It's another busy weekend across the UK and I've picked out 5 games on offer from the top leagues in England with goals of course the central focus. We have 2 further previews to come for the best of European action while I've also added a star rating system to reflect my confidence on the relative selection. 1 star being minimum confidence, and 5 stars being the maximum. So without delay, here are my 5 extended previews from the best of the action in the Premier League and Championship. Premier League
15:00 Crystal Palace vs Bournemouth - Prediction 1.1 Best Bets - Draw @11/5, BTTS @10/11 Current Form * Palace have scored 2 goals or more in each of their last 4 home PL fixtures * However, Palace have only kept 1 clean sheet in their last 11 home PL fixtures * Bournemouth have collected 7 points from their last 3 away league fixtures, conceding only 1 goal in the process * Palace have drawn 4 of their last 6 PL fixtures while Bournemouth have drawn 2 of their last 3 * Bournemouth have drawn 5 of their last 13 away PL fixtures Past Meetings * None of the previous 4 meetings between these two sides saw the home side emerge victorious * Last season's corresponding fixture finished 1.1 Final Verdict Palace will fancy their chances at home against Bournemouth having scored 2 or more in each of their last 4 at Selhurst Park but the visitors have been doing well on the road lately, keeping clean sheets in their last 2 and conceding only 2 in their last 4. Both are capable of scoring here @10/11 but I don't expect a goal-fest. Palace have seen BTTS and over 2.5 goals in each of their last 4 home league fixtures so a similar outcome is not out of the question here while Bournemouth themselves are in better form than they were and will be confident of scoring with Palace keeping only 1 clean sheet in their last 11 at home. I expect a tight fixture here and a draw seems like the most likely outcome @11/5. Both sides have improved recently and I'm calling a tight 1.1 draw with both sides probably happy to take a point. 15:00 Tottenham vs Stoke - Prediction 2.1 Best Bets - Over 2,5 goals @4/7, BTTS and over 2.5 goals @5/4 Current Form * Spurs have seen BTTS in 4 of their 7 home PL fixtures at Wembley this season * Spurs have only kept 1 clean sheet in their last 7 PL fixtures * Spurs have only won 1 of their last 6 PL fixtures * Spurs have seen over 2.5 goals scored in 6 of their last 11 matches including 3 of the last 5 * Stoke have seen over 2.5 goals scored in 11 of their last 12 PL fixtures including each of the last 5 * 9 of those 11 games also saw BTTS * Stoke have seen BTTS and over 2.5 goals scored in 7 of their last 9 PL fixtures * Stoke have seen BTTS in 5 of their last 6 away PL fixtures * Stoke have scored in 8 of their last 9 away PL fixtures. They had failed to score in their previous 6 * Stoke have conceded 2 goals or more in 4 of their last 5 away PL fixtures * Over the last 12 months, Stoke have conceded 22 goals in 6 away games against the top 6 in the league;7 away at Man City, 4 goals away against Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs (at White Hart Lane) and 3 at Arsenal. Past Meetings * Each of the last 6 meetings between these two sides went over 2.5 goals * Spurs have beaten Stoke 4.0 in EACH of their last 3 league meetings Final Verdict Spurs picked up a morale-boosting midweek victory over APOEL and they will be confident of takingthe points here against a Stoke side that have leaked plenty of goals in their away games against the best teams in the division. The visitors claimed a morale boasting win over Swansea last weekend, only their 3rd win in 13 PL fixtures but on the road they have had some success, at least in scoring goals. having managed that feat in 8 of their last 9 on the road. Spurs have only scored 1 goal exactly in 6 of their 7 home PL games at Wembley this season and have found life difficult away from White Hart Lane. so I don't expect them to give Stoke a 4th successive bashing having won 4.0 in each of their last 3 meetings. I expect Spurs to score a couple though but that selection is as short as 1/3 and doesn't reflect Spurs home struggles this season. I do have a feeling though, based on Stoke's decent goal scoring away form that we may well see BTTS @19/20 but it certainly isn't the safest goals bet of the weekend. Instead, I will try BTTS and over 2.5 goals @5/4 on a small stakes line with Stoke seeing so many of their recent matches going over 2.5 goals. 