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Championship preview – Sunday

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There are two matches in the Championship on Sunday with Blackpool hosting Peterborough and Bristol City travelling to Cardiff. Three of the four sides won their opening game and so we will take a look at what might happen this weekend.

Blackpool v Peterborough

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has cut a disconsolate figure since failing to keep the club in the Premier League and his pre-season comments about lacking motivation will have hardly inspired the Bloomfield Road faithful.

But a 1-0 win at Hull on the opening day of the season will certainly have cheered him up a little and he will welcome Posh to the north west looking to make it six points out of six.

The midweek Carling Cup penalty shoot-out defeat to Sheffield Wednesday will have already been forgotten as the main task this term is to get back to the Premier League.

Holloway has lost a number of his stars over the summer but should have Matt Phillips and Matt Gilks back for the clash, while most of the side that missed the midweek reverse will come back into the starting XI.

Phillips has been on England duty at the Under-20s World Cup in Colombia but may well net a starting berth, while namesake Kevin Phillips looks set to start up front, but Ashley Eastham is out following his straight red card at Hillsborough.

Darren Ferguson’s men kicked off their campaign with a 2-1 success over Crystal Palace and were then involved in a seven-goal Carling Cup thriller with Stevenage.

But the son of Sir Alex would doubtless swap that midweek win for three points against the Tangerines and he will have Grant McCann back in the squad, who has now returned from international duty with Northern Ireland.

New loan signing Josh Thompson has now received international clearance and may well feature after making the move form Celtic.

Both sides are ambitious and a draw seems the likely result here.

Odds: Blackpool 5/6, Peterborough 3/1, draw 11/4

Cardiff v Bristol City

The new Cardiff era got underway in decent fashion with a 1-0 victory over West Ham United and they were also victorious in a midweek Carling Cup clash with Oxford United.

New boss Malky Mackay will welcome a Bristol City side that lost 3-0 at home to Ipswich in their first match and sit at the foot of the table.

The Scot will be looking to double his points tally and welcomes back eight players from international duty, while Stephen McPhail is available after recovering from a virus.

City’s Carling Cup tie with Swindon was postponed due to the riots and they should have Marvin Elliott and Liam Fontaine back for Sunday’s encounter in Wales as they look for their first points of the season, while Kalifa Cisse, Albert Adomah and Neil Kilkenny all return from international duty.

Cardiff narrowly missed out on promotion once again last term but, with a new manager and a few new faces, it appears as though they are ready for another tilt at reaching the big time and they are tipped to take all three points from this one.

Odds: Cardiff 4/6, Bristol City 4/1, draw 11/4

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Carling Cup Preview

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The first round of the Carling Cup gets underway this week and there are two stand-out fixtures on Tuesday evening which sees local bragging rights up for grabs in addition to a place in round two as Leeds host Bradford and Nottingham Forest and Notts County go head-to-head at the City Ground.

Leeds United v Bradford City (7.45pm)

The West Yorkshire rivals will meet at Elland Road with Simon Grayson’s Whites hot favourites to progress given that they boast Championship status, while the Bantams are languishing in League Two these days.

Despite being near neighbours the two sides have only met on 13 previous occasions and Tuesday’s match will be the second League Cup clash, with Harry Kewell’s goal sealing a narrow third-round win the last time out.

Leeds have won the last four games between the two sides in all competitions with the most recent coming in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy during the 2008/09 season when goals from Andy Robinson and Luciano Becchio secured a 2-1 success (7/1 – 2-1 Correct Score).

Leeds will have an extra incentive to secure a 10th win against Bradford on Tuesday after their lacklustre start to the season on Saturday when they went down 3-1 at Championship new boys Southampton.

However, Bradford boss Peter Jackson is determined to engineer a Cup upset (11/2 – Bradford Away 90 Minutes) to provide his players with a  springboard after they also lost their opening league game – 2-1 against Aldershot at Valley Parade.

