Category: Football Tips

United Need to Find Another Gear

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Much has been said of Manchester United’s supposed recent good form. The reality is that they have been far from convincing. Despite reaching the last eight of the Europa League and winning the EFL Cup, they are still some way off reaching the top four in the Premier League. Their main problem has been in finding the net and a second striker that will deliver enough goals. They haven’t found anybody to partner Zlatan Ibrahimovic who can share the workload in terms of scoring.

United are a team that dominate possession in most games but don’t find the net often enough. This has been a repeating pattern all season. Wayne Rooney has fallen out of favour with manager Jose Mourinho. To make matters worse, Anthony Martial has been misfiring and still doesn’t appear to be true United quality.

No Top Class Striking Options

Too much has been asked of young Marcus Rashford. This young lad is still learning his trade and hasn’t really kicked on this season. Too much has rested on the broad shoulders of Ibrahimovic. His recent suspension has come at a bad time for United. It was no surprise on Saturday to see them labour to yet another draw at home to West Brom.

The pattern is all too obvious. United dominate the game in terms of possession but don’t score. They badly need to find a long term striking option for next season. At 35 years of age then it is clear that Ibrahimovic simply cannot go on for much longer. Even if United were to go on and lift the Europa League, that will still only paper over what is really needed at Old Trafford.

Will United beat the Blue half of Liverpool?

United face Everton on Wednesday in what is a vital game for them. They are in a serious fight to finish in the top four. This wasn’t something that the United fans expected when Mourinho took charge. Everton under Ronald Koeman has been a much tougher nut to crack this season.

They will surely want to bounce back after their 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. The question is will they? This match represents an interesting betting proposition. Clearly United are struggling to score goals at the moment. Everton, on the other hand, is somewhat resolute in defence. So the draw at 16-5 with BetVictor appeals to us.

BetVictor also go 20-21 on their under 2.5 goals market. This is yet another bet that we feel may be value. Anything less than a win for United on Wednesday will really turn the pressure on them in terms of a top four finish this season.

Wenger To Have Another Tough Afternoon

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

IT’S tough times at the Emirates at the moment and it looks like it’s going to get a lot worse at the weekend when Arsenal host Man City.

The Arsene Wenger “out” brigade will be in full voice on Sunday and another defeat will see the pressure mount even more on the Premier League’s longest-serving boss, and the removable object that is Wenger looks set to be in for a very difficult afternoon both on and off the pitch.

Arsenal and, for the first time in his long tenure, Wenger looks to have finally lost the respect of the majority of the fans, and more importantly certain sections of the dressing room.

Star man Alexis Sanchez has already come out publicly with his plea to leave the club and play with a side of “winners” joining Mesut Ozil and Alex Oxlaide Chamberlin, who have also expressed their desire to leave at the end of the season; that is hardly the ideal preparation ahead of one of their biggest tests of the season.

The Gunners’ have won just three times in their last 10, but alarming they’ve had SEVEN defeats in that period. The way they performed last time out in the 3-1 defeat at West Brom, with a lack of desire, heart or team spirit, and how they are as short as 2.87 with William Hill for the win at the weekend has really got me scratching my head.

City has looked good since they were dumped out of the Champions League by Monaco at the last 16 stage, which was the worst performance in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career.

They played a very big part in an entertaining 1-1 draw with Liverpool last time out, which stretched their unbeaten domestic run to 11 matches and I can’t see anything other than a City win in this one, which is a very tempting 2.36 with Paddy Power.

Embarrassment Likely for the Gunners!

I fear, with the anti-Wenger chanting, that if the home side falls behind early on, this could be a long afternoon for the Frenchman. Unlike previous times, when the Arsenal manager has had his back against the wall, he won’t get out of jail this time around, and Man City -1 at 3.20 with most bookies looks tempting as well.

For goals punters, this certainly looks one that will feature a few and over 2.5 goals and both teams to score “yes” will probably be winning bets, but have been priced up accordingly by the layers; instead, I am going to have a small wager on City to heap my misery on the Gunners’ with a 3-1 win which is 18.00 at Paddy Power.

