Football Betting Previews

Premiership Preview by Matthew Chapple (15-16 August 2009) (Tuesday, August 11, 2009)

Premiership Previews - 15th/16th August Chelsea V Hull City Kick-Off: Saturday 15th August - 12:45 GMT Venue: Stamford Bridge The opening game of the new Premiership season sees Carlo Ancelotti take charge of Chelsea on his début as manager in English football against a team that avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth in Phil Brown's Hull City. The bookies have given Chelsea the unanimous decision and have made Carlo & Co a short priced favourite to become the first team in the new Premiership campaign to register a victory and we can't see any reason to oppose the London giants. Carlo Ancelotti arrives in Chelsea with a big reputation to uphold. Not only was he a major success as a player but also as manager. However, it's the latter credentials the Chelsea fans are interested in as they hope the grumpy Italian can end Chelsea's baron run of three seasons without a Premiership title. Will he succeed in just his first season in charge? Well, the bookies seem to think so and have made Chelsea 3/1 second favourites for the Premiership crown despite only managing to finish last season in third position, seven points behind eventual champions Manchester United. Chelsea will not only have to bridge the gap on United but also Liverpool if the table was anything to go by from last season. However, they appear to have been gifted three points on the opening day with their very first fixture of the new Premiership campaign at home to Hull City. 'The Blues' could only manage a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge against Phil Brown's side last season but it's crucial Chelsea get off to the best possible start else the daggers could be out already for their new gaffer. Hull City were arguably the luckiest side in the league last season. Despite a last day defeat at home to Man United, Hull somehow managed to avoid relegation via those below them faltering as well. They finished last season one spot above the relegation zone, just a solitary point above safety. Hull's form at the latter part of the season was nothing short of abysmal and with that in mind many punters are going in large on Hull not being as fortunate this time around. Phil Brown guided Hull to a terrific start last year, winning six of their opening nine fixtures and were once as high as fourth in the table. However, they were hit with a huge reality check and their early form was soon forgotten with some lengthy droughts without a win. It was clear that the squad needed some fresh faces but Phil Brown has found it very difficult to recruit some new blood and we reckon Hull will pay the biggest price of all this season with relegation in May. As far as this game goes, Chelsea will get the ball rolling for sorry Hull fans. Match Odds: Chelsea - 2/9 Boylesports Hull City - 5/1 Coral Draw - 18/1 Expekt Soccerbetting Tip: Chelsea to WIN BOTH HALVES - 11/10 BlueSquare Portsmouth V Fulham Kick-Off: Saturday 15th August - 15:00 GMT Venue: Fratton Park Paul Hart is another manager which has found life in the transfer market very difficult and has come to the conclusion that finding bargains is just too difficult. Roy Hodgeson is under the same predicament with new signings few and far at both camps. However, Fulham appear to be a team on the up after finishing last season in seventh position and the fans will be expecting another memorable season but will Portsmouth reverse the table positions this time around. It's been a case of tar-rah, tar-rah rather then hello-hello at Portsmouth this summer. Several of Pompey's More talented players have moved on while manager Paul Hart has struggled to find worthwhile replacements. Peter Crouch and Glen Johnson have both left the club, who were by far and away Portsmouth's best players last season. They've lost a striker who will bag them plenty of goals while Johnson gave them extra width and more options when going forward. Steve Finnan and Frederic Piquionne have been brought in to fill the voids left by the pair but if I was a Portsmouth fan I'd feel more then a tad short changed. After securing a rare venture into European football last season, Fulham fans will have high hopes of another memorable season but have they done enough in the summer to emulate the success of 2008/2009? In Lehman's terms - No! They've been stingy with their pounds and manager Roy Hodgeson has left himself open to criticism if things do take a turn for the worse. However, although they've haven't gone crazy in the transfer market Roy did convince all his players to remain at Craven Cottage and who can blame them? With the Europa League now a stones throw away it could be a very exciting year for everyone involved at Fulham. Head-to-Head: Portsmouth W: 4 Fulham W: 3 Draws: 3 This has generally been a very tricky clash to predict in recent history with meetings between