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Graham Hunter: What Celtic must do to get a result against Barcelona (and my 12/5 tip)

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Spanish football expert Graham Hunter previews the Champions League game between Celtic and Barcelona. Here’s what Celtic must do to get a result tonight…

There was once a bit of the Dr Bruce Banner about FC Barcelona. Ok, not the green skin and the tendency to overturn cars, but the ‘Don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry’ bit was true enough.

Over the last few years when teams had the temerity to catch Barça on a bad day and push them around, or to deny them the joy of skipping around the pitch with the ball by choking their space and thinking time then, sooner or later, there’d be a pay back.

Immediately within that game, next time they met, sometimes over and over again: ‘That’ll teach you.’

But it’s to Celtic’s great advantage that while that spirit is still central to the ‘Cogigo ergo sum’ – I play therefore I am – attitude of this team, the mind is willing but the physique is weak.

You don’t take points off players like Xavi, Iniesta, Valdés or Busquets in the manner Celtic did last season without it rankling.

Revenge? No, that’s not their guiding thought process. But, like big Jack Charlton used to have a little black book of accounts pending, for bruises and late tackles, so the Barça boys still remember where they need to address issues from a previous meeting – just to try to restore their football feng shui. Getting the three points is of supreme importance, but putting things back in order will be in their heads too.

SOCCER: Champions League Day 2, Tuesday Oct 1

Barca brutes no more

While Barcelona have been the dominant European team over the last seven years it’s natural that a great deal of focus has been on their technical excellence, their attacking flair, their playing system and also on the fact that two of three of these players, Ronaldinho in his day, Xavi, Iniesta and of course Messi, will rank amongst the greatest that any of us can expect to see in our lifetimes.

What sometimes gets pushed aside is the fact that they used to be a brute to play against. Physically very strong, ferocious in their pressing and constantly working at an incredible rate of knots.

That’s not so true any more. The gradually frittering away of players like Yaya Touré, Seydou Keita, Thierry Henry, Edmilson, Rafa Marquez, Samuel Eto’o and the injury damage age is doing to Carles Puyol means this is a more delicate Barça side. In body if not in mind.

Gerard Pique

TALL ORDER: Gerard Pique (seeing off the challenge of Conor Sammon at the Euros) is raring to go vs Celtic

Tata carries same issues as Tito

This is still an exceptional team. It is still very hungry, it still has a cobra-like ability to pounce on moments of inattention or error.

But even though the new coach, Tata Martino, is an extremely interesting football student, has clear and well articulated ideas and even though he’s showing a very firm hand in rotating the team with absolutely no fear of resting the biggest names, he carries some of the same problems into this match that Tito Vilanova did.

Gerard Piqué is on athletic, hungry form and didn’t play for the large part of the defeat here last year but, around him, Barcelona haven’t added any height to deal with the aerial problems they have at set pieces into the box and the diagonal ball in from open play.

Under Martino the Catalan defence is man-for-man rather than zonal and, perhaps, that will make a difference in due course. At Celtic Park they’ll be tested.

Celtic simply must score first

Another part of Barcelona’s repertoire which was like a pair of steely jaws clamped on your ankle but which is now showing rust is how  they do (or in fact often don’t) close games off once they are leading. Saturday’s 2-0 win at Almeria being an interesting exception.

It’s still absolutely vital for Celtic get the first goal if they want a chance of repeating last year’s excellence. But there was once a time that if Barcelona scored first they almost never released the choke-hold in a game that mattered to them. Not quite so true any more.

The pressing has changed, too. It’s beginning to work under Martino but there is geographical alteration. Under Pep Guardiola, in the golden years, the pressure began on the edge of the opponents’ box. Martino’s idea is that the central maelstrom of pressure on the opponents should be about three-quarter of the way up the pitch with strikers and wing backs pressing vertically, like a pincer, and midfielder moving in horizontally.

Right now, notwithstanding Messi’s absence, Barcelona are sharper, firmer and better prepared for this test than they were 11 months ago. They shape up as single goal winners (12/5), I think.

But invulnerable? No, not that.