City have only defeated Leeds once in their 13 meetings so far and that was after extra time in a Full Members’ Cup encounter way back in the 1986/87 season.

However, on the prospect of making it two, Jackson said: “It’s a big ask because they’re two divisions away and have spent millions on their team. I’ve got young kids that were free transfers – but we’ll go there with no fear.

“The pressure’s on them to do it but it’s important we go there and compete. There will be a shock in the Carling Cup and why not at Elland Road?”

We expect the Bantams to put up a good fight in this eagerly-awaited encounter, but with a crowd of over 20,000 expected – and the majority cheering on the Whites of Leeds – expect the hosts to edge through.

Prediction: Leeds Home 90 Minutes @ 4/9
Value Bet: Leeds 3-1 Correct Score @ 10/1

Nottingham Forest v Notts County (7.45pm)

Another huge derby encounter at the City Ground sees Steve McClaren’s Forest face Martin Allen’s Magpies in the two sides’ first meeting on the Red side of the River Trent since a Stan Collymore goal sealed a league win for Forest in October 1993.

Championship side Forest will hope home advantage will count in their favour – especially as their only other League Cup meeting ended in a 4-0 win (22/1 – Correct Score) at the City Ground back in October 1977.

Forest have also won four of their last five home games against County, with the other being a 1-1 draw (13/2 – Correct Score) in 1991/92.

However, Forest go into the game having been frustrated by Barnsley in their Championship curtain-raiser on Saturday with McClaren even admitting following the goalless draw that he does not yet have the attack in place to mount a promotion push.

Dutch winger Wesley Verhoek from ADO Den Haag and West Brom forward Ishmael Miller are set to come in, but Forest will struggle to get them on board in time for this game.

The Magpies are flying high after opening their League One campaign with a 3-0 win at Carlisle United and Allen feels he has assembled a squad that could banish the memory of last season’s relegation battle.

“There is a great team spirit here and that’s very pleasing,” he told BBC Radio Nottingham.

And as County bid for a first win on their rivals’ soil (9/2 – Away 90 Minutes) since a 2-0 success in January 1982, Allen played down their chances while the loss of striker Lee Hughes to a slight ankle knock could end any hopes they might have had of winning the tie.

“We’ll go over there to try to enjoy the occasion. It will be a hell of a shock if we were to get something,” Allen said.

Had Hughes been involved we could have predicted a tight game with the potential of an upset, but Forest should have enough to get through.

Prediction: Forest Home 90 Minutes @ 4/7
Value Bet: Forest 1-0 Correct Score @ 6/1

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Community Shield Preview

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Premier League champions Manchester United and FA Cup winners Manchester City will contest Sunday’s Community Shield at Wembley. The season’s curtain-raiser usually attracts considerable interest but, with the rivalry between the two clubs heightened by City’s spending, this could be a feisty affair (United 11/8, City 21/10, draw 23/20 – Match Betting 90 Mins).

United looked to be in a real battle with Chelsea for last season’s Premier League title but the Blues’ mid-season slump meant further glory to the red half of Manchester as they claimed the trophy by nine points.

City hung around the title race for a while but were unable to sustain a challenge, finishing third to secure Champions League football, but they did manage to win the FA Cup.

And so the two north-west rivals will welcome in the new campaign in north London and showcase some of the fresh talent they have acquired over the summer months.

Roberto Mancini has strengthened his ranks with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Stefan Savic and Gael Clichy, with at least one other player expected to arrive at Eastlands before the end of August.

Sir Alex Ferguson has also dipped into the club’s coffers, with Ashley Young, Phil Jones and goalkeeper David De Gea all on board.

Fergie has already made it clear that he feels United’s ‘noisy neighbours’ will challenge for the title this year and believes that is could be a a six-way race for the top-four places, with Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs all expected to feature at the business end (United 7/4 – Premier League Outright).

While Sunday’s clash means little in terms of what might happen over the course of the next nine months, there is always the Manchester bragging rights to think of and the fact that both clubs will want to put down a marker for the start of the season.

