Tag: Premier League

London Calling: Chelsea vs. Tottenham Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Take two London clubs, one that’s yet to lose and another sitting top of the Premier League and what have you got? That’s right, you’ve got a recipe for something truly special. Chelsea vs. Tottenham has always been a battle of attrition, but this season’s inaugural derby on November 26 could be so much more.

Spurs are yet to sample the bitter taste of defeat in the Premier League this season; however, despite this unblemished record, Mauricio Pochettino’s men are still sitting fifth in the table after 12 games. In contrast, even with two defeats already under their belts, Chelsea’s finest are now riding high on 28 points.

Drawing the Short Straw

The difference, in this instance, is draws. While Chelsea has drawn just once and won nine times, Tottenham has a 50/50 win/draw split. This ability to shut down teams but simultaneously fail to punish them has made Spurs something of a unique proposition this season. In some respects, they’re the most impressive team in the league thanks to a lack of losses and only eight goals conceded.

However, on the flipside, they’re one of the most disappointing sides in the top five. As impressive as it is to remain unbeaten, the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Heung-Min Son haven’t exactly been emphatic up front. With only 18 goals overall, Tottenham appears to lack the firepower necessary to compete with the Premier League’s big boys.

Indeed, if you contrast that strike rate to league leader’s Chelsea, Diego Costa and co have notched up 27 goals. In fact, when you bore down into the individual stats, Tottenham’s leading light, Harry Kane has only scored once this season. Yes, he’s only played 90 minutes and is far from his best, but it’s setbacks like this that have stopped Spurs from becoming an unstoppable force.

Smooth Sailing for Chelsea

For Chelsea, the lack of injury worries and dips in form has seen the blues slip past their rivals and quietly assume control of the league. Fortunately, for those in the south-west of the capital, Antonio Conte won’t have any such worries heading into the Tottenham match. Everyone appears to be present and correct ahead of the clash, and that could be the difference this time around.

According to the odds makers at Sun Bets, Chelsea are the comfortable favourites to take all three points with a betting line currently sitting at 8/11. This confidence is echoed at Coral (7/10) and William Hill (3/4), which would suggest we’ll see Chelsea continue to tighten their grip on the league.

For Tottenham manager Pochettino, injury issues and suspensions will continue to be a problem. Just as Conte has enjoyed a relatively smooth ride this season, Pochettino will have to do without full-back Danny Rose (suspended) and Toby Alderweireld (injury). These missing links could result in a formation change to 3-4-3, which would essentially see Spurs mimicking Chelsea.

Identical Tactics Could Cancel Each Other Out

Now, if Tottenham were firing on all cylinders, going kick-for-kick with Chelsea wouldn’t be a bad idea. However, as we’ve already seen, there has been a distinct lack of attacking prowess from Tottenham and that could be problematic on Sunday. Of course, if you’re in the market for some value or you’re simply a diehard fan of the Lilywhites, Sun Bets will give you 15/4 on a Tottenham win.

For those with an eye on some actual value, the draw could be the most promising betting option for this game. Given Tottenham’s ability to shut down teams but fail to score, 11/4 on a draw with Coral looks to be too good a price to turn down. Naturally, with home advantage, no injury worries and the weight of momentum on their side, Chelsea will be tough to stop. However, if Spurs can dig in and display some flashes of genius as they have at times this season, a draw is more than possible.

Liverpool vs. Manchester United: A Pressure Cooker of Potential

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

In the football fraternity and in Premier League betting, rivalries don’t come much bigger than the one between Liverpool and Manchester United. Even though the two clubs don’t occupy the same county borders and it’s not technically a derby, there is a competitive streak between them that runs deep.

On Monday, October 17th, the latest installment of the age-old rivalry will take place as the Premier League big boys clash at Anfield. Unsurprisingly, Europe’s leading online bookmakers are firmly on the Premier League betting bandwagon ahead of the clash which means you can fill up on tasty odds before washing it down with some high octane action on Monday night.

Does Paul Merson Know Best?

As ever, Betcirca is here to give a complete breakdown of the best Premier League bets for Liverpool vs. Manchester United and, today, our starting point is Paul Merson. Despite being an Arsenal legend and someone who would have done everything in his power back in the day to defeat Liverpool or United, Merson knows what he’s talking about when it comes to tactics.

