Another weekend of busy domestic football action continues and with the end of the season drawing ever closer and title winning, promotion and relegation will no doubt add further spice to proceedings. The games start tonight with another Friday night lights Premier League encounter and tonight’s match is between a resurgent Leicester in seventh place and Newcastle United, who are still striving to add as many points as possible to ensure safety from relegation at the King Power Stadium.
Leicester are on a hot streak since old manager Puel was sacked and Brendan Rogers took over the reins winning five of their last six league matches overall scoring fourteen goals conceding six in the process. Also, striker Vardy’s been in red hot form netting goals in his last eight matches supported by the gifted Maddison who has been adding important goals during the same period.
Newcastle have struggled on the road this season and their main issue has been converting chances to goals, but they have had some success at least in terms of not losing drawing nearly 50% of their matches. They can take heart from the fact they won this corresponding fixture 2-1, Leicester won three of the last eight corresponding fixtures, Newcastle two and five of the eight previous corresponding league encounters ended with two or less goals scored.
From a betting perspective Newcastle are sure to set up defensively and hope to catch Leicester out on the counter and past statistics point to a low scoring game. I’m struggling to find a value bet for this one and Under 2.5 Goals will be popular as will Vardy FGS or AGS. Newcastle’s Ritchie has picked up the highest number of cards for Newcastle this season and is worth considering To be Shown a Card again. I’m going to suggest opposing Leicester on the exchanges or Handicap and Leicester’s Maguire and/or Newcastle’s Schar To be Shown a Card if they start the game.
Moving on to Saturday and the action kicks-off at lunchtime between fourth place Spurs who have the chance to leapfrog Arsenal and go third again and already relegated Huddersfield. On paper this should be a straight forward to win for the Lilywhites but it looks like they could be without talisman and club captain Kane after he picked up another injury. Spurs won the only corresponding league encounter 2-0 last season when current hot striker Min, whose scored three influential goals in his last four matches, netted both goals.
Spurs are on a hot streak at present at home winning six of their last seven, they scored two or more goals in four of these matches their only home defeats over the last ten home games came against Manchester United and Wolves. The Terriers have the second worse league away form this season only winning once, losing twelve and have not beaten a to-six side away from home this season. They’ve lost nine of their last ten away from home in the league and picked up one draw at fellow relegation strugglers Cardiff.
From a betting perspective it’s hard to look past a Spurs win but I’m sure Huddersfield will be professional enough to put up a good fight still and I suggest backing Spurs Win & U3.5 Goals match double or if you’re searching for a higher price Kongolo To Be Shown a Card for Huddersfield if he starts.
From the 3pm kick-offs in terms of the relegation race their big games for sixteenth place Brighton, seventeenth place Southampton and third from bottom Cardiff and Brighton and the Saints have an edge with home advantage but face tough opposition in Bournemouth and Wolves respectively. Cardiff, who have the third worse league away form this season only winning and drawing twice, travel to in-form Burnley who look almost safe but mathematically could still go down.
From a betting perspective Brighton have failed to win the last four corresponding league home games against the Cherries losing one and drawing three but Bournemouth have also won only one of their last ten league away matches this season. Five of the eight previous corresponding games produced Over 2.5 Goals and in six of these games both teams scored.
With it being a South Coast Derby with goals in most the previous corresponding league home games I’m going for an open, attacking high scoring game again. From a betting perspective I can suggest backing BTTS & O2.5 Goals and/or if you’re searching for a higher return opposing Brighton on the exchanges or Handicap given their winless record against the Cherries in recent corresponding league encounters.
From a betting perspective for the Southampton against Wolves match at St Marys it’s hard to oppose Wolves on current form and they have a decent record at the ground over the last few seasons winning two of the last three and the one they lost in between was a club friendly. I suggest backing Wolves Win & U3.5 Goals or if you’re searching for a higher return Neves for Wolves To be Shown a Card as he’s accumulated a high number already this season.
The tea-time kick-off is an interesting one between Manchester United and West Ham at Old Trafford and the Red Devils will be hoping to bounce back from their narrow midweek Champions League defeat against Barcelona while the Hammers will be aiming for an upset and moving to within touching distance of tenth place Watford in tenth. A win for United would see them leapfrog Arsenal and drawl level with fourth place Spurs. History is not on the Hammers side however having lost fourteen of the last seventeen corresponding Premier League games, ten of which ended with two or more goals scored.
United have performed quite well at Old Trafford after midweek Champions League games this season winning two and drawing two and the draws came against Arsenal and Liverpool. However, they’ve been struggling of late winning only one of their last five losing to Arsenal, Wolves twice and Barcelona and the won win was against Watford in all competitions. Things get tougher and tougher for the big clubs competing in Europe towards the latter stages and it does take its tole more and this bears out in United’s recent home form only winning two of their last six against Southampton and Watford and the two defeats came in the Champions League against PSG and Barcelona.
United can take heart from the fact the Hammers form has been even worse away from home over the last ten games winning only twice back-to-back in December and since then they’ve lost seven of the last eight drawing once. They’ve conceded seventeen goals in this period only scoring three and this is where their problem lies as ever since the drama with star man striker Arnautovic moved on their attacking threat seems to have diminished considerably.
From a betting perspective I think United will have enough left in the tank and self-belief to continue the Hammers overall poor away form, including at Old Trafford and backing Manchester United Win & U3.5 Goals is worth considering and/or if you’re searching for a higher price Young for United To be Show a Card and/or Martial AGS for United.
Don in the Championship leaders Norwich still hold a six-point lead over Leeds even though the Canaries could only manage a 2-2 draw at home against Reading midweek and Leeds produced an impressive performance with a 2-0 away at in form Preston. From a betting perspective for the 3pm kick-offs I think Blackburn are ok value away at struggling Forest, Reading could shock Brentford who are no way as strong away from home than at home and I would consider opposing Brentford on the exchanges or Handicap and finally I think Sheffield Utd will be too strong for a resilient Millwall at home and the same applies to West Brom against Preston.
Selections:
