Birmingham vs Blackpool Play off betting

Birmingham: League form: LWDDD

Birmingham have played over fifty matches this season due to their involvement in cup competitions and european football. However, under the guidance of former Newcastle manager Chris Hughton they have managed to remain competitive in the Championship and find themselves in the play offs. The finished the regular season with an impressive 2 – 0 victory over champions Reading but head into this game 1 – 0 down after losing the first leg at Blackpool in what was a very one-sided match in favour of the hosts. The Blues boast a superb home record this season in the league, their 2 – 1 loss to Nottingham Forest being their only reverse. thirteen wins and nine draws in their other games mean St. Andrews will be an intimidating place for their opponents to visit.

Blackpool: League form: WDWWD

Blackpool headed into the play offs in fine form and managed to continue that with a solid 1 – 0 victory in the first leg of this play off semi final. A deflected Thomas Ince effort proved to be the difference and they will go into this game full of confidence, having had play off experience a couple of years ago when they won them. The seasiders have continued to play the free flowing attacking football that won them many admirers in their season in the premier league and it is possible that it will take them back to the top division. However, that type of football often lead to exposure at the back and they have conceded a very high amount of goals to say they’re fifth in the league, the same as relegated Portsmouth. Despite managing to keep a clean sheet in the home leg, they will be under constant pressure from Birmingham from the kick off in this leg, with the Blues needed to score at least once to be in with a chance of winning.

Verdict: Birmingham (1.91 at William Hill)

Also: Both teams to score – yes (1.73 at William Hill)

Play-offs are incredibly hard games to predict. Despite West Ham’s dominance over Cardiff in the other semi final, they rarely go the way of the favourites. The odds slightly favour Birmingham going into this one, mainly due to their fantastic home record. However, as shown in their 4 – 3 away victory over Nottingham Forest in the play offs two seasons back, it is very unlikely that Blackpool will sit back and invite the home side to attack. One thing to be sure of is that we can expect a lot of goals.

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Newcastle vs Man City betting

The three way fight for the two remaining Champions League places is really heating up. With Newcastle kicking off slightly earlier than their competitors, they know they can steal a march and put a serious dent in Man City’s title bid. After completing a fantastic win away at Chelsea in midweek, the magpies will be high on confidence and odds of 5.0 from Betfred are showing some great value. Papiss Cisse scored two fantastic goals in midweek, and the striker has bagged an unbelievable 12 goals in 13 games since January. With these stats, a whopping 8.5 is looking an absolute steal at Paddy Power for Cisse to score the opening goal of the game. The Magpies home games have produced an average of 2.4 goals, so betting on under 2.5 goals with 2.1 available from William Hill is also looking like a safe bet.

Manchester City secured a huge win on Monday night when they overtook their local rivals Man United to claim top spot in the Premier League. It’s been a remarkable turnaround for the Citizens, who looked dead and buried only a few weeks ago. Nevertheless, they face a tough challenge on Sunday against a strong Newcastle team. City are firm favourites going into the game, but there’s no real value in an away win. Instead a correct score prediction of 2-1 is looking great value with 9.0 available from Stan James. Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez have formed a deadly partnership in recent matches, and betting on either to score at any time is showing good value with 2.38 available from Skybet.

Match Prediciton

With so much at stake here for both teams, it could well become a tight and tense affair on Sunday lunchtime that could be decided by a moment of brilliance. Both teams have players in their team capable of hurting the other, and Hatem Ben Arfa and Samir Nasri have both been in good form recently. Nevertheless, with City knowing the title is back in their own hands that should give them enough to go on and take all three points.