  • Celtic v Barcelona betting: Fancy Barca to win by one goal at 12/5? Crunch into the latest odds here >

Graham Hunter is the author of the award-winning book, Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World. There’s a new book on Spain about to drop. Graham is a regular contributor to the Paddy Power Blog on football and an all-round good guy. Follow him on Twitter here

Dive into Hunter’s archives on the Paddy Power Blog here


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Graham Hunter: What Celtic must do to get a result against ‘weak’ Barcelona

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Graham Hunter byline

Spanish football expert Graham Hunter previews the Champions League game between Celtic and Barcelona. Here’s what Celtic must do to get a result tonight…

There was once a bit of the Dr Bruce Banner about FC Barcelona. Ok, not the green skin and the tendency to overturn cars, but the ‘Don’t make me angry, you wouldn’t like me when I’m angry’ bit was true enough.

Over the last few years when teams had the temerity to catch Barça on a bad day and push them around, or to deny them the joy of skipping around the pitch with the ball by choking their space and thinking time then, sooner or later, there’d be a pay back.

Immediately within that game, next time they met, sometimes over and over again: ‘That’ll teach you.’

But it’s to Celtic’s great advantage that while that spirit is still central to the ‘Cogigo ergo sum’ – I play therefore I am – attitude of this team, the mind is willing but the physique is weak.

You don’t take points off players like Xavi, Iniesta, Valdés or Busquets in the manner Celtic did last season without it rankling.

Revenge? No, that’s not their guiding thought process. But, like big Jack Charlton used to have a little black book of accounts pending, for bruises and late tackles, so the Barça boys still remember where they need to address issues from a previous meeting – just to try to restore their football feng shui. Getting the three points is of supreme importance, but putting things back in order will be in their heads too.

SOCCER: Champions League Day 2, Tuesday Oct 1

Barca brutes no more

While Barcelona have been the dominant European team over the last seven years it’s natural that a great deal of focus has been on their technical excellence, their attacking flair, their playing system and also on the fact that two of three of these players, Ronaldinho in his day, Xavi, Iniesta and of course Messi, will rank amongst the greatest that any of us can expect to see in our lifetimes.

What sometimes gets pushed aside is the fact that they used to be a brute to play against. Physically very strong, ferocious in their pressing and constantly working at an incredible rate of knots.

That’s not so true any more. The gradually frittering away of players like Yaya Touré, Seydou Keita, Thierry Henry, Edmilson, Rafa Marquez, Samuel Eto’o and the injury damage age is doing to Carles Puyol means this is a more delicate Barça side. In body if not in mind.

Gerard Pique

TALL ORDER: Gerard Pique (seeing off the challenge of Conor Sammon at the Euros) is raring to go vs Celtic

Tata carries same issues as Tito

This is still an exceptional team. It is still very hungry, it still has a cobra-like ability to pounce on moments of inattention or error.

But even though the new coach, Tata Martino, is an extremely interesting football student, has clear and well articulated ideas and even though he’s showing a very firm hand in rotating the team with absolutely no fear of resting the biggest names, he carries some of the same problems into this match that Tito Vilanova did.

Gerard Piqué is on athletic, hungry form and didn’t play for the large part of the defeat here last year but, around him, Barcelona haven’t added any height to deal with the aerial problems they have at set pieces into the box and the diagonal ball in from open play.

Under Martino the Catalan defence is man-for-man rather than zonal and, perhaps, that will make a difference in due course. At Celtic Park they’ll be tested.

Celtic simply must score first

Another part of Barcelona’s repertoire which was like a pair of steely jaws clamped on your ankle but which is now showing rust is how  they do (or in fact often don’t) close games off once they are leading. Saturday’s 2-0 win at Almeria being an interesting exception.

It’s still absolutely vital for Celtic get the first goal if they want a chance of repeating last year’s excellence. But there was once a time that if Barcelona scored first they almost never released the choke-hold in a game that mattered to them. Not quite so true any more.

The pressing has changed, too. It’s beginning to work under Martino but there is geographical alteration. Under Pep Guardiola, in the golden years, the pressure began on the edge of the opponents’ box. Martino’s idea is that the central maelstrom of pressure on the opponents should be about three-quarter of the way up the pitch with strikers and wing backs pressing vertically, like a pincer, and midfielder moving in horizontally.

Right now, notwithstanding Messi’s absence, Barcelona are sharper, firmer and better prepared for this test than they were 11 months ago. They shape up as single goal winners, I think.

But invulnerable? No, not that.

