Tag Archives: Foxes

Warnock’s R’s to go Foxes hunting

Posted on by
Reply

Another busy day of action in the Championship on Saturday will see the majority of teams fighting it out for points to sustain a promotion push or scrap to survival from the dreaded drop. Here are the top five 3pm fixtures of the day which will have a big impact on automatic promotion, play-offs and relegation matters.

QPR v Leicester

Game of the day in the Championship sees two very contrasting managerial styles go head-to-head at Loftus Road as Neil Warnock’s league leaders face Sven-Goran Eriksson’s play-off chasing Foxes.

The R’s are unbeaten in the league since the New Year’s Day’s defeat at Norwich and have picked up 20 points in the ten games since to sit five points clear at the top of the Championship (2/5 Outright) with 12 games remaining.

Eriksson has transformed the Foxes’ fortunes since taking over from the axed Paulo Sousa earlier in the season. And, having guided them away from the relegation scuffle, they now sit one place and two points outside of the top-six play-off places following a run of one defeat in their last 10 league games, which included seven wins.

Leicester are well priced at 7/2 for promotion, but they will find it difficult to put any points on the board this weekend.

A 2-0 defeat at Cardiff was followed by a 1-1 home draw against Coventry in midweek which shows signs that their good run is faltering and QPR will capitalise on that.

Prediction: Draw/QPR Half Time/ Full time @ 7/2
Value Bet: QPR 3-1 Leicester @ 18/1.


Scunthorpe v Swansea

A massive game with implications at both ends of the Championship table is taking place at Glanford Park as third-bottom Scunthorpe face manager-of-the-month for February Brendan Rodgers’ Swans.

The Iron looked dead and buried in the relegation places until a rally of seven points from three games in which they defeated Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United on home soil and picked up a point against Derby County.

Successive defeats since at Bristol City and Portsmouth have used up most of their games in hand and they still sit four points adrift of fourth-bottom Crystal Palace.

However, a visit from the in-form Swans is the last thing they need as five wins from six games in February has put them back into the automatic promotion places and 6/4 with Totesport to reach the Premier League.

The Swans have eight wins on the road, but they have also lost seven and Scunthorpe, who only have three home wins all season, will hope the manager-of-the-month jinx hits the Welshmen this weekend. With neither side wanting to lose out, the hosts could upset the form book and snatch an unlikely point.

Prediction: Draw @ 5/2
Value Bet: Scott Sinclair 1st Goal 1-1 Draw @ 22/1.

Norwich v Preston

Another top versus bottom scenario is set to unfold at Carrow Road as promotion-cashing Norwich (5/2 Promotion) welcome bottom-of-the-table Preston North End.

Paul Lambert’s Canaries are fourth and three points behind second-placed Swansea so will be looking for three points from this fixture after last weekend’s win at Barnsley erased memories of being held 1-1 by an injury-hit Doncaster side in their previous home outing.

Phil Brown’s Preston look doomed to relegation as they are 11 points adrift of safety after just five wins this season.
They did hold QPR and Nottingham Forest to draws in recent weeks, but Norwich should be too strong on Saturday.

Prediction: Norwich/Norwich Half Time /Full Time @ 6/5
Value Bet: Norwich To Win 3-0 @ 9/1.

Nottingham Forest v Hull

Promotion-cashing Forest face a Hull side still harbouring hopes of sneaking into the play-off places at the City Ground this weekend.

Billy Davies’ men are 6/5 for promotion despite seeing their charge towards the top-two places hit the buffers in recent weeks with one win in six and they were lucky to escape with a point at Middlesbrough in midweek thanks to Dele Adebola’s injury-time equaliser.

However, with an unbeaten home record under their belts this season, Forest will hope to emulate their recent 2-1 win over promotion rivals Cardiff this weekend.

Nigel Pearson’s Tigers arrive five points adrift of the play-off places and in desperate need of a win.

However, Forest cannot play any worse than they did at Boro on Tuesday, and need to use that as a wake-up call to get their promotion bid back on the rails.

Prediction: Forest To Score In Both Halves @ 7/4
Value Bet: Forest To Win 2-1 @ 7/1.

Burnley v Crystal Palace

Eddie Howe’s Burnley will look to take a step closer to the play-off places against a struggling Palace side boasting the worst way record in the Championship at Turf Moor.

The Clarets are four points outside the top-six, but have two games in hand on their rivals and could make the end-of-season battle for a place in the Premier League (6/1 Promotion).