 

Manchester United v WBA: United Out To Narrow The Gap

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

After an enforced two-week break due to the international calendar, Manchester United return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon when they welcome West Bromwich Albion to Old Trafford.

United manager José Mourinho will be looking for his team to kick on and keep up the pressure on the top-four as they seek qualification for next season’s Champions League. Currently occupying fifth place in the league four points behind Liverpool but with two games in hand, United could conceivably see the gap increase to seven points if their north-west rivals emerge victorious from the Merseyside derby on Saturday lunchtime.

Mourinho Missing Key Men Aplenty

United will be without talisman and top goalscorer Zlatan Ibrahimović who serves the last of a three-match suspension while Mourinho, who earlier this week voiced his complete opposition to international football friendlies, will also be unable to call on the suspended Ander Herrera while world record signing Paul Pogba and England defenders Phil Jones and Chris Smalling are also all likely to miss out through injury.

West Brom supremo Tony Pulis meanwhile will travel to ‘The Theatre of Dreams’ with an almost full strength squad, winger Matt Phillips and defender Gareth McAuley the only players rated doubtful. Mourinho’s incorrect assertion earlier this week that West Brom had only one player away on international duty in comparison to United’s 14 or 15 may have inspired the Baggies playing staff and support and Pulis will likely use the inadvertent slight on his club as extra motivation on Saturday.

Baggies on Target to Match Best Ever Finish

The Baggies, who were in fact, able to boast six international call-ups, are on course to equal their best-ever finish of eighth achieved four seasons ago. However, with seventh-placed Everton holding a seven-point lead over Pulis’ men with just nine games to go and a gap of seven points separating themselves and ninth-placed Stoke, West Brom will have to put together an impressive sequence of results to improve upon their finish from 2012-13.

Yet the bookmakers, despite United’s sizeable list of absentees and West Brom’s record of two out of three victories at Old Trafford on their last three visits, remain unconvinced of the Baggies chances on Saturday with BetVictor offering them as long as 19/2 to emerge with all three points. There’s little value in backing a United win however with odds varying only between 1/3 and 2/5. More value is to be found in backing them to extend their unbeaten run of 18 league matches courtesy of a draw, currently 17/4 with Unibet.

Premier or Europa League the priority?

A draw could turn out to be very costly for United with the club facing a daunting schedule of seven league matches and a Europa League double-header against Anderlecht in April alone. Currently, the odds of United winning the Europa League are roughly the same as them finishing in the top-four of the Premier League, around the 5/4 with a variety of bookmakers. Yet with United still to travel to top four rivals Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester City and with champions-elect Chelsea due at Old Trafford in mid-April the safest market looks to be a wager on United to win the Europa League, and that’s exactly where I’d place my money given a choice between the two.

Back to Saturday and our prediction for this game? It has to be a both-teams-to-score home win despite Zlatan’s notable absence with odds of 5/2 available from Bet365 amongst others. Alternatively, for those looking for a bigger return, a 2-0 win for United just as they achieved earlier in the season at the Hawthorns is available at tasty odds of 11/2 with the same bookmaker. A tenner on either looks good value from where I’m standing. Best of luck to you whichever way you turn!

Burnley vs. Tottenham: Could Injuries Cause an Upset?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Few football fans would liken Burnley FC to a banana skin, but that’s exactly what the club could prove to be on April 1 when they welcome Tottenham. Indeed, on a day when everyone and their dog will be doing their best not to look like a fool, Spurs will be hoping a few untimely slips don’t scupper their chances of moving clear of Manchester City.

By all measures of form and success this season, Mauricio Pochettino’s men should claim a comfortable win at Turf Moor on Saturday. Harry Kane has been firing on all cylinders with 19 Premier League goals, Hugo Lloris has kept 10 clean sheets from 25 appearances this season and the team as a whole are second in the league. In contrast, Burnley is sitting in unlucky 13th place after 29 games with a goal difference that’s three times worse than Spurs’.

Spurs are the Obvious Betting Favourites

From this season’s stats alone, it’s easy to see why Sun Bets has the London club as the 13/20 favourites heading into the game. In fact, things don’t get any better for Burnley when you look back through history. Of the 109 times the two teams have met, Tottenham has the edge with 43 wins to Burnley’s 40. Again, if we looked at the numbers, Bet365’s odds makers appear to have every right to make Tottenham the 3/5 betting favourites.