  • Celtic v Barcelona betting: Fancy Barca to win by one goal at 12/5? Crunch into the latest odds here >

Graham Hunter is the author of the award-winning book, Barca: The Making of the Greatest Team in the World. There’s a new book on Spain about to drop. Graham is a regular contributor to the Paddy Power Blog on football and an all-round good guy. Follow him on Twitter here

Dive into Hunter’s archives on the Paddy Power Blog here


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Mourinho’s Madrid must be wary of Barcelona backlash

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In the white corner, ladies and gentlemen, the reigning Spanish champion, conqueror of all comers in Italy and England, still lean, still mean, still fighting fit Joooooseeee ‘Don’t Call Me the Special One call me the Only One’ Mourinhoooo.

In the blue and purple corner – the challenger, unknown, tall and spindly, short of fanfare and unproven in whether he can give or take a punch Titoooooo ‘The Marquis’ Vilanova.

So, if we are about to get ready to rumble, what’s the tale of the tape in Spain?

Well, even if it’s feasible that Real Madrid and Barcelona manage to headhunt two Premier League talents in Luka Modric and Alex Song before the market closes the absolutely remarkable fact is that Spain’s two big clubs have, at this stage of the summer, made ONE signing between them – Jordi Alba moving from Valencia to his alma mater club at the Camp Nou.

Jordi Alba

THE ONE AND ONLY: Jordi Alba holds a rather unique distinction right now

Last season Los Blancos played a hard-nosed, athletic, often entertaining but noticeably ruthless brand of football which smashed all records. More points (100), more goals (121), more away wins than ever before and a goal difference which resembles a John Daly scorecard on a bad day round Troon in the wind (+89).

The triumph, of course, made Mourinho the only man to have coached a champion side in the Premier, Serie A and La Liga. Hats off to him.

What’s likeable about their preparation, despite the terminally slow job they are making of converting their passion for Modric, is that they’ve been equally steely eyed about their pre-season. A long, well-organised training camp in the US without massive, regular travelling, a firm emphasis on physical preparation and a series of good, competitive wins.

It’s the ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ school of management and Chelsea fans who enjoyed the golden age of the Special One at Stamford Bridge will recognise it.

Last season’s heroes were, unquestionably, located in the spine of the team – Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos (converted to centre back) Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema and a Cristiano Ronaldo who not only crashed in the goals but became as generous a team player as at any time in his already prolific career.

Lionel Messi and Xavi Alonso

GIVE IT A REST: Messi comes into this season after his biggest pre-season break. Be warned

Mourinho, and club President Florentino Perez, are authors of a frantic campaign to persuade voters (every national team coach and captain in the FIFA family plus selected France Football correspondents) that Ronaldo must win the Ballon D’Or in January. I think they are wrong in their premise and I think that the electorate will again show their awe at Lionel Messi’s skills (83 goals for club and country last season, Eighty. Three. For. God’s. Sakes) but what’s important in the short term is that Ronaldo has a short window of opportunity (the Spanish Supercup, the Champions League Group stage, about a quarter of La Liga and one league Clasico) with which to convince further and convert doubters.

Ronaldo’s battle for Ballon D’Or

Will he put on the turbo chargers as a soloist, making more selfish decisions on the ball which contrast with last season, or can he continue to harness his exceptional powers to the benefit of the group as Real Madrid, institutionally, make patent their ache for him to dethrone Messi who has brought the Ballon D’Or to the Camp Nou for the last three years? Watch this space.

In theory Barcelona are not only a proper threat to Madrid domestically but prime candidates to repeat their 2011 Champions League triumph at Wembley again this season. Since winning in 2006 Barça  have only once not either won the tournament or been knocked out in the semi final by the eventual winner.  Their risk factor goes beyond Vilanova’s debut season. He’s a smart, durable, football-intelligent bloke who does have the respect of his squad.

As a novice he may make mistakes but if the group of veteran winners at his disposal react as they should do to the manner of their La Liga loss last season then he’ll merely need a guiding hand on the tiller, not whips, thumbscrews and a constantly harsh, commanding voice.

Their key? Can they get David Villa, Carles Puyol and Xavi fully fit and functioning with regard to their respective problems which are recovery from a broken leg, second knee surgery in 12 months and a chronic achilles problem?

Should Eric Abidal fulfil his dream to be back to first-team football in December after liver transplant surgery in spring then, regardless of being Blanco or Blaugrana, everyone should celebrate.

However, can Barça  really expect that each of these medical bulletins result in the all clear… all season?

