Premier League Betting Preview – 6th Feb 09
Friday, February 6th, 2009Providing there’s no postponements this weekend due to the big freeze there should be some good betting opportunities in this weeks rounds of Premier League matches.
First off in the Saturday lunchtime live kick-off troubled Manchester City (8/13) face a Boro side in serious danger of relegation. Micah Richards is the latest City player to have had a visit from the police and with Shaun Wright-Phillips getting into trouble with the FA, this game should come as a welcome distraction. City were woeful against Stoke last weekend, but at Eastlands they’re a different team and should cruise past a Boro (9/2) team that’s well, woeful all of the time! The draw is 11/4.
Blackburn (15/8) are the latest team to come up against a Villa (11/8) team looking to for their highest Premier League finish since the days of Big Ron Atkinson. The modern day version ‘Big’ Sam Allardyce is still yet to be beaten as manager of Blackburn and this will face as big a test as any for Martin O’ Neil’s Villa side. Villa’s away form has been breathtaking with only Manchester United matching it, but I get the feeling they may drop points here, with the draw looking a decent bet at 12/5 with totesport.
Chelsea (1/5) look a shoe in at home to Hull City (14/1). I’ve said this before recently but a Belletti, Lampard double spared my blushes last month when they narrowly beat Stoke. Hull’s early season form has all but disappeared losing their last three on the road and winless in six. If they cannot up their game from the last time they visited the capital, a 2-0 defeat to West Ham they stand no chance of taking the three points here, or saving one point for that matter. The draw’s 5/1 at totesport for any doubters out there!
Everton (3/4) are in fine form of late with only a narrow away defeat to United blotting their copybook in the last six outings. Providing the extra-time win at home to Liverpool in the FA Cup on Wednesday didn’t take too much out of them they should have enough here again at Goodison against Bolton (4/1). The Trotters are winless in four away games on the trot now, three of them defeats and face an uphill struggle here. The draw is 12/5 with totesport.
Sunderland look a terrific bet at 4/5 to beat a Stoke team without an away win all season. Providing Cisse and Jones are leading the line I can’t see anything other than a home win here. You can back Stoke at 17/5 or alternatively the draw at 5/2, both with totesport.
It’s another six-pointer at the Hawthorns as a struggling Newcastle team play a West Brom side that are doing well to still be in touch in the league. West Brom had won three on the spin at home before the mauling by United a fortnight ago, which could be excused. Newcastle have shipped out their best player in Shay Given and bolstered the midfield in the literal sense with Kevin Nolan. The signings of Nolan and fellow Scouser Ryan Taylor smacks of panic buying in it’s truest sense and it won’t take long for the Toon to realise they’ve signed a player that used to be alright a couple of years ago and a player who only scores against Newcastle (9/4). Home win all the way here, back it at 23/20 with totesport. The draw is 12/5.
Wigan (10/11) play Fulham (3/1) at the JJB and it’s a tough one to call. Both teams have been excellent this term and Wigan’s home form is good, unbeaten in six. Fulham on the other hand have had a little stutter with defeats away to West Ham and Sunderland in their last two trips away from the Cottage. Both teams sit side by side in the form table and only the odd gaol will split them and at a push, I’d plumb for a home win, with Mido getting the winner. The draw is 12/5 with totesport.
The late game on Saturday is the televised Pompey (4/1) versus Liverpool match. The Reds seem to be continuously on TV these days and any witness to their three recent games against Everton will be flicking over to ‘Total Wipeout’ for a more entertaining spectacle on Saturday evening. Pompey have one point from the last six matches and don’t look like winning a match, whereas Liverpool seem to be imploding under the pressure of being genuine title contenders for the first time in two decades. Who knows what Liverpool side (8/11) Rafa will put out but you couldn’t back them with any confidence, however bad Pompey are. The draw is 5/2 with totesport.
Sunday now and the highlight of the weekend (if Spurs win that is) is the North London Derby between Spurs (2/1) and Arsenal (11/8) at White Hart Lane. Spurs haven’t beaten Arsenal in the league since November 1999, so you could say they’re due a win. In that period, there have been plenty of draws between the two at White Hart Lane, in fact seven of the nine games played. My head says the draw (9/4) is the best bet again here, especially seeing as Arsenal’s form has been good, if not low-key. My heart though looks back twelve months to a 5-1 demolishing of the Gooners so I’ll entertain myself privately with thoughts of another win like that come Sunday.
Finally, West Ham play Manchester United at Upton Park. The Champions have gone up a gear since just before Christmas and are an 8/13 chance here for another three points. They’re looking for an 11th straight clean sheet in the league but it might not be too straightforward. West Ham have won their last three games at home and are unbeaten in six. Add to this the fact they’ve won the last two meetings between the teams in London and they could be worth a dabble at 5/1. The draw is 13/5.
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