Ahead of Monday’s match, Merson has tipped Liverpool for the win. Breaking down the action on SkySports.com, Merson believes the attacking prowess of Jurgen Klopp’s men will be too much for United to handle.

“I don’t think Man Utd will be able to live with Liverpool’s attacking players and if the hosts start quickly they will have too much at Anfield,” said Merson.

Pressure is a Fickle Mistress

Adding to Liverpool’s potential firepower on Monday is the fact United could start the game knowing that their closest rivals are gradually moving away from them. Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham all play before United and, assuming they win as many predict they will, the pressure will be on.

As it stands, United are languishing in sixth place with 13 points while Man City sit atop of the Premier League with 18 points. In years gone by, three+ losses in the Premier League was a veritable death knell for a team’s chances of clinching the title. Although recent years have been slightly more forgiving, United have two negative notches on their stats sheet already.

A loss to Liverpool wouldn’t only cause United to fall further behind in the points race, but it would take them another step closer to a potentially fatal tipping point. That fact is possibly the biggest factor working against United moving forward. Pressure is often the catalyst for failure, and with Liverpool riding a rich vein of form, United could find themselves in trouble.

An Ace in the Hole

Of course, it won’t all be one-way traffic at Anfield even if the pressure is on. Jose Mourinho has a proverbial rabbit in the hat in the form of Zlatan Ibrahimović. Capable of something truly special on his day, Ibrahimović is unlikely to be overwhelmed by the occasion and that could work in United’s favour.

In fact, as well as having the ability turn the tide of a match on his own, Ibrahimović is also proving to be something of an inspiration for his teammates. Marcus Rashford recently told the press that the Swede is helping mentor the less experienced players. Maybe the Midas touch from Ibrahimović will rub off on his teammates against Liverpool, and a freshly invigorated United will go on to dominate the match?

Liverpool vs. Man United Best Bets

Picking a winner in this one certainly isn’t easy, so let’s stop waxing lyrical about both teams and take a look at the Premier League betting odds. Whatever side of the divide you fall on, the following bets from our bookmaking partners represent some serious value and are well worth considering if you’re going to ante-up:

  • Sun Bets: Liverpool to win and both teams to score @ 14/5
  • Coral: Total booking points between 21 and 40 @ 5/2
  • William Hill: Daniel Sturridge to score & Liverpool to win 1-0, 2-0 or 2-1 @ 6/1
  • Paddy Power: Manchester United to win @ 5/2
  • Sky Bet: Charlie Nicholas’ Tip, Chris Smalling to score 1st and match to end in a 1-1 draw @ 175/1

Regardless of the predictions and the betting odds, Liverpool vs. Manchester United looks set to be another barnstormer. With neither side wanting to disappoint their fans, we can expect a heady cocktail of passion, aggression and, if things go to plan, some goals.

Can Middlesbrough Earn a Place in Football History?

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

When Middlesbrough Football Club’s men take to the pitch this weekend it won’t just be a potential three points on the line. Despite being relative minnows in the context of the Premier League, the Riverside team have enjoyed a fruitful start to the 2016/2017 football season and now they have a chance to go down in history.

For Boro, promotion from the Championship last season was a defining moment in the club’s history and Aitor Karanka’s side has a chance to add some more sparkle to their résumé with a victory over Crystal Palace.

With a win and two draws already under their belt, Middlesbrough are placed sixth in the Premier League’s three games. That sort of form means that Middlesbrough are already the most successful newly promoted side of the football season, but a win against Palace could take things a step further.

The Stats Favour Boro

According to the stats, a win on September 10 would make Middlesbrough the third most successful newly promoted Premier League side in history. What does that mean in reality? Well, in short, it means Middlesbrough are playing way beyond expectations so far this football season.

Of course, three points is clearly more important than a place in the history books, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with a little added incentive. In fact, a look through the current matrix of odds seems to suggest that Boro being on the cusp of something special has swayed the market. Bet365 and Unibet both have Boro as the 6/5 favourites, while BetVictor has as slightly better price at 13/10.

For those that like to rely on something more concrete than fate when they’re anteing up, it’s worth noting that Palace have only managed two League wins in 24 matches against Middlesbrough. Compounding that dismal record is the fact that Alan Pardew’s men have lost their opening trio of Premier League matches this season.