Messi has just enjoyed his longest summer break since becoming a Barça  first-team player and responded with his most prolific pre season form. He’s probably got a future in the game that lad.

Valencia and Real Sociedad provide strong opposition

This weekend Spain’s big two face Valencia at the Santiago Bernabéu and Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou before doing battle with each other in the first leg of the Spanish Supercup next Thursday.

The Basques haven’t beaten Barça  away since they were powered by John Aldridge and Dalian Atkinson two decades ago and even the decent acquisitions of Carlos Vela and Jose Angel plus the fact that Barça  often look a little constipated after an international week (particularly when players are shipped to and from Puerto Rico!) shouldn’t negate a home win.

The mouth-watering tie is, of course, between the champions and Spain’s third-placed team last season. Valencia have a new coach in Mauricio Pellegrino, normally debutants are meat and drink to Mourinho, but their level of threat will be modified depending on whether star striker Roberto Soldado is fit (which he expects to be).

La Liga is back, flaws and all, which means for those of us who like our football to be technically exquisite, tactical and tribal the next 10 months shape up as sheer joy.

  • Betting: La Liga
  • La Liga fixtures 2012/2013

Graham Hunter is a Barcelona-based, British soccer writer whose passionate insight into La Liga can regularly be heard on TV and radio. He will be providing regular columns for the Paddy Power Blog on Spanish football this season. Follow him on twitter here.


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Why Celtic must beware of bare-knuckle fighters Barca

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Spanish football expert Graham Hunter previews the Champions League game between Celtic and Barcelona at Parkhead on November 7

The scouts and coaches who prepare to play FC Barcelona usually tear their hair out with tactical questions. To attack, to press, to hold a high line, to defend if they grab a lead, to play one up front, to use wingers to crowd out Barca’s marauding full backs, to double-mark Lionel Messi – it’s a never-ending list.

This time, however, there are two over-riding messages which Neil Lennon will need his troops to assimilate, understand and apply.

  • Don’t give the ball away
  • Keep your guard up late in the match

Why? Well, allow me to explain.

When Tito Vilanova’s side won 3-1 at home to Celta Vigo at the weekend they registered what is, statistically at least, their best-ever start to a Liga season. That’s one hell of a stat.

But, honestly, they are performing at about 80% of capacity – conceding quite a high number of home goals, having to fight back from a deficit five times in all competitions and only occasionally flaring into their luminous, brilliant best.

Barca v Celtic first game at Nou Camp 2012

However, what is blindingly obvious that is that even when their form is being dragged down by constant injuries (Piqué, Puyol, Alves, Adriano, Alexis and Iniesta are all examples this season) the winning mentality this season is that of a bare-knuckle boxer.

So far this term Barca have scored 47 times in all competitions – of those, a remarkable 18 have been scored in the last 20 minutes of matches, whether they are losing, drawing or winning. That’s 38% of all goals this season notched when other teams are easing down mentally and physically.

Better still, 12 of those goals have come in the last 10 minutes – the late, late show when Jordi Alba dashed the hopes of Neil Lennon’s team at the Camp Nou wasn’t a fluke. And to those of us who watch them regularly it wasn’t a particular surprise either.

Chew on this: on the last two Barca visits to Parkhead Barca have scored three times in each game and of the six goals, three have come in the last quarter of an hour.

Wanyama highlights Barca danger

Most people are of the old cliche — glass half-full, glass half-empty life view. So some will ask if it’s a failing of Barca’s to need so many late goals and, perhaps, when you ally the tendency to the fact that the world champions have trailed this season to Celtic, Spartak, Osasuna, Sevilla and Real Madrid before coming back to win each of those games it’s true that they aren’t defending brilliantly.

However, if you accept that what it stems from is an unquenchable thirst to be scoring goals irrespective of how the match stands and accept that it’s an indication of Barca’s mental and physical toughness then, net, this tendancy is a positive.

So is their capacity to sieze upon mistakes. I spent last Monday talking at great length with Celtic’s midfielder Victor Wanyama. He’s only 21 and, with his brother, only the second Kenyan to play in the Champions League. He’s already in the top three Celtic players this season and has an increased chance of wreaking havoc given that the organiser of Barca’s midfield, Sergio Busquets, is absent.

What did Wanyama learn about playing Barca two weeks ago before he swapped shirts with Andres Iniesta?

