Tag Archives: united

United out to derail City

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The FA Cup continues on Sunday with the tie of the round as Manchester United travel to the Etihad Stadium for the huge clash with Manchester United. The day’s other fixtures throws up some tasty matches, with a repeat of the 2010 final and a tough test for Martin O’Neill’s revival of Sunderland.

Manchester City v Manchester United 1pm

For the first time in a very long time City will head into a Manchester derby as favourites off the back of a fantastic 2011. Totesport price Roberto Mancini’s men at 11/10 to dump United out of the FA Cup for the second year running after turning them over 6-1 at Old Trafford earlier in the season. City also grabbed the headlines when the two teams met at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals, Mancini’s men winning 1-0 on their way to ultimate glory.

The Etihad faithful will be eagerly anticipating Sunday’s match given the recent history between the two teams, and the club’s respective form. United are looking to avoid a third straight defeat in all competitions after a disastrous New Year period where they were beaten by Blackburn and Newcastle. Sir Alex Ferguson’s men were abject in defeat at St James’ Park and alarm bells will be ringing inside Fergie’s head going into this clash.

While Mancini’s men were defeated by Sunderland on New Year’s Day they did recover to beat Liverpool 3-0. The Italian claims he is struggling for players for this clash which is surely a bit of kidology given all of United’s injury problems at the moment. One player who will be a big miss for City is Yaya Toure and without him they will lack the driving force which has carried them through a few games this season. As such sitting on the fence might be a smart option here, with the draw priced at 12/5.

Chelsea v Portsmouth 3pm

The last time these two clubs met was in the final of the FA Cup in 2010, Chelsea edging out Portsmouth to complete the double that year. In the time that has passed since that encounter Pompey nearly went out of business and are currently at the wrong end of the Championship table, while Chelsea are struggling to stay in the top four in the Premier League. The Blues have struggled under Andre Villas-Boas this season, with a lack of goals and defensive slip ups hampering Chelsea’s season.

Portsmouth will look at Chelsea’s form this season, especially their results at home, and think they are in with a chance. Pompey boss Michael Appleton has talked up the importance of this game but knows his main focus has to be keeping the south cost club up this season. The Championship outfit have only lost only one of the last 7 but Chelsea should have too much for them. Chelsea to win 3-1 is priced at 10/1 and two or more goals by half-time at 11/10 might also be a sound investment.

Peterborough v Sunderland 3:30pm

When the draw was made this game was picked for television coverage because Sunderland were sliding towards the bottom three under Steve Bruce and it seemed an upset would be on the cards. Since then Martin O’Neill has come to the Stadium of Light and turned things around, helping the Black Cats pick up 13 points from a possible 18. O’Neill says he is looking forward to a distraction from the league in the form of Sunday’s cup contest but admits he might be forced to make changes.

Sunderland have a crippling injury crisis and there may be a few unknown faces in their starting eleven at London Road. Whoever plays for the Wearsiders they shouldn’t underestimate a Peterborough side who appear to be on the up.

Darren Ferguson’s men were desperately unlucky not to beat Birmingham City last time out and have some good players in their team in Ryan Tunncliffe, Tommy Rowe and George Boyd. The Posh are 11/4 to beat Sunderland, a price which might tempt many to back the underdogs. However, while Peterborough have enough to match Sunderland you get the impression the way the Black Cats are going a draw, at 12/5, is the best they can hope for. Sunderland at even money looks to be your best bet.

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Everton make life tough for United

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There was no Europa League action on Thursday which means a full Premier League programme on Saturday to get stuck into with some intriguing matches lined up, not least the opener of the day when Everton host Manchester United.

Everton v Man United 12.00

United of course will be looking to put the so-many-wrongs of last Sunday’s 6-1 humiliation on home soil to arch rivals Manchester City behind them and are 4/5 favourites in the match betting to do precisely that.

Diehard Red Devils may point to the sending off just after half-time when the score was 1-0 and the fact that three goals were scored in the dying moments as reasons not to get too carried away by the defeat, but defensive frailties have been there for all to see for some time.

