SUNDAY AUGUST 23RD - UK PREVIEWS - WBA V CHELSEA, EVERTON V CITY, WATFORD V SOTON, RANGERS V HIBS23/8/2015
Saturday proved to be a frustrating day as Swansea through away their lead at Sunderland to defeat my deadly double while Middlesbrough crashed at home to Bristol City to defeat the other. I did land one of my tasty trebles but I was denied my 15/1 Acca by a lack of a third goal at Leicester while the final sickener of the day came as Charlton grabbed a 98th minute winner. Yes 98 minutes to defeat Hull which resulted in only 2 out of 4 correct draws. I only lost 3.11 points on the day though, despite 7 out of 10 suggested bets winning in the Championship so we move on to Sunday with a whole host of fixtures to consider and my confidence undented. 3 games in the Premier League are the highlights of today's action with City and Chelsea both in action while there are fixtures from all the major European leagues as well as an early kick-off in Scotland as Rangers and Hibs clash in front of a sold out Ibrox. Here are my previews and suggested bets for the UK action with something to follow later for some of the European fixtures. Premier League
14:30 West Bromwich Albion vs Chelsea - - Prediction - 1 v 2 - Suggested Bets - Chelsea to win @8/13 Chelsea have just 1 point from 2 league games and they face another difficult test today with a visit to the Hawthorns not the destination Mourinho might have chosen following their punishing loss to City last weekend. The Londoners have lost in 3 of their last 4 visits to West Brom and failure to pick up the points here is virtually unthinkable for Jose and his Chelsea side that are still way short of top form and already trail the league leaders by 5 points. I can't see them slippping up again though, despite the previous history with today's opponents and I believe they will edge to a victory here although it is unlikely to be as straight forward as they might like with WBA under Pullis likely to pack the midfield and try to stifle the rreativity of Hazard and Fabregas. 21 million bargain signing Pedro could make his debut for Chelsea and I expect big things for the former Barcelona man who has all the ability and desire to be a big success in England and it wouldn't surprise me to see the winger given a start here with Jose looking to shake things up in his under performing team. I fully expect a win and I'm very much looking forward to seeing Pedro who could yet turn out to be the signing of the season for Chelsea. 17:00 Watford vs Southampton - Prediction 2.1 - Suggested Bets - BTTS @4/5, Watfprd to win @9/5 Southampton have not started the new season well and I don't expect it to improve here at newly promoted Watford who will fancy their chances of getting a first win of the new campaign. Impressive in their 2.2 draw at Everton, The Hornets followed that up with another draw, a 0.0 with WBA the following week but by all accounts their should have been goals and I fancy their will be here with Saints leaking 5 in their opening 2 fixtures. The visitors were so strong in defence last season but with 4 of last season's regular back 5 missing for one reason or another, they have really struggled in their opening 2 fixtures as well as being held at home on Thursday evening in the Europa League against Danish side Mjittidland. Watford scored a lot of goals last season and they have a really experienced boss in Quique Flores who I believe can inspire them to a season of survival, which of course would be a great sucess for the new boys. In the attacking positions, Watford have real pace and verve and I fancy them to get the better of the Saints today but BTTS is likely as well with both sides playing pretty attractive football on their day and both will see this as a winnable fixture. I have a feeling Watford can edge it at a big 9/5 odds on but 4/5 on BTTS seems the safer bet. 17:00 Everton vs Manchester City - Prediction - 2.4 - Suggested Bets - City to win @8/11. BTTS @4/6, BTTS and over 2.5 goals @21/20 City have started the season very impressively with consecutive 3.0 wins over both Chelsea and WBA and they will be confident of another win at Roberto Martinez's Everton in the big Sky Live game at 5pm CET, History tells us though that City rarely win at Goodison with just 1 win in their last 6 visits, losing 4 of those but I expect their current form to be too hot for Everton who are still very much a hit or miss team. I do think Everton can score though so the BTTS on offer @4/6 is fine with me but I also like the 8/11 on an away win with Sergio Aguero likely to be the difference maker again for a City side that were so impressive in their dismantling of Chelsea last Sunday. The new shape of this City side with Raheem Sterling on the left side of the attack seems to have revitalised the team, and with Aguero, Silva and Toure all looking strong, Everton will have their hands full and I expect the visitors to really put on another top showing here but given the history in this fixture, I expect the hosts to fight them to the end and in what could be something of a great game. Fingers crossed. Martinez always plays to win and I expect this to be an open and exciting game with BTTS and over 2.5 goals also a good possibility at just over evens, 21/20. I have a feeling we might see a load of goals here so this is a BTTS selection for me and an away win as well so you might want to try the BTTS and win selection which is priced at 23/10 for a City success. SPFL Championship 13.30 - Rangers v Hibs - Prediction - 3.2 - Suggested Bets - BTTS '@ 4/6, BTTS and over 2.5 goals @21/20, Rangers to win and over 2.5 goals @5/4 Rangers have been in rampant form with 5 successive wins and buckets of goals so far this season but Hibs and their mouthy boss Alan Stubbs should represent their toughest match of the new campaign thus far. Stubbs has been at it again this week but I don't expect his antics to have any effect on a Rangers side that are performing superbly since their new man Warburton rolled up to Ibrox 2 months ago. The Gers have a tendency to leak goals though with their attacking style of play and I fancy a BTTS encounter here as well, priced up @8/11. Rangers scalped Hibs by 6 goals to 2 in the first match of the season in the Petrofac cup and while I don't expect a similar scoreline, we could well get the same outcome with BTTS and Rangers winning. A home win is priced at 4/7 and while I expect it, I feel goals are inevitable so I'll be on BTTS @ 4/6 and BTTS and over 2.5 goals @ 21/20. Rangers to win and over 2.5 goals at 5/4 also looks good to me in what could be an entertaining contest. I expect Hibs to be agressive and attacking so we should see a bit of a ding-dong match and hopefully a good advert for Scottish football with a 50,000 sell out confirmed for what is a second tier match, albeit between the 2 biggest teams. Remarkable really and I cannot think of another country in the world where 50000 fans will be waking up on a Sunday morning to watch their team in the 2nd division. Hopefully the action on the field will match the ocassion. If you want a goal-scorer for this one, Kenny Miller is on red hot form and if the starts, the 11/8 anytime goalscorer price looks good to me for a man playing against his boyhood team. Suggested Bets Man City to win @8/11 Everton v Man City - BTTS and over 2.5 goals @21/20 Chelsea to win @8/13 Watford v Southampton - BTTS @4/5 Watford to beat Southampton @9/5 Rangers to beat Hibs and over 2.5 goals @5/4 Rangers v Hibs, BTTS @4/6, BTTS and over 2.5 goals @21/20 Comments are closed.
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