This weekend sees new signing Darren Bent make a possible debut for Aston Villa and Liverpool face a difficult away trip to take on Wolves in what promises to be another fascinating weekend of Premier League action.
Wolves v Liverpool (12.45)
Liverpool simply have to be opposed for what could be a very awkward assignment in the early Premier League game at Molineux against Wolves.
Second-from-bottom Wolves head into this crucial fixture on the back of a 5-0 thumping of Doncaster in the FA Cup and have influential club captains Karl Henry and Jody Craddock back in their ranks.
Wolves have five wins from 11 home games – including victories over Chelsea and Manchester City – against a side with eight defeats on the road already this season (the second-worst away record in the division) and missing Steven Gerrard.
Wolves have the momentum to take the three points and the 15/2 about the 1-0 correct score looks appealing.
Arsenal v Wigan
Arsenal are unbeaten in the Premier League since the end of November but defeats on home soil to West Brom and Newcastle make the 1/5 about an Emirates win unattractive.
They go into the match on the back of a gutsy away win in the FA Cup against Leeds so will have their tails up for the visit of the unpredictable Latics.
In-form France midfielder Samir Nasri is a realistic punt at 6/5 Anytime Goalscorer and Robin van Persie, wrapped in cotton wool at Elland Road before coming off the bench to score late on, offers value at 11/4 First Goalscorer if he gets the nod by manager Arsene Wenger.
Blackpool v Sunderland
A tumultuous week for Black Cats boss Steve Bruce could get worse on Saturday with this tricky trip to Bloomfield Road.
Bruce is still reeling from the loss of star striker Darren Bent to Aston Villa and has also lost Danny Wellbeck to injury in a week to forget, meaning he has just Asamoah Gyan to lead the line.
It is hard to pin down what affect Bent leaving will have on the Wearsiders and Blackpool – who have won three and drawn one of their last five at home, and beat Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last month – could take full advantage.
Blackpool can be backed at 6/4 to stick the knife in on a disenchanted Bruce or the 2-0 Correct Score is a generous 9/1.
Everton v West Ham
Not a fixture for the purists and the 1/2 quote about an Everton win looks skinny considering their best work has come away from home.
The Toffees have won just one of their last five at Goodison Park and West Ham have enough battling qualities to take a point here and the 0-0 correct score is available at 11/1.
True, West Ham’s away record is wretched – they have only won once in the league this season away from the Boleyn – but their resolve to beat the drop has been strengthened by recent controversies and Avram Grant may just fancy his chances.
Fulham v Stoke
Another head scratcher on the banks of the Thames from a betting viewpoint sees Stoke, who plan to sell Ricardo Fuller, arrive at Craven Cottage.
Draws have been killing the west Londoners and the 11/5 about another stalemate here offers the best value of the three outcomes.
Manchester United v Birmingham
Manchester United have looked imperious at Old Trafford this season and remain unbeaten on home soil without getting out of third gear.
West Brom remain the only team to have left M16 without nothing and even that came about because of a rare howler from Edwin van der Saar, so it is difficult to make a case for Birmingham on their travels.
A Goal in Both Halves is quoted at 1/2 and Man United-Man United is on offer at 8/15 in what looks like a one-sided book.
Dimitar Berbatov has scored 14 Premier League goals so far this season and the 3/1 price about the Bulgarian in the Enhanced First Goalscorer market may offer an alternative way in.
Newcastle v Tottenham
Newcastle have emerged as an unpredictable beast on home soil and handsome wins against the likes of Aston Villa, Sunderland and West Ham are offset by defeats against teams such as Blackpool, Blackburn and Stoke – not forgetting a scruffy draw with Wigan.
If pushed Tottenham should have enough for the north-east giants but, away from the outrights, Rafael van der Vaart and Gareth Bale have each found the net on 11 occasions in all competitions from behind the main striker.
The scorecast of Bale and Tottenham 2-1 win is quoted at a whopping 50/1 for value hawks in what could be an open game.
Aston Villa v Manchester City (17.30)
Aston Villa went unbeaten in their first seven home games of the league season but have now lost three of the last four at Villa Park to slip into deep trouble at the wrong end of the Premier League table ahead of the clash with Manchester City.
The signing of Darren Bent offers some indication of the urgency for the Midlanders to scrap their way out of a relegation dogfight and they should just have enough to beat the drop.
City have won seven of their last 10 Premier League engagements and have to be considered as genuine title threats.
The 9/4 quote about City-City half-time full-time outcome is realistic and would have landed in six of their last seven wins (City have won nine out of nine when leading at half-time this term) and Villa have trailed at the break in five of their last six defeats.
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Kenny Dalglish’s rivival of Liverpool continues to rumble on at a good pace and they will fancy their chances of heaping more misery on West Ham on Sunday (1.30pm).
There’s another intriguing weekend of Championship football this weekend, with derby games, top-versus-bottom battles and a fixture which could decide the future of two managers….Preston v Ipswich (Saturday 3pm).