Saturday 2nd April Tips.

After a busy International break, the Premier League is back and has thrown up some really interesting fixtures to get our teeth into on Saturday afternoon. With things hotting up at both end of the table, this weekend could solve a lot of clues about who is staying up, who is going down and where the title will be going to come May. Not forgetting the scrap for both Champions League and Europa League football next season.

Struggling Birmingham City host Bolton Wanderers at St. Andrews without a win since their League Cup triumph five weeks ago. They have since picked up just one point from four games and find themselves 19^th in the Barclays Premier League table; they are 2.6 to win here. Bolton have lost seven of their last eight league away games and I think a point is as much as they can hope for this weekend. The draw is 3.35 (Betfair).

Wolverhampton Wanderers make the trip north to Newcastle United who have no win in four at home but come into this one knowing one more win should see them to safety. Wolves were impressive winners at struggling Aston Villa last time out, only their second win on the road all season and the away side are 4.3 to win this one. The draw is 3.55 but I fancy a Newcastle United win at 2.04 (Betfair), they have scored more home goals than anyone apart from the top two of Manchester United and Arsenal.

Stoke City host a rejuvenated Chelsea and the home side have won eight times at the Britannia Stadium already this season, they are also unbeaten in the league at home since the turn of the year. Like Newcastle, they probably need one more win to ensure safety in the Premier League but this is a tricky game for them to do it in, Stoke are 6.0 (Betfair) to win this one. Chelsea have won three of their last four on their travels, but that followed a run of six without an away win. They are certainly short enough at 1.71. I will take an outside chance on Stoke Draw-no-bet at 4.3 (Betfair).

Next up is Liverpool who travel to West Bromwich Albion, another team scrapping for their lives at the wrong end of the table. West Brom have drawn their last four league games and have picked up just 10 points from their last 10 home matches. They are 3.2 to beat Liverpool and the draw is 3.45 but I think Liverpool at 2.46 is a nailed on bet after wins in three of their last four away games. Andy Carroll’s goal in mid-week should give him the confidence to go on and get more.

Wigan Athletic play Tottenham Hotspur at the DW Stadium and Wigan are currently bottom of the Premier League but they are only three points from safety. They earned a moral boosting win late on against fellow strugglers Birmingham City two weeks ago and with Tottenham’s form away from home patchy to say the least of late, Wigan will feel they can get something out of this game, they are 3.25 to win and the draw is 3.4 (Betfair). Tottenham are priced at 2.5 and with a trip to Real Madrid coming up on Tuesday, I think that is plenty short enough. I can see Wigan battling to another vital point. I will go for a 1-1 draw at 7.2 (Betfair).

Struggling Aston Villa travel to Everton in the final 3.00pm kick-off having only won twice on the road in the league all season. They have scored in all six of their last away games, but won only one of them at Wigan. Villa can be backed at 4.7 for this one. Everton are currently in eighth place, five points off the Europa League and are unbeaten in seven at home with four victories. They have been shaky when they get themselves in front though. An Everton victory is 1.91 and the draw 3.7. I think Everton will get the three points but both teams to score is a safer bet at 1.79 (Betfair).

The 5.30pm kick-off sees second placed Arsenal host Blackburn Rovers, another team who are by no means safe. Arsenal could be eight points off the top by the time they play and anything but a victory would hand Manchester United a huge initiative going into the final seven games of the season. The 1.27 about them beating Blackburn won’t get the pluses racing though. Blackburn are 14.5 and the draw 6.6 (Betfair). I expect Arsenal to win, and win well so I will go for Arsenal to win both halves at 2.42 (Betfair).

Friday 25th's Internationals

With a flurry of International action this week, we get started with six European Championship 2012 Qualifiers tonight with reigning European and World Champions Spain in action along with the Netherlands, Italy and France amongst others.

The odds of 1/4 about Spain against the Czech Republic will not be getting any pulses racing and neither will the ridiculous odds of 1/16 about France away at European whipping boys Luxembourg, who are available at 57/1!

