Sunderland V Stoke City

Sunday, 31^st January – 20:00 GMT (ESPN)

Sunderland

League Position: 13th

Recent Form: LDDLL

Steve Bruce has been doing his utmost in getting Sunderland off this win-less track, attempting to solve this bizzare Sunderland riddle, but to no avail. Yet another defeat, this time at Goodison Park to Everton, extended their win drought to nine games leaving the Black Cats without a league win since the middle of November. Sunderland are desperate for a piece of luck, or a bit of good fortune, anything that will end this disastrous run of form as Sunderland’s season rapidly turns from bad to worse as now the relegation zone looms over them.

For now, Sunderland are five positions above the drop zone but there is just three points separating them from Burnley in 18^th position. A defeat on Monday, in front of the ESPN cameras, what would be their twelfth of the campaign, would see yet more sides leapfrogging them in the table. A win, however, would see them jump above their match day opponents, Stoke, into 12^th position and put some breathing space between them and the drop, which is imperative for Sunderland after they spent a fair bit during the summer and relegation from the Premiership is unthinkable.   

Sunderland were very poor on Wednesday when they crashed to their second defeat in succession at Everton. The 2-0 defeat came a little over a week after they were thumped 7-2 by Chelsea, and that thumping clearly had an impact, a negative one, as the Black Cats were poor at Goodison Park and didn’t cause Tim Howard in the Everton goal anywhere near enough problems. However, that was the first time they had failed to find the net in four games, even putting two past Chelsea, and so perhaps the confidence has even been drained from their main asset, their inform striker Darren Bent.

Bent, who has been head and shoulders above the rest at Sunderland this season, has 14 league goals to his name and is going through an enjoyable spell under Steve Bruce. The England hopeful has scored some big goals for Sunderland this season, scoring his sides winner against both Arsenal & Liverpool, and now Steve Bruce needs his most expensive Sunderland signing to come good once again with a goal or two on Monday night. Bent has scored in three of his last four starts at The Stadium of Light and should be a good bet to bolster his tally for the season at home to Stoke City, although winning the game is far more important.

Stoke City

League Position: 12th

Recent Form: LLLWD

Stoke will be full of confidence after putting two fabulous results under their belts. Their last appearance in the league was a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at The Brittania, while they bettered that result by beating Arsenal 3-1 in the FA Cup last Saturday, also at The Brittania. Both were sensational results, more the latter in fairness, but now Stoke go on their travels seeking out their first away win since October. The Potters have also won just once in eight so their situation in regards to winning league games isn’t too dissimilar to Sunderland.  

This is a big game for Stoke as defeat would see them fall at least one position, possibly more depending on other results over the weekend. The Potters are currently two points above Sunderland in the table and would only need a draw to keep Sunderland at bay. However, a win just might be enough to lift them back into the top half of the table and that’s a worthy incentive for any side. However, to do so they will need to double their away tally, with Stoke’s only away victory for the season coming at Tottenham, of all the places.

Stoke have struggled to adapt to life on the road this season and their one, solitary away victory simply highlights their inability to win games away from fortress Britannia. In fact, it’s got so bad for Stoke on the road that they’ve now lost three away games on the spin after suffering defeats at Arsenal (2-0), Aston Villa (1-0) and Man City (2-0). It must be said that all three were tough venues and games they didn’t stand a great chance of getting a lot from but the concern for us is their poor goalscoring ratio. In ten outings thus far, Stoke have found the net just four times. A tally even worse than Portsmouth and that takes some doing. Their last away strike was at The KC, home of a hapless Hull City, whilst it’s been a little under 390 minutes since Stoke fans last celebrated an away goal.

Stoke’s away form is terrible but Sunderland have lost their swagger in recent weeks and so Stoke could be the ideal team to give them a knock-out blow. Still, we don’t fancy their chances, Stoke’s that is, in this game as their lack of fire-power should tell in this contest as we feel they will need to outscore Sunderland, and we can’t see that happening. For Stoke to knick a result they would need to keep Sunderland at bay for the full 90 minutes. Keep an inform Darren Bent quiet in front of his own fans – Very unlikely. Stoke may have a physical edge going into this encounter but they look understrength in the forward department and could be overpowered at The Stadium of Light.

Match Verdict: Sunderland to WIN – 2.15 BlueSquare

Stoke, who have lost their last three away league games, are there for the taking for Sunderland to finally end their dire run without a win in the league. It’s been far too long, nine games in fact, since Sunderland last came out of a Premiership fixture victorious and they won’t get many better opportunities to win a game of football all season than a home fixture with a poor travelling Stoke. If we’re honest, we feel two goals would be enough to seal the win as Stoke have been woeful in front of goal away from home this season, and with Darren Bent scoring in three of his last three home appearances, we fancy Sunderland to put their win less run to bed.

Match Odds:

Sunderland – 2.15 BlueSquare

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Stoke City – 3.80 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Darren Bent FGS – 5.50 totesport

Arsenal V Manchester United

Sunday, 31^st January – 16:00 GMT (Sky Sports 1)

Arsenal

League Position: 3rd

Recent Form: WDWWD 

A fixture which will really test the resolve of Arsenal and will give us a quick assessment on how The Gunners will fare in this race for the title. Arsenal’s last encounter with a ‘Top Four’ team was that emphatic home defeat with Chelsea, losing 3-0 at The Emirates. At the time, mainly because of the manner in which Arsenal lost that day, most punters and pundits alike were writing Arsenal completely off in the title race and who could blame them after what was an abysmal display. However, they’ve replied magnificently and have since not fallen to a single league defeat, going ten games unbeaten and jumping right back into the title equation.  

The positive factor for Arsenal fans is that their record at home of late is strong, with four wins from their last five home fixtures. However, there are now a few negatives, with one being their recent setback away at Villa Park in which they were held by an Aston Villa side which pushed them closed for the best part of the last season for a Champions League berth, drawing 0-0 at Villa Park last Wednesday. It was a game where either side could have won as both had chances to win the game, but neither had that cutting edge in the final third of the pitch and the draw was a fair result come the end.

