ST James’s Palace Stakes betting preview

Won last year by the amazing Frankel, this year’s St James’s Palace Stakes promises to be another fantastic renewal as the Classic generation collides with the winners of the French and Irish 2,000 Guineas winners respectively. Aidan O’Brien responsible for six of the last 12 winners of this race looks to hold another strong hand with Power, who scooped the Irish 2,000 Guineas last month. He got the better of Foxtrot Romeo that day but will meet that rival again here, while Brian Meehan’s Most Improved and French 2,000 Guineas winner Lucayan also feature prominently in the betting. Get a free £25 bet on any race at Royal Ascot with William Hill or check out our Royal Ascot free bets section.

A Group One race over a mile for three-year-old colts only, the St James’s Palace is arguably the main event on Day One of Royal Ascot.  The likely favourite Power will be tackling a mile for only the third time but after a disappointing showing in the English 2,000 Guineas he bounced right back to form in the Irish equivalent at The Curragh at the end of May. Interestingly, 11 of the last 12 St James’s Palace winners had finished in the first two of the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, or in the Irish or French equivalent and Power’s profile certainly fits that bill. And perhaps just as significant is the fact Power had Hermival, Born To Sea and Foxtrot Romeo trailing in behind on his way to victory in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. On that evidence and on paper, he is the one they all have to beat.

Hermival Lightly raced colt with just four career runs to his name but he was a likeable third behind Camelot in the 2,000 Guineas after finishing best of those in the far side group.  Last time out at The Curragh he was never able to trouble the leaders but a repeat of his Newmarket third would put him in with a major shout. Visit our Cheltenham Festival section to get some great free bet offers.

Born To Sea Half-brother to Sea The Stars who broke his maiden tag at the first time of asking over 6f at The Curragh. Finished twelfth of 18 in the 2,000 Guineas on his penultimate run but made some good late headway (finished fifth) in the Irish equivalent last month behind Power and Foxtrot Romeo. Should give his running once again and should be thereabouts.

Most Improved Off the mark over 7f at Newmarket last August and close third in the Dewhurst on his final run last year behind Parish Hall and Power. Contested the Prix Du Jockey Club in France earlier this month but was short of room when keeping on to finishing fourteenth of 20. Should get a mile and granted a bit of luck in running is one to note seriously.

Lucayan French raider who is yet to finish out of the first two places in his five career outings, winning three of them. Sprung a 33-1 surprise in a Group One at Longchamp last month getting up in the last strides and can often be seen doing his best work late on. Not to be taken lightly given his impressive record in France but unproven on British soil.

Foxtrot Romeo Really good second to Power in Irish 2,000 Guineas after progression in Group Two Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury last year. Ground and trip expected to be no problem though and a repeat of his latest run would put him in the picture.

A highly competitive renewal which should set the pulses racing in the Royal enclosures and the Brian Meehan-trained Most Improved should be competitive granted a trouble free passage. Hermival’s third to Camelot in the 2,000 Guineas looks very solid but preference is for POWER who can keep up his trainer’s excellent record in this race. Get a free £25 bet on any race at Royal Ascot with William Hill.

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England vs Ukraine betting preview

Ukraine: Group Position: 3rd, Form: WLLWL

Coming into the final game of the group stages needing a win to qualify is probably a situation the co-hosts Ukraine are actually rather happy with. France are certainly a very good team, and they will have known they could quite easily have lost their two opening games and be out at sea right now. Instead they go into Tuesday’s game still full of confidence and backed by a thoroughly excited and eager support.

They had their moments against the French, but were comprehensively beaten in the end, and it could have been more than 2-0. Whilst the national fervour carried them through the game against Sweden, along with Andriy Shevchenko rolling back the clock, but against a team of class and pedigree like France they did not have enough to claim any points.

This may again be the case against England. Catalyst and hero Shevchenko may fail to start the game due to fitness problems, although he will undoubtedly play some part in what could be his last ever match for Ukraine.

England: Group Position, 2nd: Form: LWWDW

England held their positions and defended stoutly to take a point from their opening game with France, then did the complete opposite to win 3-2 with Sweden. A side that looked best set to grind out results was suddenly let loose by Roy Hodgson, who threw caution to the wind after his side conceded two soft and sloppy goals.

But then Hodgson changed things, throwing on Theo Walcott who scored one and set up another with blistering pace, a goal finished superbly by Danny Welbeck, a striker who is looking completely comfortable at this level. Andy Carroll was used to superb effect, scoring a wonderful header against a team fragile to balls in the box, but his contribution could never be enough to keep his place, as now returns England’s best player – Wayne Rooney.