the two at Fratton Park consistently being close affairs. Fulham have won just once while on their travels down South in six attempts with Portsmouth winning twice and the remaining three all ending in draws, and 1-1 draws at that. Last season this fixture ended in a 1-1 draw but that would be seen as a disappointing result for Pompey this time around. Match Verdict: Not the most attractive of fixtures on paper but one that both teams will feel they have a great chance of winning and adding a vital three points onto their tally at such an early stage. Fulham's dire away record last season is putting us off backing them to produce the goods on Saturday and our cautious approach to the new season goes on as we predict yet another draw. Match Odds: Portsmouth - 6/4 SkyBet Fulham - 15/8 Bet365 Draw - 9/4 PaddyPower Soccerbetting Tip: 1-1 Correct Score - 6/1 888sport Aston Villa V Wigan Athletic Kick-Off: Saturday 15th August - 15:00 Venue: Villa Park The Villa fans have been braced with a home fixture in their teams opening game of the season and will welcome a new face in Wigan's Roberto Martinez. Both sets of managers will be desperate to build the foundations on what they hope will be a successful season in yet another Premiership season but it's Villa who head into their first home fixture as the favourites and we feel their favourite price tag will be justified as Martin O'Neill's side aim to get off to a positive start. Manager Martin O'Neill will be over the moon with his teams pre-season preparation, especially as he has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the big kick-off. Wilfred Bouma is still a long time absentee but Villa coped without the Dutch international throughout the whole of last season so that won't be too much of an issue. However, O'Neill will have a selection dilemma in several positions this season. Stewart Downing is now battling it out with Ashley Young for a left wing berth while Agbonlahor, John Carew and Emile Heskey are all vying for a starting place up front. Despite Villa possessing some quality players they still hold one major flaw and that's their lack of strength in depth. However, they're slowly getting there and appear more reinforced this season then many that have preceded so Villa fans can be optimistic of a good season, starting with an opening day victory against Wigan. New Wigan manager Roberto Martinez will be desperate not to lose in his début game as a Premiership manager. However, before he even got his foot in the door he was already having to face up to life at The JJB without Wigan's star player in Antonio Valencia. He has brought in Scott Sinclair in a bid to add some life down the wing although his biggest capture was Jason Scotland from Swansea. The Trinidad international will be Wigan's biggest goal threat this season but he may find his match somewhat against Villa's centre-backs. Head-to-Head: Aston Villa W:2 Wigan Athletic W:3 Draws:3 Surprisingly, despite our confidence in Villa, it's Wigan who go into this fixture with the better head-to-head record, especially at Villa Park. Wigan Athletic haven't lost at Villa Park in their last four encounters in the Premiership, winning two and drawing two. Last season the pair played out a forgettable 0-0 draw so will Wigan defy the odds once more and get some sort of result at Villa Park? Match Verdict: Roberto Martinez still needs to strengthen his forward options. Jason Scotland will chip in with a goal here and there but he's an unknown quantity at this level and could be found wanting. Villa posses a brace of pacey wingers who will torment the Wigan full-backs. Providing the Villa forwards have their shooting boots on this Saturday Villa should earn their first victory of the season at the first time of asking. Match Odds: Aston Villa - 7/10 VCBet Wigan Athletic - 9/2 BlueSquare Draw - 27/10 Boylesports Soccerbetting Tip: Emile Heskey to score anytime - 7/5 Bet365 Blackburn Rovers V Manchester City Kick-Off: Saturday 15th August - 15:00 GMT Venue: Ewood Park Two teams with contrasting pre-seasons head into their very first game of the new season and, what with all the the new arrivals at Man City, it's no surprise that they edge out the Lancashire side for favouritism. Mark Hughes will brace himself for the return to a familiar hunting ground but now the Welsh supremo has moved to pastures new will he receive a warm welcome back at Ewood Park or will the green eyed monster circle around the Blackburn fans. Blackburn have a relegation veteran in manager Sam Allardyce and that could be just as well with Blackburn heading into their new Premiership campaign looking extremely weak on paper. Rovers were low on quality forwards anyway but the loss of both Roque Santa Cruz and Matt Derbyshire has left a large majority of fans unamused. The omen will now be on both Jason Roberts and Benni McCarthy to score the goals Blackburn need to avoid what could be a dreadful season. 