However, it was Arsene Wenger who was more disgruntled with the result as he bemoaned Martin O’Neill’s ‘Route 1 & Physical’ style of play in that encounter and claimed Villa got their tactics spot on as Villa didn’t allow his own players to play their own breed of football. To be honest, we felt Arsenal’s players showed a lack of immaturity as they didn’t adapt quickly enough to Villa’s aggressive style on the night, and by that we mean Villa’s obsessive closing down. It was also a poor act on Wenger’s part as you can’t expect to play in the same manner for each and every game, and that the need for a mix-up in style and tactics is always needed in the Premiership.

Our next rant, although this one is smaller, is Arsenal’s poor start in their previous home encounter with Bolton Wanderers. The Gunners were sluggish out of the blocks in their home fixture with Bolton and quickly found themselves two goals down with less than 20 minutes on the clock. They made such a sloppy start that it was beyond belief to see Bolton go two up within minutes, and if they started in the same fashion on Sunday, they would almost certainly be punished. They did, however, pull off a stunning comeback when they eventually ran out comfortable 4-2 winners, but their lacklustre start to the game did concern us and does leave them exposed as the Red Devils come to town.

Arsenal’s home record: 9-1-1.  

The Emirates has brought about a huge chunk of Arsenal’s points this season, with nine of their fifteen league wins coming at home. They’ve also suffered just the one home defeat all season, although that was in their first home encounter against one of the so called ‘Big Four’ this season, losing 3-0 as Arsenal put in one of their poorest displays of the campaign.

Goals For: 34 Goals Against: 11 

As you can see, Arsenal have been prolific in front of goal at The Emirates but have been equally as impressive at the back, conceding just eleven goals in eleven home games. They are averaging over 3 goals a game at home this season and have only once failed to find the opposing goal; that in their solitary home defeat thus far to Chelsea. 

Top Goalscorer: Cesc Fabregas – 11 League Goals

The Spaniard has been the driving success behind this recent Arsenal surge and has often been their saviour in games Arsenal look destined to drop points in. On current form, Fabregas would be up their in the top three of the worlds best players as his slick interchanging, superb vision when on the ball and sleek finishing is just too hot to handle for some sides. With Arsene Wenger suffering plenty of attacking injuries, Eduardo being his most recent injury abseentee, Fabregas has risen to the challenge and has four more league goals than anyone else in the Arsenal squad. An incredible achievement for a midfielder.

Manchester United

League Position: 2nd

Recent Form: WWDWW

It’s a Manchester United side buoyed by their Carling Cup semi-final success that heads down to the capital on Sunday in a game they too must win in order to retain some pressure on the league leaders, Chelsea. The Red Devils shown a lot of heart in their 3-1 defeat of Man City on Wednesday night and they’ll require plenty of the same if they are to record another colossal victory at The Emirates and send Arsenal to their first league defeat in ten games.  

Sir Alex thought Wayne Rooney put in a ‘World Class’ performance on Wednesday night and we wouldn’t disagree with those comments. The England forward was at the heart of everything good with United’s play and it was fitting that he grabbed United’s third and eventual winner. To be fair, though, United as a team played extremely well and were the better side for most parts. The first half was a drab affair but United really took it to City in the second half, creating plenty of chances and United could of scored four or five with some clinical and composed finishing. However, it was their midfield which impressed me the most, in the second half that is, as they bombed forward when in attack, in numbers, and they had City camped in their own half for most of the second period.

If United can replicate their second half display into their match with Arsenal on Sunday then we should be in for a real treat as Arsenal will attack United at every opportunity, and so, ideally, we would like United to do the same. However, the Red Devils haven’t fared at all well in away fixtures with the ‘Top Four’ this season, having lost at both Chelsea & Liverpool, both to NIL. Moreover, United haven’t won at Arsenal since their thrilling 4-2 victory at Highbury back in 2005. They have since failed in their last four attempts to overhaul Arsenal on Gunners territory, drawing twice and losing twice. 

United’s form away from home this season hasn’t been the best but they too have a decent unbeaten run under their belts and haven’t lost a league fixture in five games. A run which started shortly after Christmas. However, United have been found wanting on a few away occasions this season and none more so than in their fixtures with Chelsea & Liverpool. At Anfield, United were extremely poor and never threatened the Liverpool goal. They were more lively in their Stamford Bridge encounter, creating a few openings, but their finishing was poor on the day and were punished for their striking arrogance. A defeat at The Emirates would send United to their third ‘Big Four’ defeat of the season and leave them without a point on their travels against the ‘Top Dogs’.

Manchester United away record: 6-1-4

It’s rare to see so many defeats on the road for the mighty Red Devils but what stands out more was the scoreline in each of their four away defeats. In all four, United failed to score in all of them, losing to NIL with Burnley (1-0), Liverpool (2-0), Chelsea (1-0) and Fulham (3-0). You don’t often associate Man Utd with a blunt attacking line but that has been the case this season, with Wayne Rooney their only bright spark for them in attack. They are, though, unbeaten in their last two away fixtures, having scrambled a draw at Birmingham in their last away encounter and earning a 3-1 victory at Hull City just after Christmas.

Goals For: 22 Goals Against: 11

United’s away record this term may not look sharp but they still boast an impressive away goal difference of + 11. However, United haven’t kept an away clean sheet since their 4-0 rout of West Ham at Upton Park on 5th December, and have since seen Fulham (3Gls), Hull City (1Gl) and Birmingham City (1Gl) score against them. The positive for them, however, is the form of Wayne Rooney and you would feel a big performance is required from their most expensive and influential player on Sunday.

Top Goalscorer: Wayne Rooney – 19 League Goals

With a staggering 19 league goals for the season, Wayne Rooney is not only Man Utd’s leading goalscorer but he is also leading the way in the Premiership. Five in front of his nearest challenger, Sunderland’s Darren Bent. Without Rooney, United arguably would be a good four of five positions further down the table, such has been his importance to the United cause this season with both his goals and his performances in a United shirt. He has worked his socks off even when others haven’t even bothered to turn up and if he’s not scoring the goals you’ll often see him turn provider. He doesn’t shy away from the action, is always wanting the ball and will take some stopping on Saturday after scoring a staggering four goals in his last outing in the league, slipping four past Hull City.