Rooney is England’s real world class talent, and as such his place was pretty much guaranteed. Against the weakest team in the group (although not by position) Rooney could flourish, and will certainly enjoy renewing the wonderful club partnership he shares with Welbeck, and just might be the man to get Ashley Young back on form.

Match Prediction: England Win – 2.25 Bet Victor

For all the support Ukraine have, and all the negativity that swirls around England, the co-hosts do not have anywhere near the quality the English do, and for that reason it is hard to look beyond them. Roy Hodgson’s side have shown weaknesses and strengths in every area, but also a team spirit unlike an England side since 96. The comeback against Sweden showed resolve, and against Ukraine and their support that resolve will be tested again. Ukraine’s desperate need of a win will suit England’s ability to counter, and that home support may help them too. In recent times they have been an away side, better away from the pressure of their own fans, and maybe they can thrive again here.

The big names to talk about are Rooney and Shevchenko. The latter may be injured, but the former will attract a lot of attention. This may put some value on other first goalscorers.

Highlighted Bets:-

Over/Under: Under 2.5 goals – 1.91 BoylesSports

First Goalscorer: Danny Welbeck – 8.5 Paddy Power

Correct Score: 2-0 England – 12.00 188Bet

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England vs Sweden Euro 2012 betting preview

England Form: WLWWD

A solid, unspectacular draw with France has given England a decent start to their Euro 2012 campaign. Roy Hodgson has gone even further than Fabio Capello to make England hard to beat, with Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker holding deep in the midfield and working hard, and also James Milner running non-stop on the right side helping to protect the defence.

But that was against a very strong French side, and England will know they can expect more dominance against Sweden. Indeed, they were comfortable winners against them last November, a 1-0 score line belying the ease of the win with a rather weakened squad, compared to a strong Swedish line-up.

Danny Welbeck earned rave reviews for his willing running and movement up front in the opener, and if Ashley Young can find space to create behind him then Welbeck can pray on a defence who could not handle the 35 year-old Andriy Shevchenko on Monday.

Sweden: Form: WWWWL

The Swedes came into this group aware that their first game against co-hosts was more than likely a must win if they were to qualify, and the least they would need was a point. But they had nothing to compare to the Andriy Shevchenko story, and from a Ibrahimovic goal up they went down 2-1 losers.

Now they must look at games with England and France. And with the French unbeaten in 22 (and you would expect 23 by the time they face Sweden) it is looking like this game is a must win.

They did control much of the game against Ukraine, but could not contain the emotion and the determination of the home side. England are a much better side, and Sweden struggled to stop Ukraine when they got into the game, and only carved out chances late on in desperation.

As ever Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be the key man. With his sides goal in that opening game he did try to carry them through. But as a player who likes to find space between midfield and defence and drifts in and out of games, England’s central midfield are set out to close down his space. Parker especially will snap away at him every time he drops deep. Aside from their captain Sweden looked devoid of ideas, and if Ibra is closed out of the game so, maybe, goes with him their chances of qualification.

Match Prediction: England Win – 2.2 Bet Victor

The Swedes are well within their rights to be optimistic coming into this match. They have never lost a competitive game to England, but their opening game defeat has certainly heaped pressure on them to up their performance here and take three points.

On paper England are definitely a better side, although they lack the striking class of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. However, he does tend to drift in and out of games, and has very rarely done much to impress English viewers. Welbeck is also looking perfectly at home leading England’s line, so much so that it is expected Wayne Rooney will return in the deeper role behind him against Ukraine.

The service from the wings is likely to be important. England showed their aerial prowess with their goal against the French, a wonderfully delivered Steven Gerrard free kick that Joleon Lescott was more than happy to head home. On top of that, six of the last seven goals Sweden have conceded were headers. Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ashley Young in particular could find their delivery a key aspect of the game.

England and their hard working team may well play off Sweden’s desperate need for points, and will be as comfortable on the front foot against them as they will using their pace on the counter. Welbeck’s movement is also likely to cause trouble to the slow Swedish defence, and first goal scorer bets should be split between his ability to find space and the two central defenders, Terry and Lescott, getting forward to head home.

