Tag Archives: League

Premier League previews

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The big thaw means that there should be no trouble with the weekend Premier League fixtures so let’s look at all the betting options for the six matches on Saturday (check out Premier League outright and match prices).

Aston Villa v West Brom

These two west Midlands rivals have been heading in different directions in recent times with Villa losing their last three top-flight games and the Baggies scoring seven goals to win their last two. The form book will be thrown out of the window, as ever, for a local derby and, with Emile Heskey and Ashley Young both back in the ranks, the Villans should be able to arrest their current slide.

Value bet: Villa to win 2-0 (7/1)

Everton v Wigan

The Goodison Park alarm bells would have been ringing after their 4-1 home defeat to West Brom but they bounced back to take a point from Chelsea last time out. But it has still been a below-par season for David Moyes? men to date. Wigan have won just once on their travel this term but have Hugo Rodallega back after suspension. However, if the Toffees are to rescue their season, they must win games like this as Wigan have scored just five goals away from home all season.

Value bet: Everton to win to nil (6/5)

Fulham v Sunderland

Sunderland have won one, lost one and drawn one since beating Chelsea 3-0 at Stamford Bridge and their games are notoriously hard to predict. They are not the same side away from home (apart from against the champions) but face a Fulham side who have won just twice this campaign, with nine draws to date. But the Cottagers did okay against Arsenal last time out and, with Asamoah Gyan rated as doubtful with a toe injury, they might sneak this one down by the Thames.

Value bet: 2-3 goals (10/11)

Stoke v Blackpool

The Seasiders have had two weeks without a game as their clash with Manchester United fell foul of the weather last weekend and they will be raring to go at the Britannia Stadium. Ian Holloway’s side have already won three times away from home this season and they could take something from this clash at the Britannia Stadium. Jermaine Pennant and Andy Wilkinson should return for the Potters but a draw is forecast for this one.

Value bet: 1-1 draw (6/1)

West Ham v Manchester City

The Hammers finally picked up three points against Wigan back in late November but they still find themselves bottom of the table and will struggle against a City side who are capable of beating anyone when they gel as a unit. Carlos Tevez is absent but City should still be too good for a West Ham side that seem destined for the drop.

Value bet: City to win (5/6)

Newcastle v Liverpool

The sacking of Chris Hughton sent shockwaves through the Premier League this week, as did the name of his successor. But the appointment of a new manager normally affects the players in a positive way for at least three or four games and the Magpies may be able to sneak this one against a Liverpool side who do not seem to be able to string too many results together. Alan Pardew may not have been the fans? choice on Tyneside but if they take all three points on Saturday, then all will be well with the world again.

Value bet: Newcastle to win (12/5)

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Champions League up for grabs

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The majority of the heavyweights have already successfully navigated the Champions League group stages with one game to spare but who will eventually be crowned European champions next May?

Spanish giants Barcelona, Real Madrid and Valencia are already thorugh to the knock-out rounds, Italian duo Inter and AC Milan have also progressed, Roma look well placed to go through, while last season’s beaten finalists Bayern Munich will compete in the knock-out stages as well (Barcelona 13/5f to win the Champions League).

The Premier League is also set to be well represented in the last 16, with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Chelsea already through, while Arsenal need to beat Partizan Belgrade in their final match to guarantee progress.

So who looks the most likely to take the top title at the end of the campaign? Inter Milan (16/1) won it last time out under the guidance of Jose Mourinho but the self proclaimed ’special one’ has now jumped ship to Real Madrid and the Nerazzurri now have Rafael Benitez at the helm.

Benitez has an impressive pedigree in Europe’s top competition, having won the title with Liverpool in 2005.  The Spaniard managed to secure Champions League success with a Liverpool team that included Djimi Traoré in the starting line-up in the final, while Vladimir Smicer and Djibril Cisse made appearances as substitutes – this is certainly no mean feat and the Inter team at his disposal is considerably stronger than the Liverpool team of 2005.

However, back-to-back successes in the competition are rare, the last time a side managed to defend their title was back in 1990 when AC Milan made a successful defence and it may be just too much to ask for Inter to win the competition again.