The fact is that we have to give the ball away much less than we did. Great teams are just waiting for one error, one gift of possession and then they take advantage.

Barca boosted by Pique return

Whether Neil Lennon chooses to replicate two of the great Champions League performances under Gordon Strachan (beating Milan 2-1 and Manchester United 1-0) by playing cautiously and then converting clinically when the slightest chance emerges or chooses to try to run Barca off their feet it’s crucial Celtic are almost flawless when they have the ball, not just when they are defending.

For the visitors it’s clearly a boost Gerard Piqué is back, altough I know he feels he’ll be touch-and-go for this match after nearly one month out.

Equally the fact that the kick on the knee which Leo Messi took late in the Celta victory hasn’t ruled him out is a major factor in betting that Barca will impose themselves and win.

Are they invulnerable? No way. But do they bring a bagful of tricks and a habit of pulling off final flourishes under pressure? Yes, definitely.
Stand by for a big match and don’t, whatever you do, blink when the clock is ticking towards the 90th minute.

  • Betting: Celtic vs Barcelona
  • More from Graham Hunter

Graham Hunter is a Barcelona-based, British soccer writer whose passionate insight on La Liga can regularly be seen and heard on TV and radio. He also writes for the Paddy Power Blog on Spanish football. Follow Graham on twitter here.


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Torquay must come out firing

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Cheltenham Town put one foot in the door of the League Two play-off final with a 2-0 win over Torquay in the first leg but now they have to finish the job at Plainmoor on Thursday night (Cheltenham 6/4, Torquay 9/1 – League Two Promotion 2011/12 Outright).

Goals in each half at Whaddon Road from Jermaine McGlashan and Ben Burgess ensured the Robins head down to the south west with a two-goal cushion, but they cannot simply turn up and dream of Wembley as Torquay will be up for this game – they have to be or any hopes they have of promotion will be quickly dashed.

Torquay (21/20 to win – 90 Minutes) have been struggling for form drastically over recent weeks and the first-leg loss means they come into this must-win game without a victory in six matches – indeed their last win was on April 6 and since then it’s been three wins and three losses.

That poor run ensured Martin Ling’s side missed out on automatic promotion on the final day of the regular season and confidence must have ebbed away even further after the first leg.

Goals are going to be the order of the day for the Gulls but they have to do it without their Player of the Year and leading scorer Rene Howe, as the 14-goal striker limped out of the first leg with a hamstring injury and he will miss the Plainmoor game – and it’s also likely he will miss out on Wembley if the Gulls do pull off the improbable.

Taiwo Atieno (6/1 – First Goalscorer) was the man that replaced him in the first leg and will lead the line at Plainmoor but, with only six league goals to his name all campaign, he doesn’t offer quite the potent threat that Howe would.

Club captain Lee Mansell and Danny Stevens are second and third in the top scorers’ list with 11 and eight goals respectively for the Gulls, so they might need to add to their tally to get Torquay through.

For Cheltenham boss Mark Yates it could be decision time. The 4-4-2 they played in the first leg worked perfectly, so he must choose whether to stick with that or the 4-5-1 that has been used bu the Robins on their travels through the regular season.

However, they do not boast an impressive away record and its seven losses from their last eight away from Whaddon Road – something which must spur on Torquay and their fans.

It is three wins in a row for Cheltenham (13/5 to win, draw 12/5 – 90 Minutes) and they boast a good play-off pedigree, with two previous end-of-season campaigns seeing promotion each and every time.

The boss could select on-loan Everton star Luke Garbutt after he missed the first match while, in what could be a real boost, Burgess is fine to play after needing stitches to a head wound at the weekend.

To some degree the first leg advantage, coupled with Torquay’s recent form, means a trip Wembley is Cheltenham’s to lose. The Robins should have enough to hold on a rampaging Gulls outfit, but if the home side manage to get an early goal it will be squeaky-bum time for those away fans and Plainmoor will be rocking.

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Gunners must clip Canaries wings

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With the FA Cup final taking place later in the day the Premier League serves up an interesting appetiser in the form of Arsenal against Norwich at 12:45pm. For the Gunners it is a must-win game given recent results as they look to hold onto third. Could a care free Norwich throw a spanner in the works though?

The Gunners fans might have expected their team to have wrapped up third by this point, with two matches to go, given they were well clear off the chasing pack at one point. However, with Arsenal having failed to win any of their last three they have been reeled in by the likes of Newcastle and Tottenham, with both teams just a point behind.