2-1 Man City – 9.0 Stan James

Tevez anytime scorer – 2.38 Skybet

Cisse first scorer – 8.5 Paddy Power

Both teams to score 1^st half – 4.5 Skybet

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Man City vs Man Utd betting

Arguably the biggest game of the season is set to take place at the Etihad on Monday as the two Manchester Clubs battle it out in what looks set to be the title decider. Manchester City know that a win here would take them back above their title rivals with just 2 games to play. Since a 1-0 loss to Arsenal earlier in the month, Roberto Mancini’s men have really kicked on, winning 3 games in a row and scoring 12 goals. This, along with their home advantage is the main reason City are slight favourites going into the tie and are best priced at 2.25 with Ladbrokes. Carlos Tevez has also been prolific since coming back into the side, and is looking great value at 8.0 with William Hill to come back to haunt his home side and score the opening goal. The last two games between these two teams produced 5 and 7 goals, so betting on over 2.5 goals here, is looking like the sensible bet with odds of 1.75 available at Stan James.

Latest betting odds

In what has been an up and down season, Man United know that a draw here may well be enough to give them the edge in the title race. With a slightly easier finish on paper, backing the 1-1 draw is looking particularly good then, with odds of 7.5 available at Stan James. This looks even more likely when taking into account Man United’s good away record this season. So far, Ferguson’s men have won 12 of their 17 games, the best record in the division. Wayne Rooney has also been in fantastic form recently, with 4 goals in his last 2 games. So betting on the England man to score at any time during the match is also looking like a solid bet with 3.0 available from William Hill. Another small bet that could give a decent return is the match special of Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez to score the same amount of goals at 1.83 with Stan James.

Match Prediction

Manchester City have hauled themselves back into the title race over recent weeks, whilst Man United have slipped up to let their neighbours back in. Despite this, all of the pressure surrounding the game means the two teams could well cancel each other out. With this in mind, the 1-1 correct score is looking like the best option with Rooney and Tevez finding the net.

1-1   – 7.5 Stan James

Rooney anytime scorer – 3.0 William Hill

Tevez first scorer – 8.0 William Hill

Half time/Full time – Man City/Draw – 17.0 Betfred

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Arsenal vs Chelsea betting

Arsenal take on Chelsea on Saturday knowing they need to return to winning ways if they are to cement third place in the league. The defeat last time out to Wigan was a poor one, but the loss of Mikel Arteta for the rest of the season made it even worse. Despite this, Arsenal only have the league to play for now, and so that’s the reason they are slight favourites going into the tie and best priced at 2.05 with Coral. Chelsea’s hectic fixture period should play in the home sides favour, so a correct score of 2-1 Arsenal is looking even better at 9.0 with Betfred. Robin Van Persie has been on fire this season, with 27 goals in the league, so betting on the striker to score the opening goal is showing good odds of 5.5 at Stan James.

Arsenal vs Chelsea odds

Chelsea are on a great recent run, they’re unbeaten in their previous 8 games in all competitions and have beaten Spurs 5-1 and Barcelona 1-0 in their last 2 matches. They have though, played a lot of games in a short space of time, a huge 5 games in 14 days. This will clearly affect the team, and is possibly the reason they are as long as 3.9 with Stan James. If they can find some freshness though, a 1-0 away win is showing good odds of 12.0 with Bet365. It also looks unlikely that Didier Drogba will play his third game in a row so Fernando Torres should start in his place. The Spaniard is looking good then, at 3.25 with Ladbrokes to score at any time. The last 3 games between Chelsea and Arsenal have produced 12 goals. So betting on over 2.5 goals is showing good value with 1.8 from William Hill.

Match Prediction

Chelsea’s sheer amount of games should be starting to catch up with them. Because of this, a 2-1 home win for Arsenal is looking like the best bet. Chelsea do though, have the ability to get on the score sheet.

2-1 Arsenal – 9.0 Betfred
Van Persire 1st scorer – 5.5 Stan James
Over 2.5 goals – 1.8 William Hill
Torres anytime scorer – 3.25 Ladbrokes

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Liverpool vs Everton betting

Liverpool go to Wembley for the second time this season on Saturday, looking to book a third visit as they chase another trophy. Their Carling Cup win and FA Cup run has somewhat made up for what has been a poor Premier League campaign, but they did manage a 3-2 win in their last outing. The victory over Blackburn ended a run of 4 league matches without a win, but it brought further difficulties with the dismissal of backup ‘keeper Doni. Despite this, the Reds are slight favourites going into this game, and are best priced at 2.6 with Betfred. Luis Suarez is Liverpool’s top scorer with 13 goals so far this season, and so the Uruguayan forward is looking good to score at any time with odds of 2.8 at Paddy Power. Liverpool have conceded an average of 1 goal a game so far, and have scored on average 1.5 a game, so betting on under 2.5 goals with 1.75 at Stan James.