Burnley have won three of their last four matches, while Palace have improved under manager Dougie Freedman, but still have just one away win all season as they sit four points clear of the drop zone.

It all points to a home banker but I feel Palace could pose a few problems for the Clarets and there will not be a great deal in this game.

Prediction: Draw/Burnley Half Time/Full Time @ 3/1
Value Bet: Burnley 2-1 Palace @ 7/1.

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

Foxes can add to Cardiff fears

Posted on by
Reply

The Championship has entered the final run in, with matters at the top and the bottom far from resolved. The battle at the top is fascinating and Tuesday’s schedule could prove crucial, with the game of the night coming at the Cardiff City Stadium…

Cardiff v Leicester (7.45pm)

Dave Jones’ men have slipped to fourth in the table after defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday and there is every chance they will find themselves in sixth on Tuesday night. Despite an impressive array of strikers, goals seem to be the problem for Cardiff at present with just four goals in their last four games. They have also won just one of their last three home games and that was a late success over struggling Scunthorpe.

In contrast, the Foxes continue to go from strength to strength and have won their last five league games. Sven’s men have not lost on the road since mid-December and could do the double over Cardiff this season.

Match Bet: Leicester to win @ 9/5

Nottingham Forest v Preston (7.45pm)

It’s second against bottom at the City Ground and ordinarily you would have this down as a certain home win…..but don’t be so sure! Forest have been impressive of late, with just one defeat in their last 12 games, but their recent slip-up came against another struggling team – Scunthorpe.

Preston are improving, highlighted by draws with QPR and Watford, and having strengthened defensively are likely to prove a tough nut to crack.

Match Bet: Draw HT/Forest FT @ 3/1

Scunthorpe v Sheffield United (7.45pm)

This is a huge game at the bottom end of the table and a defeat will send the losers further towards League One. For that reason alone, there’s every chance this could be a draw.

Scunny are another side that have improved of late, with four points in their last two games. But a lack of firepower, coupled by the Blades’ need to stop the rot, could see a share of the spoils.

Match Bet: Draw @ 23/10

QPR v Ipswich (8pm)

The table toppers have stuttered slightly in the last fortnight, with draws against Forest and Preston, but are still firm favourites to go up. Neil Warnock’s men have lost just once at home this season, but they will face a tough test on Tuesday against arguably the in-form team in the division.

Ipswich have lost just one of their seven league games since Paul Jewell took charge and will welcome back Jimmy Bullard after he sat out the 1-1 draw with Hull on Saturday.

Match Bet: Draw @ 12/5

Leeds v Barnsley (7.45pm)

Leeds remain on an unbeaten run, which has now stretched to six league games, and Barnsley are highly unlikely to end that on Tuesday.

It’s a surprise that Simon Grayson’s men have lost four times at fortress Elland Road this season, but they should take the spoils in this Yorkshire derby against a Barnsley team who have won just three times away from Oakwell.

Match Bet: Leeds to win 2-1 @ 7-1

Derby v Hull (7.45pm)

Nigel Clough is under immense pressure at Pride Park and a fourth-straight home defeat may single the end of his tenure. The Rams are seven points outside the relegation zone, while their opponents are seven points off the play-offs.

The Tigers are on an eight-game unbeaten run and are looking for a double over Derby after defeating them 2-0 at the KC Stadium back in September.

Match Bet: Matt Fryatt to score at anytime for Hull @ 11/8

Norwich v Doncaster (7.45pm)

The Canaries secured a crucial point at Leeds on Saturday, highlighting their steel for a promotion battle. Paul Lambert’s have not lost at home in the league since December 11 and they are up against the most out-of-form side in the Championship.

Rovers have lost their last four games, failing to score in any of those matches and conceding 12 goals and couldn’t ask for a tougher midweek trip.

Match Bet: Norwich to win with -1 handicap @ 6/5

Reading v Millwall (8pm)

Both of these teams have play-off aspirations, but stuttering form over the last couple of months is likely to see both miss out on the top six.

These two are pretty evenly matched on paper, but home advantage should just give Reading the edge.

Match Bet: Reading to win @ Evens

Coventry v Swansea (7.45pm)

An away win looks the most likely result at the Ricoh Arena, with Coventry’s season fizzling out and the Swans firmly in the battle for a top-two spot.

The Sky Blues may have had the weekend off, but Swansea will be buoyed by their 3-0 drubbing off Doncaster.

Match Bet: Total Goals 2-3 @ 10/11

Portsmouth v Crystal Palace (7.45pm)

Pompey are unbeaten in their last three games and look to be safe from the drop, but their opponents are still battling for survival.