United are the ultimate professional club and will see the match as an opportunity to let everyone at the City of Manchester Stadium know that they are still the top dogs, while Roberto Mancini would love to get the season under way with a victory, just to confirm what Ferguson thinks – that they are here to stay.

It is arguable that City might still not yet be a settled enough squad to win the title and question marks remain about the strikers, with likes of Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko yet to fulfil their potential and the future of Carlos Tevez up in the air.

But Aguero could be a star for the Blues and he will be a popular scorer among the City faithful should he net on his debut – probably from the bench.

United can no longer call on the services of Paul Scholes in midfield, while Edwin van der Sar has hung up his gloves and so De Gea will be looking to impress on his Red Devils’ bow.

Jones will add steel to an already strong defence and, with Rio Ferdinand hopefully over his injury problems, the United rearguard looks in good shape.

The attacking side of Ferguson’s outfit has been boosted by the arrival of Young from Aston Villa and, if Wayne Rooney can avoid last season’s controversies, then things look rosy, with Dimitar Berbatov still very much part of the club’s plans despite rumours of a summer exit.

Javier Hernandez will play no part this weekend as he continues to recover from concussion but the Mexican looks set to light up England’s top division once again this season.

The 2011/12 Premier League season has been tipped to be one of the most exciting and open for years. The hope is that Sunday’s encounter at headquarters can be a forerunner of things to come.

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League Two 2011/12 Preview

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The Football League season gets underway this weekend and down in League Two there are a few teams with big dreams who are looking to start their climb up the league ladder. Here is our guide to the title contenders and relegation candidates in the bottom tier of the Football League.

A lot of eyes are going to be on Crawley Town (3/1 Title Outright) this season after Steve Evans used the club’s financial muscle to steam-roll through the Blue Square Premier last season. He established a strong side consisting of the best and brightest stars of non-league and has continued to add to his squad this summer.

Evans is a love him or hate him character, but he has experience of League Two and in Matt Tubbs has someone who will guarantee goals. It is no shock Crawley are the favourites to win the League Two title, but they will not have it as easy as they did last season.

Bristol Rovers (10/1 Title Outright) have also been using their financial powers during the summer following relegation and Paul Buckle, who performed heroics as Torquay boss, has brought in no fewer than 15 players. The majority of these are highly experienced at this level, and higher, so they look likely to push Crawley all the way for that title.

Shrewsbury Town (12/1 Title Outright) have lost in the play-offs in three of the last four seasons and the wily old Graham Turner will be desperate to avoid going through that again. They were strong throughout the last campaign and Turner has moved to add the 6ft 5in Marvin Morgan to his attack, who showed at Aldershot he can score goals at this level.

There is a great spirit around Shrewsbury and they should be well fancied to go up automatically come May.

The appointment of Paulo Di Canio as Swindwon Town (9/1 Title Outright) manager has brought some glamour to League Two and fans will be desperate for some success after last season’s struggles at the County Ground.

However, there remain question marks over his ability as a manager and how he will adapt to this level, and some of his overseas signings will need to adapt quickly.

The likes of Oxford, Port Vale and Northampton will all be sniffing around the play-offs, while Gillingham also have the capability of surprising a few people.

After the fairytale story of AFC Wimbledon (12/1 Relegation Outright) it could be a real struggle for them in their first season in the Football League, especially after losing Danny Kedwell to Gillingham. There is not much money around the club but in Terry Brown they have an experienced head and ensuring League Two survival will be enough for their fans.

It could be a long old season for two former Premier League managers in the shape of Peter Reid at Plymouth (9/1 Relegation Outright) and Lawrie Sanchez at Barnet. Consecutive relegations and financial nightmares have left the Pilgrims floundering and it could be seen as a success that they are even able to take their place in League Two.

Reid has struggled to attract players as wages are rarely paid on time and he will need to use all his contacts to get some bargains for the south-west club.