Match Verdict: Manchester United to WIN – 3.00 WilliamHill / Interwetten

We didn’t want to bottle it on the prediction and opted against sitting on the fence by backing United to overhaul Arsenal at The Emirates. The United camp will be buoyed by their Carling Cup success and the prospect of yet another Carling Cup final in February. However, the difference for us is Wayne Rooney and the scintillating form he is in. He has been deadly in front of goal of late and is in one of his ‘unstoppable’ moods. We fancy Rooney to be in the thick of the action in this contest in what should be a tightly contested fixture. Arsenal’s best chance of winning this game will depend solely on the performance of Cesc Fabregas, Arsenal best player by a country mile this season. However, Arshavin has a knack of scoring in the big games and did scores Arsenal’s first at Old Trafford in a 2-1 loss and their winner at Anfield in a 2-1 win against Liverpool.

It’s wide open, but we’d rather cheer on one side than simply play for the draw. Flip a coin if you must as this should be a close affair.

Match Odds:

Arsenal – 2.60 Bet365 or WilliamHill

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Manchester United – 3.00 Interwetten 

 [Update 31 Jan: the odds on Man United have fallen, the best odds available now is 2.85 at Expekt]

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Wayne Rooney FGS – 7.00 BetFred

Manchester City V Portsmouth

Sunday, 31^st January – 13:30 GMT (Sky Sports 1)

Manchester City

League Position:

Recent Form:

All eyes will be on Man City as they aim to avoid a cup hangover by beating the Premierships bottom-feeders, Portsmouth, at The City of Manchester Stadium. The defeat to Man Utd on Wednesday will be a bitter blow but they couldn’t of asked for an easier fixture to make q quick recovery in then a home fixture with Portsmouth. However, while this should be a three point banker, with even us thinking along the same lines, we mustn’t get too carried as minds could be forgiven for going astray after their midweek Carling Cup downfall.

City put their heart and soul into their two-legged tie with Manchester United in the Carling Cup in which a Wembley final date would have been their reward for success. However, despite winning the first leg, City crashed out after a poor showing at Old Trafford and the manner in which they lost, a 90^th minute Wayne Rooney header, will have hurt the players and could leave a lasting scar that could linger for weeks to come. However, some wise heads are needed to overcome this obstacle as there is still the small matter of securing Champions League football via a top four finish.

It’s so important that Mancini gets the defeat to United out of their system as they can’t afford to dwell on the disappointment. A home fixture with Portsmouth looks an ideal recovery game for them but it could be a double edged sword in that Man City may not be as motivated beforehand as they should be, or like they would have been before say a Man Utd or a Chelsea clash. This is a factor and something they need to avoid at all costs as three points would put City firmly back in the hunt for a top four finish. What is still their main objective for the season.

With the Carling Cup defeat to one side – City should be far too strong and powerful for this hapless Pompey side. They remain as one of two teams in the league yet to lose at home this season, going ten unbeaten in Manchester, and are boosted by a four match winning streak at home. Moreover, City have found scoring a breeze at home in recent outings, scoring twelve goals in this four match winning run of theirs, although they did manage just one clean sheet in the process. Still, this should be another routine win for City. If not then questions will be asked over their mental toughness as a team.

Portsmouth

League Position:

Recent Form:

Portsmouth will be hoping to capitalize on City’s recent misfortunes by adding to their woes in the league. However, perhaps Pompey are getting ahead of themselves as even as beleaguered City sides looks too strong for them, especially as Pompey’s away record this season stands in at a measly 1-2-7. Their solitary away league win seemingly came an age ago now and they require a minor miracle to double their away tally for the season at The City of Manchester.

If you want Portsmouth to win, which basically is just the small minority of Portsmouth fans out there, then you’re asking a lot. To demand a win at Man City is audacious considering they’ve failed to win at home in their last two. One being against a relegation struggler like themselves. They’ve not managed a league win in three, while their last was an impressive 2-0 home win against Liverpool, but what’s more alarming is that their only away success for the season came way back at the very beginning of October when they beat Wolves 1-0. That win is hardly frightening form for Pompey and they failed to use it efficiently, either, failing to reach the same feat since, going six away games without a win. 

There are half-a-dozen teams that can be put in a category named simply as ‘dreadful away from home’ and Portsmouth would fall into that category. In ten away outings only three times have they avoided a defeat but they have fallen to four defeats in their last five away ventures, leaving them in all sorts of problems in regards to their league predicament at the bottom. They shipped 16 goals away from home this season whilst scoring a pathetic five in return and they look a club destined for the drop it would seem and destined for another away pounding.

The plus point for Avram Grant, the Pompey manager, is the return of some of his African players; Aruna Dindane the more notable returnee, but he’s been hit n’ miss throughout the season and will do little to help their cause this Saturday.

Match Verdict: Man City to WIN – 1.30 Bet365

Anything other than a comfortable win would raise a few eyebrows, although a slip up just might be on the cards if City don’t brush their Carling Cup defeat under their carpet. It’s a lousy competition anyway as no-one cares an awful lot about it, whereas the Champions League is where it’s at these days and a win on Saturday could put them in the driving seat as they hold two games in hand over the rest. As far as this game goes, City have to win in order to keep the pressure on the top four challengers. They simply can’t afford to pass up this type of game where all three points should be a given. Their attacking prowess, aided by the return of Adebayor, should be enough to overhaul a Portsmouth side capable of capitulation in any game.

Match Odds:

Manchester City – 1.30 Bet365

Draw – 5.50 SkyBet

Portsmouth – 12.00 VCbet

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Manchester City -2 Goals (Handicap) – 3.30 PaddyPower

Burnley V Chelsea

Saturday, 30^th January – 17:15 GMT (ESPN)

Burnley

League Position: 18th

Recent Form: LDLLL 

Burnley have rapidly gone off the boil in a relatively short space of time and have now opened up an eleven match run without winning a game in the Premiership. You have to stretch your memory back to the 31^st October, for Burnley’s last league win in which they beat Hull City 2-0 at Turf Moor. The venue for Saturday’s live encounter with Chelsea, and also a venue where Burnley have beaten Manchester United this season – the current English champions, and where they held Arsenal to a 1-1 draw. Make of that what you will, punters…

The issue regarding Burnley is a lot like the one surrounding Hull City last season in that a blistering start to the season, one which has been built upon a solid set of home results for Burnley, has now gone off the boil and the confidence levels in the camp has dropped considerably in toe. The Burnley players have no idea what that winning feeling actually feels like after eleven games without winning in the league, whilst their FA Cup dreams were sent crashing when they were knocked out by Reading two weeks ago. As if it matters couldn’t get any worse!

