Arsenal V Chelsea

Kick-off: Sunday 29th November – 16:00 GMT

Venue: The Emirates

Arsenal

League Position: 3rd

Recent Form: WDWWL 

Arsenal appeared to be in cruise control until they met Sunderland over the weekend. After previously winning six of their last seven games in the league, Sunderland abruptly ended their decent run of results with a stunning 1-0 victory. Now it’s a time for the Arsenal players to show their fighting spirit and some bounce back ability as their first defeat of the season took them head first into another, straight off the back of it. Will the Gunners make it back-to-back defeats for the second time this season or will they make an immediate return to form with a hard fought win over the current league leaders?

We’re inclined to think the former as Arsenal were pretty poor at the weekend. In the absence of Robin Van Persie, Eduardo keenly stepped up but did next to nothing to cover over the void left by the Dutch play-maker. Van Persie’s off the ball movement and trickery on the ball, in combination with a lethal cross and finish, is something Eduaro doesn’t posses right now and, without Van Persie, Arsenal will, and have already have to some extent, struggle, especially as their next best, Nicklas Bentnder, is still out injured, also.

Arsene Wenger is somewhat fortunate that, although his best attacker is out for some time, this game with Chelsea is at The Emirates, home of the Gunners. Arsenal have pitted their wits against both Manchester outfits already this season, ending up on the losing side on both occasions, however, they were both in Manchester, so this home fixture will be welcomed with open arms by the Arsenal fans. That doesn’t mean the three points are a foregone conclusion, not by any means, but if Arsenal are to beat one of the ‘Big Four’ at present, without Van Persie, then surely their best chance of doing so will come at home.

At The Emirates this season, Arsenal have been prolific, maintaining a 100% winning record up till this point. However, Tottenham have been their only real test at home, and even that was somewhat of an anti-climax, with the Gunners running out comfortable 3-0 winners. This really will be a huge test for Arsenal at a venue where they’ve been more than comfortable in front of goal, scoring 20 thus far. In return, Arsenal have conceded just four goals, so they really are a tidy little outfit at The Emirates, which is just as well considering they will be missing their biggest asset.

However, Arsenal do have too many BIG negatives going against them. The first being the absence of Robin Van Persie, which we’ve mentioned on half-a-dozen occasions already. The second being their weekend demise at Sunderland. A result like that can only hinder the team spirit, whilst their lack of fire-power in the final was clearly evident. We still fancy the likes of Arshavin & Cesc Fabregas, to carve out decent goalscoring opportunities but the omen of scoring perhaps the winning goals could be burdened with their midfielder’s. Arshavin & Fabregas have been their most prolific in the middle, with the latter scoring six for the season and Arshavin on four. Also, Arshavin did score a superb goal at Old Trafford, whilst he put four past Liverpool last season, and he doesn’t tend to shy away from the big encounters.

Chelsea

League Position: 1st

Recent Form: LWWWW

Carlo Ancelotti must be very happy with his squad and supremely confident of his talented squad getting yet another set of three points and their third successive win over a ‘Big Four’ team as he takes his Chelsea team across London to The Emirates. With their match day opponents losing at the weekend, Chelsea are now the inform side in the league and only a win will do now as they aim to keep up the winning trend.

Top of the Premiership, a five point cushion over their closest pursuers, safely through to the next round of the Champions League, as group winners. Quite literally, everything is going right for Carlo Ancelotti and Chelsea right now. A win over the Gunners would be so significant in so many ways. Not only would it take them to 3/3 against top four opposition but it would also see them stretch away from their London rivals, with a victory taking them eleven points clear of Arsenal.

We did mention earlier that Chelsea are a team on fire at present and their demolition job of Wolves last Saturday just epitomised their current form. Chelsea stormed to a 4-0 win, one which should have been a whole lot bigger, but the win now means Chelsea have won four on the spin. However, not only have they been winning games for fun but they’ve let rip in front of goal, scoring 14 goals in their last four games, averaging nearly four goals a game. In fact, the only team they haven’t put four past of late was Manchester United, which could actually be seen as a small negative.

Another small dent in the Chelsea express is that just one of their four wins in a row has come on the road, and Chelsea have had some away issues in recent months. The blues’ struggled at both Wigan Athletic (3-1) and Aston Villa (2-1), with Chelsea well below par in both. They did end their baron away run with a victory over Bolton but Bolton have been terrible in recent weeks so that was far from a surprising result and Chelsea’s away hoodoo could strike again at The Emirates against another tough opposition.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Arsenal W: 2 Chelsea W: 4 Draws: 4

Chelsea have generally faired better in the London Derby against the Gunners. In their last five visits to Arsenal, Chelsea have lost just once, whilst managing to victories, their most recent coming in a 4-1 battering last season. However, that thumping did come at the latter end of last season when Arsenal had nothing at all to play for, league wise, whilst there will be more at stake this time around with the season still very young.

Arsenal’s last success over Chelsea came two seasons ago in a narrow 1-0 victory, and that is Arsenal’s only win over the Blues’ in the last five meetings on Arsenal soil.

Match Verdict:- Draw – 2.85 Expekt

We will sit on the fence with this one, with several factors putting us off betting on either side. Chelsea are by far and away the inform side now after Arsenal lost at the weekend, but The Emirates should provide the Gunners with a safety blanket and it should even the playing field. Arsenal still have several quality players which can turn any game on it’s head but Chelsea are on fire at current and will take some stopping. We can’t see this being a dull 0-0 draw but goals aren’t all that popular, either. Cesc Fabregas does have a knack of scoring in the big games and he might be a fun small stake punt on what will be a tight, nervous affair between two London rivals.

Match Odds:

Arsenal – 2.75 SkyBet

Draw – 3.40 Boylesports

Chelsea – 2.85 Expekt

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Cesc Fabregas Anytime Goalscorer – 4.30 WilliamHill

Everton V Liverpool

Kick-off: Sunday 29th November – 13:30 GMT

Venue: Goodison Park

TV Coverage: Sky Sports 1

Everton

League Position: 14th

Recent Form: DLDWL

Where has it all gone wrong with Everton? Two bitter defeats in quick succession has left the Toffees’ rocking and another defeat this Sunday in the Merseyside Derby would not only be a shameful third on the spin but it could actually see them go just one point above the relegation zone if those below them better their result, which, after watching Everton of late, is a strong possibility. However, just like Liverpool, a win on Sunday could revitalise their season, whereas defeat could actually be catastrophic. This is what makes Sunday’s meeting so intriguing and a clash that shouldn’t be missed at all costs.

This will be Everton’s third game within the space of seven days and with the injuries piling up, a batch of fixtures is never what you want nor need. However, David Moyes has still been selecting some strong sides of late but without any real on-pitch product. They were convincingly beaten 3-0 by the Champions last Saturday, at Old Trafford, while they were embarrassed yet again when Hull City, a team catching them near the foot of the table, beat them 3-2. In game that was certainly winnable, Everton were shocking. I dare any Everton supporter to watch their sides performance in the opening 45 minutes as it was laughable and, from an Everton’s fans perspective, cry able. Their defending at times was stuff of nightmares, and that has generally where it’s all gone wrong for Everton this season – in their defending.

