Sports Bet of the Week

Week 13 of the Premier League kicks off just before midnight our time and this weekend there should be plenty of goals based on the matches that we’ve been handed.

The match of the week is obviously Liverpool v Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, this should be a cracking match and could be the first time Man City tastes defeat in the EPL this season. Liverpool have a great record so far this year against the big guns, culminating in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last week. 

Manchester City are coming off the back of a demoralising defeat at the hands of Napoli in the Champions League mid-week and it will be interesting to see how they pick themselves up. That loss sees their aspirations of continuing to the knock-out stages hanging in the balance as they now have to hope that Villareal beat Napoli and they do the job against Bayern Munich to advance.

The first of our Saturday matches comes to us from the Brittania Stadium, with Stoke City hosting Blackburn Rovers. Stoke are coming off a 2-3 loss to QPR at home last week so will no doubt like to put things right for their home fans this week. Blackburn scored a late penalty in a 3-3 draw with Wigan last week thanks to Yakubu in what was a dramatic match to say the least, they have conceded the second highest amount of goals this season and subsequently they sit in second last on the table.

The first of 6 viewers choice matches at 2am sees Bolton host Everton at the Reebok Stadium. Bolton had a 2-1 loss against West Brom last week while Everton had a 2-1 victory over Wolves. Everton moved themselves up to 12th on the table with a game in hand and a win here could see them move as high as 8th depending on other results. Bolton are stuck in the relegation places and just have the 1 home win to their name this season.

Chelsea head into their match against Wolves on a run of poor form that has seen them lose to Arsenal, Liverpool and then Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League midweek which sees them on the edge of not qualifying for the next stage. They should pick themselves up here against a Wolves side that sit just outside the relegation places and don’t have a good record against the Blues.

Manchester United host Newcastle at Old Trafford looking to try and reduce the gap at the top of the table to just 2 points before Man City take on Liverpool. Man United have not been in great form but they have 3 wins from their last 3 EPL matches under their belt, all of them 1-0 which shows they still have a knack of grafting out wins despite being out of form. Newcastle suffered their first defeat against the other half of Manchester last weekend and will want to get back to winning ways after dropping to 4th on the table following that defeat. Alan Pardew’s men have been the surprise of the season so far and it will be interesting to see whether that loss galvanises them or sends them on a run of poor form.

QPR travel to Carrow Road to take on Norwich City after a thrilling 3-2 win over Stoke City last weekend. Norwich went down at home 2-1 against Arsenal and will want to get back to winning ways in front of their home fans here. Both sides currently sit mid table which is a great effort for two clubs that many predicted would go straight back down to the Championship.

Sunderland host Wigan at the Stadium of Light after a 0-0 draw against Fulham at home last week, Wigan played out a draw as well, but a much more entertaining 3-3 against Blackburn at the DW Stadium. Wigan boss Roberto Martinez was less than happy with the last minute penalty that saw Blackburn equalise and will want his team to tighten up at the back this week. Sunderland have been disappointing this season and will want to give their home fans something to cheer about after just one win at home so far this season.

Tottenham travel to the Hawthorns in the last of the 2am matches on Sunday morning and they will be buoyed by the fact that they have moved to 3rd on the ladder, albeit tied on points with Newcastle. Tottenham had a 2-0 win over Aston Villa last weekend which was set up by two first half goals to Emmanual Adebayor, they’ll want to continue that form here against a West Brom side that have scored just 5 goals at home all season, the lowest in the Premier League. To counter that, Tottenham have scored 11 away from home, the 3rd highest in the league.

Arsenal host Fulham at the Emirates in the later match (4.30am EST) on the back of 6 straight Premier League wins that has seen them move up to 7th on the table, equal on points with Liverpool and Chelsea. A great effort considering the start to the season that they had. They have their talisman Robin van Persie to thank for this as he is in the form of his life and you wouldn’t bet against him scoring a goal, or two, here in this match. Fulham had a 0-0 draw with Sunderland this week but they do not have a great record against their London neighbours.

Manchester City and Liverpool headline the Sunday Premier League action but the prelude to this match is Swansea City v Aston Villa from the Liberty Stadium. Last week Swansea went down 1-0 at home to Manchester United, and Aston Villa went down 2-0 to Tottenham. Both sides will be looking to get their seasons back on track. Swansea have been great at home, and Aston Villa not so great away from home so this could be an interesting match.

sportsbanter.com.au Tips:
Stoke City v Blackburn Rovers – Stoke City 
Bolton Wanderers v Everton – Everton 
Chelsea v Wolves – Chelsea
Manchester United v Newcastle United – Manchester United
Norwich v QPR – Draw
Sunderland v Wigan – Sunderland
West Brom v Tottenham – Tottenham
Arsenal v Fulham – Arsenal
Swansea City v Aston Villa – Draw
Manchester City v Liverpool – Manchester City

