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By James Eastham Special Correspondent
- MIDDLESBROUGH v LIVERPOOL
(Boro 1 Liverpool 1)
WILL Rafa Benitez apply the same energy to this visit to Teeside as he did his club's trip to Madrid?
Liverpool were magnificent in their 1-0 win over Real on Wednesday night but you got the feeling the encounter with his one-time mentors brought out the tactical genius in him in a way not so apparent in league games.
The Reds have a poor record away to Boro - just three wins in 13 games at the Riverside Stadium.
Four of the last five have been draws, and eight of the last nine head-to-heads have had under 2.5 goals.
When you consider the low-scoring nature of Boro's home games this season - eight of the last nine have had under 2.5 goals - and Fernando Torres' absence, a low-scoring stalemate looks the most sensible option.
The 0-0 ($9.00) and 1-1 ($7.50) options would be the picks for correct-score punters.
(Chelsea 2 Wigan 0)
THE same players who floundered under Luiz Felipe Scolari have excelled under Guus Hiddink, holding off Juventus with a 1-0 win in midweek after beating Aston Villa by the same scoreline last weekend.
Didier Drogba looks so rejuvenated you have to ask - how could he live with himself for playing so poorly under Hiddink's Brazilian predecessor?
We expected Wigan to produce another low-scoring encounter at Middlesbrough last weekend, and so it proved (0-0).
The Latics' performances have been flat since Wilson Palacios and Emile Heskey flew the nest, so I'm predicting yet another defeat to add to their record of 25 losses in 29 matches against Big Four sides since promotion to the EPL in 2005.
(Arsenal 2 Fulham 0)
THE British bookies make Arsenal a $2.25 shot to finish in the top four shot - and I'd take that.
Arsene Wenger's side may have played no part in the EPL title race but it is finishing the season strongly, evidenced by an excellent 1-0 win over Roma in its Champions League last-16 first leg and a 12-game unbeaten league run.
Seven of those dozen games have been draws, but the visit of Fulham ought to ensure three points for the Gunners.
The Cottagers are looking for their first away win, have failed to score in 10 of 13 games on the road in 2008-09 and have lost six of seven head-to-head meetings on their rivals' patch.
A 1-0 ($6.70) or 2-0 ($7.00) win looks likely - Arsenal have kept clean sheets in five of their last six home games and their last nine fixtures against top-flight visitors to the Emirates have featured two goals or fewer.
(Aston Villa 2 Stoke 1)
ASTON Villa have had a wonderful season so far - but the pressure on them to achieve a tangible reward will build over the weeks ahead.
Last week's 1-0 home defeat to Chelsea offered succour to those who feel Martin O'Neill's side is not yet ready to challenge the Big Four.
But the Villans have an excellent opportunity to maintain their six-point lead over fifth-placed Arsenal by beating Stoke.
The Potters have still to win on the road and their 'goals against' record of 29 in away games is the worst in the division.
Villa rarely keep clean sheets, however, so Stoke might nick a goal while struggling to get anything from the game.
Two of Villa's five home wins and six of Stoke's 10 away losses have had 2-1 or 3-1 scorelines - so there's value in splitting your stakes between those outcomes.
- James Eastham is a UK-based betting writer and consultant. He previously worked for gambling magazine Inside Edge, The Sportsman and sports newspaper Sport First. He was shortlisted for British Young Journalist of the Year in 2001 and 2002.
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