Barnet (11/4 to go down) seem to have been clinging on to their League Two life for many seasons and they spent most of last term in the relegation zone. Former Northern Ireland and Fulham boss Sanchez worked as a consultant to save them and has now taken over the job full-time. A small budget and fan-base limits Barnet and this could be the season they drop out of the Football League.

The likes of Macclesfield (11/4 Relegation Outright) and Cheltenham (10/3) are also be in for a real battle for their Football League lives between now and May.

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SPL preview – Saturday

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There are four SPL matches on Saturday afternoon with Rangers kicking off proceedings at lunchtime against St Johnstone. The Gers have yet to win a game this season so can they break their duck at the weekend?

St Johnstone v Rangers

The defending champions made a nervy start to their SPL campaign with a 1-1 draw at home to Hearts last Saturday as Ally McCoist got his managerial career up and running with the Glasgow giants.

And the former Rangers striker will have to lift his men as they also suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at home to Malmo in the first leg of their Champions League qualifying clash and will not exactly be brimming with confidence for the trip to McDiarmid Park.

It is hardly the start that the new manager wanted but he will not panic at this early stage of the campaign.

Romania international defender Dorin Goian has been cleared to play after penning a three-year deal at Ibrox and should come straight into the side but skipper David Weir misses the visit to Saints with a hamstring problem and has also been rated doubtful for the trip to Sweden.

Saints drew a blank with Aberdeen in their season-opener at Pittodrie but are tipped to cause the champions some problems on Saturday (Rangers 8/15, Saints 11/2, draw 3/1)

Inverness CT v Hibernian

Inverness sit bottom of the SPL table after the opening weekend of matches courtesy of their 3-0 reverse to Motherwell at Fir Park.

But things could have been different as they struck the woodwork twice in the first period before Well took control of the match.

But they are now back at home and face a Hibs side who are also looking for their first point of the season after going down 2-0 at home to Celtic.

Reinforcements have arrived in the form of Owain Tudur Jones and Thomas Piermayr and both could make their debuts after completing their moves to the club earlier this week.

Aaron Doran is doubtful but may be on the bench while Hibs will be without Martin Scott for the clash at the Caledonia Stadium.

Sean O’Hanlon suffered a broken toe in Tuesday night’s friendly defeat at Blackpool but may well play some part in the match.

This one looks set to be tight and draw is predicted (ICT 11/8, Hibs 2/1, draw 23/10).

Kilmarnock v Motherwell

Well sit proudly at the top of the table after their first match but will find a trip to Rugby Park a different proposition.

They looked in decent form with a 3-0 victory over Caley while Killie began their campaign with a 1-1 draw at Dundee United.

Kenny Shiels is still looking for his first win as the permanent Kilmarnock manager and he admits that he is still undecided on his best starting XI.

Left-back Rory McKeown netted from 30 yards on his senior debut to open Killie’s account this term and looks set to play a big part this season despite his tender years.

Danny Buijs and Paul Heffernan have recovered from injury and are in the Kilmarnock squad for the first time this season while goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola is also back in contention.

Motherwell have Ross Forbes back after serving a one-match ban but he may well be on the bench as Stuart McCall keeps faith with the players who got the season off to a solid start (Killie 11/8, Motherwell 2/1, draw 23/10)

St Mirren v Aberdeen

Both sides drew their opening fixture and will be looking to go one better this time out.

Neither side were able to find the back of the net last time out and so surely something has to give in this one.

The Dons welcome back Rory McArdle after a shoulder problem, while Chris Clark could well play despite having a knee problem.

But Ryan Jack is suspended for the clash after being red-carded in the goalless draw against St Johnstone.

The Buddies have an unchanged squad for the clash with goalkeeper Graeme Smith out for at least another 10 days and Aaron Mooy’s back keeping him on the sidelines.

Form is hard to gauge at this early stage of the season and this one looks too tight to call (Saints & Dons 13/8, draw 23/10).