Only Chelsea will know how they only managed to score one at Old Trafford while Basel will be disappointed with a 3-3 draw in Manchester after missing a hatful.

Stoke, Liverpool and Norwich may all feel they could have got more than they did as well…but Manchester City put it all together to reap the rewards.

Goodison Park has been a hard place for Unuited to go in recent seasons (not least on the back of a hammering) as Sir Alex Ferguson’s men have picked up just two points from their last three visits.

David Moyes side look a big price at 4/1 to emerge with the three points but given their struggles in front of goal, 5/2 on the draw looks a distinct possibility.

Chelsea v Arsenal 12.45

Chelsea’s good run came to an end at Loftus Road last weekend but they had been reduced to nine men, and even then Andre Villas-Boas’ side created enough chances to win, let alone draw.

Back on home soil, Chelsea will be a tough nut to crack having already won four from four and there is every chance that record will continue against the Gunners (Chelsea 8/13, Draw 14/5, Arsenal 5/1 in the match betting).

The Gunners have shown improved form of late, winning seven of the last eight, but they are yet to win away from home in the Premier League this season, while enduring the division’s joint-worst defensive record after conceding four goals in four games.

West Brom v Liverpool 17.30

Roy Hodgson’s side have started to recover from a disappointing start to the season and should have plenty of confidence going into the clash and are priced at a tempting 3/1.

Successive wins over derby rivals Wolves and Aston Villa have pushed the Baggies up to 12th in the table, and they won this fixture last season 2-1 – despite Hodgson having left Anfield.

Liverpool’s progress has faltered slightly after successive draws but they only have themselves to blame after missing a host of chances against Manchester United and Norwich.

The Reds are evens favourites in the match betting to convert opportunities into three points but given the fact they have only kept clean sheets against sides that have been reduced to ten men, West Brom may well be able at least to secure a draw, currently on offer at 12/5.

Elsewhere, Norwich have shown that they can mix it with the big boys and should be able to justify evens favouritism by recording a third straight home win over Blackburn, who have yet to win on the road this season in the top flight.

Swansea have also surprised many with their start to life in the Premier League and are the only team to have not conceded a single goal at home this season.

Whether that is enough to tempt punters in at 11/10 remains open to question as they have managed just five goals at home, while it is worth remembering that Bolton’s two wins this season have both come on the road.

Sunderland have hardly made the Stadium of Light a fortress this season which makes it tough to call the match against poor travellers Aston Villa, as it is with Wigan and Fulham, who boast just two wins between them, although Man City look to be the day’s safest bet against Wolves at the Etihad, following the second string’s 5-2 demolition job at Molineux in the Carling Cup.

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United to edge City thriller

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It has been described as the most eagerly anticipated Manchester derby for many years, with the top two in the Premier League going head-to-head with both sides undefeated so far in the league.

Regardless of the opposition, it is not often you get odds against on Manchester United at Old Trafford, so we are going to take advantage by going with the home side to prevail against their city rivals at 21/20.

United have been ruthless so far, scoring 25 goals in eight games. Sir Alex Ferguson will be delighted with the way his summer purchases have settled into the side. Phil Jones looks like he has over 500 league appearances under his belt, whilst goalkeeper David De Gea is getting better with every game and was excellent in United’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield last weekend.

There is no question that this will be the Reds’ biggest challenge of the season so far, but they are likely to respond to the big-game status, as they have done so often in the past. They are unbeaten in their last 25 Premier League home fixtures, with 19 victories coming in those games.

City have almost been as impressive. They do currently sit two points above their rivals at the top of the table and have scored 27 goals in their opening eight games.

Nobody can question that Roberto Mancini’s side are genuine title challengers this season, but their league charge may depend on their progression in Europe though.

The big difference between these two sides is the unity they have inside their camps.

Ferguson is a genius at creating a family at Manchester United, where every player plays for each other – if they don’t he is quick to show them the door.