Away from Goodison Park, Everton have managed just two wins in seven, a terrible return for your money. At home it hasn’t been a much happier story, with Everton managing the same amount of wins, albeit with a few more draws. 2-3-1 is their home record thus far, but you have to stretch back four home fixtures ago for Everton’s last home success against a poor travelling Blackburn Rovers teams. Their only other home victory to date came against Wigan Athletic, a team that shipped nine goals last Sunday, so their home credentials look pretty poor heading into what is, for the fans anyway, Everton’s most anticipated fixture of any Premiership season.

If Everton are to take anything from this game then they will need to keep it tight at the back, giving absolutely nothing away. This is something the Everton defence has struggled with this season, with Tim Howard in the Everton goal failing to keep a clean sheet in his previous three home starts, with Stoke City, Wolves & Aston Villa, all putting one past the US goalkeeper. Both Stoke & Wolves were sides Everton should have beaten but they could only manage draws in both.

Going on their recent displays, their trips to Manchester & Hull, Everton look a terrible proposition, despite their opponents not being in inspired form themselves. However, this is a big game for the club and the players will be fully aware of just how important a win in this meeting is. It shouldn’t take a lot of effort from David Moyes to get their starting line up fired up for the encounter but, as previous clashes with Liverpool have shown, Everton do tend to petter out, especially at Goodsion Park, losing the previous two meetings there with Liverpool.

Liverpool

League Position: 7th

Recent Form: LWLDD

After only managing a draw on Sunday and crashing out of the Champions League on Tuesday, this really will be a true test of character for the Liverpool squad. It’s been a testing season for the Reds’, with results not going their way and form evidentially has taken a serious nosedive. The players have maintained their fighting talk, their apparent desire to lift the club out of the rot it’s in but all this talk is cheap and it’s time for some real action to take place, starting with a much needed set of three points against local rivals, Everton.

Everyone on Merseyside craves on the ‘Friendly Derby’ between these two bitter, local foes. However, although Liverpool are going through and awkward and sticky patch of form, this game with Everton cold be just what they need. Not an awful lot will make up for them dropping out of the Champions League but we mustn’t forget that Liverpool still need to finish in the top four and with results not going at all their way at current, a win at Goodison could be the boost in confidence the players quite obviously need.

Liverpool’s defending was again their downfall last Saturday as they played out a disappointing 2-2 draw with man City. However, Liverpool could count themselves lucky as they could of lost that game. Nevertheless, Liverpool slowly march on, although not in the preferred circumstance. The reds’ have now drawn two on the spin at Anfield, while their away record doesn’t paint a brighter picture. Four defeats in six already has paved the way for an early Liverpool demise and defeat at Everton could see drop to as low as tenth.

Liverpool in recent seasons have prided themselves on a tight Scrooge like defence. However, that certainly hasn’t been the case this time around with Liverpool already conceding a mammoth tally of 20 goals, 12 of which have come while on their travels, with Liverpool’s defence shipping two goals a game on the road. In their six away outings thus far, Pepe Reina has yet to keep his first clean sheet, while their only clean sheet in eight games came in the 2-0 home victory over Man Utd. Both Torres & Gerrard were missing in that win but Steven Gerrard is back in the fray, but the clubs captain has yet to reach his own personal heights of last season and questions are beginning to surround the English midfielder over his Liverpool commitment and desire at present.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Everton W: 2 Liverpool W: 6 Draws: 3

Liverpool certainly hold the edge over their local rivals and are unbeaten in this Merseyside Derby in four matches, two of those coming at Goodison Park. To make matters sound a whole lot worse for Everton fans, Liverpool have won on their last two visits to Goodison, beating the Toffees’ 2-0 last season, with an injured Fernando Torres stealing the limelight in that clash, while they won 2-1 the season before.

The last five meetings at Goodison Park hasn’t produced a single draw, with Liverpool winning three and Everton claiming two, although, Everton’s last victory at home to Liverpool came three years ago in a 3-0 success.

Match Verdict:- Liverpool to WIN – 2.25 BlueSquare

We haven’t got a Liverpool prediction right in what seems an eternity so perhaps following us in on the Reds’ isn’t a too wise decision. However, the Liverpool’s players should be extra motivated after being knock-out of the Champions League in midweek and what better then a local Derby to exert some of your frustration. Liverpool have won on their previous two visits to Goodison Park, albeit with Fernando Torres leading the line, but with Steven Gerrard back leading them forward, perhaps not yet at his glistening best, we expect a big performance from Liverpool, hopefully with a three point end product.

Match Odds:

Everton – 3.75 SkyBet

Draw – 3.40 Bet365

Liverpool – 2.25 BlueSquare

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Steven Gerrard Last Goalscorer – 7.50 SkyBet

Wolverhampton Wanderers V Birmingham City

Kick-off: Sunday 29th November – 12:00 GMT

Venue: Molineux

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 19th

Recent Form: DDDLL

Wolves may have entered the Premiership as the winners of The Championship, but that has counted for nothing this season as they currently find themselves languishing in 19^th position, six positions and five points off the side that finished second behind them last season, Birmingham City. What’s more, Wolves failed to beat the Blues’ when they paid Wolves a visit at Molneux last season, that was, of course, in The Championship, but will both their current positions and the results of last year play some part, mentally, in how Wolves approach this fixture.

Wolves’ lowly position hasn’t surprise us in the slightest as, although their attacking ways seen them storm through most games in The Championship, their defensive still left a lot to be desired and has certainly been found wanting in this years Premiership. Thus far, Wolves have conceded 26 goals in just 13 fixtures, averaging nearly two goals against this season. A small shining light will be that 10 of the 26 have come at Molineux but still, that’s an awful tally, joint second worst in the league in fact, and it will be an area which Mick McCarthy will desperately need to reinforce during the January transfer market else Wolves could face an early exit from the league at this rate.

Scoring has been a real cause for concern, especially when playing at home. Of the twelve goals they have scored to date, just five have come at Molineux, with Wolves failing to score in two out of their six home fixtures. Both West Ham (0-2) & Portsmouth (0-1) managed to keep Wolves at bay while playing at Molineux, which doesn’t bode at all well when you consider that both sides are in close proximity to Wolves, with Portsmouth bottom of the table and West Ham just a point better off then them.

The 4-0 defeat to Chelsea at the weekend was their biggest loss of the season, although, it came straight off the back of shipping yet another four goals at home to Arsenal, losing 4-1. We will give them some lean way in that both those emphatic defeats did come against two of leagues best sides but Birmingham have played Arsenal, Man Utd & Liverpool thus far and have only managed to amass six goals against, that’s two goals less then Wolves have shipped in their two clashed with the top four.