'Big Sam' already knew his defence left a lot to be desired and has brought in some fresh faces at the back with Gael Givet and Lars Jacobsen reinforcing what was a vulnerable defensive line. Their midfield, however, does look spineless with Tugay now retiring and it's hard to say who will create the chances the big forwards need. Fans will be pinning their hopes on Morten Gamst Pedersen coming good but he was found wanting on several occasions last season. For the first time in a long while, actually, ever... Man City go into a season with high expectations after flashing more cash in the transfer market then an MP in Homebase. Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez & Roque Santa Cruz are to name just a few that have braced the City of Manchester Stadium this summer and their all forwards. It's pretty clear where Mark Hughes felt his weaknesses lay and he has gone to town in a bid to amend those faults. However, we feel their biggest problems still lye at the back. Shay Given is a safe enough goalkeeper but what stands in front of him would scare the living daylights out of any world-class goalie. Their captain (Richard Dunne) simply isn't good enough, Micah Richards has talent but prefers to play for the other team while their only shining light comes in the form of Wayne Bridge. Head-to-Head: Blackburn W:4 Man City W:1 Draws: 5 Man City have never enjoyed travelling to Lancashire for a clash with Blackburn at Ewood Park. It's been five years since Man City last won at Ewood Park with City failing to score in three of their last five visit to Ewood Park. The pair made this fixture an entertaining game last season though with a 2-2 draw. A late Robinho goal spoilt the Blackburn celebrations but will the Brazilian decide to show up this weekend? Match Verdict: It's hard to pick a confident selection for this fixture. On one side you have a Blackburn team with a blunt attack and a vulnerable back line while on the other you have a City side renowned for their poor away form. Man City have spent big this summer but the players won't play the glistening football the fans are expecting for some time yet. A draw looks the safest approach although anyone who rightly predicts this result deserves a knighthood. Match Odds: Blackburn Rovers - 23/10 Boylesports Manchester City - 5/4 SkyBet Draw - 40/17 Expekt Soccerbetting Tip: Under 2.5 Goals (No more than 2 goals) - 7/10 Bet365 Bolton Wanderers V Sunderland Kick-Off: Saturday 15th August - 15:00 GMT Venue: The Reebok Gary Megson has found it particularly hard to recruit new faces for Bolton and we present the question - could they pay the price in just their first game of the season? Sunderland fans would like to think so although new 'Black Cats' manager Steve Bruce will have the pressure of the North on his shoulders as the relegation of Newcastle & Middlesborough last season means Sunderland are the only side from 'Tyneside' still standing in the Premiership. Gary Megson went about his work discreetly last season guiding Bolton to a 13th place finish. Although fans would have loved to have finished a little higher they can be proud of both their manager and players for avoiding a fight for survival. The aim each season is to avoid the drop and that target will remain the same for the forthcoming season. Bolton manager Gary Megson has managed to keep hold of the main bulk of players that earned another season in the top flight but he's also brought in a few new faces in Portsmouth's Sean Davis, West Brom's Paul Robinson and Aston Villa's Zat Knight. Three of the two are defenders so Megson has concentrated on cementing a solid back four ahead of the new season. It's been roughly eight years since Sunderland last went to The Reebok and came away with the three points. However, their problem in the past has been scoring goals but that shouldn't be a problem this season. Not only have they managed to keep their biggest talent in Kenwyn Jones but they've brought in a potential buy of the season in Darren Bent, while Fraizer Campbell will provide Sunderland with a bit of pace in the final third. An area where Sunderland still look a bit bare is down the wings. Keiran Richardson certainly has talent but can get lost in games on occasions and Steve Bruce will some decent out-an-out wingers ahead of the new season. Head-to-Head: Bolton W: 4 Sunderland W: 3 Draws: 3 With Sunderland often flirting with relegation and promotion each season the pair don't get to meet as often as they might like. However, it was Sunderland who enjoyed themselves last season, beating Bolton 2-1 at home whilst managing to earn a 0-0 draw at The Reebok. That draw did end a run of two successive victories for Bolton at home against Sunderland in the Premiership. Match Verdict: This should be a close affair and a match we're slightly scared about predicting. Sunderland finally look a team that can score goals-a-plenty but they've never been a formidable side away