However, on the other hand, Mancini has had problems dealing with morale amongst his squad this season. Carlos Tevez apparently refused to come off the bench against Bayern Munich last month, whilst both Edin Dzeko and Adam Johnson showed dissent recently after being substituted.

Usually in these types of fixtures it takes one star player to light up the game with a special piece of play, let’s not forget it was this fixture last season where Wayne Rooney scored the goal of the season with his spectacular overhead kick to win the match.

We are going with Rooney once again to score the opening goal of the game at 4/1. He was left out against Liverpool last week and will feel he has a point to prove on his return. The 25-year-old thrives on these kind of games and often saves his best form for the big fixtures.

It is unlikely that both sides will be able to keep clean sheets, considering the attacking quality that is on show in both line-ups.

Take Manchester United to edge the game by 2-1 at odds of 7/1 to lift them back to the top of the Premier League and inflict City’s first league defeat of the season.

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Potters can end United run

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It’s a packed day of Premier League action on Saturday, with the top four all in action. Manchester City will look to make a statement in the early kick off, while rivals United conclude proceedings in the evening game. Here we try to pick out some best-value bets for what could be another unpredictable weekend.

Stoke v Manchester United (5.30)

United have been inspired this season and although they have seen off both Chelsea and Arsenal in their 100% start to the season, Saturday’s trip to the Britannia Stadium could prove their toughest test to date.

The Potters have lost all six meetings against Sir Alex Ferguson’s men since returning to the top flight, but they now have probably the strongest squad they have ever had. The aerial threat of Peter Crouch and new signing Cameron Jerome may yet cause problems for the youthful United backline.

Suggested Bet: Draw @ 10/3.

Manchester City v Everton (12.45)

Everton have been City’s bogey team in recent years, doing the double in the last two seasons and they have also won on their last four visits to Eastlands.

Tim Cahill has scored at City on the last three occasions and is due a goal, so don’t be surprised if he pops up with another!

It will be interesting to see how Roberto Mancini’s men respond to the slip up at Fulham, but a stubborn Everton is not the ideal opposition to be facing at this time.

City will have to stand up to the physical test and cope better at the back than they did at Craven Cottage.

Suggested Bet: Cahill to score @ 5/2.

Arsenal v Bolton (3pm)

Arsene Wenger must go into Saturday’s game not knowing what to expect from his stuttering side, who will be without the experienced Yossi Benayoun through injury.

They looked to be cruising at Blackburn last week and threw it away and will now have the added pressure from the home support.

Bolton are not as bad as their league position (second bottom) suggests, with a tough early-season fixture schedule causing a poor points return. The suspension of Ivan Klasnic is a blow, but Owen Coyle might decide to flood midfield in order to frustrate the Gunners.

Suggested Bet: Draw @ 10/3

Chelsea v Swansea (3pm)

Chelsea were impressive in defeat at Old Trafford last week and Fernando Torres looked to be recapturing some form – before that shocking miss!

A lot of eyes will be on the team-sheet, as to whether Frank Lampard will play, but either way Chelsea should be too strong for the Swans.

Brendan Rodgers’ side picked up a much-need win over West Brom and they look to have a real chance of surviving this term. They will make it difficult for Chelsea to break them down and will look to frustrate the home side for long spells.

Suggested Bet: HT-Draw/FT-Chelsea @ 4/1.

Liverpool v Wolves (3pm)

Many people were shocked by Liverpool’s poor display in defeat at Spurs last week, but a midweek Carling Cup success at Brighton seemed to indicate that Kenny Dalglish has got them back on track.

With Steven Gerrard close to full fitness, the Reds have got the boost they need at just the right time and don’t be surprised to see Craig Bellamy among the goals following his strike in midweek.

Wolves’ confidence must be at a low ebb, after back-to-back home defeats, and a trip to Anfield is not a fixture they would have picked to try and bounce back, despite winning here last season.

Goals look to be a problem again for Mick McCarthy’s team and they will get little change from the Liverpool defence.