Everton have been in great form recently, and are unbeaten in their last 5 games in all competitions. They even sit above their opponents Liverpool in the table, but are still slight outsiders going into the tie. This does though, mean there is some good value to be had in an Everton win. A 2-1 correct score is looking particularly tempting with odds of 11.0 at Betfred. Like Liverpool, Everton had also struggled to find the back of the net this season, however that has changed since the January signing of striker Nikica Jelavić from Rangers. The Croatian has scored 4 goals in 8 games since his arrival, and is showing some good odds of 8.0 with Skybet to score the opening goal.

Match Prediction

Merseyside derbies are notoriously tight games, aside from the last meeting between the two which Liverpool won comfortably. Everton will want revenge for that defeat though, and will take advantage of their opponent’s goalkeeping situation. With this in mind, a 2-1 Everton win is looking like the best bet.

2-1 Everton – 11.0 Betfred

Suarez anytime scorer – 2.8 Paddy Power

Jelavic first goal scorer – 8.0 Skybet

Under 2.5 goals – 1.75 Stan James

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Manchester United vs Aston Villa betting

Manchester United: League form: LWWWW

Before Wednesday, Manchester United had beaten Wigan the last thirteen times they had played each other, however a shock 1 – 0 loss for Fergie’s men means that the title race has been made a bit more interesting. The result was even more surprising considering United were on the back of a eight game winning streak. It means now that Sundays game against Aston Villa is an absolute must-win, given that both Manchester teams still need to meet at the City of Manchester Stadium. Paul Scholes has been inspirational since coming out of retirement and after resting him for the Wigan match, Sir Alex will be putting him straight back into the team hoping that his experience will be able to help United gain a crucial win. They have won all their games at Old Trafford in 2012 and you would have to back them to continue this impressive record.

Aston Villa: League form: DDLLW

Many Villa fans just want this season to be over; despite a brilliant goal from young striker Andrea Weimann, Easter Monday’s 1 – 1 draw with Stoke was another poor performance. They do have reason to be optimistic for the future as many youngsters have come through to the senior side this season but it still seems a long time ago that Villa were competing at the top end of the table rather than the bottom, led by current Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill. Villa have won one in their last twelve matches and haven’t won in their last six away from home. This doesn’t bode well for a team traveling to the league leaders on Sunday. Better news for Villa fans is that they are the last Premier League team to keep a clean sheet at Old Trafford when they defeated the Red Devils 1 – 0 back in 2009, forty seven games ago.

Match Prediction: Manchester United win (1.25 – William Hill)

Also: Manchester United to win to nil (1.85 – William Hill)

Ferguson will be telling his team that this is the biggest game of the season; another slip up will throw the title race wide open, it could mean that should Manchester City win in the local derby, they would go top of the league. Villa tend to put in some of their better performances against the bigger sides but whenever the Red Devils slip up, you always back them to hit back again with a win the next game; Fergie has been in this situation many times before and you have to back his men to prevail in an encounter against a poor Villa side.

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Fulham vs Chelsea

Fulham: League form: WWLLL

Under the guidance of experienced Dutchman Martin Jol, Fulham find themselves comfortably in mid table as we near the end of the season. It is a position that most fans would have taken at the start of the campaign. The form of the likes of Clint Dempsey and Pavel Pogrebnyak, brought in as a replacement for departed striker Bobby Zamora, has ensured that the London side have managed to stay well clear of the relegation zone. Last game they picked up an impressive 3 – 0 victory at in-form Bolton Wanderers to make it back to back victories after a run of three consecutive defeats.