However, as any self-respecting football fan knows, numbers only go so far and there are a few knocks (quite literally) that could swing this match in favour of the home side. Firstly, Sean Dyche has worked wonders with what many would consider a mediocre team this season. Aside from getting his players to gel as a unit and move eight points clear of the relegation zone, Dyche has brought out the best in Michael Keane.

The 24-year-old has come on leaps and bounds since his days as a Manchester United academy prospect and he’s now a key figure in the Burnley first team. As a testament to his recent form, Keane recently ran out for England and it’s this achievement that could give him a confidence boost ahead of Saturday’s game. To coincide with the defender’s current rise to prominence, Spurs will be without hotshot Harry Kane this weekend. An ankle injury against Millwall could keep him out until the end of April which will hurt his team’s scoring abilities.

A Clash of Forces Could Cause an Upset

On top of this, midfielder Erik Lamela will be out with a hip injury as will striker Vincent Janssen. This spate of injuries will leave the striking duties to Son Heung-Min. Unfortunately, having played 90 minutes of international football already this week, there’s a chance he’ll be slightly fatigued and not at his best. When we piece all this together it seems we’ve got two issues at play here. Firstly, we’ve got a Burnley defence that’s likely to be buoyed by Keane’s form. Secondly, we’ve got an under strength Spurs that look to be lacking some firepower.

The combination of these two factors could result in a shock result on April 1. Now, Burnley hasn’t exactly been banging in goals this season. In fact, the side’s 31 goals for is the fourth worst in the Premier League, which would suggest they probably won’t be too much of a threat for a Tottenham side that’s only conceded 21. If we accept this, a draw would be a fair shout. With William Hill offering 3/1 on that result, a cheeky punt could be worth your time this weekend. For something a little more lucrative, 1-1 with William Hill is a tempting 13/2.

On the face of it, Tottenham should walk through Burnley and take all three points. However, with injuries threatening to provoke an upset, this could be the one time Burnley become a proverbial banana skin.

The Reds Need to Push On

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

2017 has been a poor year in Liverpool if you come from the red half of the city that is! A succession of poor results has left Jurgen Klopp and his Red Army in a precarious position in the league. They currently sit in fourth position and are four points ahead of rivals Manchester United. However, Jose Mourinho and his United side have two games in hand. This means that Liverpool cannot afford to slip up as we enter the final phase of the season.

They play Everton at Anfield on Saturday in what will be a hotly contested Merseyside derby. Everton is having a solid season under Ronald Koeman. They currently reside in seventh spot and are only six points adrift of their city rivals. Making the top four was seen as almost automatic before Christmas for Liverpool fans.

However, as mentioned by SuperHotTips.com, “There has been an average of 2.9 goals scored per game over the last 5 matches in the English Premier League where Liverpool have been at home, and Everton have been away.“. This is a great opportunity for a BTTS bet. Check out other BTTS Tips at SuperHotTips.com

Is Klopp the Reason for the Demise?

Many people are suggesting that the tough training program and high-intensity style has taken its toll on the Liverpool players. Is this the fault of Jurgen Klopp? Another answer could be that he simply doesn’t have the quality that he had at Borussia Dortmund. Whatever the reason, it is clear that Liverpool are struggling at the moment and the odd sporadic result isn’t good enough.

Everton will welcome the absence of Liverpool’s Adam Lallana. He picked up a knock in the International break while playing for England. That is a huge blow for Jurgen Klopp. His thigh injury looks likely to rule him out for around 3-4 weeks. At such a crucial stage of the season then that could well tip the balance in whether or not Liverpool ultimately make the top four.

Koeman in Demand

If Everton continues their impressive form, it is difficult to see bigger clubs not coming in for the “in demand” Ronald Koeman. He is clearly adding to his already impressive managerial CV. It is highly likely that a top job is only just around the corner for the Dutchman. That won’t worry the Everton fans though who will clearly fancy their chances of going to Anfield and getting a win.

Liverpool is a tough team to beat at Anfield having won ten of their fourteen league games there this season. Liverpool can be backed at 4-6 with SkyBet and that seems like very poor value to us. Everton, on the other hand, are a best-priced 4-1 with 888Sport.