It’s no pretty clear that Burnley were riding high on a Euphoric wave of success in the early part of the season and now a win less run has opened up, Burnley are struggling through a lack of momentum and confidence. Moreover, they’ve now lost three successive games in the league, although all three were away from home and Burnley fans can at least take some heart from the fact they’ve gone five games unbeaten at Turf Moor. Their last four, however, have been draws, score draws, and now even their form at Turf Moor, which was a happy hunting ground for them earlier on, has deserted them leaving them on the verge of capitulation.

Burnley only really know how to play one way and that’s on the front foot. It’s been a successful tactic for them thus far, especially at home, but without Owen Coyle at the helm we can easily envisage even their best attribute, which is their attacking play, going straight out the window in quick time. The problem I can see arising is gaps being left at the back as Burnley bid to strike at the other end and this could lead to a Chelsea onslaught. A huge defensive display is required for Burnley to take anything out of this game, although they can seek inspiration from their 1-0 victory over Manchester United back in August.

Chelsea

League Position: 1st

Recent Form: DDWWW

Chelsea have an ideal opportunity to go further clear at the top of the Barclay’s Premiership table with a win at Turf Moor. Moreover, it would extend Chelsea’s winning run to four in the league and take them to eight unbeaten. The confidence is growing as Chelsea’s form grows stronger, and now their chances of adding more points in the forthcoming weeks should enhance greatly with the return of some of their African stars, most notably Didier Drogba.  

Carlo Ancelotti will have an array of star at his beckon call for this trip to Burnley now that the AfCON draws to a close. However, Chelsea have coped stoutly without their African contingents and the Italian might be reluctant to change a winning formula as the pressure at the top tightens. Chelsea had relinquished their grasp of top spot in the new year, despite not dropping a single point since Boxing Day, but have overhauled Man Utd to return to the summit and a win would reinforce their stance as the leagues favourite to secure the crown. 

The blues have been playing some immense football of late and you would be a brave punter to oppose them in Saturday’s encounter. They’ve won their last three league games, all coming at home, but they’ve scored goals a plenty along the way, scoring a staggering twelve goals in their last three games in the Premiership. However, in a bid not to deceive you folk, we must point out that Chelsea have been stuttering on the road in recent weeks and haven’t won an away fixture since they demolished Arsenal at The Emirates 3-0. It’s now three away games without a win for Chelsea but they won’t get many easier opportunities to end a surprisingly poor away run.

Chelsea haven’t shown too many frailties this season but when they have occurred they’ve generally come away from home and this is backed up by an ‘average’ away record: 5-2-3. Chelsea have yet to lose at home this season but yet have suffered three defeats on the road. Their concentration levels have been spot on throughout but when lapses have cropped up it’s been away from Stamford Bridge and a three match away run without winning will have the Chelsea players doubting their ability. Their poor away form does throw somewhat of a curve ball in what should otherwise be a straightforward victory in our eyes.

Match Verdict: Chelsea to WIN – 1.30 PaddyPower

The only real doubt over Chelsea is their away drought of three games. However, that looks set to disappear as they travel to Turf Moor looking for their fourth win in succession. Their squad will be boosted, their form is perfect and they’ve been scoring goals for fun. Burnley, however, have gone well and truly off the boil and will struggle to attain a point in this game we feel. Chelsea look far too strong on paper and we hope they’ll back that claim up with a comfortable win on Saturday evening… LIVE on ESPN!

Match Odds:

Burnley – 15.00 VCbet

Draw – 5.50 Boylesports

Chelsea – 1.30 PaddyPower

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Chelsea -1 Goal (Handicap) – 1.95 SkyBet

Wigan Athletic V Everton

Saturday, 30^th January – 15:00 GMT

Wigan Athletic

League Position: 14th

Recent Form: LDLWL

After crashing to their ninth defeat of the season on Wednesday night, losing 2-1 at Blackburn, question are starting to be asked about whether Roberto Martinez really is the right man at the Wigan helm as the Latics drop yet more points and slide ever closer to the relegation zone. Wigan, whom have just one league win in seven to their name, are now just two points above the drop zone and are in desperate need of some points before their situation could become drastic.

There are several teams in the Premiership that could best be described as ‘Jekyll & Hyde’ but none more so than Wigan Athletic, who have ranged from the sublime to the ridiculously bad this season. We didn’t see a dreadful performance from Wigan in midweek but it wasn’t satisfactory and didn’t look like a side willing to fight for every ounce to avoid the drop. The Latics, under Martinez, are a team who only play well on their day and these ‘days’ have been rare… Too rare if you’re a Wigan fan as the relegation zone draws nearer with every missed opportunity.

You would like to think that, at The DW, Wigan would be confident of gaining all three points but they’ve been just as inconsistent there as anywhere else. Their last league win in front of their fans came over two months ago in a 1-0 victory over Sunderland. That is their only win in five at The DW and have suffered two disappointing results there since. There were beaten 2-3 by Birmingham City early on in December last year, while they were held to a dull 1-1 draw by the team that beat them on Wednesday night, Blackburn Rovers. Both those fixtures were winnable, and while a home fixture with Everton still provides them with an excellent opportunity to add three vital points to their lacklustre points tally, they will know they’re facing an Everton side with a new found belief after going eight unbeaten in the league.

To add fuel to the fire, Martinez expressed his anger at a recent bid for Maynor Figueroa, their Honduras star, of whom scored a wonder goal earlier in the season in a 2-2 draw with Stoke City in which Figueroa scored from inside his own half. Martinez claims this could disrupt not only Figueroa’s concentration but also that of his team mates, and considering Wigan have lacked an awful lot of mental stiffness in recent months, that’s terrible news and a factor which could hinder their chances on Saturday.