from home. The Reebok will be a tough visit for the 'Black Cats' and a draw would be viewed as a positive result for Steve Bruce and Sunderland. Match Odds: Bolton Wanderers - 13/10 Boylesports Sunderland - 12/5 Boylesports Draw - 23/10 Expekt Soccerbetting Tip: Match to end in a DRAW - 23/10 Expekt Wolverhampton Wanderers V West Ham United Kick-Off: Saturday 15th August - 15:00 GMT Venue: Molineux Newly promoted Wolves kick-off their Premiership campaign in front of their home fans on Saturday afternoon in looks a decent opportunity to register some points in their very first outing. However, West Ham are becoming somewhat of a Premiership Granddad now and after the excitement of nearly finishing in the European places last season, 'Hammers' fans will have high hopes of another sparkling season. Unlike some of the newly promoted teams that arrive in the Premiership, Mick McCarthy has been their and got the relegation scars. What's more, he's been relegated from the Premiership before with Sunderland so to say he has Premiership life experience is an understatement, although his time spent in the elite league of England has, in general, been an unhappy experience for the former Republic of Ireland manager. However, he help guide Wolves to The Championship title last season and will be hoping this young group of players he has moulded together can defy the critics and survive what will be a very tough season. Most of the Wolves squad won't ring any bells to many part-time football fans but our opinion of this Wolves team is that they're certainly no potential world beaters but they're a team with youth of their side and do have several players on their books with plenty of talent. Sylvain Ebanks-Blake was prolific in front of goal last season (25 Goals in 43 Games) while Michael Kightly & Andy Keogh had superb seasons in the centre of the park. However, although all three may have potential to become the next generation of stars in Britain, they are unproven at this level and that has to be a concern. Gianfranco Zola was a big success with West Ham and is already fast becoming a hero in the making at Upton Park. In just his first season in charge he steered the club well away from relegation and almost did the unthinkable and finish with European football under his belt. They unfortunately finished just outside the European spots but there was certainly a lot of positives to take out of West Ham's season last year. The most noteworthy was their impressive form at home. Although they may have lost eight games at Upton Park last season it's worth mentioning that four of those were against the 'Big Four' with all four of those defeats being close run affairs. 'The Hammers' have now become a solid team under the new management of Zola & Steve Clarke and that's something you have never heard about a West Ham side gone before. Just like every team, West Ham did suffer a lot of defeats but when they did lose they were rarely big defeats. They get in your face and don't allow you any time on the ball. If they can maintain their solid approach throughout the coming season then West Ham could be a surprise package although they still lack a quality striker. Carlton Cole had a fair enough season but he doesn't get enough goals. Luis Jiminez has been brought in on loan from Inter Milan but he's somewhat of an unknown quantity in the Premiership. Head-to-Head: The pair have never met before in the Premiership. The last time these two clashed in a competitive affair was back in 2004 in The Championship. Both sides managed victories at home, with Wolves winning 4-2 at Molineux and West Ham grinding out a 1-0 victory at Upton Park. Match Verdict: This does have the makings to be a close encounter but Wolves will need to make the most of their home matches, especially ones against teams like West Ham. This is one of just a few fixtures Wolves could win and we expect Mick McCarthy to drum that into his players on Saturday. Wolves simply cannot afford to pass this opportunity up and we feel they'll do just enough to win. Match Odds: Wolverhampton Wanderers - 13/8 Bet365 West Ham United - 9/5 PaddyPower Draw - 23/10 SkyBet SoccerBetting Tip: Sylvain Ebanks-Blake First Goal Scorer - 13/2 Bet365 Stoke City V Burnley Kick-Off: Saturday 15th August - 15:00 GMT Venue: The Brittania Tony Pulis could have some words of wisdom for Burnley manager Owen Coyle after Stoke achieved what Burnley aim to do this season - avoid the drop! Both sets of fans will have similar aspirations ahead of the new season but as Burnley look to avoid relegation, Stoke will be hoping to establish themselves in the Premiership after an impressive début in the top flight last term. Tony Pulis has had his eyes on a few players over the summer but his only noteworthy purchase to date is the signing of former Sunderland captain - Dean Whitehead. Pulis has brought in a player who can command the midfield and is a proven leader but also one