After the excitement of the international break (Estonia v England, WOW, how thrilling!) we return to the meat and veg of the Premier League this weekend and there’s a cracking game to get things underway. The early Saturday kick-off is Man City v Spurs and with three other televised games, including West Brom v Man United on Monday night, this (long) weekend should fly by.
This will be each side’s eighth game of the Premier League campaign and whilst the season may feel young, we’re approaching the quarter-way stage and the table should be starting to take shape, although Everton, Liverpool and Arsenal, not to mention Newcastle, will be hoping for serious improvement. Can they start this weekend?
Saturday 18th October 2014
Man City v Tottenham (12:45) – Man City to win and both teams to score (21/10 with Coral)
The biggest game of the weekend could be a thriller at the Etihad, as Man City try to apply a little pressure on Chelsea, who play later in the day. The Citizens are currently second, five points behind Jose Mourinho’s men and three ahead of sixth-placed Spurs. City are clear favourites to get the win, priced at 1/2 but we think there is better value to be had by backing them to win in combination with BTTS. Odds of 21/10 look like superb value, that price higher than it should be due to the false belief that City are all-conquering at home, many bookies assuming they will win to nil.
In recent seasons the Etihad has been a real fortress but under Manuel Pellegrini their more attacking style means the opposition will always have chances. Spurs aren’t the most attacking side in the Premier League but with City yet to keep a clean sheet at home in the league we think backing BTTS and the home win is a brilliant way to start the weekend’s betting in positive fashion.
Everton v Aston Villa (15:00) – Everton to win to nil (7/4 with Sky Bet)
The Toffees have made a slow start to this campaign but with four of their seven games having come against Liverpool and Man United (both away) and Chelsea and Arsenal at home they won’t be overly worried. That said, their home defeat by Palace was a major blow and they will be desperate to get a first home league win of the season under their belts. Injuries have hurt them, and with Ross Barkley still out and Kevin Mirallas and John Stones out for at least a couple of months, they are still suffering, but Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy may return here.
Villa will be quietly confident of getting a decent result and are currently four points clear of Everton, despite they themselves having a tough start to the season. With two wins from three on the road and the best away defence they will be a tough proposition for the home side but overall we feel Roberto Martinez’s men will just have enough. Villa don’t pose a huge goal threat, despite Christian Benteke’s recent return and whilst Everton have leaked a lot of goals, signs in recent weeks are that they are getting closer to their best and we think they will edge this one. They should win by a goal or two to nil but we’ll play it safe and back them simply to win without conceding at nice odds of 7/4.
Sunday 19th October 2014
QPR v Liverpool (13:30) – draw (16/5 with BetVictor)
QPR are really struggling and sit bottom of the league after seven games with just four points and one win. However, a look at their fixtures suggests maybe there is hope for the Hoops as they have already visited four of the current top seven and whilst they have lost all of those games – and two by 4-0 scorelines – they will surely fair better on home soil against the weaker sides.
Of course, Liverpool are by no means a “weaker” side and on paper the visitors should claim an easy win. They are priced at odds of 4/7 to do that but that looks very short to us for a side so short on confidence. Moreover, with Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling unlikely to be fully fit and ready – if either are even cleared to play – the Reds look a little lightweight up front. Brendan Rodgers’ men are really struggling this term without Luis Suarez and with Steven Gerrard and other players perhaps suffering something of a hangover having gone so close to winning the title last season. They are also bedding in a huge number of new faces and given QPR have taken four points from three games at home we think they can do enough to claim a draw here at huge odds.
Monday 20th October 2014
West Brom v Manchester United (20:00) – United to win by one goal (14/5 with Ladbrokes)
West Brom have been tipped by many to go down after an average transfer window and an unpopular managerial appointment of a man with little experience of being a number one. In contrast Man United have gone for a world-renowned manager and splashed huge sums of money on proven world class stars and so one would assume this game can only go one way. The bookies certainly view things that way, with the home side way out at odds of 19/5 with BetVictor whilst Louis van Gaal’s men are available at odds of just 8/11 with Coral and the draw is 3/1 with Bet365.
However, prior to the international break West Brom strung two wins together before narrowly and perhaps undeservedly losing 2-1 at Anfield and so they will feel they have a chance here. Their defence has been solid thus far and if they can contain the opposition they know they will always have chances given the makeshift and developing nature of United’s defence. We think the visitors will just about do enough but it won’t be easy and taking the United win by exactly one goal is our main betting tip here, available at very nice odds of 14/5 with Ladbrokes, with 2-1 or maybe even 3-2 worth a pop in the correct score betting.