What about Italy’s other contenders, Roma and AC Milan? Despite Roma’s (40/1) impressive form at this stage of the season, the team have relied on the now-ageing Francesco Totti for too long and, despite the considerable talents they have amongst their ranks, the squad at the Stadio Olimpico seems to lack the quality in depth to secure Champions League glory.

However, AC Milan (20/1) could well be among the contenders to take the top prize.  The Rossoneri have a wealth of attacking talent to call upon, including former world player of the year Ronaldinho and Swedish hitman Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  Milan are the current league-leaders in Serie A and, after watching bitter rivals Inter pick up an unprecedented treble last season, they will be desperate for success – making them perhaps the most likely of the Italian sides to take the title.

German giants Bayern (18/1) are a strong team in Europe but domestically they have shown indifferent form this season and are currently 14 points adrift of top spot in the Bundesliga table, after just 14 games.  Bayern’s troubles have largely come away from the Allianz Arena and for European success it is crucial to pick up results away from home – this is why Bayern could be found wanting in the Champions League this season.

Manchester United (17/2) and Chelsea (9/2) have both struggled for form at times this season and, to add to Chelsea’s problems, they seem to be suffering in terms of injuries. John Terry, Didier Drogba, Alex and Frank Lampard have had prolonged spells out and if Chelsea are to stand any chance of taking the title, they will need their key men fit.

Manchester United, although unbeaten in the Premier League, have been inconsistent over the course of the campaign so far and if they are to get the better of Europe’s other big guns they will need to hit their stride sooner rather than later. Wayne Rooney has now returned from injury and if the England international can find his form then United could be a force to be reckoned with, otherwise Champions League glory could well be out of their reach again.

Tottenham (20/1) have shown real spirit in Europe so far and have already booked their last 16 spot with a game to spare and the north Londoners could be a surprise winner with players such as Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart to call upon but it would take a massive effort and a huge slice of luck for Harry Redknapp’s stars to lift the famous trophy in May.

Arsenal (12/1) are the only English side yet to qualify but they are well placed and should make the last 16.  Arsene Wenger’s youngsters have finally started to justify the faith shown in them by the French manager, who has avoided big money transfer targets in recent seasons. But like Chelsea, the Gunners could do with their injured stars returning to the fold. Key defender Thomas Vermaelen is still sidelined, as is captain Cesc Fabregas, and if Wenger is to become the first Arsenal boss to lift the trophy he will need a squad that is as close to full fitness as possible.

Finally, the Spanish sides. Valencia (40/1) lost star men David Villa and David Silva in the summer and will struggle to make an impact in the last 16. Real Madrid (10/3) have begun to show signs of improvement under Mourinho’s guidance but they were humiliated with a 5-0 defeat at Barcelona in the league last time out and that showed the gulf in class between the two sides, especially when the Catalan giants are in top form.

Barcelona won the competition in 2009 and came close again in 2010, reaching the semi-finals before being dumped out following a fantastic tactical display by eventual champions Inter. The Catalan club are the current favourites, and rightly so as judging by the performance of Barca in their demolition of Real last week – Pep Guardiola’s men will take some beating.

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Sunday’s Premier League Preview

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West Bromwich Albion’s bid to follow up last weekend’s thumping 4-1 win at Everton could be determined by the outcome of fitness tests on several key players ahead of Newcastle’s visit to the Hawthorns (Albion 5/4 To Win) at 1.30pm on Sunday lunchtime.

The Baggies will be smarting from crashing out of the Carling Cup quarter-finals at Championship side Ipswich in midweek, while the shock win at Goodison Park made it four points from a possible run in what had been a sticky patch for Roberto Di Matteo’s side.

And the Italian will hope top scorer Peter Odemwingie will be fit to feature as he looks to add to his four league goals so far this term.

Chris Brunt, James Morrison, Paul Scharner and Nicky Shorey are also battling to be fit for the game and their involvement could make all the difference given that Youssouf Mulumbu will serve the second game of a two-match ban after his sending-off at Everton.

Newcastle arrive on the back of a creditable 1-1 home draw against reigning champions Chelsea last Sunday and they have the omens on their side given that they have not lost to West Brom in 17 league games.

The Magpies (11/5 Away Win) did the double over Albion in the previous two seasons they met in the Premier League and they will be boosted by the return of Joey Barton from a three-match ban.

However, captain Kevin Nolan is still out with an ankle problem, while Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson both serve the second game of their three-match bans.