that will put his all into the cause. However, Stoke do look very light heading into the new season and they do look vulnerable to relegation unfortunately. Stoke will keep with their 'Rustle & Bustle' approach, a tactic which didn't go down too well with a handful of managers but a method that won them safety so the Stoke fans won't care too much about outsiders opinions. Stoke still posses players with a considerable height advantage but also have a proper goalscorer on their books in James Beattie. His 6 goals in 12 appearances for Stoke at the end of last season helped keep Stoke in the Premiership and he could be one of the players to watch for a club that will rely heavily on his goals. Burnley surprised everyone when they won promotion from The Championship via the play-off's but their lack of funds does mean they've found it extremely difficult to bring in the quality needed to survive in such a gruelling league. Their biggest coup is former Hibernian forward - Steven Fletcher although it's hard to envisage Fletcher scoring enough goals on regular basis to keep Burnley afloat. Burnley have arguably the weakest side in the Premiership and it comes as no surprise that they're the favourites to head straight back down. Every team needs a player who will bag you at least 10 goals a season and we can't highlight a single player that will do just that in this Burnley side. To make matters worse, their defence hardly feels us with confidence and it would seriously take something extra special for Burnley to record what would be a shock in surviving this season. Head-to-Head: Stoke W: 3 Burnley W: 4 Draws: 3 These two clubs have yet to meet in the Premiership but they've had their fair share of battles in The Championship. Matches between the two were always tight but a noticeable pattern was a severe lack of goals. In the previous 12 meetings between the two, just three games had three of more goals. The other nine were all low scoring affairs with plenty of 1-0 wins on show. However, Burnley have been a bogey team for Stoke at The Brittania with Burnley winning four of the previous six meetings on Stoke soil. Match Verdict: Although we do fear for this Burnley side, they have held their own against Stoke in the past. Their record at The Britannia is immense and one we haven't discounted. Burnley will of course pick up points throughout the course of the season but their best opportunities will lye against sides of similar stature. Another close match beckons and so does another draw prediction from us. Match Odds: Stoke City - 20/21 Boylesports Burnley - 10/3 Bet365 Draw - 5/2 PaddyPower SoccerBetting Tip: Under 2.5 Goals (No more then 2 goals) - 7/10 BlueSquare Everton V Arsenal Kick-Off: Saturday 15th August - 17:30 GMT Venue: Goodison Park In what is arguably the most appealing of all the fixtures on Saturday sees Arsene Wenger take his kids on a scouts day out up to Merseyside. David Moyes will of course be their to welcome the youngsters and ensure they don't get lost as they brace Goodison Park. David Moyes will have discreet plans to remove Arsenal of their Champions league duties for next season and will be aiming to guide his Everton side into the top four, possibly at the expense of Arsenal. This match will be a good indication into how far Everton are from the top four places and how Arsenal will shape up as possible title candidates. David Moyes has been reluctant to alter the Everton ranks over the summer months with no new players entering the fray. However, Moyes will feel his biggest capture of the season will be Joleon Lescott who has become the next target for big spending Man City. David Moyes has already rejected two bids for the English defender but matters have taken a serious turn for the worse with Joleon Lescott now officially handing in a transfer request. Although Everton have rejected Lescott's transfer wishes, it could be just a matter of time before they lose their defensive stalwart. On the topic of signings, Moyes has re-introduced Brazilian Jo to the Everton squad after he re-signed the Man City forward on another loan deal. Jo has fell out of favour at Manchester, what with all the overpriced wannabes now at City, but the Everton faithful now have a soft spot for the lanky forward and will be ecstatic to see Jo back in an Everton shirt. His 5 goals in 12 appearances at the end of last season was enough to convince Moyes that he required his services for the whole of the forthcoming season and we feel Jo will be an absolute bargain providing Everton keep the striker on his toes with enough chances. Arsene Wenger has also kept his stubborn ways in regards to the transfer market by refusing to shell out huge sums for players that may not make the cut. However, he did spend around £15million on Dutch centre-back Thomas Vermealen as Wenger looks to back up his defensive options. Although fans are becoming frustrated at Arsene Wenger's lack of spending, Arsenal