Premier League preview
Manchester City will be keen to bounce back from their defeat in midweek while QPR face a relegation six-pointer with Wolves in a busy Saturday of Premier League action.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admitted his side were in a ‘mini-crisis’ after a run of three defeats and a draw since the turn of the year. Their opponents on Saturday, Blackburn, are equally in need of the points after their home defeat to Newcastle left them in 18th place, two points clear of safety.
The match odds understandably have Arsenal the favourites at 3/10 but punters may want to take note of Blackburn’s ability to rise to the occasion. In two tricky games at the turn of the year Steve Kean’s men drew at Anfield and then shocked Manchester United at Old Trafford. Therefore, the odds of 9/2 for the draw or tasty 10/1 for the shock win become a lot more inviting.
Roberto Mancini made the surprise admission that he had failed to prepare his players properly for their trip to Everton, which they lost 1-0 to see rivals United claw level with them at the top of the Premier League. They have now lost three of their six games since Yaya Toure departed for the African Nations Cup and will not be too pleased to see Fulham lurking next in the fixture list. True, they may have the worst away attack in the Premier League but they haven’t lost at the Etihad since November 2006.
I think City will prevail, but their stuttering play of late suggests it won’t be easy. I am going for the narrowest of victories for the Citizens – 1-0 priced at 6/1
Norwich’s four-match unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt at Sunderland in midweek but they go into their home clash with Bolton safe in the knowledge that they haven’t lost back-to-back matches since November. However, Owen Coyle’s men are on something of a roll following a impressive 3-1 win over Liverpool and goalless draw with Arsenal in successive home games. They have not kept successive clean sheets since May 2009 though so the value bet could be over 2.5 goals at 8/11.
The pressure is rising on Wolves boss Mick McCarthy, who saw the fans call for his sacking during their 3-0 home defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday. That extended their winless run to nine games and sees them second bottom in the table. QPR are just three points and three places ahead of Wanderers but the atmosphere of the club is very different following a busy January transfer window that saw Mark Hughes buy an entirely new strike force. One of those newboys, Djibril Cisse, scored on his debut against Aston Villa, and another, Bobby Zamora, is 11/2 to net first at Loftus Road on Saturday. A 3-0 QPR win is my prediction and is priced at 16/1.
Martin O’Neill has had the magic touch since replacing Steve Bruce at Sunderland, with six wins from his first nine games lifting them up to a season-high of eighth. He will put that revival to the test against a Stoke side who appear to be suffering from a New Year’s hangover. They have only won one of their last seven league matches, earning six points out of a possible 21. The Britannia is a tough place to go, but I fancy Sunderland to sneak the win here, with a 2-1 victory for the Black Cats priced at 11/1.
Home is certainly not where the heart is for West Brom this season. Roy Hodgson’s men have won just twice at the Hawthorns this season and scored just eight goals. However, their opponents Swansea are equally as bad away from home, with just one win on the road this season – the worst in the division. For that reason I can see a stalemate, with the 0-0 draw my pick at 15/2.
Things were looking gloomy for Everton at the turn of the year following a 2-1 home defeat to Bolton. But a dramatic two days that saw Cup progress, a win over Manchester City and two new players signing on deadline day means the supporters are expecting another post-Christmas surge. They have every reason to be confident ahead of their clash with Wigan on Saturday too. The Latics have lost their last four league games in a row, they are without a win in eight, without a home win since August and have conceded the most and scored the least goals in the division. It is unsurprising therefore that I am backing the Toffees to take the points in this one with a 2-0 win priced at 9/1.