Arsenal must now win their last two games against Norwich and West Brom to make sure of a place in next season’s Champions League, with fourth not guaranteeing anything this year due to Chelsea’s participation in the final against Bayern Munich.

Arsenal won seven home games on the bounce in all competitions before the shock defeat to Wigan and will need to rediscover that golden touch to find a way past Norwich. While the Canaries have lost their last three they have shown on a couple of occasions they can hang with the Premier League’s big boys, winning on their last trip to north London when they beat Tottenham.

If you fancy Norwich to complete a north London double you can back them at 14/1 in the match betting, with Arsenal 2/9 and the draw 5/1. Given that they have secured their place in the top flight for next season you might imagine the Norwich players are already ‘on the beach’. However, Paul Lambert will be keen to get a good performance out of his team following defeats to Manchester City, Blackburn and Liverpool.

Norwich have won five games away from home this season, four of which have come in 2012 as they took three points away from QPR, West Brom, Swansea and Tottenham. However, keeping a clean sheet on the road has been a big problem for Norwich and they have yet to manage it away from Carrow Road.

With that in mind between three and five goals at 4/6 could be worth a punt, especially with Robin van Persie having ended his mini drought last week.

The Football Writers’ Player of the Year has had a fantastic season and his equaliser against Stoke was his 38th goal of the season in all competitions and he can be backed at 2/1 to score two or more against the leaky Canaries.

Van Persie will lead the line again for Arsenal as Wenger gets set to name an unchanged line-up from the one that drew with Stoke last week. The Frenchman has just one new injury to contend with after Abou Diaby was ruled out for the rest of the season.

As far as Norwich are concerned Lambert might decide to make changes to his starting XI after their disappointing display against Liverpool last weekend, with Grant Holt pushing for a recall.

The Gunners should be comfortable winners if they can rediscover a bit of the form which saw them catapult themselves into third and can be backed at 8/13 to beat the Canaries with a minus one handicap if you are looking for a bit more value.

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Liverpool must find momentum

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There are two Premier League matches (totesport coupon) on Tuesday and both, on paper, look like mid-table affairs without too much hinging on them. But, at a closer look, there’s plenty of intriguing side-stories as Liverpool prepare for the FA Cup final and also look for a win against Fulham as they bid to finish above Merseyside rivals Everton, who themselves go to Stoke, in the table.

Liverpool v Fulham (7.45pm)

The Reds (4/7 – 90 minutes) will certainly have one eye on Wembley as they welcome the Cottagers (11/2) to Anfield and boss Kenny Dalglish could even play a shadow side as he guards against injuries and suspensions for the important Cup Final date with Chelsea.

However, on the other hand, Liverpool will want to build on their 3-0 win at Norwich on Saturday so they can approach the weekend with momentum and in better form than they have generally been in over the past few months.

Andy Carroll missed the win at Carrow Road as a precaution so he could start, but hat-trick hero Luis Suarez, skipper Steven Gerrard and key defenders Martin Skrtel, Glen Johnson and Daniel Agger are all likely to be among several first-choice players rested.

The likes of Dirk Kuyt (13/2 first goalscorer), Craig Bellamy, Maxi Rodriguez and Jonjo Shelvey, then, are set to carry the attacking threat while relatively inexperienced trio Martin Kelly, Jon Flanagan and Sebastian Coates could earn starts in defence.

With this in mind, Fulham may just fancy their chances of becoming the latest side to frustrate the Reds at Anfield and come away with a positive result.

The Cottagers were well beaten on Merseyside on Saturday when they lost 4-0 at Everton and, after what has been a decent season overall for Martin Jol’s side, they are likely to put on a better performance than that on Tuesday.

Moussa Dembele, Andy Johnson and Pavel Pogrebynak can cause Dalglish’s side problems, while the impressive Clint Dempsey, who scored the winner in Fulham’s 1-0 win over the Reds at home earlier in the campaign, is good value to open the scoring at 15/2.

All things considered, then, with Liverpool set to field largely a second-string side, Fulham can profit and claim at least a draw from this, on offer at a tasty 3/1 with totesport.

Prediction: 1-1 (13/2 – correct score).

Stoke v Everton (7.45pm)

These two have just about satisfied pre-season expectations and look like ending the season being comfortable in mid-table, although the Toffees (13/8 – 90 minutes) will hope to push on in the final league games to try and make up for the heartbreaking Cup semi-final defeat against Liverpool by finishing above the Reds in the standings.