Suggested Bet: Liverpool to score in both halves @ 23/20.

Newcastle v Blackburn (3pm)

The home side, somehow, find themselves fourth in the table and hats off to Alan Pardew, who has worked wonders with a wafer thin squad. An unbeaten start to the campaign is likely to continue against Blackburn, although they may have to settle for another draw.

Rovers will head to Tyneside full of confidence after back-to-back wins over Arsenal and Leyton Orient. Steve Kean’s men have conceded five goals in those two games and a leaky defence is still a concern.

Suggested Bet: Over 2.5 goals.

West Brom v Fulham (3pm)

Roy Hodgson comes up against his former club on Saturday, with both sides struggling for form at this early stage of the season. The Baggies looked to have turned the corner with a win at Norwich, but their heavy defeat to Swansea will have concerned the manager – they are always tough to beat at home though.

Fulham have showed signs of getting to grips with what Martin Jol is seeking, with their display at Chelsea in midweek giving cause for optimism. Bobby Zamora looks like being key to their chances at the Hawthorns.

Suggested Bet: Zamora to score at anytime @ 15/8.

Wigan v Tottenham (3pm)

Everything here looks to point to an away win – Wigan have lost their key man Hugo Rodallega through injury, while Emmerson Boyce is also a doubt.

Spurs have got back on track after a poor start and following their crushing win over Liverpool, should secure a third league win on the bounce.

Suggested Bet: Correct Score – Tottenham 3-0 win @ 16/1.

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United out for revenge

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There are some tasty looking fixtures on Tuesday night as the Carling Cup becomes the focus once more, with two all Premier League clashes as well as an old rivalry renewed.

Leeds host Manchester United at Elland Road in a fierce rivalry clash with the Red Devils, unsurprisingly, strong favourites at 8/15 with the hosts available at 5/1 to spring a surprise and the draw at 3/1.

Sir Alex Ferguson has a tendency to field his fringe players in what is perceived by many as the weakest competition but he does have previous, having won the trophy three times in the last six years (United 6/1 to go all the way again).

A weakened team came unstuck against West Ham last season so there is always the potential for an upset, and Leeds did exactly that when landing a huge price to knock United out of the FA Cup in 2010 with a 1-0 at Old Trafford, when a League One side.

With the riches on offer by earning promotion to the Premier League, there is no guarantee that Simon Grayson will pick his strongest side, despite leading Leeds past Bradford and Doncaster to make it this far.

Ferguson might still be smarting from the FA Cup shock and with his side having made an impressive start to the season, it would be difficult to see his charges doing anything other than progressing.

United have won on their last two visits to Elland Road and have never lost to Leeds in the Carling Cup but it could be worth waiting for the teams news to see if that offers hope to the underdog.

Stoke and Tottenham go head-to-head at the Britannia Stadium after contrasting fortunes at the weekend, with the Potters getting trounced 4-0 at Sunderland, while Spurs enjoyed a 4-0 demolition of Liverpool.

Team selection is going to be key in this game with both managers also having to contend with the demands of the Europa League.

Tony Pulis’ men do have home advantage and have made the Britannia a difficult place to go – just ask Liverpool and Chelsea – and have been installed as marginal favourites at 8/5 in the match betting, with Spurs on offer at 13/8 and the draw at 12/5.

It may pay to side with the north Londoners on this occasion as they are coming into form having registered back-to-back wins in the top-flight and won home and away against Stoke last term.

They also have the less arduous task on Saturday when they travel to Wigan, with the Potters hosting the league-leading defending champions.

Aston Villa entertain Bolton in the other all Premier League fixture and this looks like a home banker, with Alex McLeish’s men priced at 5/6, the draw at 12/5 and Owen Coyle’s side available at 7/2.

Villa are unbeaten in their last eight home matches in all competitions and have a fantastic record in the competition, lifting the trophy five times and reaching the final eight times.