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Summer football preview

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After we survived the end of the world on Saturday, ‘Survival Sunday’ now brings the curtain down on the Premier League campaign. But, before you panic, there is plenty of football action to satisfy your betting needs over the summer – if you look hard enough.

Of course, with no World Cup or senior European Championships to entertain us over what is apparently going to be a sizzling few months weather-wise in the UK, on the one hand it appears it will be a quiet June and July in the football world.

However, delve a little deeper and there is plenty to keep us interested aside from scurrilous transfer speculation and pointless pre-season tournaments.

The domestic campaign may well be pretty much done and dusted now but we still have the small matter of the Champions League final next weekend between Manchester United and Barcelona at Wembley to come before Reading and Swansea go head-to-head in the Championship play-off final.

Those two games are always among the biggest of the year and totesport will have plenty of markets available ahead of the Wembley showdowns.

Many expect Barca to claim another European Cup (4/9 favourites – Outright) but United are sure to have a game-plan to try and combat Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering side and are good value at 13/8 to cause an upset next weekend.

The play-off final two days later looks a difficult one to call with both Reading and Swansea looking in fine fettle in their wins over Nottingham Forest and Cardiff respectively in the semi-finals but we feel the Royals may just edge out the Swans in this one and book a return to the top flight.

While those two games are sure to round off the 2010-11 domestic and European campaigns in style, the focus over the summer then switches to the Under-21 European Championship – in which England are well fancied in – before the Copa America gets underway at the start of July.

The U-21s gather in Denmark between June 11-25 in what is likely to be an entertaining competition featuring plenty of up-and-coming talent from across the continent.

Stuart Pearce is likely to take a host of Premier League players to the tournament, with Andy Carroll and Jack Wilshere just two top stars named in his initial squad.

The duo are among six players with senior caps in Pearce’s 40-man selection and, while some will inevitably be pulled out by their clubs when the squad is whittled down to 23, there is still enough talent heading to Scandinavia to mean England have a real chance of lifting the trophy.

Other sides to watch out for in Denmark include all the usual international heavyweights. Spain are the current 7/2 favourites but Germany, who are tipped to shine, represent excellent value at 9/2 while lively outsiders include Portugal at 16/1 and the hosts, who are a huge 66/1 to lift the trophy.

The Copa America, billed as “the most important football event in Latin America” by its official website, features all the top teams from that region.

Argentina, predictably, are the short-priced favourites (6/5) and as hosts will be difficult to beat. Brazil, as ever, will give it a go, though, and at 13/8 look appealing.

Others to consider include a highly-rated Chile outfit (10/1 outright) and World Cup semi-finalists Uruguay who, at 12/1, are the value here – especially if they can repeat their heroics of 12 months ago in South Africa.

So forget about the domestic scene for a few months, enjoy the weather (hopefully) and get stuck into some seriously competitive international action.

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Cardiff v Reading preview

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Bet on the ChampionshipCardiff and Reading played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final at the Madejski Stadium and they will conclude the tie at the Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday night. The Berkshire stalemate means that it is now winner-takes-all in Wales, so who might come through to reach the Wembley final?

Cardiff look to have everything in place to become a Premier League side but sometimes getting out of the Championship is harder than staying in the top-flight, as the Bluebirds know only too well having have flirted with promotion in recent times (Cardiff 4/6 to qualify for final).

They blew the chance of automatic promotion by taking just one point from their final two games of the regular season and now must lift themselves or face the prospect of another season in the second tier of English football.

There was a tense atmosphere in the first leg but, despite the attacking talent on show for both sides, chances were at a premium and they both came up blank.

Craig Bellamy’s hamstring injury deprived the Welsh outfit of their best player and it is touch-and-go as to whether he will be available for the second leg, with boss Dave Jones set to make a late decision on the former Liverpool man.