do still have a very talented squad. Their only problem is the vast majority are still too young and require plenty of first hand experience. Arsenal are now short up front though with Emmanuel Adebayor jumping on the Man City bandwagon. Fans were literally queuing up to kick the Togo international out the door so to get £25million for him was flabbergasting. For now, Arsenal still have just enough quality to make it through the season with their biggest attribute being their midfield. Walcott and Arshavin down the wings is a potential headache for any manager while Robin Van Persie should prosper now Adebayor isn't weighing him down. Head-to-Head: Everton W: 2 Arsenal W: 6 Draws: 2 It's clear for all to see that Arsenal have dominated the previous meetings between the two in the Premiership. Last season, Arsenal were close to completing a double over Everton but instead had to settle for a point at Everton (1-1) and a 3-1 victory at The Emirates. Every now and again this fixture will produce a stunning affair but more times then not it ends up in a tight, low scoring encounter. Match Verdict: Everton have come on leaps and bounds in recent years and are pushing the top four close each year. However, If they're to be touted as possible top four contenders then they need to start beating the top four. In our opinion, Everton still have some way to go before they will become a consistent threat to the bigger clubs. Arsenal do still lack a potent forward so they may struggle in the final third but we still think they'll get some sort of result at Goodison Park. Match Odds: Everton - 9/4 SkyBet Arsenal - 11/8 Bet365 Draw - 9/4 Stanjames SoccerBetting Tip: Arsenal Draw No Bet - 4/6 Bet365 Manchester United V Birmingham City Kick-Off: Sunday 16th August - 13:30 GMT Venue: Old Trafford Manchester United kick-off their title defence in front of an expected capacity crowd at Old Trafford against The Championships bridesmaid. Many are doubting Man Utd's title credentials after losing their prized asset during the summer but they couldn't of asked for an easier opening day fixture. They've enjoyed playing Birmingham, especially at home, and United should wrap up their first three points of the season here as they bid to win their fourth successive league title. United fans have been forced to wave goodbye to the often brilliant, sometimes fall over at the slightest touch, but forever always an arrogant, smarmy git that is Portuguese World Player of the Year - Christiano Ronaldo. Despite all the love we've given him he was undoubtedly the star of the Premiership for the past two seasons. The United line-up will not be looked upon with as much fear now that the skilful maestro has moved to pastures new in a bid to win yet more glory in Spain. However, United did cash in big time when they received £80million although their idea of a replacement is Antonio Valencia. Of course, there are very few that could fill such boots but that is some step down despite the potential of the kid. Nevertheless, the show must go on as they say. Sir Alex Ferguson has also brought in the apparently 'not so injury prone' injury prone Michael Owen in a bid to make up for the goals they've lost in the departure of Ronaldo. Providing Owen does stays fit, and that's a huge 'IF', he could be a sweet piece of business. However, the limelight will now firmly be on Wayne Rooney as he aims to carry this United side to victory this season. He will now be the main man at United and will thrive on the pressure mounted upon his shoulders throughout the course of the season. Alex McLeish has his own Ecuadorian star in Christian Benitez although this South American appears to have eaten all the pies over the summer. Unlike Antonio Valencia, Benitez has failed in his bid to make the start of the season due to his lack of match fitness. That means the omen to score the goals early on will rest with Veteran Kevin Philips as he enters 36 years-of-age. Philips notched up 14 goals for Birmingham last season and finished as the clubs top goalscorer. When you consider that some of his appearances were from the bench then that doesn't bode too well for the other strikers at the club. Birmingham do have a fighting chance of surviving the season but against the 'top four' we feel they will be found wanted. They have the ability to grind down opponents but will find it extremely difficult to keep up with the bigger sides for the full 90 minutes. Their biggest problem will be goals. With Benitez not fit, it's not wise to pin your hopes on Philips producing the goods. We do actually have faith in them keeping it relatively tight at the back but it's the strikers where our concerns lye. Head-to-Head: Manchester United W: 8 Birmingham W: 0 Draws: 2 Birmingham have never enjoyed this fixture, especially at Old Trafford. 