15:00 Burnley vs Watford - Prediction 0.1 Final Verdict - NO BETS Watford have scored 2 goals or more in each of their last 8 away league fixtures but Burnley are so strong at home that it's hard to see them keeping that run of form going here against a Burnley side that have only conceded 2 goals in their last 6 home fixtures. Most of the stats here are counter-intuitive and while I initially picked this out as a draw, Watford have only drawn 2 of their last 22 away PL fixtures so perhaps we will see a narrow winner here but for me, it's too close to call. 17:30 Newcastle United vs Leicester - Prediction 1.2 Best Bets -Leicester DNB @10/11, Leicester or draw @11/20, Leicester to score 2 or more @6/4 Current Form * Newcastle have conceded 2 goals or more in each of their last 4 league fixtures * Newcastle conceded 12 goals in those 4 fixtures and 3 or more in 3 of those matches * Newcastle have lost 5 of their last 6 league fixtures * Newcastle have lost their last 2 home PL fixtures, crashing 3.0 to Watford in their most recent outing * Newcastle have only won 1 of their last 10 league fixtures * Leicester have won 4 of their last 7 league fixtures including impressive scalps over Spurs and Burnley in their 2 most recent fixtures * Leicester scored exactly 2 goals in 4 of those 7 matches * Leicester have only lost 1 of their last 9 PL fixtures, winning 4 and drawing 4 and losing only to Man City * Leicester are unbeaten in their last 5 away PL fixtures, drawing 4 * Leicester have only won 3 of their last 28 away PL fixtures Past Meetings * Leicester have won each of their last 4 meetings with Newcastle without conceding a single goal * Leicester won 3.0 in their most recent meeting at Newcastle back in 2015 Final Verdict Based on current form, Leicester have every chance of claiming the 3 points against a struggling Newcastle side when these two sides clash in the live tea-time kick-off. Rafa Benitez has really got a job on his hands with Newcastle slipping down the table having collected only 1 point from a possible 18. Leicester, in contrast, have taken 14 points from their last 21 available and will have every confidence of leaving Newcastle with another 3 points here. The Geordies have conceded a whopping 12 goals in their last 4 league fixtures and come into this fixture under big pressure. Their fans will expect a better performance and with Leicester usually operating successfully on the counter-attack, this one may well play into the visitor's hands with Vardy, Gray and Mahrez in fine form. Leicester have scored exactly 2 goals in 2 of their last 3 away league fixtures and in 4 of their last 7. They even managed 3 goals at Arsenal and with Newcastle seemingly in a charitable mood, Leicester can score 2 or more at rather generous looking odds of 6/4. I've picked out 3 selections here with Leicester not to lose @11/20 my safest pick while Leicester DNB @10/11 and Leicester to score 2 or more @6/4 also hold significant appeal. Championship 15:00 Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Sunderland - Prediction 3.1 Best Bets - Wolves to score 2 or more @1/2, BTTS @6/5, Wolves to win and BTTS @9/4 Current Form * Wolves have scored 2 goals or more in each of their last 7 home league fixtures * Wolves have scored 3 goals or more in 4 of their last 7 home league fixtures * Wolves have scored 2 goals or more in 8 of their 10 most recent league fixtures * Wolves have seen BTTS and over 2.5 goals in 5 of their last 7 home league fixtures * Wolves have won 9 of their last 10 league fixtures * Wolves have won each of their last 6 home league fixtures * Wolves have won and seen BTTS in 4 of their last 6 home league fixtures * Wolves are 4 points clear of 2nd placed Cardiff and 10 points clear of 3rd placed Bristol City * Wolves are already 33 points ahead of Sunderland after just 20 matches played * Sunderland have conceded 2 goals or more in 6 of their last 9 away matches (all comps) * Sunderland have conceded 2 goals or more in 9 of their last 12 league matches * Sunderland have only won 1 of their last 18 league matches * Sunderland have scored in 8 of their 10 away league fixtures this season * Sunderland have seen BTTS in 7 of their 10 away league fixtures with over 2.5 goals scored in 5 of those 7 matches * Sunderland have seen BTTS in 11 of their last 13 league fixtures Past Meetings * 11 of the last 12 meetings saw BTTS although it has been more than 5 years since these two sides last met Final Verdict Wolves are in fine fettle and Sunderland are well, Sunderland. Chris Coleman made the rather odd decision to leave Wales for the sinking Sunderland ship and while he did manage a win at Burton in his first match in charge, it was back to normal in their last outing with Reading winning 3.1 at the Stadium of Light to remind the likeable Welshman, if he needed it, just how big a job he has on his hands in the North East. A trip to Wolves is certainly the last thing Coleman would have wanted for his struggling side with the league leaders really stepping up the gas in their last 2 home fixtures, slamming 4 past Leeds and then 5 past Bolton. It certainly doesn't bode well for Sunderland here and Wolves to score just 2 or more seems pretty generous @1/2 odds. I'll take that while I also fancy the hosts to get 3 or more at the very tempting price of 6/4 odds. Despite their dismal form, Sunderland have made a habit of scoring on the road and their form away from home is certainly better than that at the ironically named Stadium of Light. Indeed the Wearside men have won NONE of their last 23 at home while they have at least managed to win 2 of their 10 away matches in the Championship this season. While a home win seems more than likely, BTTS is more of an outside chance here @6/5 odds against but considering Sunderland have scored in 8 out of 10 on the road this season, and Wolves have conceded in 5 out of 7 at home, it does seem a bit over-priced. I'm very confident in backing Wolves to score 2 or more @1/2 while all of the other odds against selections certainly have a chance. 15:00 Hull vs Brentford - Prediction 2.2 Best Bets - BTTS @1/2, BTTS and over 2.5 goals @4/5, Hull to score 2 or more @6/5 Current Form * Hull have seen BTTS and over 2.5 goals scored in EACH of their last 6 home league fixtures * Hull have seen BTTS in 12 of their last 14 league fixtures and in 16 of their 20 league games this season * Hull have seen BTTS in 9 of their 10 home league fixtures this season * Hull have seen Over 2.5 goal scored in 9 of their 10 home league fixtures this season * Hull have scored 25 goals in those 10 home league fixtures * Hull scored 2 goals or more in 7 of those 10 fixtures * Only the top two sides in the league have scored more goals than Hull this season, but only the bottom three have conceded more. * Hull's last 5 home league fixtures have averaged 5 goals per game * Hull's 10 home league fixtures have averaged 4.4 goals per game * Hull have scored in 18 of their last 19 home league fixtures * Hull have not won any of their last 7 league matches. They lost 4 and drew 3 of those 7 games * Brentford have scored 2 goals or more in 5 of their last 6 away league fixtures * Brentford have seen Over 2.5 goals scored in 5 of their last 7 away league fixtures. 4 of those 5 also saw BTTS * Brentford have conceded 2 goals or more in 6 of their last 9 away league fixtures including 4 of their 5 last on the road * Brentford have seen BTTS in 4 of their last 5 league fixtures * Brentford have lost more points from winning positions than any other team in the division this season * Brentford's last 5 away league fixtures have averaged 3.4 goals per game * 129 goals have been scored in the 40 matches involving these two sides this season. That's an average of 3.2 goals per game Past Meetings * Hull won 2.0 in their last 2 meetings with Brentford 18 and 22 months ago Final Verdict Without a win in 7, Hull made the decision last Sunday to sack Russian head coach Leonid Slutsky, and with the arrival of new boss Nigel Adkins confirmed on Friday, I expect the home side to put in a good performance in front of their new gaffer against a Brentford side that also like to get on the front foot in search for goals. Of course, this can only mean one outcome; Goals. Surely? Hull have scored 2 goals or more in 7 of their last 10 at home but clean-sheets have been virtually non-existent and I can't see anything other than BTTS @1/2 odds here. Brentford have scored and conceded 2 goals in 4 of their last 5 away league fixtures while Hull have scored and conceded 2 goals or more in 4 of their last 5 home league fixtures. Clearly both sides like to attack but defensive mistakes have cost them higher league positions than the 20th and 11th placings achieved so far as we head into the 2nd half of the season and I expect an entertaining and free-scoring match that could easily finish with both sides scoring a couple. I'm taking the obvious selections of BTTS @1/2 and over 2.5 goals @4/7. The double is short @4/5 but looks as reliable as any other selection of this nature this weekend. while Hull to score 2 or more @6/5 looks too big to me, particularly considering their own goal-scoring form at home, and the goals conceded by Brentford in their recent away matches. Best Bets Leicester not to lose @11/20 4 stars Leicester DNB @10/11 - 3 stars Wolves to score 2 or more @1/2 = 4.5 stars Hull vs Brentford - BTTS @1/2 - 4 Stars Hull vs Brentford - Over 2.5 goals @4/7 - 4 stars BTTS/Over 2.5 goals Hull vs Brentford - BTTS and over 2.5 goals @4/5 Wolves vs Sunderland - BTTS @6/5 - 2 Stars Spurs vs Stoke - BTTS @1/1 - 2 stars Spurs vs Stoke - Over 2.5 goals - 3 stars Palace vs Bournemouth - BTTS @10/11 - 2.5 stars 2 Goals or More Leicester to score 2 or more @6/4 - 2 stars Hull to score 2 or more @6/5 - 2.5 stars Draws Palace vs Bournemouth - 1 star Other selections Spurs vs Stoke - BTTS and over 2.5 goals @5/4 - 1.5 stars Wolves vs Sunderland - Wolves to win and BTTS @9/4 - 1 star Comments are closed.
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