There is not doubt that the Cardiff fans will make it an intimidating atmosphere for the Royals in the Welsh capital, but Brian McDermott’s side have been flying of late and they ended the season as the strongest side in the division with an incredible run of victories in April and May.

But they looked a little tense in the home leg and playing away from the Madejski might help them relax and display the free-flowing football that has brought them rewards of late.

Reading won eight and drew 10 games on their travels this term and so they will not be overawed by the prospect of playing Cardiff on their own patch, in what is likely to be another tight affair (Reading 19/10 to beat Cardiff).

One goal might settle it and, as ever, the first goal will be key, with McDermott’s men more than capable of hanging on to a lead if they can manage to find the back of the net before the Bluebirds.

An early goal will doubtless enliven proceedings and force both sets of players to venture further forward and it would be the best thing for the neutral to see two talented teams going at each other, rather than the cagey affair last Friday.

Cardiff lost out to Blackpool in the play-off final 12 months ago and Jones has already made it clear that the failure to beat Ian Holloway’s men still keeps him awake at night.

His desire to reach the promised land is as great as ever but he will need to inspire his charges for one final push as they have looked lacklustre in the past couple of weeks.

The game could be a classic with an early goal but if it gets to 0-0 at half-time then we could be in for a long evening, with the prospect of penalties a distinct possibility with so much at stake.

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Reading v Cardiff preview

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Cardiff’s nervy end to the season saw them slip to fourth place in the Championship table to set up a play-off semi-final clash with Reading. The two sides face each other at the Madejski Stadium on Friday evening and so we will take a look at which club might head back to Wales with an advantage (Cardiff & Reading 5/6 to qualify for final).

Cardiff looked the most likely club to join Queens Park Rangers in gaining automatic promotion to the Premier League, with just one defeat in their first 10 Championship games.

But they faltered when it mattered most, with a 3-0 defeat to Middlesbrough and a 1-1 draw with Burnley opening the door for Norwich to finish in second place in the table.

To add insult to injury their Welsh rivals Swansea sneaked into third place on goal difference, meaning that Dave Jones’ side bagged a semi-final with Reading and not, as seemed likely, with Nottingham Forest (Cardiff 11/5 – match prices 1st leg).

Jones is to be commended for the way that he has rallied his troops this term after the disappointment of 12 months ago and he will look to use that experience to spur on his men over their two encounters with the Royals and, he hopes, in the final.

Keeper Tom Heaton has recovered from a groin strain and should play, while Mark Hudson is tipped to shake off a knee injury to face Brian McDermott’s men.

Cardiff appear to have everything in place for a tilt at the Premier League and, with players of the quality of Craig Bellamy, Jay Bothroyd and Jason Koumas in the ranks, they will be a tough nut to crack for Reading over two legs.

But the Berkshire side were the form team over the last 10 games of the campaign, with seven victories and two draws and just a solitary defeat to Sheffield United.

They put together a run of eight consecutive league victories to propel themselves into the play-off zone and maintained their form to finish with 77 points – just three behind Swansea and Cardiff.

Momentum in any sport is key to success and therefore Reading should not be underestimated as they clearly have the bit between their teeth going into the post-season.

Goals should not be a problem for the Royals as they managed to bag 77 during the season, with only Leeds and Norwich scoring more in the Championship, but they welcome a Cardiff side who have not been beaten on their travels since losing at Crystal Palace on March 8.

Reading drew 17 games during the season and were solid away from home, with just five defeats on the road, and so they will be confident of protecting a lead should they manage to pierce the Bluebirds’ rearguard on Friday evening (Reading 13/5 to be promoted).

On-loan midfielder Mikele Leigertwood has been passed fit after recovering from an ankle problem and looks set to play in what could be a tight affair with so much at stake for both clubs.

Reading have experienced life in the top flight and are desperate for another taste of the action, while Cardiff have been the nearly men for a few years.

McDermott’s charges have been scoring goals for fun but it would be no surprise if this first leg was settled by a solitary strike, with everything to play for back in the Welsh capital on May 17.