Still, we mustn’t forget that Wolves aren’t having to contest a game with a far superior opposition this weekend, although, Wolves have failed to make any impression against the leagues stragglers at home this season, failing to beat Hull City (1-1), West Ham United (0-2) & Portsmouth (0-1). They did manage to beat a tough Fulham side but that came in the middle of some disappointing home results and Wolves putting together a string of good home results just doesn’t seem likely. However, Wolves are now without a home win in three outings so perhaps they are well overdue one.

Birmingham City

League Position: 13th

Recent Form: LWDDW

Birmingham are steadily gaining revenge over Wolves for their second place finish behind Mick McCarthy’s side last season. Birmingham couldn’t keep up with Wolves in the Championship last season, although they were still delighted with their end of season finish. However, although Birmingham couldn’t bridge the gap on Wolves last season, finishing seven points adrift of the eventual champions of The Championship, they have managed to pull away from them back in Premiership, with Alex McLeish’s side now five points clear of 19^th placed Wolves.

Birmingham will do well to stay as far away from Wolves as possible as their opponents appear to be a relegation stricken club in the making. Birmingham, on the other hand, have been a far more solid outfit and a much tougher side to overcome. This has certainly shown in their recent run of results, going on an unbeaten four match run, a run which includes draws with Liverpool & Man City, two teams vying for top four berths, while decent victories over two improving teams in Sunderland (2-1) & Fulham (1-0), has seen them notch up eight points from their last four games, a fine tally which has enabled them to stretch away from the bottom three.

It’s rare to see Birmingham involved a good old fashioned thriller of a game, simply because they don’t give too much away when they do make rare strides into the opposing half. This does of course have it’s downfall’s, a distinct lack of goals being one of them, but it also makes them a tough nut to crack and often leaves them with at least a point to show for their efforts. This has been evident in recent outings, with Birmingham somewhat stealing more points then they probably deserved in their last two outings, somehow managing to score two at Liverpool in a game where they spent the vast majority of it defending, while they edged out Fulham at the weekend in a rather drab affair with very little goalmouth action.

It’s never pretty with Birmingham, but it’s certainly effective. Alex McLeish has recruited players that aren’t afraid to nail their colours to the mast, they work damn hard for one another and sure as hell fight hard in terms of defending. Although Birmingham’s defensive attitude has earned them a tidy defensive record, conceding 14 thus far, it has meant their goals for has suffered, with Birmingham scoring just eleven goals this season, of which six have come on the road. However, although at first glance that may look pretty poor, Birmingham have only failed to find the back of the net once on their travels, that coming on the opening day of the season at Old Trafford, a very tough venue to visit. However, Tottenham, Arsenal & even Liverpool, a team they scored two against, are all sides Birmingham have managed to put at least one past on the road this season, which isn’t a too bad early away C.V.

However, although they can score the odd away goal, they still aren’t earning nearly enough away points. Their away record currently stands at 1-1-4, which is dire, although, three of the four have come at extremely tough venues. Manchester United (1-0), Tottenham Hotspur (2-1) a game they were very unlucky to lose, and Arsenal (3-1), are all away games Birmingham lost.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Wolverhampton Wanderers W: 1 Birmingham City W: 1 Draws: 0

These two flirt all to often with relegation and this has shown in the amount of clashes between the two at Premiership level. 2004 was the last time these two met in the Premiership, but the pair played out two draws in the 2003/2004 season, with the game at Molineux ending 1-1. However, the pair have met a few times in the Championship recently, last season in fact, with Wolves beating Birmingham at St. Andrews but Birmingham did exact some form of revenge when they held Wolves to a 1-1 draw back at Molineux.  

Match Verdict:- Wolverhampton Wanderers to WIN – 2.50 Boylesports

We won’t tip this sort of result up all to often this season but if Wolves are going to win a handful of games this season then fixtures such as this should be snapped up. So far, Wolves haven’t shown an awful lot in their home fixtures but Birmingham haven’t been much cop on the road, either. If we’re completely honest, we couldn’t back anything in this game with any real confidence but for one reason or another, we can foresee a win for the home side. Wolves are good at creating decent chances at home, although converting them into goals has been a problem, but we feel they could just sneak a narrow result here, perhaps a 1-0 win.

Match Odds:

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 2.50 Boylesports

Draw – 3.30 Boylesports

Birmingham City – 3.20 WilliamHill

SoccerBetting Value Tip: 1-0 Correct Score – 8.00 Ladbrokes

Aston Villa V Tottenham Hotspur

Kick-off: Saturday 28th November – 17:30 GMT

Venue: Villa Park

TV Coverage: ESPN

Aston Villa

League Position: 5th

Recent Form: DDLWD

Martin O’Neill has asked his players to get tough in the brain as he feels his youthful squad still lacks the mental strength required to really compete at the highest level on a consistent basis. His objective for the season is simple, break into the top four and everyone at the club will reap the rewards. Their position of fifth and their points tally of 22 from a possible 39 means they are on course for a serious top four assault but will need to battle on gamely in the big encounters, and Saturday’s clash with nine-star Tottenham should provide everyone with a clear indication of just how serious Villa are this season.

We mustn’t disregard the fact that Villa have already shown up a few of the big boys already, beating both Liverpool (3-1), and Chelsea (2-1), both were stunning results in their own right. They gave Liverpool a good spanking at Anfield, one of the toughest venues on the Premiership circuit, while they had to claw back a one goal deficit against Chelsea to record their second successive victory over a ‘Top Four’ team.

However, against this years top four contenders, Villa have yet to get the better of any, drawing with both Man City (1-1) & Everton (1-1), although we suppose Everton are pretty much out of the running this season. Against City, Villa weren’t all that great, and it took an old City player to get on the score sheet and earn what was still a decent point. However, when it comes to these ‘Wannabe 4′ clashes, Villa need to start notching up the three points as the games do potential become six pointers, what with everyone so closely grouped.

At the moment, Villa are playing a chasing game with Spurs, despite being right behind them in the table. Villa are sat in fifth, a prominent position, but are three points adrift of Tottenham in fourth, the position they are desperate to get their hands on, so a win on Saturday is the only result that would lift them back into the top four. Even then, Villa would need to win big, which, considering Tottenham’s latest scoring spree, could be unlikely.

Villa have performed a whole lot better when playing in front of their home fans, although, God only knows why as it’s like a library at Villa Park at times. Their record at home stands at 4-1-1, with their only home defeat coming on the opening day of the season, perhaps when the players were too fresh and not battle hardened. It’s now been five home fixtures since Villa last tasted defeat, with four being victories, and Villa’s last two home outings ended in winning results – Chelsea (2-1) & Bolton (5-1).

Tottenham Hotspur

League Position: 4th

Recent Form: WLLWW

Tottenham fans will be on cloud nine this week(I’ve been dyeing to use that all week) after thumping Wigan Athletic 9-1 at White Hart Lane last Sunday. The venue may well be different and the opponents maybe a whole lot better but the objective is the same, to register all three points as they continue their surge up the table and into top four contention. For the time being, Tottenham are currently in one of the four spots everyone else wants to be in, whereas their opponents are hovering just outside so it’s down to Spurs to keep Villa at bay and possibly extend their advantage over a chasing Aston Villa. 

