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Perfect Prem starts under threat

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We are already into the third week of the Premier League season and, following the closure of the transfer window, there’s six games to preview on Saturday with the focus on if both Swansea and Everton can continue their impressive early form.

Swansea v Sunderland (3pm)

While judging a side with a new manager after just two games is often a fruitless exercise, as so many make a good start before falling away badly, it is fair to say Swansea (11/10 – match odds) and Michael Laudrup could not have envisaged kicking off the new campaign in a more positive manner.

Two wins and eight goals without conceding anything at the other end is a dream start in anyone’s books and the stylish way they have begun bodes well for the Welsh side and the Danish manager’s Premier League prospects.

Beating QPR and West Ham in such a convincing fashion means Sunderland (5/2) will enter the Liberty Stadium wary of defeat but Martin O’Neill’s men can, as the match odds of 12/5 suggest, get a point out of this.

New signings Steven Fletcher and Adam Johnson have added quality to the Black Cats’ squad and they should be able to build on the midweek Capital One Cup victory over Morecambe by at least coming back across the border with a draw to halt the Swans’ early-season charge.

West Brom v Everton (3pm)

Everton were mightily impressive despatching Aston Villa last weekend and will hope for a similar outcome back in the West Midlands this weekend (11/8 to win).

Boss David Moyes has sculpted a hard-working, but quietly very talented, side with key men Steven Pienaar, Marouane Fellaini and Leon Osman pulling the strings in midfield.

The Baggies (21/10) have also made a good start under new boss Steve Clarke, however, and expect them to make this a much tighter game for the Toffees than they had a week ago. Despite that, another away win, this time by the odd goal, looks on the cards to ensure the Blues’ fine start continues with 2-1 to Moyes’ side appealing at 17/2.

Spurs v Norwich (3pm)

Another home game for Andre Villas-Boas against supposed inferior opposition means it’s another game the new boss should win (4/11) but all is not well at the Lane early on and there are already fans scratching their heads over tactics and subsequent poor results.

Jermain Defoe has signed a new contract and is a good bet to score anytime at 11/10 but anyone expecting a convincing home win here is mistaken. Norwich will look to be defensive and compact under Chris Hughton (8/1 to win, draw 4/1) and can dig in and frustrate Tottenham, much like the way West Brom did last weekend.

Another tight game is predicted then with Spurs tipped to edge it. Go for 1-0 at 6/1 in the correct score market.

Man City v QPR (5.30)

City have hardly looked like champions so far but should finally click into gear in a repeat of the game that sealed their unforgettable title triumph in May.

They made that clash hard work, winning 3-2, and were scared similarly by Southampton on the opening weekend before grabbing a  lucky point at Liverpool last Sunday.

QPR, who have former City chief Mark Hughes in charge – a man always keen to make a statement at the Etihad – will be bolstered by some eye-catching recent signings but they look like still coming up short with a comfortable home win set to be the outcome.

West Ham v Fulham (12.45)

Andy Carroll is set for his Hammers debut in this one and will be keen to prove a point after being pushed out by Liverpool, apparently against his will. The England striker adds a new dimension to what has been a misfiring side so far and expect goals at Upton Park with Carroll well worth backing in the goalscorer markets.

Fulham (15/8), aside from their midweek Capital One Cup defeat at Sheffield Wednesday, have been good so far and nearly followed up their opening-day 5-0 win over Norwich with a point at Old Trafford. So they will be difficult opponents for ‘Big Sam’s’ side (6/4) and a draw (23/10) is likely. Take 1-1 at 11/2.

Wigan v Stoke (3pm)

Probably the least attractive game of Saturday sees the Potters go to Wigan with Tony Pulis’ side still looking for their first win following two draws so far.

Wigan, who overcame Southampton last weekend, are on offer at 6/5 to win and will find it tougher on Saturday. A difficult one to predict, with the draw tempting at 9/4, but a narrow away win for Stoke looks a good bet at 5/2.

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Di Matteo under pressure to deliver

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Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo will be eager to pick up his first trophy of the new season when the Blues face Manchester City (5/4 to win) in the Community Shield at Villa Park on Sunday.

The Italian manager has endured a poor summer warm-up with the Blues and will want to show owner Roman Abromavich that he was right to back the Italian and silence any doubters.

Usually pre-season form is not studied with too much scrutiny, but defeats to the MLS All Stars, AC Milan and Brighton have put unwanted pressure on Di Matteo.

The FA Cup holders can be backed at 10/1 to claim a slim 1-0 victory against City and it would be a score line that Di Matteo would welcome.

Both teams have a lot to play for, but with only one new signing likely to be amongst the 22 players to walk out in the August sunshine the form suggests City will be the team with the upper-hand.

The Stamford Bridge club are likely to give Eden Hazard his first taste of competitive football in the UK, and the £32million Belgian playmaker can be backed at 8/1 to be the first on the score sheet. New Brazilian recruit Oscar will be unavailable due to Olympic duty.

John Terry and Gary Cahill are likely to line-up as the centre-half pairing and City boss Roberto Mancini will be keen to see if his strike force can penetrate the Engand duo.

The 47-year-old manager is under a self-imposed pressure to deliver.

In the build up to the clash between the league and cup champions, the Italian – who oversaw City’s first league title in 44 years – has lamented the club’s lack of transfer activity and heaped praise on their title rivals.

The Eastlands club will see Hazard in action against them, a player they wanted, while they appear to have lost out on the chance to sign Arsenal’s Robin van Persie to rivals Manchester United.

However, Carlos Tevez – 33/1 to score a hat-trick – and Sergio Aguero – 5/1 to score first – will be form a formidable forward pairing.

Despite saying that United are favourites for the forthcoming Premier League, Mancini will be determined to lay down a marker – and then let the mind games begin.

City are 11/1 to pick up a 2-0 victory and that looks like a decent bet considering Chelsea’s pre-season stutters.

Mario Balotelli, who featured in the Euro 2012 final, will most probably start on the bench but the enigmatic 21-year-old – who Paris Saint-Germain are keen on signing – is 13/8 to score at any time. With his tendency to net in big games, that could be a shrewd wager.

Samir Nasri, who scored the last time the two clubs met – a 2-1 victory to City in the Premier League – is 3/1 to grab a goal.

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Rams to go under the Hammers

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Saturday’s Championship action is littered with matches where the opposing sides are closely matched and picking a winner is difficult. But here is our treble selection for the weekend’s games, headed by promotion hopefuls West Ham.

West Ham v Derby (5.20pm)

The televised game sees second-placed West Ham up against a Derby side that has slipped down the Championship table, following a disappointing run of form since the early October international break.

Sam Allardyce’s men are enjoying a good spell of late and will aim to make it three successive wins against the Rams, having already made their best start to a league campaign for 17 years. Allardyce should have Carlton Cole, Matt Taylor and Joey O?Brien available for the game at Upton Park, while Guy Demel is also fit and in contention for the Hammers.

Nigel Clough’s Derby are looking to avoid a fourth straight defeat, as they have managed just one win in nine matches since the end of September, which has seen them plummet from second position to 11th in the table – 10 points behind the Hammers.

The Rams’ injury problems have not helped their cause, with strikers Theo Robinson, Nathan Tyson and Steven Davies all absent. However, Tamas Priskin is set to make his debut having joined on loan from Ipswich.

The Hammers’ have only lost once to Derby in 15 league meetings over the last 13 years and it looks highly unlikely that the visitors will improve on that statistic this weekend.

Prediction: Home Win 90 Minutes @ 2/5

Value Bet: West Ham 3-1 Correct Score @ 10/1

Hull v Burnley (3pm)

This KC Stadium encounter has got a home banker stamped all over it, as Nicky Barmby will take charge of his first home match since taking over as caretaker boss.

The sixth-placed Tigers will look to follow up last weekend’s win at Derby with a fourth victory in six matches, to keep pressure on the teams above them in the play-off places in what has been a decent run of late.

Barmby will be without the likes of suspended Aaron McLean and injured quartet Martyn Waghorn, Martin Pusic, Seyi Olofinjana and Richard Garcia, but Andy Dawson is due back for his first game since September.

The Clarets cross the Pennines in a desperate run of form with the pressure starting to mount on boss Eddie Howe. Four successive defeats have left Burnley just one place and two points outside of the relegation places, while they have only scored one goal in those matches.

However, while you have got to look at the home win market, Burnley do have the omens on their side as they have won their last four encounters against Hull, scoring 11 goals in the process.

Prediction: Home Win 90 Minutes @ 10/11

Value Bet: Fryatt 1st goal / Hull 1-0 Scorecast @ 22/1

Portsmouth v Leicester (3pm)

It’s the clash of the two new boys at Fratton Park on Saturday, as Michael Appleton will take charge of his first home game in charge of Pompey and Nigel Pearson will preside over his first away game since his recent return to the King Power Stadium.

The two managers had very different first games in charge as Appleton watched his side lose 2-0 at Watford, while Pearson’s Foxes romped to a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace last Sunday.

It is a tricky fixture to call because Portsmouth might be struggling and currently sit just three points above the dreaded drop zone, but their home form is pretty good as they boast three successive league wins ahead of this match.

Appleton has also drafted in loan reinforcements to strengthen his side, in the shape of Joe Mattock and George Thorne from his former club West Brom. Abdul Razak is set to start in place of ankle injury victim, skipper Liam Lawrence, while Hermann Hreidarsson also misses out.

Pearson could bring Sol Bamba back in his defence for the match following a one-match ban and Lee Peltier is also fit, as Leicester go in search of a fourth win in six league games at Fratton Park and a fifth win in nine Championship outings.

Don’t be fooled by those encouraging stats, though, as Pompey ran out convincing 6-1 winners in the corresponding fixture last season. But the clincher is that Leicester have already drawn half of their eight away games to date and, with Appleton desperate not to lose his first match in charge in front of the home fans, back both teams to take a share of the spoils.

Prediction: Draw 90 Minutes @ 12/5

Value Bet: Leicester/Draw HT/FT @ 16/1

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