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Sunday SPL Preview

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There are two SPL fixtures on Sunday with one of them the most important match of the season to date with Rangers and Celtic squaring off at Ibrox. Hibs also entertain St Mirren but all eyes will be on events in Glasgow.

Rangers v Celtic

The Old Firm clash never needs any hyping up and is always a feisty affair but events off the field over the past few days have propelled this fixture on to the front pages of the national newspapers.

The parcel bombs that were intercepted en route to Bhoys boss Neil Lennon plus other high-profile Celtic fans have caused outrage north of the border and highlight the difficulties when these two sides face each other.

But it is matters on the pitch that we are interested in and this match-up between the two Glasgow clubs will go a long way in determining who lifts the SPL trophy at the end of the season.

Walter Smith’s men top the table by just one point but second-placed Celtic have a game in hand and victory for Lennon’s men would see them in pole position to claim the title.

The three league meetings between the two giants this term have all gone to the away side, with Rangers winning two to Celtic’s one and so Lennon’s men will hope to continue that trend.

Both clubs are in decent form with the Gers and Celts having won their last five SPL matches and so something has to give this weekend, although the visitors would settle for a draw with the extra game they have up their sleeve.

Smith is likely to be without Lee McCulloch and Jamie Ness, while Vladimir Weiss and Kirk Broadfoot are definitely out.

Lennon will be without Joe Ledley, Glenn Loovens and Cha Du-Ri while Shaun Maloney is rated as doubtful.

The off-field incidents will rumble on and on and it is open to question whether this fixture will ever be just about football but the players involved will be fully focused on their jobs this weekend as it could be billed as a ‘winner-takes-all’ encounter.

But given the stakes and the relative points totals there is always the possibility that this could be a tight affair and a score draw is tipped.

Odds: Draw 23/20
Value bet 1-1 11/2

Hibs v St Mirren

If ever there was a match billed as ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ it is this one, which is scheduled to start at the conclusion of the Old Firm clash.

With Hamilton looking likely to make the drop this term, both sides have little to play for although the Buddies will not want to fall too close to the relegation zone.

Hibs go into the match with patchy form behind them and a return of five points from a possible 15 is hardly anything to write home about.

Last Sunday’s shock defeat to basement boys Hamilton will have given the Hibs players a wake-up call and their fans will demand more this weekend despite the season being over in terms of meaningful matches.

Hibs striker Danny Galbraith is still missing through injury while Danny Lennon will have to do without the suspended duo Michael Higdon and defender John Potter, although midfielder Hugh Murray returns from a ban.

Saints have fallen to the Old Firm in their last two games but did pull off back-to-back victories prior to those reverses and are not without hope in this fixture.

Although these contests are difficult to predict with little at stake, class should tell and Hibs are tipped to take it comfortably on Sunday.

Odds: Hibs 5/6 to win
Value bet: Hibs to win 2-0 11/2

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Saturday Premier League preview

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Bet on the Premier LeagueEaster is upon us again and as we now have become accustom to the break not only brings us chocolate and a few lie-ins but also plenty of football action. No less than eight Premier League matches will take place on Saturday, all of which have some kind of importance.

This weekend could go a long way to sorting out matters at the top and bottom of the table. So we take a look at who will be allowed to enjoy their Easter eggs on Sunday and who might be spending a little bit longer in church to pray for divine intervention.

Manchester United v Everton (12:45pm)

No better place to start Saturday’s bumper offering than at Old Trafford and the home of the champions elect. United are laughing at the moment, every time they slip up their fellow title contenders fail to take advantage. They have now been gifted the chance to open up a nine point gap on Arsenal and Chelsea against the Toffees. Everton don’t like Old Trafford traditionally, failing to pick up three points at the Theatre of Dreams for nearly 19 years. David Moyes team have been in a good run of form but United are virtually unplayable at home this season and should pick up maximum points from the Merseysiders visit.