Highlighted Bets:-

Over/Under: Under 2.5 Goals – 1.7 Bet Victor

First Goalscorer: John Terry – 26.00 Ladbrokes

Correct Score: 2-0 England – 11.00 Paddy Power

Match Odds:-

England – 2.2 Bet Victor

Draw – 3.4 Stan James

Sweden – 4.00 Stan James

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Holland vs Germany

Holland vs Germany betting preview

Holland headed into the tournament as one of the favourites but a 1 – 0 defeat to Denmark means they approach this game with the possibility of going out at the group stage. Despite dominating much of the game, strikers Robin van Persie and Klaas jan Huntelaar, so prolific for their clubs, were unable to convert the chances that fell their way. They went into the tournament in decent form, with their last game being a comfortable 6 – 0 victory over an inexperienced Northern Ireland side. They have been a little inconsistent of late though, with defeats to Bulgaria, Sweden and Wednesday’s opponents Germany. The Netherlands are certainly strongest in attack, with the luxury of having two of the highest-scoring strikers in European football in Van Persie and Huntelaar. These are supplied by fellow big names such as Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder, Ibrahim Afellay and Rafael van der Vaart. Their defence is seen as a weakness however with their back four and goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg all looking shaky of late. Coach Bert van Marwijk has tried to address this by playing two holding midfielders to protect the defence, in Mark van Bommel and Nigel de Jong. It will be interesting to see how the Dutch back line respond to the German’s fluid attack.

Germany

Germany were another of the fancied teams that played poorly in their opening game. They managed to snatch a 1 – 0 win over Portugal thanks to a Mario Gomez header but will have to play much better against a Holland team that need to bounce back quickly after their shock opening defeat to Denmark. They headed into the tournament in poor form with an unconvincing win over Israel following back to back defeats to Switzerland and France. Alarmingly in the Switzerland game, a shaky looking defence managed to concede 5 goals but back to back clean sheets will provide new confidence. At the other end, the German’s have scored in their last seventeen games, with an impressive attack containing the likes of Mario Gomez, Miroslav Klose, Lukas Podolski and Thomas Muller with Mesut Ozil and Bastian Schweinsteiger provided the ammunition.

Holland vs Germany betting tips

Draw – 3.1 at William Hill

Both teams to score – 1.70 at William Hill

Both teams are known for playing a lone striker but it will be interesting to see what van Marwijk does as his Holland team look to get a much needed win. Both Van Persie and Huntelaar could be handed starts up front in what will surely be a very attacking Dutch team. As previously stated, both teams have strong attacking options compared to defence so goals can be expected here. The fact that these two were the top scorers in qualifying back up this prediction. It’s hard to call a winner in this one so my prediction would be a draw, setting up an interesting final game to decide who qualifies.

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England vs France betting

Laurent Blanc has overseen a transformation in the fortunes of the French team. Since the miserable performances under Raymond Domenech at the last World Cup, former Manchester United defender Blanc has engineered a revolution. With a fine team from goalkeeper to the attack France are seen by many as one of the dark horses for lifting the trophy if they can reproduce their pre-tournament form on the big stage. Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema leads the French attack, he has been in superb form the Spanish Champions this season knocking in 21 goals in 34 games. He is supported up by creative midfielders such as Samir Nasri, Frank Ribery and Mathieu Valbuena. At the back, Lyon’s goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is regarded as one of the finest in world football and he is protected by a defence containing the likes of English-based players such as Gael Clichy, Patrice Evra and Laurent Koscielny. France are unbeaten in their last 21 matches, a run that includes victories over Brazil, Germany and Monday’s opponent’s England. With such a fine all round team that have been brought together by one of the game’s fine upcoming managers, France are a team to be watch out for and will be very tough opposition for England.

England, lead by Roy Hodgson, head into this tournament with lower expectations than ever before. Whether this could possibly work in the team’s favour remains to be seen but with Hodgson’s side depleted by suspension and injuries there is a slight sense of pessimism around the country, partly reflected in the small number of England fans that have travelled to the tournament compared to normal. Then led by Fabio Capello, England qualified comfortably and as usual their form in between tournaments has been good. It is hoped by fans that this time it can be carried into the Championships. Star striker Wayne Rooney will be missing for this game and it is widely expected that his club team mate Danny Welbeck will replace him, after impressing against Belgium and in training. It is also predicted that Hodgson will start with playing more defensive minded wide midfielders such as James Milner rather than flying wingers, suggesting a similar approach to how he used to set his teams up at Fulham and West Brom. It will be up to the likes of Ashley Young to lead counter attacks against a French defence that is regarded as the weakest part of their team.