There is no getting away from how poor a side Wigan were on Sunday as they were nothing short of atrocious. However, we can’t take nothing away from Tottenham’s performance as they were superb from start to finish. With the exception of the Wigan goal, a dubious goal at that, Spurs were rarely troubled and virtually the entire game was spent in the Wigan half. The Spurs midfield dominated proceedings, with Huddlestone shipping out precise balls to both wingers, and then Aaron Lennon, who was lethal down the right, skinned his marker with ease, time and time again. The Wigan defence simply couldn’t handle the sheer pace and trickery of Lennon and it’s safe to say that is the best we’ve seen of Aaron Lennon to date. Hopefully he’ll push on with another stylish display against Villa on Saturday in front of the ESPN cameras. 

Jermaine Defoe did a bit of alright, too, scoring just the five goals. After 45 minutes without a goal, although not without plenty of wasted chances, Defoe found himself scoring goals for fun in the second half, tearing apart a fragile Wigan defence. His movement in combination with Aaron Lennon’s superb deliveries down the right was a delight to watch and those two could have a blossoming relationship forming.

Their stunning victory on Sunday was their second on the spin after they beat Sunderland 2-0 just before the break. However, their last away outing did end in misery when they went down 3-0 losers at Arsenal, so Harry Redknapp will expecting a much better display from his confident Spurs side at Villa Park, yet another tough venue to visit. On the road this season, Tottenham have an away record of 3-1-2, with all three of their away victories coming over teams near the very bottom. What’s more, The Tottenham defence still looks vulnerable and Gomes in the Spurs goal hasn’t kept a clean sheet on the road all season.

Tottenham’s attacking play last Sunday was a sheer delight to watch but we, amongst plenty others, still have reservations about their quality at the back. A big boost has been the return of Johnathan Woodgate but Spurs have recruited too many injury prone defenders to really enable a back four to gel. This has shown in their defensive record this season, especially when playing on the road. Wherever they may end up, Tottenham have never been afraid to attack, but this aggressive style of play leaves them exposed at the back and they’ve come unstuck on plenty of occasions thus far, and it could lead to their demise at Villa Park if they aren’t careful.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Aston Villa W: 3 Tottenham Hotspur W: 3 Draws: 4

This fixture is an even as they come in regards to recent encounters, although, an interesting trait from last season was that both sides managed to record away victories, with Villa winning 2-1 at White Hart Lane but falling to defeat by the same scoreline back at Villa Park.  

Villa’s recent record over Spurs at Villa Park isn’t the best, with Villa winning just one of the previous four matches against Spurs on home soil, that coming two seasons ago in a 2-1 win. 2-1 appears to be a popular scoreline it would seem.

Match Verdict:- Aston Villa to WIN – 2.55 Expekt

This is probably Villa’s biggest game of the season to date as a win would be huge considering it’s over a team who want to put their name into the top four equation, also. In the big games thus far, Villa have come up smelling roses, with victories over both Liverpool & Chelsea. Spurs, on the other hand, have only their opening day win over Liverpool to shout about, although, have suffered defeats at the hands of the remaining three top four in Arsenal, Chelsea & Manchester United. Spurs have been found wanting in the big games this season, whereas Aston Villa have come up trumps. A big game, one which should feature plenty of goalmouth action, but one we feel will go the way of the home side.

Match Odds:

Aston Villa – 2.55 Expekt

Draw – 3.40 Boylesports

Tottenham Hotspur – 3.00 SKyBet

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Draw/Aston Villa (Half-Time/Full-Time) – 6.00 WilliamHill

Wigan Athletic V Sunderland

Kick-off: Saturday 28th November – 15:00 GMT

Venue: The DW Stadium

Wigan Athletic

League Position: 15th

Recent Form: DWLDL

It’s surely got to have been a difficult week for the Wigan gaffer – Roberto Martinez? How does any group of players fully recover and digest such a spanking as the one they received last Sunday away at Tottenham Hotspur. Although this probably won’t be the highlight game with too many neutrals, we feel this will be an interesting fixture as we’re keen to see how Wigan respond after that humiliating result, and how Sunderland fare because they will know Wigan will have been seriously wounded and are certainly there for the taking now after that shoddy display at White Hart Lane.

To be completely honest, we don’t think we’ve seen too many dreadful team performances like the Wigan one on Sunday. They were awful, dreadful, dire and pathetic – all rolled into one nasty ball of dreadfulness. Midfield – Dormant, Defence – laughable, Goalkeeper – Actually pretty good, and that’s where the giggles begin. The best player on the park for Wigan was their goalie, a player who conceded a mammoth nine goals. However, he wasn’t to blame but more his woeful and lacklustre defence was. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many loose passes going astray from a defensive unit, or their lazy attitude towards closing players down. It was quite literally like they couldn’t be bothered, and that they were happy to receive their match appearance cheque and be gone with it – Awful! 

After such a resounding result, not many will touch Wigan this weekend with a barge pole. However, we mustn’t forget that they’re facing a Sunderland side who have recently claimed the scalp of another ‘Big Four’ side in Arsenal, a fine result but one they have epically failed to emulate the weekend after against the smaller fish. After Wigan’s 9-1 annihilation on Sunday, we think it’s safe to say that Wigan can now officially be classed as one of the leagues ’smaller fish’, but that could play into their hands against a Sunderland side who do have ‘cocky’ tendencies it would seem. 

If Wigan are to repay their fans for their support last weekend, not just in a complete, deserved refund, then they will need to work a whole lot harder then they did at White Hart Lane. Their midfield needs to actually keep hold of the ball for a sustained period of time, while their defence needs to learn the art of closing down and jockeying. However, at home is where Wigan usually lick their battle wounds and generally come up trumps after a wicked defeat. Of the four away defeats gone before, Wigan have yet to be beaten in a corresponding home fixture, winning two and drawing two, straight off the back of away defeats. What’s more intriguing, some have even been against good sides – Chelsea (3-1), Man City (1-1) & a tough Fulham (1-1).

Sunderland

League Position: 8th

Recent Form: WLDLW

Sunderland aren’t too dissimilar to Wigan in actual fact, in regards to whenever they do win a game they do tend to follow it up with a strange and bizarre result and performance. However, Black Cats followers will be praying this isn’t the case on Saturday as win could potential see them rise several place into the top six, an amazing feat for a club that barely clung onto their Premiership status last season. The improvements within the club are evident but there is still one terrible characteristics Sunderland will need to erase from their play before any of us can get too excited – Inconsistency! 

We feel sorry for you Sunderland fans at times, although not too much as we’re Liverpool fans and they aren’t much ‘Kop’ right now, either. However, back to Sunderland and summing up their annoying inconsistent nature. So far this season, Sunderland have won six games, five of which have come at home, which does mean their away record is very poor. 1-1-4 is how their away record looks thus far, with the one victory coming at Bolton on the opening day of the season, while they did earn a very respectable draw at Manchester United.

