beat Aston Villa at the start of January and looked toothless in their last showing against Liverpool. Much like Blackpool, Steve Bruce’s men are slipping after a good start to the season and are by no means safe. Sunderland are five points above the relegation zone and only need a couple more wins to make sure of safety. However, based on recent performances you can’t see where the wins are going to come from.

Darren Bent’s departure has had a huge impact on the Sunderland team and a trip to City is the last thing they need. This is must win game as far as City are concerned but will have to up their performances from what they have been showing recently. Sunderland dug deep to get a draw at Arsenal on their last adventure outside the north-east and will have to do the same again, if they have any hope of taking anything from Eastlands.

Match Bet – Man City to win with a -1 handicap @ 6/5

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Hammers to upset title picture

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After a flurry of international action we return to matters closer to home this weekend as the Premier League returns. There is still plenty to be sorted out before the curtain comes down on the season on May 22 so every game still matters.

West Ham v Manchester United (12:45pm)

United  traditionally don’t always enjoy their trips to Upton Park and with a Scott Parker-inspired West Ham slowly climbing away from the relegation zone everything appears to point towards a coupon-busting win for the Hammers. United have failed to win 11 of their 15 matches away from Old Trafford this season and were well and truly hammered in the Carling Cup clash between these two in east London earlier in the season. With the Hammers priced at 16/5 for the win it’s tough to overlook Avram Grant’s side as a decent punt this weekend.

Match Bet – West Ham to win @ 16/5

Birmingham v Bolton (3pm)

Life for Birmingham City’s supporters has been a real rollercoaster this year. Off the back of a solid return to the top flight last season Blues have slipped into a relegation battle this time around, but ended their long wait for silverware. Since winning the Carling Cup in February Birmingham have picked up just one point and now face a must-win game against Bolton. The Trotters will probably have their upcoming trip to Wembley on their minds and with their league status all but assured they might take their eye off the ball at St Andrew’s.

Match Bet – Birmingham to win @ 7/5

Everton v Aston Villa (3pm)

Villa goalkeeper Brad Friedel has described the next eight games as “cup finals” and who can blame him after the season they have endured. They travel to Everton just a point off the relegation zone and in desperate need for the England trio of Ashley Young, Darren Bent and Stewart Downing to fire them to a win. If they play as well as they did with England then an injury-hit Toffees team might struggle to contain them.

Match Bet – Villa to win @ 16/5

Newcastle v Wolves (3pm)

Mick McCarthy’s Wolves side are the form team in the bottom half of the Premier League and, despite losing Kevin Doyle to injury, have shown enough recently to indicate they are good enough to stay up. In contrast, Newcastle are slipping down the table at an alarming rate and Alan Pardew’s dream of qualifying for Europe has been given a rude awakening. With eight points from their last four games it’s tough to look beyond Wolves to take another step towards safety.

Match Bet – Wolves to win @ 11/4

Stoke v Chelsea (3pm)

Chelsea’s victory over Manchester City has given the west London club real hope they can still retain the Premier League title this season. The Blues are coming good at just the right time, although they could do with their strikers rediscovering their goalscoring touch very soon. Chelsea have won the last seven games against Stoke, who much like Bolton might have their FA Cup semi-final on their mind. Chelsea have left it late to find a winner in games recently and it could be a case of déjà vu at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.

Match Bet – Draw HT/ Chelsea FT @ 3/1

West Brom v Liverpool (3pm)

It is tough to imagine Roy Hodgson doesn’t have revenge in mind when his former employers drop by the Hawthorns this weekend. His six month stint at Anfield won’t have been the happiest of his career and he?ll hope they don’t heap further misery on him by plunging his new team further into relegation trouble. Hodgson is unbeaten in his four games in charge of the Baggies but it seems fate Liverpool will inflict more pain on him. The Reds have looked a lot more solid away from home recently but goals have been a problem for them, despite the addition of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll. They should just do enough to sneak three points at the Hawthorns.

Match Bet – Liverpool to win @ 13/10

Wigan v Tottenham (3pm)

From Wigan to Madrid. It is going to be an interesting few days for the Tottenham players as they prepare to go on their travels. Saturday’s game at the DW Stadium is a must win one if they don’t want this to be their only Champions League adventure but the three points are just as important for the Latics. Wigan are rooted to the foot of the league and while survival is still a possibility their six wins all season suggests Spurs should be too good. Wigan’s only hope is if the lure of the Bernabeu proves too strong for Harry Redknapp’s men.

Match Bet – Tottenham to win @ 5/4

Arsenal v Blackburn (5:30pm)

If our predictions are right then Arsenal will go into this game knowing they could cut United’s lead at the top to two points if they beat Blackburn. Either way a win is a must against statically the worst team in the Premier League currently. Arsenal have some big names back in Cesc Fabergas and Theo Walcott which should give some of their more mentally jaded players a lift. Rovers are in big trouble, their last-gasp draw against Blackpool saved them from slipping even further down the table but they look like a team who are struggling just at the wrong time.