Match Prediction: France 2.50 at William Hill

France are the clear favourites heading into this one but European Championships can be very unpredictable as we all know, a point emphasised by Greece winning in 2004. France defeated England in the opening game of the last European Championships England were involved in, 8 years ago. Les Bleus have also won their last three games against England and are undefeated in their last five against them. It will be a tall order for England to come away with three points and despite it being a tough one to call, it’s hard to overlook the French’s quality and form.

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Epsom Derby Betting Preview

Following last week’s success in the Irish 2,000 Guineas on board Power, Joseph O’Brien is preparing for an even bigger stage when the Epsom Derby takes centre stage this Saturday. Riding the red-hot favourite Camelot for his father Aidan, 19-year-old Joseph showed his capabilities in the saddle when producing the unbeaten three-year-old late in the English 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket last month. The Andrew Balding-trained Bonfire looks the most likely danger to Camelot after a cosy win in the Dante Stakes at York and he may be a valuable alternative at much longer odds. Get a free £25 bet on this race from William Hill.

The Group 1 event, which is run over 1m4f, is Britain’s richest race and the most prestigious of all the five classics in the Flat season.  Mickael Barzalona’s expertly cool ride on the Andre Fabre-trained Pour Moi 12 months ago, where the young Frenchman completed a remarkable come back from last to first in the final straight, provided an iconic image for the 2011 Derby. And there is no reason to suggest why Joseph O’Brien can add to his already glittering portfolio with arguably his toughest assignment to date.

Camelot’s neck victory over French Fifteen in the 2,000 Guineas was most impressive considering he was still left with plenty to do 2f from home. As a two-year-old the Ballydoyle stable star easily won his Leopardstown maiden before going on to land the honours in the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster. Currently installed as the 8-11 market leader, Camelot looks in no hurry to relinquish his untarnished record any time soon and is certainly the most likely winner of the race.

But the aforementioned Bonfire has done things nicely too on route to the Epsom centre piece, albeit with a little less vigour. It is difficult to assess his only defeat at Saint-cloud in France and he was probably unlucky not to finish closer to eventual winner French Fifteen when short of room entering the straight. His ¾ length win in the Dante was hard-fought but in the end he won a shade cosily from the one-paced Ektihaam in second. Whether or not he has the star quality to edge out Camelot remains to be seen, but he is certainly the pick of the challengers at 5/1.

David Lanigan’s Main Sequence is interesting and is yet to taste defeat in his four career outings so far. On his seasonal reappearance, the three-year-old colt scored by a ½ length in a competitive 0-95 Handicap over 1m2f. Next time on the all-weather at Lingfield in the Derby Trial Stakes, he again flashed his tail under pressure but ran on well in the hands of pilot Ted Durcan. With further improvement likely Main Sequence has place claims but will need to step up on his two previous efforts to worry Camelot.

Of the rest Camelot’s two stalemate’s Astrology and Imperial Monarch could get into things if Aidan O’Brien’s first string does not put his best foot forward. The former was a nice winner at Chester’s May meeting last month, while the latter forged clear in the final 75 yards at Sandown at the end of April to suggest he might be another horse on the upgrade.

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England vs Belgium

England vs Belgium betting

England’s last game before Euro 2012, and Roy Hodgson’s second in charge of his country is here this Saturday. A decent win over Norway last week eased the new manager in, but this is a tougher task, and the performance here a little more important.

Thankfully for England, they have everyone available to them for this game, unlike last week when the Chelsea players and Wayne Rooney got a little extra rest. They were not really missed in a rather dull game that England had control of. The livewire was Ashley Young, who fizzed in and around lone striker Andy Carroll. Carroll may have done enough in that game to convince his manager to play him in Wayne Rooney’s absence, whilst Young looked like he could be the key to England’s performances this summer.

The downsides have come this week, as they always do with England. Gareth Barry sustained an injury in that game that has ruled him out of the tournament, and Frank Lampard has suffered a similar fate in training this week. Phil Jagielka and Jordan Henderson have been drafted in, hardly convincing replacements but clearly at the bottom of Hodgson’s selection list now.

Gerrard and Parker formed an effective partnership in that game, but that needs to be tested by better opponents, and they will find that this weekend. The injuries seem to have helped the team pick itself. Glen Johnson and Danny Welbeck are still unlikely to play this week, so the only question is who plays in central defence, and most likely who partners John Terry. Many will hope the wings also have a reshuffle, with neither Downing or Walcott impressing last week, nor in good form. Both will find the going harder here, and must improve to have any impact. Make sure you check out our Euro 2012 free bets section.