The draw is 3-1 with BetVictor and we much prefer that as the value bet of the day. We also like the “both teams to score” market too and 888Sport are quoting 5-7 for both teams to find the net. Given how attack-minded Liverpool are and how fragile they are at the back then we like the look of that bet too.

Liverpool vs. Burnley: Could Joey Barton be the Difference?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Burnley vs. Liverpool produced an early Premier League upset that few people saw coming back in August, but can Sean Dyche’s men put in a repeat performance on March 12?

Since that fateful afternoon back in August, it’s fair to say the two teams have had contrasting fortunes. While an early setback for Liverpool might have had some fans fearing the worst, 4th place after 27 games have made a place in the next Champions League look like a strong possibility. For Burnley, 14 losses and just nine wins have left them battling for mid-table mediocrity in 12th place after 27 games.

Naturally, if you’re a Burnley fan, 12th place in the Premier League ahead of teams such as Watford, Middlesbrough and defending champions Leicester City isn’t such a bad thing. However, the current state of affairs might not look so positive when you’ve got to travel to Anfield for another crack at Liverpool.

The Facts Favour Liverpool

Indeed, with Jurgen Klopp seemingly over the tactical blunders that plagued the early part of Liverpool’s season, it looks as Burnley would have to produce something special to clinch another 2-0 win. Of course, the power of a previous win can’t be underestimated, especially when you consider Liverpool’s recent run hasn’t exactly been spectacular. Three losses, a draw and two wins in their last six certainly doesn’t smack of a team currently pushing Tottenham for second place in the league.

However, even with all the confidence in the world, Burnley can’t deny the facts. In 115 showdowns, Liverpool has come away with at least a point on 78 occasions, while Burnley has managed just 37 wins. Add to that, the fact The Clarets have only won one in their last six and it’s easy to see why Sun Bets has the home side as 2/9 favourites.

Of course, stats don’t mean anything when the tackles start to fly and Burnley will be hoping a dose of tough Northern resolve will see them through the match. In fact, according to manager Dyche, Joey Barton could be the man to help dish out some of the physicality his side may need to get a result on Sunday.

Joey Barton and the Jekyll and Hyde Effect

Prior to the match, Barton was expected to go before an FA disciplinary hearing. However, with the case postponed, Barton is eligible for selection and could prove decisive one way or another. Looking on the positive side of things, Barton will be one of the most experienced players on the pitch at 34-years-old. In games where a strong presence is needed to help overcome a skill deficit, players like Barton can often come into their own.

The counter argument to this is Barton’s discipline or, more accurately, lack of it against Liverpool. The lifelong Everton fan has never been welcomed to Anfield with open arms and it’s a dynamic that seems to bring out the beast in him. Red cards against Liverpool when he was with Manchester City and Newcastle United suggest he’s not the best at controlling his emotions at Anfield.

When you add to this the potential needle he may receive during the game because of his impending FA hearing, it looks as though Barton’s presence could hinder rather than help Burnley. Now, if you’re a neutral and simply looking for the best bets, then Barton could make things interesting. A quick look through BetVictor’s Premier League bets has Barton to receive the first card of the game at 9/1.

Along the same line, bet365 is offering an Asian betting line on the number of cards awarded in the game. Over 3.5 is currently 1.875 while the under is 1.925. Given what we know about Barton, the over on this bet looks as though it could offer some value if he does play.

If Cards Aren’t an Issue then a Liverpool Win is the Way to Go

But, if Barton doesn’t get the nod, then a safer option would be to focus on the ways Liverpool are going to win. Yes, Burnley has a shot at getting a result and 5/1 on the draw with Sun Bets isn’t a bad price.

However, if you really want the best chance of a return on Sunday, Sadio Mane to score first at 7/2 isn’t a bad shout with Roberto Firmino an injury doubt. Failing that, Liverpool halftime/fulltime (both at Sun Bets) isn’t a bad price.

As Premier League games go, this one looks as though it won’t produce too much unexpected drama, unless Barton is thrown into the mix. If this happens, get your red card bets ready and watch out for fireworks.