David Moyes’s side, apart from that Wembley loss, have been in superb form of late and followed up the impressive, and deserved, 4-4 draw at Manchester United with that 4-0 mauling of Fulham at Goodison on Saturday.

Nikica Jelavic has been nothing short of a revelation since he joined from Rangers and he added two more goals to his Blues account against the Cottagers so is worth backing to continue that form at the Britannia Stadium (11/8 to score anytime).

Add to that the excellent recent form of Steven Pienaar, Marouane Fellaini and the returning Tim Cahill, and the Potters have plenty to fear ahead of this clash.

Stoke, priced at 7/4 (90 minutes), have faltered somewhat in recent weeks but got a decent point against third-placed Arsenal on Saturday and are always a real handful for anyone at home.

Both sides are likely to make changes with this game coming just three days after the weekend so it could be a tight encounter with little to choose between the two sides overall.

Stoke may just have the edge, though, with home advantage proving key and a narrow win for the Potters is predicted to move them up level with West Brom in 10th with two games to go.

Prediction: Stoke 2-1 Everton (10/1 – correct score).

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Braga must bore to beat Porto

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It is hard to look past a Porto victory in Wednesday’s Europa League Final in Dublin, but Domingos Paciencia’s Sporting Braga (11/4 Outright Winners) will make it very tough for the odds-on favourites.

The Braga coach has announced that this will be his last game in charge and, while he is not expected to be short of job offers for next season, it will be a huge feather in his cap if he can mastermind an upset.

However, his only chance of stifling a Porto side (4/9 Match Betting) that smashed 17 goals past Spartak Moscow and Villarreal in the quarter-final and semi-final ties, is to instruct his players to defend deep and hit the Portuguese champions on the counter-attack.

It is a tactic which Braga have utilised well in matches where they have been underdogs this season, notably in the Champions League play-off round against Sevilla at the Sanchez Pizjuan (4-3) and in the Group H home clash with Arsenal (2-0).

Paciencia’s approach to getting Braga through the knockout rounds was similar, although less spectacular, as the Minho men recorded narrow 2-1 and 1-0 aggregate victories over Lech Poznan and Liverpool to reach the last eight.

They then relied on the away goals rule to get past Dynamo Kiev (1-1) and Benfica (2-2), but that cannot come to their rescue in the winner takes all Dublin clash at the Aviva Stadium.

Paciencia cannot afford to let Porto’s pacy, creative players cause havoc by running at his back four and in order to shackle Hulk, Varela and Cristian Rodriguez he will deploy a 4-5-1 formation with Alan (11/1 First Goalscorer) or Lima (9/1) the likely lone frontman.

Braga fans have seen the goals dry up since Matheus, scorer of both goals against Arsenal, was sold to Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in January.

They have managed to find the net only 20 times in 21 domestic league and Europa League matches since the start of February, while Porto by contrast have scored 55 in that same period  – Porto 11/10 in Handicap (-1).

While stopping the service to Colombian hitman Radomel Falcao (7/2 First Goalscorer) will be key, Braga must also maintain their discipline and defend any set pieces they will inevitably give away resolutely.

It is a lot to ask with the amount of attacking talent in the Porto ranks and, should they concede an early goal, it will need a Plan B from the coach to get back into the match.

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City must avoid cup hangover

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If you are a Manchester City fan you have probably only just come down from the ceiling after your dramatic FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester United. Could this mean the blue moon is finally about to rise?

If City don’t secure Champions League football it could be a false dawn and this puts a lot of importance on Monday’s match at Blackburn.

However, if you are Rovers boss Steve Kean, Easter Monday might be your last chance to save your job. Blackburn are two points outside the relegation zone and have been in freefall since Kean took over. The fans are calling for his head, but will they be singing a different tune if they cause an unlikely upset?

Life for a Blackburn fan couldn’t get much worse at the moment. They have won just three times since Sam Allardyce was given his marching orders under bizarre circumstances last December.

Alarm bells were probably tinkling in the distance when Big Sam went, given that Rovers were comfortably in mid-table and looking set for another solid season. Those bells can probably now be heard loud and clear after recent struggles. Kean has vowed not to quit but will surely have to produce a miracle if he is to hold on to his job.