Everton

League Position: 9th

Recent Form: DWDWW 

David Moyes, once again, is the miracle worker at Goodison Park and appears to have turned a corner with this Everton team. The Toffee’s made a disastrous start to the campaign when they kicked off with a 6-1 home thrashing by Arsenal, which then led to a spiral of poor results. However, Everton have looked mighty impressive since the start of December and have now gone nearly two months without losing a Premiership fixture, a run of eight games without defeat.  

Everton have also been winning games, which was a rare sight for fans in the early part of the season, and now have back-to-back league wins under their belts after their most recent success; a 2-0 victory over Sunderland. However, those pair of victories, the first being an impressive 2-0 win at home to Man City, did come in front of a roaring home support at Goodison Park and a huge cause for concern will be Everton’s poor away run of five games without a win. Their last away victory came nearly three months ago in a 2-1 win at Upton Park, West Ham.  

David Moyes & Co are, however, unbeaten in their last three away adventures, drawing three away games on the spin. All of which were very impressive results; Chelsea (3-3), Sunderland (1-1) & Arsenal (2-2). You will notice that two of those teams mentioned are vying for the Premiership title so credit where credits due, David Moyes has done a miraculous job in the last two months with an injury ravaged squad. However, this away drought is beginning to increase and it’s imperative Everton notch up an away win as soon as possible and a trip to Wigan looks a fantastic opportunity to do just that.

Everton did succumb to defeat at The DW stadium last season, losing 2-1. However, Everton should fare a lot better after managing two goals in each of their previous four games in the league and have put two and three respectively past Arsenal & Chelsea this season, away from Goodison Park. They have, though, not kept a clean sheet away from home in their last seven and so Everton will probably need at least two if they wish to end their baron away run in the league this Saturday.

Match Verdict: Everton to WIN – 2.50 totesport

Wigan could, quite literally, turn up and play like Real Madrid, such is their contrast in displays this season. However, their inconsistent nature makes them a terrible proposition in just about every fixture they play and preference is for a rejuvenated Everton side who go in search of their first away win since November, last year. They’ve been scoring goals and keeping it tidy at the back, albeit having not kept an away clean sheet in seven. They have, though, not conceded a goal in over 180 minutes of play, both were at Goodison Park mind, but that will boost the confidence of the defenders as well as the strikers as Everton have scored two goals exactly in their last four games. Moreover, Mikel Arteta is back in the fold for Everton and he will bring about some added creativity in that Everton midfield.

Match Odds:

Wigan Athletic – 3.20 VCbet

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Everton – 2.50 totesport

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Everton to score EXACTLY 2 goals – 3.75 SkyBet

West Ham United V Blackburn Rovers

Saturday, 30^th January – 15:00 GMT

West Ham United

League Position: 16th

Recent Form: DWLDD

West Ham will be hoping to better their run of one win in eight when they entertain Blackburn Rovers on Saturday. Fortunately for the Hammers fans, Upton Park will be the venue for their side after West Ham spent their previous three league games on the road, although they did fare better than some expected – drawing two and losing one. However, West Ham aren’t winning anywhere near enough matches to sustain a survival push and before long they could become stranded near the foot of the table.

For the time being, West Ham are on safe ground and occupy 16^th position. However, the gap between them and the drop is nothing, just a mere few goals as Burnley in 18^th have the same amount of points as West Ham meaning defeat for the Hammers could see them reacquaint themselves with life in the bottom three. A home fixture with Blackburn Rovers does give them an ideal opportunity to avoid such a feat and West Ham followers will have happy memories of their last home sighting of their idols as West Ham gave their survival bid a huge boost by beating Portsmouth 2-0 at Upton Park. However, that victory, their only one in eight league games, came over a month ago and West Ham have once again lost that winning rhythm, or any chance of gaining one.

The talk of the town has been their new owners of David Sullivan & David Gold, both long-time West Ham fans. However, while the fans will be happy that a set of Hammers fans are at the helm of their club, the pair don’t boast a great deal of wealth and an influx of cash for Zola to spend isn’t to be expected. Then again, rumours are circulating that Carlton Cole, who could make his long awaited return from injury after a two month lay-off this Saturday, could be set for a new striking partner as reports claim West Ham have lodged a bid for Blackburn’s Benni McCarthy. The irony would be that Sam Allardyce selects McCarthy for this trip to Upton Park and he scores, but the pair have fallen out and a deal appears to be on the cards between the two clubs.

McCarthy won’t solve their initial problems, though, he can only aid their survival bid. Relegation from the Premiership would be catastrophic but games like this cannot be passed up. A game such as this could define West Ham’s season as defeat against one of the poorest travelling sides in the league could do serious damage to the spirit of the Hammers camp. West Ham have, however, only lost two of their last eight home games in the league, three of which were wins, so the West Ham fans should at least be optimistic of seeing their sides winning for the first time in a month.

Blackburn Rovers

League Position: 11th

Recent Form: DDLWW

Blackburn did appear a club with the potential of being drawn into a relegation battle but a couple of decent results has seen them enforce a gap between them and the stragglers. The gap now between Rovers and the bottom three is seven points but a win at Upton Park would put ten points between them and a side destined to be struggling come May.

Blackburn are riding high on a euphoric wave at current after completing their first set of back-to-back wins since early November when they beat Portsmouth & Bolton either side of an international break. Those victories were, however, over teams struggling near the foot of the table but their opponents on Saturday are no different, so the omens do look good. However, their credentials this Saturday take a battering when you see that Rovers have won just one away game all season, with that solitary away win coming in the form of a 2-0 victory at Bolton. That came back in November and they have since gone on another baron away run, not winning in any of their previous five away outings, picking up just two points from a possible fifteen.

Rovers have been a poor outfit on the road this season and their record of 1-2-8 just about speaks for itself. Scoring away from home has been an issue, with Blackburn yet to reach double figures on the road this season with 8 away goals to their name. However, to make matters a whole lot worse they’ve been shipping a far few in return; conceding 28 away goals in just eleven outings. They were smashed off the park in their last away venture, losing 4-1 at Man City, although the positives to take from Rovers’ recent away trips has been their ability to get on the score sheet, scoring in three successive away games, albeit managing just the one on each occasion.