Belgium

With a young squad full of some very talented players and much potential it was a massive surprise for the Belgians to not even make the playoffs in the European Championship qualifying. There is no shame in finishing behind group winners Germany, but they would have expected to take second place over Turkey. If you do not know much about Belgium, then some of the names in their squad may well make you realise how good a side they could be.

Starting from the back they have Sunderland’s number one Simon Mignolet, already an established Premier League goalkeeper at the age of 23. Their defence, and side, is lead by captain Vincent Kompany, Manchester City’s Premier League winning captain, with Thomas Vermaelen, Daniel Van Buyten and Spurs target Jan Vertonghen for company.

Their midfield and attacking talents are really something too. Everton’s Fellaini, Fulham’s Dembele and another talent in Steven Defour are some choice midfielders, yet the big name is Eden Hazard, who is expected to join Chelsea this summer in a deal worth over £30m. The 21 year old is their jewel in the crown, a talent chased by major clubs and compared to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo. Even up front they have Chelsea’s potential talent Romelu Lukaku and highly rated striker Kevin Mirallas.

All this make them a team to watch, although recent form suggests missing out on Euro 2012 has taken the edge off them, and with a lot of young talent they may well need time to come together as a team. But with those names, it is clear England have a task on their hands.

Match Prediction: England Win –1.62 Bet 365

The mood around England this summer is one of complete negativity, which in the long run might help the nation’s usually overbearing expectations. England are certainly a better side than Belgium, with more talent across the park, and a win here will be a boost to confidence. Manager Hodgson will undoubtedly be more interested in his team’s performance rather than the result, and Belgium will likely be looking to prove their worth in front of a large audience and at Wembley.

There will likely be many substitutions in the second half too, and this usually slows down the games. But with little to lose for the Belgians, and players on both teams certainly having something to prove, whether it be their worthiness to play come France next week or their ability to shine even though they have not qualified, so there could end up being a rather attacking game of football on show.

It’s this little extra effort that the England players will put in, the importance of the game to them compared to Belgium, that should push England over the line, plus that little extra bit of class and experience. Hodgson will not want this to be too open, and he will make the six changes he can (in all likelihood), so the game could also find it fizzles out in the second half.

For England, Ashley Young is proving a fireball to contain behind the striker. Carroll uses his size to great effect, winning balls and making space for midfield runners, and Young took full advantage of this with his goal last week. Gerrard is another who likes to drive into space, and both these men are good shouts for first goals.

From here expect Belgium to try come at England, and both teams are capable of scoring. 2-1, as the game quietens down, looks a good bet.

Highlighted Bets:-

Over/Under: Over 2.5 Goals – 1.91 William Hill

First Goalscorer: Ashley Young – 7.00 Sky Bet

Correct Score: 2-1 England Win – 8.5 William Hill

Match Odds:-

England – 1.62 Bet 365

Draw – 4.00 Paddy Power

Belgium – 7.00 BoyleSports

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Euro 2012 free bets

Euro 2012 offers great betting opportunities with some of the world’s best players on view and matches taking place everyday. What better way to enjoy betting on Euro 2012 than with a free bet from one of the UK’s leading bookmakers? With so much competition for business during Euro 2012, online betting sites are offering some fantastic free bet offers to customers creating an account and lacing their first bet. We’ve picked out the best free bets for Euro 2012 below:

Best Euro 2012 Free Bet: Bet £25 with William Hill and get £25 free!

Sky Bet

Sky Bet is one of the best online betting sites and allows customers to bet on live football matches in-play through your TV with a Sky Bet online account. Join Sky Bet now for a free £10 bet – no deposit required during Euro 2012!

£10 Free Bet

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William Hill

William Hill is the biggest name in UK betting, with a great online betting service offering hundreds of markets on all football matches. Grab a free £25 bet during Euro 2012 from William Hill

£25 Free Bet

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Coral

Coral have over 1000 High Street betting shops in the UK, and offers a great online betting experience through their fast and secure website. New customers get a free £25 bet.

£25 Free Bet

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Blue Square

Blue Square are an online bookmakers offering a great free bet offer during Euro 2012. Enjoy a fast and easy to navigate website with great betting opportunities All new customers get a free bet up to £25 after placing just one bet.

£25 Free Bet

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Stan James

Stan James – Stan James has one of the best designed websites of any online bookmaker. Open an account today to claim your free £25 bet, simply place a bet between £5 and £25 and Stan James will credit your account with a free bet for the same amount.