Things have gone spectacularly wrong for the Trotters following a 4-0 opening weekend win over QPR, having lost four successive league games, conceding 13 goals in the process, while the only win in the last five was a 2-1 home success over League Two Macclesfield in the second round.

It is difficult to see Arsenal (1/5), Wolves (4/5) and Blackburn (4/11) coming unstuck at home, while Newcastle (5/4) should have enough to see off Nottingham Forest (21/10), given the Championship side’s early struggles this season.

Middlesbrough (13/10) are fancied to continue their good form at Crystal Palace (19/10), with Rochdale (7/4) and Milton Keynes Dons (13/5) capable of winnign at Aldershot (6/4) and Burnley (Evens) respectively.

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City and United turn to Europe

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If you are looking for two genuine Champions League contenders aside from Barcelona or Real Madrid then you don’t have to look much further than the city of Manchester this year. Both City and United have flown out of the traps in the Premier League and now they are about to show the rest of Europe what they are capable of.

Manchester City v Napoli

Four years after the Abu Dhabi United Group bought Manchester City they are finally dining with the big boys at Europe’s top table. Roberto Mancini managed to deal with the pressure put him on by the club’s mega-rich owners to secure Champions League football and is now looking to show what his star studded squad is capable of. If their Premier League form is anything to go by they should be more than a match for Napoli in a game they are 2/5 to win, with the Italians 8/1 and the draw 7/2.

Mancini’s summer editions have given City that extra bit of creativity they were lacking last season, with Samir Nasri and David Silva showing how deadly they can be together in their 5-1 rout of Tottenham. Up front they have added one of Europe’s deadliest strikers in Sergio Aguero, the Argentine having scored six goals in four appearances thus far. Mancini has an embarrassment of riches but these three look as though they will be key to City’s success in Europe.

Despite this being City’s maiden season in the Champions League you’d expect them to at least reach the knock out stages given the amount of experienced campaigners they have in their squad, with Yaya Toure and Carlos Tevez having won the competition.

They have been drawn in a tough group, with Bayern Munich and Villarreal to come, but City start with, on paper, the easiest game they will have in Napoli at home. The Azzuri might have won at Cesena at the weekend but traditionally don’t travel well in Europe, managing one win in five Europa League matches last season. City should win this game, but they will have to keep Edison Cavani, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marek Hamsik quite if they are to assure three points. Aguero is on fire and at 4/1 to score first might be worth a look.

Benfica v Manchester United

United fans must have been laughing when they discovered who they would face in the group stages of this season’s Champions League. With games against Benfica, Otelul Galati and Basel to come you’d be forgiven for thinking they’d virtually been given a bye, hence why they are 2/7 to win Group C.

United will probably be happy to get their toughest group match out of the way first because Benfica are no mugs on their own ground. United know how dangerous Benfica can be having been knocked out by them in the group stages in 2005. However, with Chelsea to come on Sunday in the league and five more matches after Wednesday in the Champions League, Sir Alex Ferguson has hedged his bets for this one and will rotate his squad.

Rio Ferdinand has been left behind, while Darren Fletcher, Park ji-Sung, Ryan Giggs and Dimitar Berbatov are poised to come into the starting XI. United are 10/11 for the win, which seems short when you consider Benfica’s home form – two defeats in 24 matches at the Estádio da Luz.

The Portuguese giants are 10/3 to cause an upset, with the draw 12/5. The Águias might have lost a couple of big names but they recruited well this summer and still have Oscar Cardozo on the books. A draw looks to be a safe bet, a result which will probably suit United.

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United primed for number 20

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With the new fixtures having been announced we have passed from the old season into the new and can begin to look forward to what August will bring when it all begins again.

Before then we have eight weeks to weigh up whether our teams will win their opening matches, what will happen when they face the top sides and whether that last game will matter. With that in mind we look at all four professional leagues in England and give our early season predictions.