Match Verdict: West Ham United to WIN – 2.20 Boylesports

A draw wouldn’t be a bad short as neither look particularly strong in the form book. However, West Ham fans really do know how to get right behind their team when their backs are against the walls and they will be out in force when one of the poorest away teams in the league pay them a visit. Blackburn have an awful trend of losing most of their away fixtures, avoiding defeat on just three occasions in their eleven away outings thus far. West Ham, however, clearly know the importance of performing at home with three of their four victories coming at Upton Park. The Hammers prioritise their home fixtures and try their utmost to get all three points, whereas Rovers are suffering from a severe case of travel-sickness. A home win for us in what is a huge fixture for West Ham and their new owners.

Match Odds:

West Ham United – 2.20 Boylesports

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Blackburn Rovers – 3.75 SkyBet

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Over 2.5 Goals – 2.00 PaddyPower

Liverpool V Bolton Wanderers

Saturday, 30^th January – 15:00 GMT

Liverpool

League Position: 5th

Recent Form: WWDWD

Liverpool might be unbeaten now in five league games but their recent draw at Wolves provided an under fire Rafa Benitez with yet another setback as the Reds lose yet more ground on Tottenham Hotspur in fourth place. Liverpool’s season is now solely about finishing in the top four and retaining Champions League football. However, poor results have cropped up all too often and what should have been a simple task, finishing in the top four, could rapidly become a mountain to climb if the don’t start getting the right results.

The trip to Molineux on Tuesday night really ought to have been a three point banker for Liverpool, yet they came up short yet again. In fact, Wolves would have been worthy winners had they of stuck one of their decent chances away. Liverpool, on the other hand, rarely tested Marcus Hahnemann in the Wolves goal and gave their loyal travelling supporters yet another drab display. However, this one was even more concerning as it included their skipper at the heart of it, with Steven Gerrard making his return to the Liverpool fold after missing Liverpool’s last league game with Spurs. He did, however, look well short of match practice as his performance on the night was pretty dull. From a player who usually takes the game by the scruff of the neck, he was extremely poor, although we think he hasn’t been playing well all season, if truth be told.

After failing to attain the right result in midweek, which was three points, the pressure to get those three points at the weekend will be tremendous now that they return to Anfield. What should be a fortress for them and a venue where they expect the main bulk of their remaining league points to come at. Their home form, though, is very strong after winning their last three league games at Anfield, with victories over Wigan Athletic (2-1), Wolves (2-0) & Tottenham Hotspur (2-0), of which the latter was one of Liverpool’s more impressive displays this season. If they replicate the endeavour and effort shown in that victory over Spurs then Liverpool won’t have any problems dispatching Bolton, but Liverpool don’t do easy and a rough ride probably should be the norm here before Liverpool do eventually seal all three points. At least, that’s the plan.

Bolton Wanderers

League Position: 15th

Recent Form: DDLLW

Owen Coyle finally got his first league win as the Bolton gaffer as his team narrowly recorded a 1-0 victory over his former side, Burnley, at The Reebok. That was Bolton’s first win in four games and it did end a run of two successive defeats after losing back-to-games with Arsenal. So, it didn’t take Bolton too long to recover from their Arsenal woes, but will that midweek victory over Burnley build up enough momentum to actually take points away from Anfield? 

We think not as this looks a bridge too far for Owen Coyle and his bullish Bolton squad. The problem with Bolton now, under Owen Coyle, is that they will try to play pretty, attractive football as the fans have demanded such a sight for a while now, ever since Sam Allardyce left the club, and ‘on the ground’ football is all Owen Coyle knows. He made a name for himself at Burnley by playing in a manner Bolton fans have been dreaming about in years; by getting a group of players who, to be brutally honest, aren’t all that good as individuals, but he got them playing so effectively as a unit that they quickly become a decent little attacking side. However, this lethal attacking intent didn’t work for Owen Coyle away from home and Bolton could be found wanting at Anfield. One of the toughest venues to visit in the Premiership calendar.

Bolton’s last away encounter in the league was a trip to The Emirates to face an in form Arsenal. The positive to take from that game was that they had Arsenal at gun point after just 15 minutes, sprinting into a 2-0 lead. However, the huge negative was that they ended up losing the game 4-2, conceding four goals without reply. What was especially disappointing was their second half capitulation in which Arsenal played Bolton into the ground. Bolton’s willingness to attack in numbers at every given opportunity cost them come the end, and the fact that they’ve kept just one clean sheet all season, their 1-0 win over Burnley in midweek being their first, is a major concern. Plus, you have to stretch way back to 2^nd May, 2009, last season, for Bolton’s last away clean sheet in the league. A 0-0 draw at Wigan Athletic. That was their only clean sheet of that season and they could very well go the entirety of this season without one.

Match Verdict: Liverpool to WIN – 1.50 Bet365

You would like to think this will be a routine win for Liverpool but they’ve made such hard work of so many easy fixtures this season that the possibility of Bolton springing a shock is completely chance-less. However, Liverpool have managed victories in their previous three home games, league games that is, and, although it might not be pretty, we still expect Rafa & Co to be victorious this Saturday. However, their price isn’t flattering in the slightest so we wouldn’t be diving into them at a great rate of knots.

Match Odds:

Liverpool – 1.50 Bet365

Draw – 4.30 Boylesports

Bolton Wanderers – 8.00 Ladbrokes

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Steven Gerrard FGS – 6.00 PaddyPower

Birmingham City V Tottenham Hotspur

Saturday, 30^th January – 15:00 GMT

Birmingham City

League Position: 8th

Recent Form: DDWDL

Now it gets interesting as Birmingham aim to bounce right back after suffering their first defeat in fifteen games. Their first in twelve Premiership outings. The task always looked far too big, even for the league most improved side, but it’s been apparent for a while that the players were thriving on this confidence booming run and now the spotlight really will be on them to see if the defeat at Chelsea does send Birmingham spiralling.

A large part of why Birmingham never came close to causing a upset at Stamford Bridge was Chelsea’s brillant start to the game and Birmingham’s willingness to allow Chelsea to strut their stuff for the entire first half. The home side were 2-0 up come the break and by the time Birmingham finally started to play the sort of football which had built such an impressive undefeated run it was too late. Alex Mcleish could only watch on come the end as his side lost 3-0, their first defeat in the league for over three months.