Match Bet – Man Utd to win with a -1 handicap @ 21/20

Aston Villa v Stoke City (3pm)

There has been very little talk about the itself game after Gerard Houllier was rushed to hospital during the week. Most of Friday’s press conference was concentrated on the well-being of the Frenchman but come 3pm all eyes will be on the Villa Park pitch. Villa are pretty much safe after their victory over West Ham last week took them past the 40-point mark. Stoke could join them in being safe with a win, but have a terrible record at Villa Park, failing to win a top flight game there since 1965. Having reached the FA Cup final last week and with Villa currently on the up it could be at least another year before Stoke taste victory at Villa.

Match Bet – Villa to win @ 4/5

Blackpool v Newcastle (3pm)
Life for Blackpool couldn’t get much tougher at the minute, they are seemingly in freefall and without a safety net to catch them they look Championship-bound. Last week represented a great chance for the Seasiders to move away from the drop zone but they blew it against Wigan. They now face a Newcastle side who passed the 40-point mark in midweek and looked good doing it. Whether they’ll take their eye off the ball now is debatable, but even if they do you have to question whether Blackpool are good enough to take advantage.

Match Bet - Draw @ 12/5

Liverpool v Birmingham (3pm)
Birmingham’s recent revival was stopped in its tracks at Chelsea on Wednesday, and they go from one tough away game to another with a trip to Anfield. The Reds have plenty of injuries to contend with at the moment but still looked very solid against Arsenal last Sunday. Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez are getting better with every game and for Blues the outlook is bleak. While the last seven games between these two clubs have been draws Birmingham will count themselves lucky to get anything out of this.

Match Bet - Liverpool half-time/ Liverpool full-time @ 11/10

Sunderland v Wigan (3pm)

Wigan haven’t waited until Easter weekend to get their resurrection underway as they look to continue a fabulous run of form against Sunderland. Having spent much of the season in the drop zone the Latics are now out and looking to claw back the Black Cats. The way things have gone for Steve Bruce recently it wouldn’t surprise many if his old team beat his current one at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland have injury problems galore and have beaten Wigan once in nine Premier League matches.

Match Bet - Wigan to win @ 11/4

Tottenham v West Brom (3pm)
Not many West Brom fans would have expected to come into this game with almost nothing to play for. However, last Saturday’s defeat to Chelsea aside, the Baggies have been flying of late and need just another couple of points to make sure of safety. While West Brom would take a point Tottenham will be desperate for three as they look to leapfrog Manchester City into fourth. Spurs have struggled against teams towards the wrong end of the table this season and put a lot into Wednesday’s exciting 3-3 draw with Arsenal. However, they should have enough to class to turn over West Brom.

Match Bet – Over 2.5 goals @ 4/6 and both teams to score @ 7/10

Wolves v Fulham (3pm)
Wolves’ current situation is looking bleak after tumbling to the bottom of the table last weekend. Mick McCarthy’s men looked as though they would escape the drop with a decent run of form last month but have been stopped in their tracks since Kevin Doyle picked up a season-ending injury. However, hope springs eternal and Wolves’ last six matches are against teams in the bottom half of the table. They are also facing a team in Fulham who haven’t won away this year. If Wolves are ever going to start a fightback against the drop then they need to beat the Cottagers on Saturday.

Match Bet - Wolves to win @ 11/8

Chelsea v West Ham (5:30pm)
If our predictions are correct then West Ham will kick this game off bottom of the league and seemingly without of prayer against a resurgent Chelsea. Much like Wolves the Hammers looked as though they would escape the drop at the start of the month but have crumbled recently, conceding a late winner to Villa last week in the latest in a line of setbacks. Avram Grant will have to produce a miracle if they are to get anything from Stamford Bridge. The Blues have taken 19 points from the last 21 available to them and look to be the best challengers to Manchester United’s hopes of winning the league.

Match Bet – Chelsea to win 3-0 @ 7/1

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