However, this is where all Sunderland should cower for cover. Sunderland’s weekend victory over the Gunners, Arsenal, was a sensational result and another result they can stick in their soon to be award winning dairy. However, the bad news is what generally follows thereafter. Sunderland are unbeaten at home in six outings, a very good run of results, five of which have been wins but immediately after winning at home, Sunderland have been asked to repeat the same in an away fixture and have failed miserably on each occasion. Of the five home wins thus far, three have been followed by an away defeat. If you disregard their weekend result against Arsenal, only once have Sunderland not fallen to an away defeat straight after a home success, that being a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford with Man Utd.

Steve Bruce has already pinpointed Sunderland’s bizarre inconsistency levels but he can’t quite put his finger on where it’s all going wrong. Well, there is certainly something spoiling the Sunderland cake as the Black Cats have lost on their last two away outings, falling to defeats at Birmingham City (1-0) and Tottenham Hotspur (2-0), failing to score a goal in both. Sunderland have actually failed to score in 50% of their away matches so far so perhaps it’s their attackers which are letting them down when playing on the road, although, Darren Bent has already netted nine goals this season. With three of those coming in away outings.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Wigan Athletic W: 3 Sunderland W: 1 Draws: 2

In the three consecutive seasons Wigan have been in the Premiership, they have boasted an unbeaten home record against the Black Cats, winning two and drawing one. However, the last encounter at The DW finished in a share of the spoils when the pair played out a 1-1 draw. Wigan did, however, win the previous two at The DW before that draw, both aided by clean sheets – 3-0 & 1-0.

Match Verdict:- Sunderland to WIN – 2.90 Bet365

The amount of times we’ve backed Sunderland straight after an immense home performance and result is beyond us but we’re going to plug on and keep the faith by backing them to do the business for the very first time on their travels this season. We wouldn’t touch Wigan if PaddyPower themselves begged us to gamble their own cash away. The Latic’s put in the worst performance from a Premiership club that I’ve seen for some time, perhaps even at the level of Derby County a few seasons back – Yes, that bad! Sunderland, however, have now been installed with battling qualities under Steve Bruce, while their forward play is getting them goal, unfortunately not too many have come on their travels of late. Nevertheless, against a team that conceded nine last weekend, Darren Bent should have a more enjoyable time on the road this time around and we fancy Sunderland, at decent odds we must say, to comply for the first time this season, away from home that is.

Match Odds:

Wigan Athletic – 2.50 Boylesports

Draw – 3.50 Coral

Sunderland – 2.90 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Darren Bent Anytime Goalscorer – 2.63 Boylesports

West Ham United V Burnley

Kick-off: Saturday 28th November – 15:00 GMT

Venue: Upton Park

West Ham United

League Position: 17th

Recent Form: DDWLD

It’s been a terrible start to the season for Gianfranco Zola & his Hammers side and matters didn’t improve a whole lot when they could only manage a draw away at Hull City, a team that were reduced to ten men during the second period. In fact, it was actually a dreadful result when you consider that West Ham took an early 2-0 lead before simply capitulating, shockingly going in at the break 3-2 down. The prices you would have got on Hull leading at half-time when they were 2-0 down would have been colossal, but Hull proved it was do-able and West Ham proved to us all that confidence, especially in their defence, isn’t all that high right now.

In thirteen league outings thus far, West Ham have managed just the two wins. A 2-0 victory away at Wolves on the opening day of the season and a 2-1 win over Aston Villa at Upton Park, winning 2-1. Just one of those came at home and West Ham’s home record now stands at 1-2-3, and their recent home defeat to Everton, losing 2-1, will have hindered West Ham’s recovery bid.

Although West Ham’s performances against Arsenal & Everton at home were far from satisfactory, the Hammers have generally played OK at Upton Park, although, those two games we just mentioned are two of the most recent and as the old adage goes “You’re only as good as your last game”, and if that’s to be true, West Ham’s credentials to win this very fixture have taken a serious dip. They have started to open another win less rut, the defeat to Everton and the draw with Hull now meaning West Ham haven’t won in two games.

If West Ham are to survive this season then they seriously need to start bolstering their points tally at home, in front of their loyal fans. Out of a possible eighteen, West Ham have managed to register just five points at home this season, and their league position of 19^th, one off the bottom, comes as no surprise. However, scoring hasn’t been a problem for them at Upton Park, managing ten already, but keeping it neat and tidy at the back has been. Robert Green has seen twelve fly past him in the six home fixtures to date, of which the England keeper has yet to register his first home clean sheet of the campaign.

Burnley

League Position: 10th

Recent Form: LLWDD

Burnley were warming up nicely to their tag of ‘Worst away team in the league’ before pulling a rabbit out of the hat with a superb point at The City of Manchester Stadium, home of Man City. That was Burnley’s most recent away outing, a 3-3 draw with free-spending City, but has that point simply plastered over their away cracks which had previously seen them lose five away games on the bounce. We shall certainly see as they travel to the Capital to take on an out-of-sorts West Ham side.

Burnley have been the surprise package this season, but have pretty much remained unwrapped on the road. In six away outings, Burnley have lost five of them, although their most recent was a scintillating 3-3 draw at Man City, a game they actually led 2-0 at one stage. Those three goals against Man City took their away goals for tally to a meagre five, whilst it’s done little to hide their abysmal away defensive record, having conceded 20 away goals already this season, a scary statistic for a club that were relegation favourites at the very beginning of the season.

Burnley’s defence is quite clearly what has let them down so far, especially when on their travels. However, we mustn’t forget to mention that their early away fixtures were torrid – Stoke City, Chelsea, Liverpool & then Tottenham. Those were Burnley’s opening four away fixtures so it’s no surprise that they struggled for away points and that their away defensive record looks shabby. However, that doesn’t let them off the hook as there is no excuse for bad performances and Burnley have generally performed bad on the road in our opinion. They don’t have too many problems creating chances, although scoring has been an apparent issue, but their defending at times has been woeful. 

0-1-5, their Win-Draw-Lose ratio on the road this season, while 5-20 is their Goals For & Against. Both make for hard reading, especially if you’re a Burnley supporter, but perhaps the 3-3 draw with Man City was a sign of things to come. A trip to face a struggling West Ham provides them with a glorious opportunity to not only bolster their dire away points tally of just one point, but also to notch up their first away win of the season. However, although they were superb in their last away outing, we can’t see them beating West Ham on their own patch, with the defence their Achilles heel at current.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

West Ham United W: 0 Burnley W: 0 Draws: 0

With this being Burnley’s first ever season in the Premiership, Saturday’s game will be the first these two have met in the English top flight, the Premiership that is. Both will be eager to get the ball rolling, though.

Match Verdict:- West Ham United to WIN – 1.85 Expekt

It’s been a stop-start season for West Ham up till now, mainly just stop, but they won’t get many easier opportunities to win a game of football in the league then a home fixture with a homesick Burnley side. If West Ham do want to keep hold of their Premiership status and steer well clear of the drop then they will need to win the vast majority of their home fixtures, especially against the very beatable side. Burnley certainly fall into that category and if they do fail to seize on this chance then serious questions need to be asked over whether Gianfranco Zola actually has what it takes to stick it out in a relegation scrap.