The hangover period now begins but they’ve been fortunate in that their next league game is a home fixture, although their opponents have regained their form after winning 2-0 in their last league outing, beating Fulham 2-0 at White Hart Lane. Moreover, Birmingham lost the reverse encounter with Tottenham 2-1, and so Spurs are on the verge of completing a league double over Birmingham. Two defeats on the spin after only enjoying the highs in recent months could have a devastating affect on team morale and so Mcleish will drill it home just how significant a game this is with Spurs and how important getting a result will be in terms of their season.

Although they were on the wrong end of a rare league low in midweek, we mustn’t forget that Birmingham haven’t lost a home fixture since the middle of September, eight home fixtures ago. They have since drawn three and won five and still boast very strong form heading into this tough fixture, albeit with a defeat firmly behind them. Moreover, the likes of Man City, Man Utd & Chelsea have all paid St. Andrews a visit this season, with only Man Utd actually finding Birmingham’s net, with both Chelsea & Man City failing to score. All were, however, draws.

Tottenham Hotspur

League Position: 4th

Recent Form: DWDLW

Tottenham, unlike their opponents, will be feeling great after overcoming a recent blip in results by stamping their authority in a game with Fulham, beating the Cottager’s 2-0 at White Hart Lane. That victory, one that came after a bitter draw with Leeds United, reinforced their top four bid and now Tottenham will be full of confidence as the three points on Tuesday night opened up a three point gap on their nearest pursuer, Liverpool. Now Tottenham have a bit of breathing space and perhaps this will release the pressure shackles.  

Spurs were fully deserving of their 2-0 success over Fulham in midweek as their performance was a match winning one, which is an obvious statement considering their ran out comfortable 2-0 winners. However, despite their opponents lacking away form, questions were being asked over whether Spurs were suffering a lull in team spiirt and confidence after their 2-0 defeat at Anfield earlier in the month was quickly followed by a 2-2 draw with League One outfit, Leeds United, in the FA Cup. Also, Spurs do have the burden of a replay with Leeds just over the horizon and so a lack of concentration wouldn’t of been a surprise. However, Tottenham responded in the perfect manner and the victory over their London rivals could be yet another building block for a successful run.

The only concern from a Tottenham front is that Harry Redknapp may have one eye on their replay with Leeds on Wednesday night, a game shown live on ITV1. However, we don’t expect for one minute that Redknapp will field a weakened side at St. Andrews as finishing in the top four, above the likes of Liverpool, Aston Villa & Man City, is their main priority this season and, if anything, Leeds will get the easy treatment. Tottenham, who have a host of teams breathing down their necks, can ill-afford to drop any points and so they will go all out for the win in this encounter with Birmingham, and will be gunning for a league double over Birmingham after beating the Blues 2-1 earlier in the season.

If you’re looking for a serious negative to put you right off a Tottenham back then look no further then this statistic – Tottenham Hotspur have won just one of their last six away league fixtures, with that sole victory coming at Blackburn Rovers. Also, Tottenham haven’t managed a goal in their previous two outings in the league and have now gone over 240 minutes without a goal on their travels.

Match Verdict: Tottenham Hotspur to WIN – 2.50 BlueSquare

Birmingham impressive form at St. Andrews this season has to be respected, having not lost at home in their last eight, but Tottenham were a classy outfit on Wednesday night and when they’re in form they’ve proved a difficult team to stop this season. They have plenty of quality in attack to uncoil a tight and compact Birmingham defence, it could be a case of whether Tottenham can keep it tight at their end. If so, a Tottenham win could be on the cards. Birmingham could very well bounce back from their midweek disappointment, but we feel they’re a side beat left alone for the time being as you don’t quite know how they’ll react to a defeat which crushed a 15 match unbeaten run.

Match Odds:

Birmingham City – 3.25 Bet365

Draw – 3.40 Boylesports

Tottenham Hotspur – 2.50 BlueSquare

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Tottenham Hotspur to WIN to NIL – 5.00 totesport

Fulham V Aston Villa

Saturday, 20^th January – 15:00 GMT

Fulham

League Position: 10th

Recent Form: DLLLL

Roy Hodgson has worked wonders since his arrival at Craven Cottage back in December, 2007 in which he has converted Fulham into a mid-table side oppose to the old relegation threatened club they used to be. However, Fulham are going through their worst spell of the season, losing four on the bounce in the league, and Hodgson will need to pull off yet another minor miracle as he attempts to guide Fulham out of this rut. 

Fulham’s fourth league defeat in a row came at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane, and while the defeat will have left a sour taste in the fans mouths, the bigger picture is that Fulham aren’t playing the sort of football that seen them settle into the upper half of the table just a month or two ago. The performances have been wayward and with this so has their results. A losing run will always dampen the spirits of any dressing room but it will hurt Fulham more than most as they don’t have the biggest of squads and they have been a team that have thrived on confidence beaming runs this season.  

Some might say only a win will do for Fulham as they aim to end a run of four straight defeats in the league but a draw would be a creditable result considering their opponents are now Carling Cup finalists and a serious top four challenger. However, they will need to improve leaps and bounds if they are to knick a result but, however, we cannot disregard the fact that Fulham’s four league defeats in a row have all been away from their beloved Craven Cottage. A venue they’ve lost just twice at all season. In fact, Fulham haven’t lost a home fixture in the Premiership since late September when they lost 1-0 to Arsenal.  

Fulham’s home form has been very strong this season and stands in at a healthy 6-2-2. They boast some staggering wins over the best in England; beating both Liverpool (3-1) and Man Utd (3-0). However, a four match run without picking up a single point will do some damage, regardless of where they came, and it remains a big ask for Fulham to end their point drought with a win on Saturday. After all, they haven’t a home game since the 19^th of December, although what a win that was; an emphatic 3-0 victory over the league champions, Man Utd. However, Fulham have played a game at the Cottage for over a month, such is the timespan between their last home fixture that they could get lost finding Craven Cottage, let alone turning up and beating Aston Villa.

