There is plenty of action in the Premier League on Sunday in particular with the two tasty looking ties involving Manchester and North London as the north west giants look to maintain their 100 percent start to the season.
Man United v Arsenal (4pm)
This tie has often in the past been a meeting of the top two but the Gunners are currently enduring a six-year barren spell on the trophy front, while they have been firing blanks in picking up just one point from their first two games.
United boasted a tremendous record at Old Trafford last term on their way to winning a record 19th title and have opened up with two wins this season, including a 3-0 home thumping of Spurs on Monday night.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s men have been installed as the 8/15 favourites in the match betting, which is not surprising given their recent record against the Gunners – unbeaten at home in seven.
Arsenal are not the force they once were and are still trying to come to terms with the departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri this summer, but are on offer at 11/2 to depart Old Trafford with maximum points.
That is a price that will tempt some on the back of a confidence-boosting, come-from-behind win at Udinese in midweek to secure Champions League football.
Arsenal will be hoping that defender Thomas Vermaelen passes a fitness test on Sunday given the way Wayne Rooney has started the season, two in two and 4/1 to open the scoring, but Jack Wilshere, Alex Song, Gervinho and Emmanuel Frimpong are all out.
United could welcome back Rio Ferdinand and Darren Fletcher but the youngsters have been deputising nicely and United have started the season in ominous form.
Tottenham v Man City (1.30pm)
Spurs have been a bogey side for City over recent seasons, winning 19 Premier League matches only bettered by Arsenal’s 20, and taking maximum points from 11 of the last 14 encounters.
The Lilywhites only lost one game at White Hart Lane last term, the second best home record in the league, but everyone is wary that money talks – and City have been doing a lot of talking.
The Citizens look a very real threat for honours this term and at 6/4 in the match betting, many will feel that price is too big to turn down, having opened up the season with two wins, scoring seven goals in the process.
Sergio Aguero (5/1 to score first) blasted on to the Premier League scene in emphatic style but such are the resources at Roberto Mancini’s disposal, the Argentina ace is not guaranteed to start – but who is now for the Blues?
Spurs have not been helped by the transfer saga surrounding Luka Modric and although he is expected to play some part on Sunday, there are still questions to be answered about his mindset.
Redknapp’s men are available at 2/1 to record a home win but Spurs won only three of their last 12 games last season, drew a league high of nine at home and do not keep clean sheets – not great stats going up against the money-men.
Newcastle v Fulham (1pm)
The Magpies are 11/10 favourites in the match betting despite having seen their squad weakened further by the departure of Joey Barton to QPR, but they should be buoyed by last weekend’s derby win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
Alan Pardew’s men now have four points from two games and are yet to concede a goal, while Fulham (11/4 to win, Draw 23/10) have had to make the long trip to and from Ukraine in the Europa League.
The Cottagers suffered at Molineux last weekend, having done something similar, so it is difficult to see Martin Jol’s men getting anything from St James’s – especially as John Arne Riise and Simon Davies are on the casualty list.
West Brom v Stoke (3pm)
The fixture list has not been kind to the Baggies but impressive performances against Man United and Chelsea – albeit in 2-1 defeats – see them installed as the 11/10 favourites in the match betting to see off Stoke (11/4 to win, 23/10 the draw).
There has been cause for optimism for Roy Hodgson despite a start that has yet to yield a point but stat gurus will be fully aware that Stoke are very much a bogey side.
The Potters have lost only one (1-0 at the Hawthorns in 2003) of the last 27 league clashes between the two sides, winning seven of the last nine.
This season though could be the turn of the Baggies as Stoke are having to contend with the extra fixtures and travelling etc that participating in the Europa League brings.
Shane Long (11/2 to be the first goalscorer) has made an impressive start to life in the West Midlands with two goals in two games, although Matthew Etherington is back from suspension to boost the Potters attacking options.
Peter Odemwingie is pushing for a return to the starting line-up for Hodgson, who has no injury worries ahead of the clash, while Pulis could recall defenders Jonathan Woodgate and Robert Huth.
Enough has been seen to suggest West Brom should beat a side who needed a goal four minutes into injury time to salvage a point against Norwich but the stats do not lie!
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