'The Red Devils' usually win at home without even breaking a sweat with Birmingham failing to score at Old Trafford in their previous five visit in the Premiership. Match Verdict: This looks pretty straightforward for the champions so we won't babble on. A United victory is very short indeed but it's hard to envisage United not winning this match comfortably let alone winning it outright. Birmingham will probably spend most their time on the back foot whilst attempting to play counter-attacking football. The small glimmer of hope for them is that United's number 1 goalkeeper is out injured so they may sneak their first goal against United at Old Trafford but taking a point seems a little far fetched. Match Odds: Manchester United - 2/9 PaddyPower Birmingham City - 18/1 Boylesports Draw - 5/1 Bet365 SoccerBetting Tip: Wayne Rooney to score anytime - 5/4 Bet365 Tottenham Hotspur V Liverpool Kick-Off: Sunday 16th August - 16:00 GMT Venue: White Hart Lane Harry Redknapp's Tottenham will entertain Rafaen Benitez's Liverpool as the pair close out the weekend in what could be a very entertaining affair at White Hart Lane. Liverpool suffered just two defeats throughout the whole of last season although one of those defeats did come in London against Spurs. With that result in mind, Rafael Benitez will need to think carefully about the tactics he deploys ahead of what will be a very tricky away fixture. Tottenham rather surprisingly had a quiet spell in the summer transfer market. Harry Redknapp is often referred to as the king of wheeling and dealing but there was none of that this summer. Sebastien Bassong was brought in from Newcastle to bolster a very inconsistent and weak defence while Peter Crouch will add a different dimension to the Tottenham attacks. However, Peter Crouch will be a decent purchase don't get us wrong but Tottenham's issues do not lye with their forwards. In fact, it's clear to the naked eye that their defence leaves a lot to desired and a big reason why several punters will steer well clear of backing Spurs this season. Although we have pinpointed what we feel is Tottenham's biggest weakness, we do feel their defence is slowly but surely improving. This showed in their end of season form which seen them keep four consecutive clean sheets at home. However, Jonathan Woodgate was at the heart of that impressive run and they will be without him for this game. Ledley King and Michael Dawson are also losing their race to be fit ahead of the clash so Harry will be forced into playing either a make-shift defence or one that is half-fit. Either way, Tottenham look extremely vulnerable to the talent on show from Liverpool, most notably the Spanish sensation that is - Fernando Torres. Liverpool's preparations ahead of the big kick-off haven't gone to plan with some terrible pre-season results denting the confidence of the fans slightly. 'Reds' boss Rafael Benitez will be hoping his players will come good when it really matters as his team head into a clash they lost in the repeat fixture last season. Liverpool got off to the perfect start when they won at The Stadium of Light last season and all followers of Liverpool will be hoping their side can get off to a similar, if not better, start this time around. Just like Tottenham, Liverpool also have defensive frailties at the moment. Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel are both unavailable for this fixture while Jamie Carragher picked up a knock in their final pre-season friendly ahead of the new Premiership season. Fabio Aurelio is also unfit but new boy Glen Johnson is fit and raring to go in what could also be a makeshift back four for Liverpool. However, despite their problems at the back, Liverpool have their two best players fit for action in Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard. Head-to-Head: Tottenham Hotspur W: 1 Liverpool W: 5 Draws: 4 As you can see, Liverpool have enjoyed this fixture in recent years although their only defeat in the last ten meetings between the pair did come at White Hart Lane in a 2-1 defeat. Before that loss, Liverpool were undefeated in four at White Hart Lane and we mustn't forget that it was a late goal that sealed Liverpool's fate that day. Match Verdict: Both sides have to contend with injuries to key players but it's Liverpool who have more options. An average Liverpool back line, you would feel, could still keep the Spurs forwards at bay. However, put the shoe on the other foot and it's hard to see a weak Spurs defence handling the the creativity of Steven Gerrard and the sheer pace of Fernando Torres. Liverpool's odds to get the job done and amend last seasons result isn't as big as their situation would suggest but we can't see Tottenham completing a home double over the 'Reds'. Match Odds: Tottenham Hotspur - 12/5 Bet365 Liverpool - 5/4 SkyBet Draw - 12/5 Boylesports SoccerBetting Tip: Fernando Torres First Goalscorer - 9/2 Bet365 Labels: premier league betting, premier league preview, premiership betting, premiership preview Posted by soccerbetting.info @ 1:36 PM << Home