The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 1-1 draw on the opening day of the Championship campaign and that looks a good bet at (11/2 Correct Score) for Sunday.

Newcastle’s north-east rivals Sunderland feature in Sunday’s later game at 4pm and they will look to get back to winning ways against struggling West Ham at the Stadium of Light (4/5 Sunderland Home Win).

The Black Cats produced a magnificent 3-0 win at Chelsea on November 14, but have since been held at home by Everton before losing out 3-2 at lowly Wolves a week ago.

However, boosted by John Mensah’s declaration of fitness, boss Steve Bruce will be hoping his side can maintain their unbeaten home run in the Premier League with a good result.

Despite currently occupying bottom spot, Avram Grant’s Hammers (10/3 Away Win) will be no pushovers as they arrive on Wearside on the back of two impressive results.

A 3-1 home league win against Wigan last Saturday was followed up by a 4-0 battering of holders Manchester United in the Carling cup quarter-finals at Upton Park on Tuesday.

With Scott Parker set to play on, despite a chest infection, the Hammers will hope to emulate their Carling Cup win at the same venue earlier in the season, while keeping up their record of scoring against Sunderland in every one of their last 15 head-to-heads (5/6 Both Teams To Score).

It is 12/1 for a repeat of last season’s 2-2 draw, but Sunderland’s strong home form should be just enough to edge them to a first win against the Hammers since March 2008.

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Champions League selections…

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If Tottenham can secure a victory over Werder Bremen at White Hart Lane on Wednesday night the north Londoners will guarantee their spot in the knock-out stages of the Champions League (check out Champions League outright and match markets on totesport.com).

There is still everything to play for in Group A, with all four teams still in with a mathematical chance of qualifying for the next round.  However, Bremen have managed to score just three times in their four fixtures to date, conceding nine in the process, and two of their three strikes came in their opening game – a 2-2 draw with Spurs on September 14.

The German outfit are enduring a difficult campaign, they’ve managed just one win on the road in the Bundesliga and have conceded an astonishing 21 goals in just seven games.  Spurs are priced at 4/9 to win the fixture outright, but considering Bremen’s obvious defensive frailties it might be worth considering Spurs to be winning at half-time/full-time, which pays out at evens.

Gareth Bale has been in fine form in Europe and his pace caused havoc amongst the Inter Milan defenders in their last two Champions League fixtures. The Wales international has managed to score three times in his last two appearances and is a very inviting 9/4 to score at anytime on Wednesday night.

When Rangers made the trip to Old Trafford in mid-September the contest was dubbed the ‘Battle of Britain’ but the two sides could only manage to play out a fairly dire goalless draw.  Manchester United travel to Ibrox on Wednesday needing just a point to ensure their progression to the knock-out stages, but boss Sir Alex Ferguson has decided to rest key defensive duo Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic and neither will play any part on Wednesday.

However, striker Wayne Rooney is expected to make his first start in over a month and fans may be treated to a few goals in this encounter after a disappointing stalemate in the reverse of this fixture.  Rangers have managed to find the target 34 times in just 14 SPL games to date, while United have averaged two goals a game in the Premier League so far.  With United resting some key players and Rooney back in action there is a decent chance this game could provide a better spectacle than the meeting between these two at Old Trafford, especially as Rangers need to take something from the game to keep their European dream alive, and over 2.5 goals pays out at 11/10, under 2.5 goals is priced at 4/6.

Schalke 04 host a resurgent Lyon in Group B and both teams are well placed to progress to the knock-out stages.  Lyon top the group with nine points, Schalke are second with seven points and Benfica remain in contention to make it through to the next round with six points.  A win for Lyon would guarantee their spot in the knock-out stages but the trip to Germany will be tough, with Spanish legend Raul now plying his trade for the Bundesliga side.

The former Real Madrid striker helped himself to his first hat-trick for his new employers in their 4-0 demolition of Werder Bremen at the weekend and he can be backed at 11/8 to score anytime against Lyon.  However, Lyon have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes of late and came back from a goal down to seal a 3-1 victory at Lens on Sunday, with qualification within their reach the French side could well emerge from this tie victorious and Lyon are priced at a very attractive 11/5 to win the contest outright.