World Cup finalists Holland travel to Hungary for their latest Group E clash and find themselves unbeaten since the World Cup Final defeat to Spain. Hungary have been revitalised and won their last five international matches, this run followed just one win in 11, with nine of them being defeats. Holland’s price of 8/15 is short enough but I still expect them to get the job done.

Slovenia host Italy in the first of the Group C games and the Italians are notorious for not getting many goals, especially away from home. They have drawn their last two fixtures at home to Romania and away to Germany. They also stuttered on their trip to face Northern Ireland earlier in the Group where they could only manage a 0-0 draw. Slovenia are a very indifferent team but before the World Cup last summer they won five games in a row on home soil. Italy have just one win in their last five away games, four of which were draws and I think you can add another one to that list this evening. I expect a low scoring draw at 9/4.

Northern Ireland make the trip to Serbia in the other game in Group C and they have started this Qualifying campaign in decent fashion with an away win in Slovenia followed by draws against Italy and away at the Faroe Islands. Serbia have lost three and drawn one of their last four home matches and I can see Northern Ireland battling on for a point here tonight with the draw at 3/1.

The final game I want to look at is the tightest one of the night. Austria play host to Belgium in Group A. Belgium come into this one on the back of a 2-0 win against Russia and have won their last two on the road, but before that they were 11 without a win away from home. Austria have an average record of late but they have picked up maximum points from their first two home games, as well as a 4-4 draw away to Belgium. I think home advantage will be enough for Austria here and the home win is best priced 16/11.

They are my four selections and the 4-timer pays 46/1. That would be a brave bet considering the two draws in there so I would recommend betting the selections in trebles. 

Saturday 18th's Action

For this weekend’s action I have picked out 3 home wins in the Premier League that will pay something around the 6/1 mark as a treble. There are also two interesting Championship bets including what I think is the best bet of the weekend at 15/8.

The first game in the Premier League is the early kick off, Tottenham vs West Ham. I don’t normally like to bet on the early game but I think West Hams recent revival might hit the buffers at White Hart Lane. Spurs have a great home record lf late, with four wins and two draws coming against Manchester United and AC Milan. They are unbeaten at home in all competitions since the end of September. West Ham’s revival has been concentrated on their home games and they are still very rocky on the road. Therefore Spurs will win this one.

Aston Villa host Wolves on the back of two straight away defeats. The FA Cup defeat to Manchester City can be excused because they went into that game with a depleted starting line-up. Last time out at home they put four past Blackburn and I expect another home victory for them here. Wolves have only one win on their travels all season, all be it against Liverpool, but I expect Villa to get the 3 points here.

Newcastle United travel south to play Stoke City who have been in some indifferent form of late. Having said this, there home form is still very good with no defeat in 7 at the Britannia Stadium. Newcastle are two points above Stoke in the Premier League but I think the home advantage will be enough to see Stoke leapfrog them into the top half of the table.

This Premier League treble offers odds at around 6/1 but there are some big games in the Championship this weekend that would give these odds a nice boost if you can find a fancy in the second tier.

Swansea City play host to Nottingham Forest and both sides have been somewhat out of form of late. Swansea have lost their last two, all be it away from home, whereas Nottingham Forest have no win in six. I fancy Swansea to make that seven without a win for Forest and will be going for a tight home win.

The best bet of the weekend could be backing Norwich City to win away at Hull City. Hull don’t have the greatest home record, they have in fact scored just 14 goals at home all season. Hull have won just twice in their last 9 home games. Norwich on the other hand are second in the league and have a good away record, winning eight and losing just three times all season. They have scored 7 in their last 3 on the road and giving Hull’s serious lack of goals, Norwich should have enough fire power to win this one.

If you fancy the accumulator this 5-timer pays 40/1 with William Hill. As in previous weeks, I would recommend betting in 4-folds or just using some of my selections along with your own.

Good Luck

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