Match Odds:

West Ham United – 1.85 Expekt

Draw – 3.75 SportingBet

Burnley – 4.80 BetFred

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Over 3.5 Goals – 3.25 VCbet

Portsmouth V Manchester United

Kick-off: Saturday 28th November – 15:00 GMT

Venue: Fratton Park

Portsmouth

League Position: 20th

Recent Form: LDWLL

It will be difficult to back Portsmouth with any real confidence after the week they’ve had. The 1-0 defeat to Stoke City on Sunday led to the departure of Paul Hart, a manager who saved their bacon last season, and with their being a strong case that the Pompey players might struggle without the guidance of a real manager on the touchline, God only knows how they will perform without any influential figure leading them on. Paul Groves & Ian Woan will take over on a temporary basis for Saturday’s clash with Manchester United, while a full-time manager should be in place by this time next week, if not sooner.

Last Sunday saw Portsmouth lose their tenth game of the season, taking their losing average up to 77%. With this in mind, the sacking of Paul Hart probably won’t raise too many eyebrows but, although we were asking for his head at the very beginning of the season, we thought Portsmouth had turned a corner, with their performances steadily improving. However, it’s a cut-throat world today and it’s now a results business, and the points weren’t flooding in enough to keep Hart in a job.

Portsmouth have now lost their second successive game in the Premiership following their 1-0 defeat at Blackburn just before the international break. However, both of those did come away from their Southern venue – Fratton Park, a stadium where Portsmouth won on their last visit, a resounding 4-0 win over Wigan, a side who did, however, go on to lose 9-1 at the weekend, so perhaps that victory wasn’t as impressive as first thought. At Fratton Park, results on the pitch haven’t been great, far from great, with a record of 1-0-5. At first glance that will come across as a terrible record, and it is, but Portsmouth haven’t been on the wrong end of a home battering this season, with all five of those defeats coming by a one goal margin. 

This really is a situation where boys become men but it’s been one of the boys which has carried Portsmouth in recent weeks, and that’s been Tottenham’s, Jamie O’Hara. The English U21 international has been a revelation at the club since his loan switch but he has been about the only shining light in this relatively low quality and low budgeted Portsmouth squad. The slimness of squad and talent is already apparent and this should be evident once again on Saturday, with the absence of a natural born managerial leader now making matters whole lot worse for Portsmouth’s dire and distressing situation.

Manchester United

League Position: 2nd

Recent Form: WLWLW

Manchester United are firm favourites to notch up their second win in succession but, after losing on their previous two away outings, perhaps there will be a few doubters out there.. somewhere. Us, however, can’t see anything other then a United romp but who knows. The Red Devils did scrape through this fixture last season by the skin of their teeth, winning 1-0, but a more comfortable and comprehensive result is expected of them this time.

It’s imperative that United do obtain all three points, that’s the main objective after losing on their previous two away trips in the league. However, let’s not forget that both those outings were against two of the hardest teams in the league in Liverpool, losing 2-0, and Chelsea, losing 1-0. They were completely outplayed at Anfield but they were by far the better side at Stamford Bridge and the 1-0 defeat wasn’t a fair reflection on a game which United pretty much dominated. Still, even though those pair of defeats will have been disheartening, a trip to Portsmouth is a massive step down in class and United shouldn’t be troubled all that often at Fratton Park – that’s the plan anyway.

We were really disappointed with United in midweek, mainly with Alex Ferguson, as it was a golden opportunity for their youngsters and some of their fringe players to really shine and put their name in the frame for a possible starting berth in this fixture. The starting line up basically consisted of United’s young crop, neither of which impressed, and the defeat was an embarrassing one come the end. Still, it was a nothing game for United and we haven’t took too much notice of it, although, it may have halted some of the momentum after their 3-0 win over Everton last Saturday.

Man Utd’s away record has taken a battering in recent weeks, with it now standing at 3-0-3, but if you disregard their two defeats to Liverpool & Chelsea, as they are far better teams then Portsmouth, then United have faired extremely well. Stoke City (0-2), Tottenham Hotspur (1-3) & Wigan Athletic (1-5), were all dispatched with ease, with United scoring ten away goals thus far. Wayne Rooney has been United’s main man up front, scoring seven league goals, but he’s now gone two games without a goal so we expect Rooney to be extra motivated and as hungrier then ever this Saturday.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Portsmouth W: 2 Manchester United W: 7 Draws: 1

The fact that Portsmouth have two victories to their name is an achievement in itself considering the position they are currently in and the stature of their opponents. However, Portsmouth last win over the Red Devils came three years ago in a 2-1 success at Fratton Park, the venue for Saturdays encounter. Somewhat surprisingly, United have won just twice in six visits to Fratton Park, although the most recent came last season in a narrow 1-0 victory. United have dominated back on home soil so Fratton Park is the only place where Portsmouth have managed to close the gap on the formidable English side.

Match Verdict:- Manchester United to WIN – 1.40 BlueSquare

If Portsmouth do manage to work their socks off and earn a point, or even more, then fair play to them because coming out of this fixture with anything to show for their efforts will take some doing. However, we, unfortunately, cannot see this happening and if Portsmouth aren’t careful, a United romp could be on the cards. With the manager being relived of his duties in midweek, the confident within the Pompey dressing can’t be too great, while United’s, after their resounding 3-0 victory over Everton last weekend, will be eager to get back to winning ways on the road and they don’t usually pass up these types of glorious opportunities.

Match Odds:

Portsmouth – 10.00 Bet365

Draw – 5.00 SkyBet

Manchester United – 1.40 BlueSquare

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Manchester United to WIN to NIL – 2.10 totesport

Manchester City V Hull City

Kick-off: Saturday 28th November – 15:00 GMT

Venue: The City of Manchester Stadium

Manchester City

League Position: 11th

Recent Form: WLLWW

Man City didn’t dwell too much on their Burnley misery just before the International break, a 3-3 draw with the Clarets at home, and, although a point against Liverpool at Anfield will be seen by most as a valuable and creditable point, everyone involved with City probably won’t be thinking the same as the 2-2 draw away at Liverpool stretched their unwanted drawing run to six games. However, you can look at this run in two ways. It can be one that’s very annoying and frustrating that City can’t seem to win a game at present, but, on the other hand, you can look at it that City haven’t been beaten in six games. The latter one sounds better but the first one is more critical so perhaps we’ll go with that one?!

Whichever statement we prefer, it shouldn’t matter all that much as this should be a three point banker for Mark Hughes and his gold plated squad. As Hull begin their trip to Manchester, those who were at the club last season, City that is, will remember Hull’s previous arrival all too fondly as it resulted in a comfortable 5-1 victory for the richest club in the world. A similar result wouldn’t be at all surprising and it certainly wouldn’t go miss given City’s recent drawing habit.