Premier League

It is tough to look beyond Manchester United after they managed to win the title last season without really breaking a sweat. While all other the sides around them stuttered Sir Alex Ferguson’s men kept their cool and broke Liverpool’s league record. With United looking to improve their options during the summer they should come back stronger than last season. United are the 13/8 favourites and might be worth backing now before the price comes in. The fixtures computer has been kind to Ferguson’s team as well, as they end the season with games against Swansea and Sunderland.

The usual contenders will be there or there abouts and the title fight could come down to the two Manchester clubs if City can continue to bring in the best players the world has to offer. Roberto Mancini’s men are 10/3, while last season’s runners up Chelsea are 5/2. Look beyond that and you get to Arsenal, who look to be a club in turmoil and without too much hope at this stage of the summer. They are priced at 7/1.

Championship

As always with the second tier of English football you could put a pin in a board and come up with a case for why the team you picked at random could go up. Your best bet here might to stay away from the outright market and look towards the promotion odds. West Ham lead the way in the promotion betting at 13/8 and it’s tough to see how Sam Allardyce won’t get them back up if he is allowed to do his job. They may not fly out of the blocks with all the changes that have taken place, but should come good given enough time and support. As for the other promoted clubs, Birmingham have big financial problems and it is unlikely lightening will strike twice at Blackpool.

Hull City might not be a bad outside bet to go up at 7/1. Nigel Pearson has been trying to put together his squad quickly and, having ended the season strongly, the Tigers could be the dark horses to shock the Championship again.

League One

Yorkshire should be the place to be for winners when it comes to League One, with Huddersfield Town the 5/1 outright favourites, Sheffield Wednesday 6/1 and Sheffield United 8/1. Most people would be surprised if at least one of those teams didn’t win the division given their history, although the Blades might find it tough given that this is the first time in a while they have been in the third tier. The Owls should get off to a flyer given their first three games are against Rochdale, Bournemouth and Bury, three clubs who shouldn’t do as well as last season. For an outside bet how about Exeter City – Paul Tisdale has been working his magic down in Devon for some time and they only just missed out on the play-offs by a point last season. The Grecians are 33/1.

League Two

As usual this division should be very close and again a pin in the board would probably pick you out a team you could make a case for.  Newly-promoted Crawley Town are the 10/3 favourites to win the league outright given the large amount of money they have to spend on new players. They might find the going a bit tougher than people are predicting though and Bristol Rovers (12/1) and Swindon Town (10/1) are two clubs who cannot be discounted. Based on their new recruits Oxford United (12/1) could also be ones to watch out for, Chris Wilder having acquitted himself and the club very well since their promotion in 2010.

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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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Drogba can haunt United again

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There are key battles at the top and bottom of the Premier League on Sunday with Arsenal’s trip to Stoke sandwiched between the Black Country derby and the title showdown at Old Trafford.

Wolverhampton Wanderers (23/20)  v West Bromwich Albion (23/10)

Wolves need to make a good start in front of their own supporters at Molineux, but they also must find a way to hold onto a lead after Fulham’s late equaliser denied them two vital points a fortnight ago.

Mick McCarthy’s side were blown away by Stoke City after that when the FA Cup finalists ensured their own safety, but there were encouraging signs in last weekend’s 1-1 draw at St Andrew’s.

Steven Fletcher (5/1 in First Goalscorer) has found the back of the net twice recently, but no-one in the Wolves line-up can match the goalscoring run that West Brom’s Peter Odemwingie is on.

The Nigerian (7/1 to score 2 or more) has scored in each of his last four appearances and his goal against Aston Villa last week made it five in six since the start of March.

Odemwingie’s pace will give McCarthy’s back four kittens and could lead to Wolves not finishing the match with eleven men on the field, although the intense derby atmosphere itself may contribute to that.

Back Odemwingie (5/1) to be the last goalscorer and West Brom (7/2) to score in both halves.

Stoke City (18/5) v Arsenal (8/11)

This is a great time for Arsenal to be playing Stoke City, just a week before Tony Pulis’s side walk out at Wembley for the FA Cup final.