Aston Villa

League Position: 7th

Recent Form: WLLDD

With the race for fourth really beginning to hot up, Martin O’Neill will be fully aware that his Villa side, after suffering back-to-back defeats from Arsenal & Liverpool, can’t afford to relinquish many more points and so a game against a Fulham side which hasn’t stopped losing is an ideal opportunity to scratch of one of their remaining away fixtures left to play with a win.

Aston Villa only had to wait a month before they had the chance to gain some revenge over Arsenal for their 3-0 defeat at The Emirates a little over a month ago. However, Villa didn’t seize on the opportunity and ended up playing out a 0-0 draw. A game which failed to live up to expectations. However, Villa did have their chances, some clear cut, and could of clinched all three points with some clinical finishing. A draw, though, was a fair result and a good result as that’s one less tough fixture for Villa to play this season.

However, there is a problem arising in that Villa have now gone four games, 360 minutes, without a win in the league. Not since their narrow 1-0 victory at home to Stoke City have Villa celebrated a Premiership win, going a month and then some without a league victory. Such a run has the potential to damage any clubs chances of reaching their respective goal and it’s a time when they Villa players need to show plenty of character and maturity. The latter, however, is an attribute Villa have lacked at times but they will need some wise heads for them to end their baron run at Craven Cottage – A venue they haven’t won at in their last five visits.

Villa don’t have very good record at Craven Cottage having not won their since their 2-1 victory in 2004. However, times have changed and Villa do have far more talent on show than their London opponents, The problem being that Fulham have improved immensely in such a short space of time and have rapidly become an awkward opponent on their own soil. We said earlier that a draw would probably satisfy Fulham and the same could be said for Villa because getting a win would require a lot of hard work and perhaps a slice of good fortune.

Match Verdict: Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

We think this will be a stalemate between two sides who have recently gone off the boil. Villa outshine their opponents in the quality department but Fulham’s record at Craven Cottage this seasin is too strong to simply ignore and so a draw is the safest bet to what is a tough game to predict. What’s more, neither manager would begrudge a share of the spoils before kick-off considering their recent slumps in form.

Match Odds:

Fulham – 2.80 PaddyPower

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Aston Villa – 2.88 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Pick: 0-0 Correct Score – 9.50 SkyBet

Hull City V Wolverhampton Wanderers

Saturday, 30^th January – 15:00 GMT

Hull City

League Position: 19th

Recent Form: LLDDL

There will be several must win games between now and the end of the season for Hull City but none perhaps more so than this fixture with Wolves at The KC. Winnable fixtures don’t come around too often if you’re a Hull fan and this fixture with Wolves is just about the easiest they’ve have to put three vital points on the board. However, Hull’s form heading into this must win game is dreadful, having not won in the league for nine games and going a whole two months without a Premiership victory.

For Hull to stay up this season they will need to notch up a handful of victories at the KC stadium, home of the Tigers, and this does appear their easiest remaining home fixture of the season. It’s also a fixture they just have to win if they are to harbour any season survival ambitions as the task looks a tough assignment for Hull considering they’ve looked a lost side since the season kicked into life. They have registered just four league wins since August, the lowest amount of wins (a shared honour), a statistic which just reinforces how significant getting a win this weekend is. 

The problem for Hull is that they couldn’t hit a barn door at present – simple as that. Their best goal haul in recent weeks was scoring two at Bolton, just the fifth time they has surpassed two goals in a game all season. That rare surge of goals is their only positive goal-baring game since November, and the Tigers have managed a lethargic three goals since the beginning of December, that’s three goals in eight games. That’s a dire goal ratio, probably the worst I’ve seen since Derby were strutting their stuff in the Premiership back in 2008. However, you would have to fancy their chances of at least bolstering what is a ridiculous goal tally at home to a Wolves team which has kept just two away clean sheet thus far.  

The basis equation in football is you need to score to stand any chance of winning, and scoring isn’t something Hull are much good at, merely adequate. However, Wolves are on a plate for them to go out and enjoy themselves in front of goal but they haven’t found the net, neither home nor away, in over 360 minutes of Premiership action and that will only have an adverse affect on the confidence of their strikers. Still, there will not be an easier fixture for them for the remainder of the season and we think they’ll just edged this one.

Wolverhampton Wanderers

League Position: 17th

Recent Form: WLLLD

To be fair, the same rule applies to Wolves in that this game with Hull is a must win as it’s one of their easiest remaining fixtures of the season. Plus, it’s a game that’s certainly winnable and three points would do Wolves the world of good as the relegation zone beckons. Their confidence levels should have risen a few levels after their midweek results; a 0-0 draw with Liverpool, so perhaps Wolves are the team to be on and not a hapless Hull City. 

Wolves performed brilliantly on Tuesday night in nicking a point against Liverpool. We watched that game from start to finish and it was hard to recognise which side were the five time European winners as Liverpool were well below par while Wolves performed far better than expected. A point was a fabulous result as it end a run of three straight defeats for Wolves in the league. However, it still didn’t hide the fact that they haven’t scored a league goal since the middle of December when they beat Burnley 2-0 at home. They’ve gone four league games without a goal, aiming to surpass the goalscoring lows of Hull it would seem, and just like Hull that’s a huge negative for any potential punter,

If we’re completely honest, we can’t see Wolves winning this game and we think they’ll do well to take a point away from the KC stadium. Throughout the course of the season they’ve been a poor away outfit, with a couple of miracle results still not managing to hide their apparent away flaws. In ten away games thus far, Wolves have avoided defeat just four times, losing six of ten. They have also lost three of their last four away games in the league, although all three were to ‘Big Four’ teams. Still, it’s a tall order for Wolves but it’s not impossible by any stretch of the imagination.

Match Verdict: Hull City to WIN – 2.30 Boylesports

Neither side can afford to pass up this opportunity but home advantage has swung it for us as we plump for a home win. Hull’s form at The KC will be crucial in how their fare this season in terms of staying up or being relegated. They’ve struggled for the majority of the season, winning just four games. However, all four did come on home soil and you’d bet your life on Phil Brown getting his squad fired up for this encounter as it is a six pointer if we ever seen one. Hull will, however, need to locate the Wolves goal, Which is a big ask in itself.

Match Odds:

Hull City – 2.30 Boylesports

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Wolverhampton Wanderers – 3.25 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Hull City to WIN to NIL – 4.00 totesport