His cause won’t be made any easier by losing his main goal threat, Roque Santa Cruz, who is ineligible to face City.

A potentially bigger miss for Rovers is Junior Hoilett, who has been the only bright spark in a very benign midfield in recent weeks. However, Blackburn are confident the young forward will be fit after missing the 2-0 defeat to Everton and he can be backed at 3/1 to score anytime.

Looking elsewhere for a potential Rovers goalscorer doesn’t bring much joy for punters, with the goal shy Jason Roberts, Nikola Kalinic and Benjani the other targetmen. If Hoilett doesn’t play then City to win to nil at 11/5 might be worth a look.

City’s defence stood firm against a Wayne Rooney-less United last week and in theory should have no problem against Blackburn. However, this is City and they don’t always like their trips to the less desirable parts of England.

Surely the win at Wembley will have galvanised Roberto Mancini’s squad into making that final push for a top four finish though. Tottenham are hot on City’s heels, although Saturday’s draw with West Brom has somewhat dented their European dreams. Whether City will choke like they did last season remains to be seen but for the time being they hold their destiny in their own hands.

Much like Blackburn, goals could prove to be a problem for City, with Carlos Tevez facing another three weeks on the sidelines. A lot of the responsibility will now fall on David Silva and Adam Johnson to create the opportunities – and to take them based on how poor Edin Dzeko has been since his big money move.

Whether Mario Balotelli finds the back of the net is a lottery – he showed his good and bad sides against United so you take your life in your hands by backing the fiery Italian.

City are 21/20 to win on Monday night and that seems like the bet to go for if recent form is anything to go by.

Rovers have only won one of their last seven meetings against City and are priced at 13/5 to end that long wait.

It is a must win game for both teams but on the day you’d expect the extra quality of City to shine through.

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Yellow Submarine must be ship shape

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Bayer Leverkusen’s excellent away form could be enough to see them win through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League at Villarreal’s expense.

The Yellow Submarine hold a narrow 3-2 advantage from last week’s first leg in Germany but they cannot rest on their laurels as Bayer’s record on the road this season is phenomenal.

In the Bundesliga, they have won nine of their 13 away matches while in Europe they have also impressed. Josef Heynckes’ team are unbeaten in their last six European away matches and, prior to the first leg, were unbeaten in ten Europa League matches this season.

A 2-0 win for Bayer (14/1) would send them through and certainly shock Juan Carlos Garrido’s team.

Elsewhere, Portugal should be well represented in the last eight as both Benfica and FC Porto are in pole position in their respective ties.

Porto are the runaway Primeira Liga leaders and seem certain to clinch their 25th title as they are currently 13 points clear of second-placed Benfica with only seven games of the campaign remaining.

They secured a superb 1-0 win in Moscow against CSKA last week thanks to Fredy Guarin’s goal but need to be wary as the Russian side, winners of the 2005 UEFA Cup, have already won three times away from home in this season’s competition.

However, such is Porto’s recent form that they could go all the way in the Europa League this season, and they are currently 10/3 to win the competition.

Benfica’s progress is less certain as they travel to the French capital for their second leg holding a narrow 2-1 advantage against Paris St Germain after the first encounter between the two teams at the Stadium of Light.

However, they could hold the psychological advantage as they had to come from behind in Lisbon after Peguy Luyindula had given PSG the lead. Goals by Maxi Pereira and Franco Jara turned the tie around and Benfica have the attacking prowess to score in Paris and clinch their place in the quarter-finals.

As well as CSKA, Zenit St Petersburg also lost their first leg but the 2008 winners of the competition have a massive task ahead of them as they crashed 3-0 to FC Twente last week.

Last season’s Dutch champions have already knocked out another Russian side in Rubin Kazan after moving into the Europa League from the Champions League and have the expertise to finish the job off in Thursday’s second leg.

With Zenit forced on to the attack, Twente seem certain to have the capabilites to score at least one goal on the counter-attack (7/1 for Zenit to win 2-1).

Spartak Moscow are the best-placed of the Russian sides to progress as they pulled off a fine 1-0 first-leg victory against Ajax in the Amsterdam ArenA.

Valeri Karpin’s team will be only too aware though that in the last round they struggled to draw 1-1 with Basle in Moscow after earning a fine 3-2 first-leg win in Switzerland (Spartak Moscow 13/8, Draw 23/10, Ajax 13/8).

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