Tag Archives: rights

Villa can take bragging rights

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There is just one Premier League fixture on Sunday but there is plenty at stake in a West Midlands derby as Aston Villa host a West Bromwich Albion side riding high in the Premier League.

There are of course bigger rivals for the clubs in Birmingham City and Wolves but there will be no lack of intensity and commitment on Sunday afternoon as the players look to give the fans the bragging rights.

Both sides of course began the campaign with new managers, with Villa turning to Paul Lambert to turn things around after the dire reign of Alex McLeish, while the Baggies have turned to Steve Clarke after Roy Hodgson was appointed as the new England boss.

There is no doubt that Clarke has enjoyed the better of the starts with three wins already under his belt as the Baggies sit pretty in fourth place in the table, while Villa have won just once in the league this term and find themselves in 14th place on four points.

However, Villa can only have been boosted by a fantastic win at Manchester City in the Capital One Cup in midweek and they have been installed as 6/4 favourites in the match betting, with Albion priced at 2/1 while the draw is on offer at 9/4.

True, West Brom have won three times this season but all three victories have come at the Hawthorns and Clarke’s men were soundly beaten 3-0 by Fulham the last time on their travels.

Villa have looked far from convincing this season, beating Swansea well in their only win in the league but crumbling to a 4-1 defeat at Southampton the week after despite taking the lead.

However, that victory over City could be the catalyst that Lambert was looking for and Gabriel Agbonlahor showed he is fully recovered from the knee injury sustained in pre-season.

The 25-year-old bagged two goals in an impressive performance at the Etihad and is available at 13/2 as First/Last Goalscorer, although whether he has done enough to earn a start remains to be seen, with 7/4 on offer as an Anytime Scorer.

Darren Bent (5/1 First/Last and 11/8 Anytime) and Christian Benteke (6/1 and 13/8) have been the preferred strikers so far but may now be anxiously looking over their shoulders.

Competition for places has got to be a good thing though and could well work in Lambert’s favour whichever way he goes, although the Villa boss will be without Stephen Ireland and Joe Bennett, offset by the news Brett Holman has recovered from a knee problem.

West Brom are not without their own injury problems though as Liam Ridgewell, James Morrison, Steven Reid, Jermaine Thomas and Goran Popov are all doubtful, while Peter Odemwingie is definitely out as he completes his ban following his sending off against Fulham.

Villa are not the sort of side, not yet anyway, that seem ready to batter an opponent out of sight, regardless of the venue but, although West Brom can certainly give them a game, they should have the momentum going into this fixture to take the three points.

The Baggies go into this one on the back of being  beaten 2-1 by Liverpool at the Hawthorns in the Capital One Cup, while their away form leaves a little to be desired.

However, they can at least get on the scoreboard and 2-1 has been a popular scoreline of late with five of the last six results ending that way – three times to Villa – and that is priced at a tempting 17/2.

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United to keep bragging rights

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Manchester United claimed their 19th top-flight title on the same day as neighbours Manchester City broke their trophy drought by claiming the FA Cup. City are also in the Champions League next season so where might the Manchester balance of power lie in 12 months time? (United 13/8 to win 2011-2012  Premier League title).

United looked anything but title contenders in the early stages of the season with several below-par performances as Chelsea swept all before them.

But they kept winning, and claimed countless points with goals right at the death, with the Blues then imploding around the festive period to fall off the pace.

Carlo Ancelotti’s men did rally to mount a late challenge but it was too little too late and Sir Alex Ferguson’s men were deservedly crowned champions with a draw at Ewood Park.

Just a couple of hours later and it was the blue half of the city that was cheering as they won their first silverware in 35 years with a 1-0 success over Stoke City at Wembley.

With the monkey now off their backs, City will look to push on in the next few years to establish themselves as regular contenders for domestic and European glory.

So who might hold sway in the north west next term?

The jury may still be out on Roberto Mancini as manger and it is unclear whether he will be in charge of City’s next campaign, with rumours of return to Italy, but whoever is in the Eastlands’ hot-seat will not be able to compete with the experience and tactical nous of Ferguson.

The Scot’s record speaks for itself and, with a little tinkering here and there, it appears that he will have a squad to challenge for the title and in Europe against next season (United 13/8 to win Champions League final).

Javier Hernandez has emerged as real talent and, while the likes of Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs are coming to the end of the careers, there is a pool of talent at Old Trafford that should be able to cope with their retirement.

Edwin van der Sar’s decision to hang up his gloves will be Ferguson’s main concern as the Dutchman has been the club’s best keeper since the great Peter Schmeichel, and he will look to fill the void sooner rather than later.

Wayne Rooney looked back to his best during the title run-in and, with the England international star in the ranks, United will always have that x-factor that can get them a goal from nowhere.

City appear to have a squad already the equal of their rivals but it is the togetherness of the United players that has proved the difference this term.

When things were not going well they still seemed to find a way of grinding out a result – something the stars at the City of Manchester Stadium will have to learn how to do.

There will be further big-name signings for City this summer – maybe the biggest yet. But it will not matter a jot if they are unable to gel with their team-mates.

Money can buy class players but it cannot buy team spirit and, under Ferguson, United have always had it in spades.

The balance of power may be shifting in Manchester but it could be a few more years yet before the blue flags fly higher than the red ones in the football-mad city.

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