Chelsea: League form: WWDLW

Chelsea head into this clash knowing that it is an absolute must win if they want to stay in the race for a Champions League spot. A last minute goal handed them a 2 – 1 win over relegation-threatened Wigan Athletic in what was otherwise a very poor performance helped only by a series of shocking referee decisions. They have however been picking up lots of wins under interim manager Roberto di Matteo and, despite a congested fixture list due to involvement in cup competitions, they head into this game full of confidence.

Match Prediction: Draw (3.20 at William Hill)

Fulham have already come close to beating Chelsea twice this season and with a track record of doing well against the big teams, it will be an interesting encounter on monday. Having said that, Fulham have only managed to beat the Blues once in their last thirty – one clashes. The Cottages are in good form though, particularly flying winger Damien Duff and American striker Clint Dempsey, who has scored an impressive fifteen league goals this campaign. Chelsea have a lot of old players so it will be intriguing to see how they cope with the fixture congestion that lies ahead. They have come out and said that getting a Champions League spot is the priority for this season so to say Monday’s game is a must-win is an understatement.

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Aston Villa vs Chelsea betting

Aston Villa: League form: LWDDL

Alex McLeish was never a popular choice when he took over as Aston Villa manager and with Villa just three places from the drop zone it highly unlikely that that opinion has changed. Villa’s main problem this season has been consistency; they’d win the odd game but could never put together a winning streak or unbeaten run. Their recent league form shows this with only two wins recorded in their last ten games. It has been difficult for Villa with star striker Darren Bent ruled out for the rest of the season and they were given a further blow as it was revealed yesterday that Captain Stilian Petrov had been diagnosed with leukaemia. As has been the case with Bolton Wanderers recently following Fabrice Muamba’s collapse, fans will be hoping that the players can remain focussed and put in a good performance on behalf of a teammate. The Villan’s main problem of late has been scoring goals, losing Bent has obviously been a big blow, with only two goals scored in their last five games. They did however manage to score three at Stamford Bridge earlier this season though and their record against the Londoners will give them a confident boost going into the game tomorrow.

Chelsea: League form: DLWLW

Interim manager Roberto di Matteo has done well since stepping in for the sacked Andre Villas-boas; with highlights being a brilliant 4 – 1 win over Napoli to complete a superb European comeback and the recent away game in Benfica where his bold tactics and team selection paid off to help Chelsea to a crucial 1 – 0 win. However they still lie five points adrift of the coveted final Champions League spot and with Tottenham Hotspur not in action till Sunday, the game at lowly Aston Villa be a fantastic opportunity for di Matteo’s men to close the gap and put some pressure on Spurs. Despite their good form of five wins, one draw and one loss since Villas-boas left, Chelsea have only scored two goals in their last four Premiership matches and they will need more from their expensive strikers if they are to gain a win at Villa Park.

Match Prediction: Chelsea win 1.83 – William Hill

Chelsea have won only once at Villa Park in the last thirteen years, a record that will give the home team confidence when they line up tomorrow. Villa are also unbeaten in their last three encounters with Chelsea and won the reverse fixture 3 – 1 earlier this season. However a lot has changed since then, with the Londoners seemingly rejuvenated under new management added to the fact that Villa will be without two of the scorers from that match. Both teams have had extremely disappointing campaigns so far and need a result for very different reasons with Villa not quite safe from relegation just yet and Chelsea needing to edge closer to the final Champions League. It is a difficult game to predict however the away team will head into it on a high after a superb midweek win in Benfica and should be able to edge this.

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Bolton vs Blackburn betting

Bolton Wanderers return to action following the postponement of Tuesday nights match at Aston Villa due to the shocking incident involving Fabrice Muamba, who has since began to show signs of recovery following his collapse. It was widely expected that this game would be called off too however it was requested by Muamba and his family that the game still goes on. Whether Bolton’s players will be in the right frame of mind remains to seen yet you will be pretty certain to see a very battling performance on behalf of Muamba from Owen Coyles’ men, especially considering it’s a relegation six pointer and a local derby. Should Bolton win they could move out the relegation zone with fellow strugglers Queens Park Rangers facing a tricky tie at Martin O’Neill’s Sunderland. If Bolton can get a win it would mean back to back league victories for the first time this season however it remains to be seen whether they will be able to obtain this given their lack of firepower. The Trotters have struggled up front since the departures of prolific duo Johan Elmander and Daniel Sturridge, with the Elmander moving to Turkish side Galatasaray and Sturridge returning to parent club Chelsea. Summer signings Tuncay and David N’Gog have both struggled to fill their boots and club captain Kevin Davies is not recognised as consistent goalscorer. Midfield maestro Muamba will be an obvious loss in midfield and Coyle will be hoping that his men can battle on without him and get the win that could really kickstart their battle for survival.