A Palace Win Could Raise a Few Smiles

Of course, we all know that football is a funny old game and you could be laughing all the way to the bank if Palace pull off an upset. Odds of 5/2 at Paddy Power and 13/5 at Betfred show some signs of value, while a slightly less lucrative 2/1 on a draw with William Hill appears to be something of a happy medium.

While the stats would suggest that Boro will clinch another three points on Saturday, there’s very little chance it will be a walkover. The pressure of a positive start can often hamper a newly promoted side and if this manifests itself over the weekend then Boro could quickly crumble. A single goal either way could easily determine the outcome of this game which makes Sky Bet’s markets an attractive proposition.

A Win Won’t Come Easy

8/11 on under 2.5 goals won’t pique the interests of many serious bettors, but 9/2 on a 1-0 Middlesbrough victory is certainly nothing to sniff at. Moreover, if you fancy the other side of the equation, a successful bet on a 1-0 victory for Palace will get a 13/2 return on your money, which by all accounts, appears to be one of the game’s best bets.

History might not be on Palace’s side, but a place in the history books could cause Boro to falter. Pressure can often turn strong sides into quivering wrecks, and if that happens on Saturday then Karanka’s men could find themselves in all sorts of trouble. However, if Middlesbrough’s players can block this fact out of their minds, another three points is certainly well within reach.

For more Middlesbrough vs. Crystal Palace betting odds, make sure you check out our top partner sites, including Sun Bets, today.

 

Hull v Liverpool Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The closing minutes have foiled some good bets in the past week, notably the games between Real and Atletico Madrid and Man City and Aston Villa. Both looked nailed on for landing out bet on a draw only for a late goal to spoil the party.

There are two midweek games in the Premiership this week, both pitching relegation threatened sides with those from the top. Champions-elect Chelsea travel to in-form Leicester on Wednesday but first it is Hull at home to Liverpool.

Hull seemed to be heading towards the exit door until producing a vital 2-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday. Both goals came from Dame N’Doye and a striker in form is worth his weight in gold at this stage of the season. Steve Bruce has kept plugging away in the belief that things would eventually come right for the Tigers and his faith looks as though it could finally be vindicated.

They showed signs of a revival against Chelsea when drawing level at 2-2, only to fall to a late goal from Loic Remy. They certainly lacked nothing in terms of fighting spirit on Saturday and they could be worth a bet to upset Liverpool.

It has been a mixed bag this season from the Reds. No doubt their supporters will be sick of hearing how much they miss Luis Suarez but they have not been the same team without him. Mario Balotelli has been nothing short of disastrous for the club while Daniel Sturridge has spent more time on the treatment table than on the pitch.

A fine win over champions Manchester City raised hopes for Brendan Rodgers’ side of a top four finish and a Champions League place but their form has dipped again. A home defeat to Manchester United and a mauling at Arsenal have been followed up by an FA Cup exit against Aston Villa. If Hull play in exactly the same way as Villa, we could see the same result on Tuesday night. Liverpool’s one bright spark has been Philippe Coutinho and he is still at a fair price to hit the target.

Hull to win @100-30 Bet365

Hull 2 Liverpool 1 @16-1 Bet365

Philippe Coutinho to score at any time @4-1 Spreadex

Dame N’Doye to score at any time @3-1 Ladbrokes

N’Doye to score and Hull win @7-1 Ladbrokes

Premiership Preview April 18th – 19th

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The big match this weekend is the clash between leaders Chelsea and third-placed Manchester United in Saturday’s evening kick-off.

The Blues are edging ever-closer to the Premiership title but still have United, Arsenal and Liverpool to play. A defeat at home to a resurgent United could still cause a few jitters with the winning post in sight. Had Chelsea gone into this match with a fully-fit Diego Costa, it would be very difficult to see them slipping up. As it is, not only is Costa out but there is also a doubt about the fitness of Loic Remy.

United are in buoyant mood after beating champions and neighbours City 4-2 last weekend. That game could signal the end of the brief reign of Manuel Pellegrini while Louis van Gaal looks set to achieve his goal of restoring Champions League football to Old Trafford. The return to form of former Chelsea star Juan Mata has had a great impact in recent matches and he could be worth a bet to silence the home fans on Saturday.