Palace are now five points above the drop zone, after a crucial win over Sheffield United, and a point at Fratton Park could be another step towards safety.

Match Bet: Draw @ 5/2

Watford v Bristol City (7.45pm)

Both of these teams still have something to play for, but both look like finishing in mid-table due to inconsistent form.

Home advantage is likely to see Watford edge the game, although the Robins are capable of snatching something on their best form.

Match Bet: A goal in both halves @ 4/7

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

Foxes promotion bid gaining pace

Posted on by
Reply

Sven Goran Eriksson’s arrival at Leicester City back in October was greeted with some raised eyebrows as the former England boss’ return to club management in this country came on the back of short-lived and unsuccessful stints in charge of Mexico, Notts County and Ivory Coast. But the Swede has quietly overseen a real change in the Foxes’ fortunes and a charge up the Championship table. Ahead of Friday’s key home game with Bristol City, we look ahead to what could lie in store at the Walkers Stadium when the Robins visit.

If form is anything to go by then, surely, there is only one winner here when looking at the match odds. Leicester, at 2/5, are predictably short favourites such is their fine recent record. Eriksson’s side are on an 11-match unbeaten run in front of their own fans and we can’t see anything other than another three points for the home side in this one. Don’t be tempted by the visitors’ price of 15/2 to cause a surprise.

Such has been Eriksson’s impact at the club that Leicester have not lost at the Walkers since he took charge. They are now seeking their seventh win in eight Championship games and their fifth straight victory as they chase down Leeds in sixth place.

The Foxes remain four points off a play-off spot at the minute but are looking in great shape to challenge as we begin the countdown to the end of the season.

It is with that in mind that a bold prediction of 4-1 in the correct score market (16/1) is made as we envisage Eriksson’s men racing into an early lead, roared on by an expectant home crowd.

The Foxes’ boss has no fresh injury worries either ahead of the game, although Yuki Abe could be recalled in place of Matt Oakley. On-loan striker Yakubu has spoken about how much he is enjoying his time under Eriksson and he has clearly benefited from the drop down in a division, scoring three times so far. A good bet, then, at 4/1 to score first in this game.

Bristol City are aiming for their first league double over Leicester since 1915 but the 2-0 win at Ashton Gate earlier in the campaign seems extremely unlikely to be repeated here.

The 4-0 rout of Preston aside, Keith Millen’s men have bore all the hallmarks of a side lacking confidence in the past few months and have slipped further down the table as a run of just two wins in 11 has left the Robins, who could have striker Nicky Maynard back after a lengthy absence, staring worryingly at a relegation scrap.

Even a draw, on offer at 10/3, looks beyond them but Maynard to score at any time (9/4) could be worth a punt, even if it is only a consolation.

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

Foxes sack Sousa

Posted on by
Reply

Leicester City (16/1 to win promotion) have decided to sack their manager Paulo Sousa after just three months of the season.

The Foxes have struggled in the Championship this season and have failed to live up to their billing from before the campaign.

Leicester came close to winning promotion to the Premier League last season but were beaten by Cardiff City 4-3 in a thrilling Championship play-off semi-final.

The East Midlands club currently sit at the foot of the table with just five points from nine games.

Sousa took over the manager’s job in July after Nigel Pearson moved to Hull City (12/1 to win promotion) in the summer.

The sacking comes as a surprise after Leicester City owner Milan  Mandaric called for calm and support for the Portuguese manager.

However, a club statement said: “The decision has been taken as a result of the club’s poor run of results this season.

“The club would like to state that Paulo Sousa is a first-class individual, but that this decision has been taken in the best interests of the club and our ambitions to move up the Championship.

“The search for a new manager begins immediately and the club anticipates a quick appointment,” he added.

Former Foxes boss Martin O’Neill is believed to have held talks with the club and would be a popular appointment amongst supporters.

Ex-England manager Sven Goran Eriksson has also been linked with the Championship side as he looks to get back into management in England.

Sousa has admitted that he was surprised to be sacked so early into a new season.

He said: “To be sacked after being told that there was a long-term strategy at the club and after only nine games in charge is something that I find very surprising.”

Leicester have been on the end of some heavy defeats this season including a 6-1 thrashing by Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

Goalkeeping coach Mike Stowell and coach Chris Powell have been put in charge of the club until a new manager has been appointed.

Leicester have two home fixtures coming up including a showdown with Hull City and Pearson at the Walkers Stadium.

Bet on the World Cup and get £200. Click here to visit Bet365 and claim your free money.