Match Bet – Arsenal to win to nil @ 10/11.

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Whites v Reds in promotion clash

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We are really getting into the business end of the season in the Championship, with points vital for teams at both ends of the table.

Two clubs that are desperate to get back to the Premier League are Leeds United and Nottingham Forest and the two sides meet in the early kick-off at Elland Road on Saturday (Leeds 6/5, draw 11/5, Forest 11/5).

The Whites managed to pick up a point at the City Ground in just their second game of the campaign after winning automatic promotion from League One last season. Leeds were lucky to draw against Forest who dominated much of the game.

However, the West Yorkshire side have surprised many teams in their first season back in the Championship and find themselves in fifth place in the table, just above Forest.

Tottenham Hotspur loan man Jake Livermore could make his first appearance for the Whites as manager Simon Grayson has looked to bolster his option in the middle of the park, with Aston Villa’s Barry Bannan also in on a loan deal.

Forest have failed to win in their last seven outings in the Championship and should be battling with QPR and Norwich for the automatic places. Now Bill Davies‘ side are struggling to keep their place in the playoffs with Reading and Burnley hot on their heels.

Saturday’s game at Elland Road will be a tight contest with both teams desperate to keep their promotion hopes alive.

Leeds have not been beaten at home since October and should just edge this one in front of a packed Elland Road.

Promotion chasing Norwich City take on Scunthorpe United at Carrow Road, as the Canaries look to strengthen their hold on second place in the Championship (Norwich 1/5, draw 7/2, Scunthorpe 8/1).

Norwich continue to be very difficult to beat as they have not tasted defeat in their last eight games.

The Irons on the other hand are fighting for their lives in the relegation zone with five points between themselves and safety.

Scunthorpe have appointed Alan Knill as their new boss ahead of the away trip to Norwich and he will have to settle in fast to his new club as they are desperate for points. The manager factor may give the United players a boost but it’s hard to see them getting anything out of the game at Carrow Road.

Preston are also fighting for their lives as they sit rock bottom of the Championship and they will have to raise their game when they take on Swansea at Deepdale on Saturday (Preston 13/5, draw 23/10, Swansea Evs).

North End currently sit eight points off safety with a game in hand and manager Phil Brown is running out of time if he wants his side to avoid the drop.

Swansea have been outstanding this season and they will be full of confidence after their 3-2 victory over Forest in their last outing. The Welsh club have a great opportunity to earn promotion to the Premier League this season and it’s unlikely that Preston will get in their way.

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Home sweet home for McCall

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Stuart McCall might just have hit the nail on the head when suggesting his Motherwell side will use the advantage of playing on home soil at Fir Park ahead of their Scottish Cup quarter-final replay against holders Dundee United (Motherwell 7/5 To Win in 90 Minutes).

The Steelmen have had the edge over the Terrors this season after recording back-to-back home wins over them in October and they were unfortunate not to win in the first tie at Tannadice with John Sutton’s brace (13/8 Anytime Goalscorer) almost taking them through.

However, their attempts to win the replay and set up a winnable semi-final showdown against St Johnstone, have been hit by injury problems.

Captain Stephen Craigan suffered a hip injury during Northern Ireland’s European Championship qualifier against Slovenia on Tuesday evening, while defender Steve Saunders is out with an ankle injury.

Steve Hammell and Francis Jeffers could face late fitness tests and McCall is wary of not bringing players back too soon and risking further problems.

However, the three-time Scottish Cup winner with Rangers is hopeful of making progress.

He said: “I am a lot more confident given we are playing them at home. We have beaten them here twice this season already.

“The last time the lads played here they came off to a standing ovation (against Celtic) after putting in an outstanding performance. So that is what we want to re-create again.”

United chief Peter Houston is expecting a long night at Fir Park as he has told his players to prepare for extra time and a penalty shoot-out as they look to go through to the last four (Dundee United Evens To Qualify).

The Terrors are in-form at the moment, having gone eight games without defeat with five wins from their last six.

However, their bid to go through and stay on course to retain their crown at Hampden Park in May (11/2 Scottish Cup Winner) is not helped by the loss of Morgaro Gomis due to suspension, while Garry Kenneth is out.

But, Craig Conway is available again and Scott Severin may return from long-term injury.

“Going to Fir Park has never been easy and our record there this season is that we’ve lost two, so we’ve got a lot to work on and a lot to play for,” Houston told STV.

Therefore, a close game looks to be the order of the day and it looks like Motherwell could just about hold the edge with the backing of the Fir Park faithful behind them.

Prediction: Draw 90 Minutes @ 23/10 and then Motherwell to Qualify @ 8/11

Value Bet: John Sutton First Goal Draw 1-1 Scorecast @ 28/1

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