City may have drawn their previous six but just two have actually come when playing in front of their home fans, although, both were games were City had the lead at one point and blew it. They were 2-0 up against Fulham before eventually drawing 2-2, while they were a mere minute away from claiming all the spoils before Burnley scored a late equaliser in a 3-3 thriller. Surprisingly, it was City’s shocking defending that cost them big points in both and the fact that City have kept just one clean sheet in their previous nine outings is a big cause for concern considering they have spent big sums of cash on their defence in recent seasons.

Mark Hughes will be desperate to guide his squad back to winning ways and to their first home win after failing on their previous two attempts. No club wants a home voodoo to kick in and their home rut should come to an abrupt end on Saturday against a dreadful Hull City team. City are expected to win, and win well, so the only possible negative is how the City players handle the added pressure of knowing they should definitely win. We think they’ll cope well, mainly because Hull are a dire team at current, and if the City players do pass this golden opportunity up then they’ll be kicking themselves all week as their next home fixture is a game with Chelsea!

Hull City

League Position: 9th

Recent Form: WWDLW

Just like Man City, Hull are surprising plenty with their recent run of results, although, Hull’s is for a good reason. A home victory over Stoke City, followed by a 3-3 draw with West Ham and a big 3-2 win over Everton, now means Hull are unbeaten in their last three league outings, an amazing achievement for a club beckoned with relegation. However, now to deflate all you hyped up Hull fans. All three of those undefeated games came at The KC Stadium, and Hull are on a dreadful away run of four successive defeats, five for the season, and have yet to record an away win.

We don’t like to rule any side out of the running before a ball has even been kicked because, more times than not, we end up looking prats. However, I would, quite literally, eat my own hat if Hull beat City in Manchester. Their away form is dire, their goal record on the road is abysmal, while their performances away from their beloved KC Stadium have left a lot to be desired. They have an 84% away losing average after losing five of their opening six away encounters, while they are shipping, on average, nearly three goals a game.

Don’t turn away just yet as it does get worse. Hull’s two most recent away outings, games at Burnley & Fulham, has seen them fail to score in both, losing 2-0, Yep, in both! On the road, Hull City have found the opposing net just four times, well below a goal a game, while they are leaking goals like a sieve. I kid you not, my local cricket team would even score a handful of goals against Hull City. Eleven games ago was when Hull last won an away fixture in the league, that being a narrow 1-0 success over Fulham, while they’ve lost on nine of their previous eleven outings. Yep, I told you it would get worse.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Manchester City W: 1 Hull City W: 0 Draws: 1

With the pair meeting for the very first time last season, it’s Man City who have taken the lead in the Head-to-Head counter after smashing Hull City 5-1 at The City of Manchester, a game which some say ruined Hull’s season and started their demise as they went on a dire run after Christmas. It was also the match which seen Hull manager, Phil Brown, give his half-time rant on the pitch in a public act of disapproval at his players below par performance. He was heavily criticised for that and we doubt fans within the City stadium will be treated to such a spectacle this time around.

Match Verdict:- Manchester City to WIN – 1.30 Boylesports

I’m setting myself up for one might big fall here but I’m very confident City will end their drawing rut against what is a dreadful Hull side. If City want to be strutting their stuff in the Champions League next season then it’s imperative that they win games of this calibre. Hull are seriously struggling, especially on the road. Their defence has been diabolical, while their attackers have actually gone lost – Let me know if you see Geovanni anywhere. City, after a morale boosting point at Liverpool, a game they probably could have won, should take all the beating here and we expect them to not only win but win at a cantor. Famous last words!

Match Odds:

Manchester City – 1.30 Boylesports

Draw – 5.50 PaddyPower

Hull City – 13.00 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Roque Santa Cruz to Score 2 or more – 8.00 SkyBet

Fulham V Bolton Wanderers

Kick-off: Saturday 28th November – 15:00 GMT

Venue: Craven Cottage

Fulham

League Position: 12th

Recent Form: WDWDL

It’s that not so old conundrum where just about every team in the Premiership aims to finish in the European place but, once they get their, don’t actually want to be in the competition itself unless it’s the best of the best – The Champions League. The Europa League, the second tier of European’s elite footballing competition, hasn’t been shown the utmost respect by managers of late, especially those in England, and Roy Hodgeson has maintained that trend by fielding relatively weak squads in most of Fulham’s European encounters so far. However, it is a fine balancing act and it’s one he must keep under control with Premiership outings immediately after European ventures nowadays.

However, although some clubs were in European action in midweek, those in the Europa League were given the week off and that should benefit Fulham ahead of their home encounter with Bolton Wanderers. With Fulham now without a win in two games, the European rest bite will have been welcomed with open arms by manager, Roy Hodgeson. The Fulham gaffer has already stated on several occasions this season that the league is the clubs main priority and that obtaining a reasonable finish, roundabouts the mid-table area, is the objective. Their early season form does indicate that they could be there or thereabouts but consistency is still an issue for the Cottagers, although there have been signs of improvements in that area. 

Although the defeat will have left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Fulham players, they can be proud of the fact that the 1-0 loss at Birmingham City on Saturday was their first in well over a month. They were previously unbeaten in five league outings, a run which included three successive away draws but also two impressive home victories, one of which came over Liverpool, winning 3-1. The latter was their last encounter at Craven Cottage so the players, after spending two of their last three fixture on the road, and will arrive back to the Cottage with happy memories after recently beating Blackburn Rovers 3-0.

Craven Cottage maybe one of the smaller stadiums in the Premiership but Fulham are converting the Cottage into a mini-fortress at current. Thus far, six fixtures have been played at the home of Fulham, with the Cottagers boasting a home record of 4-0-2. The two defeats do damage what is a fine home record as both those came in form of narrow defeats to two of the so called ‘Big Four’. They lost 2-0 to Chelsea whilst they were might unfortunate to lose 1-0 against Arsenal, a game where they battered the former champions from start to finish. Nevertheless, those games haven’t had a lasting affect on the spirit within the camp as Fulham have beaten everything but since, with wins over Everton (2-1), Hull City (2-0), Blackburn (3-0) and the best of them all – Liverpool (3-1).

Also, Roy Hodgeson could welcome back both Danny Murphy & Andrew Johnson from injury, with the pair already taking part in training sessions with the first team. That will be a welcome boost for Hodgeson, especially Murphy, who is the clubs current captain, while Johnson’s pace has been an asset Fulham have sorely missed.

Bolton Wanderers

League Position: 18th

Recent Form: LWLLL

After a miserable weekend, Gary Megson will send his troops into battle once more in a bid to not only make amends for their shoddy performance last Sunday but also to avenge the defeat they suffered at the hands of Fulham last season, losing 2-1 at Craven Cottage. To be brutally honest, Bolton haven’t fared at all well in recent clashes with Fulham, especially those in London, and after a poor performance last weekend, surely Fulham are the bet to be on here?