£25 Free Bet

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How do Euro 2012 free bets work?

During Euro 2012 you’ll find some of the most generous free bet offers from online betting sites and bookmakers. Free bets are offered to customers who open a new account and place a qualifying bet on any Euro 2012 event. This qualifying bet can be on literally anything, and then you will receive your free bet (usually immediately but always within 24 hours – depending on the bookmaker). Some betting sites even offer multiple free bets, which means you can enjoy betting risk free during Euro 2012. What can be better than that – enjoying fantastic live football and betting with the bookies cash!

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Norway v England betting

Norway missed out on Euro 2012 qualification after finishing third in their group, behind Portugal only on goal difference. Despite their side containing some talented footballers that have made their mark in England, the absence of goals is what ultimately cost them. Throughout qualifying, they averaged just over 1 goal a game and none of their players managed to score more than 2 goals. Despite this, Norway are only slight outsiders, and are best priced at 3.6 with Coral to get the win against England.  Striker Mohammed Abdellaoue is expected to start the game for Norway, and the forward is looking good at 9.0 with Paddy power to score the opening goal on Saturday. Norway’s 8 games in qualifying brought an average of 2.1 goals per game, so betting on under 2.5 goals in this game should bring a small return with 1.8 available from Stan James.

Norway vs England odds

Roy Hodgson’s first game in charge should give a small indication into his tactics and possible formations going into Euro 2012. England are firm favourites to win the game, and are best priced as short as 2.1 with Ladbrokes. After suffering defeat in their last game against Holland, Hodgson will be eager to get his reign off to a solid start, and to get back to winning ways. Before the Holland result England had beaten Sweden and Spain both 1-0. So betting on another clean sheet, and another 1-0 win here is looking good with 7.8 available from Betfair. Wayne Rooney is unlikely to start the game, as he faces up to missing the first 2 games of the tournament through suspension, and Danny Welbeck also appears to be nursing an injury. With this in mind, Andy Carroll could start the game up front, and could be a good choice at 3.1 with Bet365 to score at any time during the game.

Match Prediction

England will be looking for the right blend between performance and result when they face Norway, whilst mindful that the former is more important than the latter. So a solid 1-0 is looking like a safe option when opting for a correct score bet. Andy Carroll is an obvious choice for a goal scorer, but it may also be worth looking at Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlian, the young winger has had a great season for Arsenal and has shown his pace and finishing for the under 21’s.

1-0  England – 7.5 Betfred

Andy Carroll anytime scorer – 3.1 Bet265

Under 2.5 goals – 1.8 Stan James

Mohammed Abdellaoue first scorer – 9.0 Paddy Power

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Man City vs QPR betting

Man City

League form: WWWWW

Not many people predicted it, but as we head into the final game of another thrilling Premiership season it’s Manchester City that are in pole position to wrestle the title off neighbours Manchester United. They will be crowned Champions should they beat QPR here, unless United manage to beat Sunderland by at least 9 goals which of course is unlikely. After their loss at Arsenal which many people said ended the title race, City have fought back brilliantly winning their last five games, scoring fifteen goals and conceding just once. Many thought that their last game at Newcastle United could be a stumbling block, with the Magpies in great form themselves and challenging for a Champions League spot however, inspired by Yaya Toure, City eased past them leaving only one game between them and the title. They have a formidable unbeaten home record this season, having won all their games at the Etihad Stadium bar one.

Queens Park Rangers

League form: WLWLW

Rangers’ home and away form is very contrasting; they have been superb at Loftus Road this season having won their last five games there, beating teams such as Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. However, their form on the road is the reason for their lowly league position – They haven’t won away since November and have lost their last six away. They currently sit two points outside the relegation zone, with a significantly better goal difference than Bolton, which would most likely mean a draw would be enough on Sunday, a feat that is easier said than done.

Match Prediction: Manchester City win (1.14 – William Hill)

Also – Sergio Aguero to score anytime (1.50 – William Hill)
Over 2.5 goals (1.30 – William Hill)

When we look at the form book it is impossible to look past anything but a home win for this one. However, given the circumstances anything could happen. City are not used to this kind of pressure going into a final match of the season, whereas QPR will be desperate to pick up something themselves to ensure safety. Either way, I’m not sure that it will be as one-sided as is predicted and it is maybe worth looking into other match betting for this game rather than the home win which offers little value. However, City managed to cope with the pressure when they defeated Manchester United so you would still expect them to be able to complete the job and wrap up the title here.

By Anthony Cunningham

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