Blackburn Rovers: League form: WWDLW

After a terrible start, unpopular manager Steve Kean has overseen an upturn in fortunes at Ewood Park recently as Rovers sit five points off the relegation zone following back to back wins over Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Getting consecutive clean sheets will be a huge boost to a side that hasn’t managed to keep one previously all season. It was a defence that was expected to struggle even more following the sale of key defenders Chris Samba and Ryan Nelson in January yet Scott Dann and Grant Hanley have filled in admirably. Hanley is one of a number of youngsters that Kean has brought into the side this season along with Jason Lowe and Adam Henley, all of which have thrived alongside star player David Hoilett. Striker Yakubu has also been in superb form for Blackburn all season following his bargain buy from Everton, scoring fourteen crucial goals in just twenty-one appearances.

Match prediction: Draw – 3.40 – William Hill

This will be an absolutely massive game for both teams with both doing all possible to ensure it’s their team that get the boost in their battle for survival. It will be an emotional occasion for the home side with their players returning to the field for the first time since Muamba’s collapse but they will need to channel that emotion into putting in a first class performance against a resurgent Blackburn side. Despite the away sides recent clean sheets, I can see there being a few goals in this and a score draw seems to me a strong possibility.

By Anthony Cunningham

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Man City vs Chelsea betting

Manchester City go into this game with Chelsea 4 points behind their local rivals, and knowing anything but 3 points will be a psychological blow. Roberto Mancini’s men are having a slight wobble in recent weeks, after losing away to Swansea, they also crashed out of the Europa League last week. Away from home City have been struggling, with just 7 wins from 14, but at home they have been formidable, winning every single one of their games this season.  This is why the Citizens are firm favourites going into the game, and are best priced at 1.95 with Paddy Power. They have also scored an average of 3 goals per game at home this season, meaning a 3-1 home win is looking good with odds of 15.0 available from Skybet.  Carlos Tevez could return to the squad for this game, but he will still be relatively rusty if he does. So betting on Sergio Aguero to score at any time during the game is looking more sensible, with odds of 6.0 available from William Hill.

Man City vs Chelsea odds

Chelsea

Chelsea have made a steady improvement since the departure of former boss Andre Villas-Boas. Roberto Di Mateo has guided his team to 3 important wins, none more so than the one at home against Napoli. This will certainly be his strongest test though, as Man City are desperate to get back to winning ways.  Chelsea had been attempting to keep it fairly tight at the back in recent away games, but that has meant they’ve only managed 1 goal in their last 4 away matches. This could change under Di Mateo though, and the Blues have scored 12 in 4 matches since Villas-Boas was sacked. Fernando Torres got on the score sheet on Sunday after 25 hours of football without a goal, and the Spaniard is looking good at 4.0 with Stan James to score at any time on Wednesday.

Match Prediction

Despite Chelsea’s recent upturn in form, they have still looked rather shaky at the back, as is highlighted by Leicester’s 2 late goals on Sunday. Man City’s incredible home form also means they should have enough to win the game. Like Chelsea though, City haven’t been great in defence recently, conceding 4 in 3 games, so Chelsea can definitely get on the score sheet.  With this in mind a 3-1 home win is looking the most likely result. Manchester City have also scored nearly twice as many goals in the second half of games this season, so betting on a half time/full time of draw/man city is also looking good with odds of 5.0 available from Paddy Power.

Man City 3-1 WIN – 15.0 Skybet

Aguero first goal scorer – 6.0 William Hill

Torres anytime scorer – 4.0 Stan James

HT/FT of Draw/Man City – 5.0 Paddy Power

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