Bolton fans will be hoping that’s not the case as another defeat at the hands of Fulham would be their third in a row at Craven Cottage, but also their fourth defeat on the spin in the league, following defeats at home to Chelsea (4-0), away at Aston Villa (5-1), and their 2-0 demise at home to Blackburn last Sunday. It really has been a dire run of results, with Bolton not only failing to pick up any points since late October, but also shipping a large amount of goals. Since receiving a battering by Chelsea, Jussi Jaaskelainen has seen his net bulge on eleven occasions in just three outings. Whilst the Bolton forwards have managed just the solitary goal in return.

Surprisingly, Bolton have fared slightly better on the road this season, winning a game more while on their travels and earning a point more, also. However, both their victories have come over fairly ordinary opponents, while their last two away trips have resulted in two defeats. However, with the exception of their thumping at Villa Park, losing 5-1, they have been a solid outfit on the road this season, even pushing Manchester United all the way, albeit in vein, losing 2-1 at Old Trafford. Only once in five away ventures have Bolton failed to score, that being a 1-0 defeat to Hull City, so there are some positives for the Bolton manager to take on board, although last Sunday’s display might just have erased those positive thoughts.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Fulham W: 5 Bolton Wanderers W: 3 Draws: 2

Fulham don’t only sneak ahead in the head-to-head counter between the two but they’ve also been far superior at Craven Cottage, with Bolton without a win at the Cottage in their previous ten visits and counting. Since Fulham joined the Premiership back in 2001, they have beaten Bolton at Craven Cottage on seven of the eight occasions they’ve met in league action. That’s an impressive feat for the Cottagers at the Cottage.

To be fair, Bolton haven’t faired much better back at The Reebok, with Gary Megson’s side failing to beat Fulham in their last two encounters at The Reebok. That does mean that Bolton haven’t beaten Fulham in four league meetings, losing three and drawing just the one

Match Verdict:- Fulham to WIN – 2.00 WilliamHill

A win for Fulham would be their second in quick succession and their fourth home win in a row, where they to record all three points. Craven Cottage is generally where Fulham play their best football and obtain the most of their points, and we expect this home trend to continue into Saturday with another vital set of three points. Bolton were dreadful at the weekend, and that miserable defeat can only demoralise a camp. Now Bolton are closing in on the bottom three and, although this is usually when Bolton come out fighting, they could be on the wrong end of yet another knock-out at Craven Cottage.

Match Odds:

Fulham – 2.00 WilliamHill

Draw – 3.50 Bet365

Bolton Wanderers – 4.30 VCbet

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Fulham to WIN to NIL – 3.30 PaddyPower

Blackburn Rovers V Stoke City

Kick-off: Saturday 28th November – 15:00 GMT

Venue: Ewood Park

Blackburn Rovers

League Position: 11th

Recent Form: WLLWW

Blackburn have bounced back from a difficult start to the season by not only winning their first away game of the season, but also winning their first back-to-back games since September last year. After hearing this, it’s pretty clear that Rovers have struggled for consistency and this has certainly been the case this season, especially on the road, but perhaps their 2-0 victory at The Reebok will have lifted their spirits and Blackburn have a glorious opportunity to string together their first three wins on the spin since way back in April, 2008.

The win at The Reebok, against a normally strong Bolton outfit at home, was a huge result as the away voodoo was beginning to grow after previously failing to win on the road in five attempts this season, although it’s ten if you count their away results at the end of last season. That’s now a big chip off Blackburn’s shoulders and they will also be boosted by the news that their manager, Sam Allardyce, maybe at the game after his heart surgery.

At home, Ewood Park, Blackburn have been a force to be reckoned with, winning four on the bounce. Victories over Wolves (3-1), Aston Villa (2-1), Burnley (3-2) & Portsmouth (3-1), has seen Rovers pick up twelve points from a possible eighteen at home this term, with a defeat to Man City and the draw with West Ham their early slip ups at home this season. However, they didn’t dwell on their early setbacks and have come on strong ever since. They are averaging nearly two goals a game at Ewood Park, although, they are shipping a fair few in return. Also, Blackburn may have won their previous four home encounters but they failed to keep a clean sheet in either, so there is definitely room for improvements.

If Blackburn can maintain their early home form then they should be very hard to stop, let alone beat. However, they were sent crashing back down to earth on Wednesday with yet another away defeat, this time at Craven Cottage, losing 2-0 to Fulham. We did think that perhaps their weekend success at Bolton may have lifted their travelling spirits but that clearly hasn’t been the case. However, a trip back home could be what they need to mend a few broken hearts and lick a few wounds.

Stoke City

League Position: 9th

Recent Form: WWDLW

The win at the weekend will have done the Stoke camp a world of good after previously failing to win in their last two attempts. In what wasn’t the best of contests, Stoke managed to grind out a hard fought and, at times, fortunate victory, and the three points has lifted them straight back into the top ten. However, they will need to keep up this winning trend if they want to remain in the upper tier of the table as the competition for places starts to hot up.

Ricardo Fuller scored his first goal of the season at the weekend, and what a goal it was. However, he hasn’t been anywhere near the level Tony Pulis demands from him and neither have the rest of the strikers for that matter, with Stoke managing just 13 goals this season, of which just four have come on the road. That is certainly a cause for concern as they head to Ewood Park to face a stubborn and resilient Blackburn side. What’s more, their record on the road isn’t all that great, either, with their only away success this season coming in the form of a narrow and surprise 1-0 victory at Tottenham, a team who scored nine last Sunday. Make of that what you will.

Stoke’s away record this term stands at 1-3-2, with draws an ever growing occurrence. Birmingham, Bolton & Everton are all sides Stoke have drawn against on the road this season, some of which are teams very similar to their opponents on Saturday. In terms of a physical match up, Stoke could actually find their match in Blackburn, and it could be another case of defending in numbers and hopefully taken their chances, either on the break or from set-pieces, although, they may well struggle to score from set-plays against a strong and tall Blackburn side.

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

Blackburn Rovers W: 1 Stoke City W: 1 Draws: 0

It’s honours even so far as both teams won their respective home encounters last season. Blackburn recorded a 3-0 win at Ewood Park while Stoke sneaked a narrow 1-0 victory at The Brittania. In both meetings, the away side failed to score so perhaps a pattern is starting to form, although, it’s still early days with this game on Saturday being just their third Premiership meeting.

Match Verdict:- Blackburn Rovers to WIN – 1.95 Boylesports

Against the average teams in the league, Blackburn have been clinical at home and it should be a case of the same as they travel back to Lancashire to face Stoke City. Blackburn’s home record is probably what will keep them in the league judging by their early away showings, and games of this magnitude take on greater significance as, come the end of the season, it could perhaps become a six-pointer. With the Lancashire fans rallying Rovers on, we fancy to amend for their Wednesday woes with a well earned victory at home to Stoke in what will be a tough game, nevertheless.

Match Odds:

Blackburn Rovers – 1.95 Boylesports

Draw – 3.40 Bet365

Stoke City – 4.30 Coral

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Blackburn Rovers (Half-Time/Full-Time) – 3.20 StanJames