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Five fantasy league picks…

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Manchester United may not have started the season in particularly great fashion but will be thankful to be back on home territory, remain unbeaten and welcome a side they have dominated in the past when they entertain Wigan in the Premier League on Saturday (1/5 Man United 5/1 draw 11/1 Wigan – match betting).

United beat Latics 5-0 both home and away last term and have scored 35 goals in total in the 11 games played, all wins for Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, while conceding only four.

Therefore it may well pay to load your Fantasy League team with United players and Nemanja Vidic certainly looks a valuable inclusion.

Wigan are the worst scorers in the top flight, having only just crept in to double figures for the season, while the Red Devils have only conceded five at home, winning five and drawing one at Old Trafford this term.

With the obvious potential of clean sheet and defensive points for the Serbia star, Vidic (5/1 to score anytime) is easily the most potent of the United backline, scoring three goals to date but two of those have come in the last four games.

Only games involving Tottenham have enjoyed more goals than those of Blackpool over the last six games and Charlie Adam (8/1 in the Enhanced First Goalscorer betting) can again pull the strings against struggling Wolves, who have picked up just one point on their travels this season.

After a good run of form in the league, winning three including a 2-0 victory over Chelsea and drawing one, Liverpool were brought crashing back to earth by Stoke last weekend.

However, Fernando Torres (11/4 in the Enhanced First Goalscorer market) and his team-mates are unlikely to find themselves up against such physically robust tactics and the Spanish World Cup winner can rediscover his goal-scoring touch against basement side West Ham, who have mustered just four goals in six winless away games this term and have not won at Anfield since 1963.

West Brom appear to have hit a downward spiral after early-season promise, and have picked up just one point in the last four games, coming against bottom side West Ham.

Stoke City (12/5 to win, 11/5 the draw – match betting) have bounced back from their own slump and fully deserved a 2-0 win over Liverpool last weekend to make it two on the bounce and with Ryan Shawcross back in the side, the Potters have added potence in set-piece situations in a game that doesn’t reek of goals.

Asamoah Gyan (11/2 Enhanced First Goalscorer) has hit a rich vein of form for Sunderland and can make the difference again when the Black Cats take on Everton on Monday night.

The Ghana international has bagged four goals in his last three games, including in a surprise 3-0 win at Chelsa, and Steve Bruce’s men can continue their unbeaten home form against poor travellers Everton, who have won just once and scored five away from Goodison.

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Elite league betting…

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For punters wishing to cast the net a bit wider than the Premier League and the SPL this weekend here are a few picks from the Spanish La Liga and the Italian Serie A (check out totesport elite league match prices).

Real Sociedad are one of the form teams in La Liga having won their last three league fixtures after a tough start to the campaign. In contrast newly-promoted Hercules have struggled of late and have not won in their last five, including three defeats.  Sociedad are priced at a rather tasty 21/10 in the 90 minutes betting and they could well be worth some consideration.

La Liga leaders Real Madrid are in free-scoring mode and have found the net a staggering 27 times in their opening 10 fixtures, conceding just five.  Jose Mourinho’s men travel to Sporting Gijon and are priced at 1/4 to secure a sixth straight victory, considering Real’s goal scoring  record and the fact Gijon have already conceded 16 goals it might be worth backing Real to win with a -1 handicap, which is priced at 4/6.

Real Mallorca have lost just once at home this season and have managed to take a point of both Real Madrid and Barcelona on home soil.  Mallorca entertain a resurgent Deportivo La Coruna side on Sunday who have now moved away from the drop zone after two consecutive victories.  However, Mallorca’s home record is formidable and they rarely suffer defeat at the Son Moix, Mallorca are 8/11 in the 90 minutes betting and that looks to be the best bet ahead of this fixture.

The Milan derby takes place this weekend, with Inter Milan the ‘home’ team at the San Siro stadium.  AC Milan moved to the top of the Serie A table on Wednesday with a victory over Palmero, while the Nerazzurri are going through an indifferent patch and although unbeaten in their last five they have only won twice.  Internazionale boss Rafael Benitez will be desperate to take all three points and secure the bragging rights but the Rossoneri are a difficult side to beat and this could well end in a stalemate, with the draw available at 11/5.