The Gunners will have gained a lot of confidence in beating Manchester United without their captain Cesc Fabregas last week. And they will have to do without him at the Britannia Stadium too, although Aaron Ramsey stepped into the breach admirably on his return to the side.

Ramsey’s memories of breaking his leg on this ground could spur him and his teammates on to another big performance and with Stoke now safe and more concerned with the Cup, Arsenal should win.

The Gunners should still expect a tough match from Pulis’ side, whether he rests a few players or not, and with Arsenal not having kept an away clean sheet since mid-January and Stoke’s record of scoring 19 in their last eight home games – both teams to score looks like a certain outcome.

Back both teams to score (3/4) and Arsenal minus one goal in the Handicap (15/8).

Manchester United (5/4) v Chelsea (11/5)

Chelsea’s recent form is impressive enough to suggest they can make it an away treble on Sunday – if Carlo Ancelotti opts to play Didier Drogba through the middle in a 4-3-3 formation.

All the scribes believe he simply has to drop the misfiring Fernando Torres and return to the formula that has enabled Chelsea to boast a proud recent record at Old Trafford (three wins, two draws and four defeats in the last nine visits).

Last year’s win may have owed a lot to Drogba’s offside winner, but Manchester United were already set-up to be picked off on the counter-attack by Ancelotti’s tacical masterplan.

Wayne Rooney will give hope to the home fans, and Javier hernandez has shown he can trouble the Blues’ ponderous centre backs, but Chelsea’s midfield is stronger and should be good enough to keep the title race going to the finish.

Back Chelsea to win (11/5) and Chelsea 2-1 in the correct score market (10/1).

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United to finish the job

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Manchester United take on Schalke in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday with a two-goal advantage. Progression to the final looks a mere formality but could there be a late twist in the tie?

United have shown only glimpses of their best form this season but they hit the heights in no uncertain terms against the Germans in the first leg last week and, but for Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer, could have doubled their goal tally at the Veltins-Arena.

Their passing and movement off the ball was as good as it has ever been and the only disappointing factor on the night was the number of chances that went begging.

But far from building on that success, the Red Devils went and lost to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium to allow Chelsea back into the Premier League title race.

Will that reverse affect them at all on Wednesday? Probably not, as Sir Alex Ferguson will no doubt try to drum into his charges that this is a totally different kettle of fish and they hold all the aces thanks to the two goals scored in Gelsenkirchen.

A United performance anywhere near the quality of last week’s away-leg showing and Schalke will be blown away, but it has to be remembered that the Bundesliga side did put five goals past Inter Milan at the San Siro in the quarter-finals (United 4/9 to beat Schalke).

It is open to question whether or not they could ever repeat that performance, and how good Inter actually are, but Fergie will take no chances and will look to go for the jugular with a couple of early goals at Old Trafford.

The Scot would love to kill off the contest by half-time in order for him to rest some key players ahead of what has now become the most important Premier League game of the season when Chelsea come calling on Sunday.

Conversely, Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping that Schalke can do them a favour and stretch the tie out for as long as possible.

It is likely that Wayne Rooney will partner Javier Hernandez once more up front, as the pair ripped the Schalke rearguard to pieces seven days ago, but Dimitar Berbatov will probably see some action if there are early goals after recovering from injury.

The Germans will need to score early to have any chance of rescuing the tie and it is almost inconceivable that the hosts will not put at least one in the back of the net, making an already difficult task virtually impossible for Ralf Rangnick’s side.

But, being German, Schalke will never give up and surely they cannot play as badly as they did on their own patch last week?

United still have plenty to play for this season and will want to put down a marker for the final if, as seems likely, they go on to face Barcelona, and will be looking for a solid display with no slip-ups at the Theatre of Dreams (Barcelona 8/15 to win Champions League).

One defeat will not cause panic in the ranks, as they have been in pressure situations before on numerous occasions both domestically and in Europe, and what better way is there to bounce back from defeat to the Gunners than putting on another scintillating display to show the world just how good they actually are.

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