The Blues still have Eden Hazard and he is the kind of player to rise to the big occasion. Jose Mourinho will be calling on him once more and I’m sure that he would settle for a draw, just as he did when City visited.

West Brom are really struggling for form and face a tricky visit to Crystal Palace. Alan Pardew’s side have put up some brilliant displays recently and another defeat for Tony Pulis’s side could have them looking anxiously over their shoulders in the league table. Among those scrapping for survival are Leicester City who are at home to Swansea. They dug out an unlikely 3-2 win at West Brom last week and will fancy their chances of following up here.

Southampton’s season was in danger of falling away but Ronald Koeman’s side beat Hull decisively last week. They travel to Stoke who have little left to play for. A draw seems highly likely but Pelle’s first goal in months will have boosted his confidence and the Saints could come away with all three points.

Sunday’s games are Man City at home to West Ham and Newcastle facing Spurs. The two home teams are among the worst performing sides in the league at present so it is a brave man that takes 2-7 about City. They may struggle to a win but 11-2 for a draw looks tempting while Spurs should see off a lack-lustre Magpies outfit.

Crystal Palace to beat West Brom @20-21 Paddy Power

Leicester to beat Swansea @6-5 Ladbrokes

Southampton to beat Stoke @11-8 Ladbrokes

Chelsea v Man United DRAW @5-2 Totesport

Man City v West Ham DRAW @11-2 Bet365

Spurs to beat Newcastle @11-8 William Hill

Premiership Preview April 11th – 13th

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It’s a fantastic weekend of sport with The Grand National at Aintree, The US Masters at Augusta and the Manchester derby.

The Premiership action gets under way at 12.45 with Swansea against Everton but the action hots up during the afternoon. Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood will have mixed feelings as he takes his relegation-threatened side to White Hart Lane. The former Spurs boss looked as if he had just had six rounds with Mike Tyson by the end of Villa’s 3-3 draw against QPR on Monday night and he can expect another roller-coaster ride at his old club.

Tottenham remain a bit of an enigma, capable of producing great football but just as likely to disappoint. They were pretty poor at Burnley last weekend and their motivation must be in doubt with their season effectively petering out. I cannot see Villa going down and 5-1 looks quite tempting, especially with Christian Benteke back to his best.

Burnley had chances to take all three points last week and now face a resurgent Arsenal who are now Chelsea’s closest pursuers. Having produced a great run to move into second, I don’t see Arsene Wenger’s side slipping up here.

Other relegation-threatened sides in action are Hull at Southampton, Sunderland at home to Crystal Palace and Leicester at West Brom. All three are capable of picking up points but Hull look particularly wobbly at present. They are meeting the Saints at a good time as they have also seen their season dribble away in recent weeks. I just don’t know if Hull are good enough to take advantage.

The match of the weekend is undoubtedly the Manchester derby on Sunday with City in the unusual position of trailing their rivals by a point. City did not play badly at Crystal Palace but the Eagles rode their luck for a famous victory. Manuel Pellegrini is not exactly flavour of the month but he will surely be able to motivate his players for this one. A draw may be the outcome which will suit Chelsea and Arsenal above them.

The Blues have been flirting with disaster in recent matches but have managed to creep ever closer to the title. They travel to QPR who have found a new lease of life in recent weeks and this should be a very feisty encounter. A win here would be a fantastic result for Jose Mourinho’s side and what about John Terry scoring the winner? That would not go down well with Rangers fans!

The final game is on Monday night when Liverpool play Newcastle. The Reds stopped the rot with a hard fought win over Blackburn in the Cup in midweek. Fortunately for them, Newcastle have been playing poorly and are unlikely to cause them too many problems.

Southampton (-1.0) to beat Hull @13-8 Skybet

Aston Villa to beat Spurs @5-1 Bet365

Arsenal (-1.0) to beat Burnley @6-4 Paddy Power

John Terry to score first @20-1 Coral

John Terry scores and Chelsea win @7-1 Paddy Power

Man Utd v Man City DRAW @5-2 Boylesports

Liverpool (-1.0) to beat Newcastle @6-5 Skybet