Lecce are yet to win on their travels this season and they face a trip to the Stadio Friuli to face an improving Udinese side on Sunday. Udinese’s five game unbeaten run was ended by Catania last time out but on home soil they should have enough about them to take all three points.  Udinese are priced at 4/7 in the 90 minutes betting and considering Lecce’s away form this looks to be the best bet ahead of their meeting this weekend.

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Premier League Preview – Tuesday

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Stoke City take on Birmingham City on Tuesday night with manager Tony Pulis still seething from yet another big decision that appears to have gone against his men at the weekend.

Mark Clattenburg is set to take charge at the Britannia Stadium and Pulis will be hoping that he can cut out his high-profile mistakes that have caused controversy in recent weeks.

Potters fans never know what to expect from their team at the moment as they lost their first three Premier League matches, then took 10 points from their next four, and haven’t added to that tally since beating Blackburn on October 2.

But the current poor run includes three away defeats and the only reverse at home was against Manchester United when they looked set to take a point from the Red Devils before Javier Hernandez won the game with just four minutes to go.

Stoke do not have a great recent record against Alex McLeish’s side at home, as Birmingham have won three of their last four league and cup games at Stoke, keeping a clean sheet in each match, and the Midlanders  travel to the Potteries after coming back from 2-0 down to take a point against West Ham at the weekend.

Goals may be at a premium in this match as Birmingham have only scored six in their last eight matches, while they have won just three of their last 21 Premier League contests.

Stoke have scored two goals in their last four top-flight matches but if they can get the rub of the green then we predict that their losing streak will come to an end and they will sneak this one by the odd goal (Stoke 11/2 to win 1-0).

Tuesday’s other Premier League match-up sees Tottenham entertain Sunderland with Harry Redknapp’s men desperate for a win to get their season back on track.

The north Londoners have been superb in Europe and it may be that their league form has suffered as a consequence, with a draw and two defeats in their last three games leaving them in seventh place on 15 points.

However the table is so congested, with four other teams also on 15 points, two on 14 and a couple more on 13, and so the standings could alter significantly over coming weeks.

Spurs are back at White Hart Lane and that should give them the edge over a Sunderland side who have also garnered 15 points to date.

They bounced back from humiliation in the north-east derby to beat Stoke on Saturday, albeit with a little help from the officials, but they are a different side away from Wearside, with three draws and two defeats on their travels.

Steve Bruce is likely to go looking for a point on Tuesday, as his men rarely score away from home, and it could be like the Alamo at times with Spurs; attacking talent bearing down on the Sunderland box.

Tottenham are capable of beating the best on their day and we believe they will run out winners by at least two goals, although an early strike will be vital to force the visitors to come out and try to get back into the game (Spurs 5/1 to win 2-0).

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Premier League Preview

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Bolton will be quaking in their boots at the prospect of facing a Gareth Bale-inspired Tottenham at the Reebok Stadium as the youngster is currently on fire.

Bale was an unused substitute in the same fixture 13 months ago but has now been mentioned in the same breath as Lionel Messi.

Spurs should bounce back here after the defeat at Manchester United – as long as the officials let them! (Spurs 13/10 to beat Bolton)

West Ham have not won since beating Spurs on September 25 and I would not hold your breath if you are expecting an away win against Birmingham.

The Blues are solid at home and the Hammers have scored just twice away from home all season and the points should stay in the West Midlands (Birmingham 10/11 to beat West Ham).

The north-west derby between Blackburn and Wigan is usually spicy but with the sides separated by just one point near the foot of the table, a draw must be on the cards with neither side prepared to give anything away at Ewood Park, and with goals at a premium (draw 12/5).

Blackpool have surprised many in the early part of the season but they face an improving Everton and it is high time the Seasiders received another Premier League spanking.

David Moyes’ men were never as bad as their league position suggested and, with 10 points out of a possible 12, they will surely be too good for Ian Holloway’s side (Everton 4/5 to win).

Fulham and Aston Villa have both garnered 12 points so far in a tight division but the Cottagers are tipped to win this one, as the Villans have no experience up front with Heskey, Agbonlahor and Carew all out, and 19-year-old Nathan Delfouneso set to make a rare start.

Fulham are much better by the Thames while Villa have already lost four times away from home (Fulham 5/4 to win).

Manchester United will be without Wayne Rooney for three weeks as he has been sent to the USA for conditioning but it should not matter as they are tipped to easily beat a Wolves side who cannot win on their travels and have only taken one point away from Molineux all season.

The Red Devils seem to have cured their draw-itis which threatened to leave them lagging behind Chelsea at the top of the table and they have won their last five matches in all competitions.

Despite Rooney’s continued absence they will have far too much ammunition for Mick McCarthy’s men at Old Trafford.

United do have one injury doubt – Sir Alex Ferguson – as the boss has been struck down by a virus and is currently bed-ridden (United 1/6 to win).

Finally Sunderland play host to Stoke City on what will probably be the last game showed on Match of the Day.

A low-scoring or goalless draw could be on the cards here despite the fact that the Black Cats’ newest signing, Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan, is tipped for his first starting appearance in the top flight.

In the four Premier League meetings between Stoke and Sunderland no goals have been scored by the away team, so do not expect too much goal-mouth drama on Wearside at the weekend (0-0 draw 8/1).

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10 things we’ve learned from the Premier League this weekend

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1)      Sunderland (8/1 Top Six Finish) need to improve defensively and Steve Bruce is this week’s most unpopular person on Wearside.

2)      Feuding Manchester City are far from the finished article and don’t look title contenders (City 2/5 Top Four Finish).

3)      Manchester United are not the same team without Wayne Rooney (Rooney 16/1 Premier League Top Scorer), but is Nani the new Ronaldo?

4)      Liverpool need Fernando Torres fit and on form to qualify for Europe….as there’s nobody else!

5)      Tottenham are not good enough to mount a title challenge and will never get a refereeing decision at Old Trafford!

6)      Aston Villa are going to take a while to get to grips with what Monsieur Houllier requires!  Not sure the fans will remain patient though (Villa 14/1 Top Four Finish).

7)      Start counting your money if you’ve backed West Ham to be relegated – not even Scott Parker or Rob Green can save the Hammers from the drop (Hammers 10/11 to be relegated).

8)      Blackburn can actually play some football and Benjani could keep them in the top flight this season.

9)      Fabio Capello hopefully has a short memory, as Joey Barton looks good enough for a call-up to the England squad (1/6 to win Euro 2012 Qualifying Group G).

10)   Everton are the in-form team in the league but don’t count your chickens on a European place – a lack of goals could cost them.

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Defoe’s Champions League blow

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Unlucky Tottenham ace Jermain Defoe is facing the prospect of missing his club’s entire Champions League group-stage campaign after undergoing ankle surgery (Spurs 10/3 – Group A Winners).

The England international, who fired a hat-trick against Bulgaria at Wembley a week ago, suffered an injury against Switzerland on Tuesday night and will now miss up to three months of action.

A Spurs statement on their website confirmed: “Following a review by an ankle specialist, Jermain Defoe underwent surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right ankle yesterday [Thursday] evening.

“The striker was forced off with the injury during England’s European Championship qualifier in Switzerland on Tuesday and has been ruled out of action for around three months.”

Ironically, Defoe was only playing for his country after managing a groin problem without the need for an operation.
Spurs start their Champions League challenge on Tuesday with a trip to German side Werder Bremen before it concludes early in December with a trip to Dutch outfit FC Twente (Spurs 40/1 – Champions League Outright).

But Redknapp will be without Defoe so must choose between Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Robbie Keane up front as he looks to negotiate Group A which also contains reigning European champions Inter Milan.

Defoe’s loss is the second blow for Redknapp after defender Michael Dawson was ruled out for eight weeks with a knee and ankle ligament problems, also picked up on international duty with England.

Spurs return to Premier League action on Saturday with a trip to West Brom as they bid to bounce back from the home defeat to Wigan at the end of last month.

Meanwhile, Spurs’ new-boy, Rafael van der Vaart, says he sees no reason why the club cannot overtake Arsenal to become London’s second best club behind reigning Premier League champions.

“Why not?” said the 27-year-old midfielder, “Arsenal have a great team also with a lot of young players but our squad is not worse than Arsenal’s.

“I think we will have a chance to win against them and also, over the season, we can try to beat them.

“I already spoke with Robin [van Persie] and he said it is the greatest derby in the world.

“I’m looking forward to playing in the derby.”

Spurs can be backed at 11/4 to repeat last season’s top-four finish in the Premier League.

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