Banter’s Best Bets:
Stoke City v Blackburn Rovers – Stoke City @ $1.74 
Bolton Wanderers v Everton – Everton +0.5 @ $1.38 
Chelsea v Wolves – HT/FT Double Chelsea/Chelsea @ $1.45
Manchester United v Newcastle United – Total game score under (+2.5) @ $2.15
Norwich v QPR – Draw @ $3.30
Sunderland v Wigan – Total game score under (+3.5) @ $1.30
West Brom v Tottenham – Tottenham @ $1.85
Arsenal v Fulham – Arsenal @ $1.40
Swansea City v Aston Villa – Aston Villa (+0.5) @ $1.65
Manchester City v Liverpool – Manchester City +0.5 @ $1.44

Bolton Wanderers v Everton 

Owen Coyle is hoping Dedryck Boyata will return to bolster Bolton’s survival fight, having been out for a month since injuring his ankle against Sunderland. With Joe Riley (hamstring) ruled out, the on-loan defender would be a welcome addition to Coyle’s injury-ravaged squad, but if he does not make it, Gretar Steinsson may be recalled as the Trotters try to scramble out of the relegation zone. 

Everton manager David Moyes is waiting on fitness updates on at least three players; Jack Rodwell missed last week’s win at home to Wolves with a rib injury sustained on duty with the England senior side, while defenders Phil Neville (hamstring) and Sylvain Distin (groin) were also not available a week ago and will be assessed before the game. 

Chelsea v Wolves 

Ashley Cole has been passed fit after missing Wednesday’s Champions League defeat at Bayer Leverkusen with an inflamed ankle. Long-term knee injury victim Michael Essien is therefore Chelsea’s only absentee. 

Mick McCarthy will be forced into making three changes through injury and suspension, with midfielders Jamie O’Hara and Stephen Hunt both serving one match bans for receiving five bookings this season and right-back Richard Stearman ruled out with a broken wrist. Matt Jarvis and Adlene Guedioura are the natural replacements for O’Hara and Hunt while Ronald Zubar is poised to make his first appearance for nine months after injury in place of Stearman. 

Manchester United v Newcastle United 

Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic are set to return for Manchester United. Rooney missed Tuesday night’s draw with Benfica with a hip injury sustained last week at Swansea whilst Vidic was ruled out through suspension. However, both are included in a squad missing Anderson (knee), Michael Owen (thigh) and Tom Cleverley (ankle) as the Red Devils look to close the gap on leaders Manchester City to two points. 

Gabriel Obertan will return to the Newcastle squad after missing the last two games with a toe infection, while fellow midfielder Danny Guthrie is also expected to be available – despite missing training this week because of a hip injury. However, Ivory Coast international Cheik Tiote (knee) and Ireland striker Leon Best (groin) remain doubts, while Sylvain Marveaux is expected to be sidelined for up to four months after undergoing groin surgery. 

Norwich v QPR 

Russell Martin will continue in central defence for Norwich but the club’s injury problems at the back look to be easing. Centre-backs Zak Whitbread and Daniel Ayala came through reserve matches and could be in contention to come off the substitutes’ bench this weekend. Ritchie de Laet is also training again after recovering from a back injury, while James Vaughan is still sidelined with a long-term knee injury, along with Elliott Ward. 

QPR captain Joey Barton is suspended, while Heidar Helguson is a doubt after playing only a limited part in training because of his eye injury – but Fitz Hall, Jay Bothroyd, Jason Puncheon and Adel Taarabt are back. Matt Connolly (ankle), Kieron Dyer (foot), DJ Campbell (foot) and Brian Murphy (calf) are definitely out. 

Sunderland v Wigan 

Sebastian Larsson returns to the squad after suspension, while Titus Bramble continues to work on his fitness after shaking off a knee problem following his return from a club ban. Fraizer Campbell (knee ligaments) is on course to play a game of some form within the next fortnight and Connor Wickham (also knee ligaments) could start running next weekl. Goalkeepers Simon Mignolet (fractured nose and eye socket) and Craig Gordon (knee) remain on the sidelines. 

James McCarthy is a doubt after suffering a groin problem and will be assessed ahead of the match, along with striker Franco Di Santo, who missed the 3-3 draw with Blackburn last weekend after suffering a minor tear in his quad. Fellow frontman Hugo Rodallega only featured as a substitute against Rovers having had a virus and could return to the starting line-up, while defender Antolin Alcaraz is unavailable again as he will be serving the second game of his three-match ban for spitting. 

West Brom v Tottenham 

West Brom have received a treble fitness boost with leading scorer Shane Long (leg) and fellow striker Peter Odemwingie (knee) to be fit. Midfielder Paul Scharner is also winning his race to face Spurs after a three-week lay-off with a knee setback. 

Roman Pavlyuchenko could start his first Premier League game of the season as Jermain Defoe and Rafael van der Vaart could be missing through injury. Van der Vaart came off in the second half of the win over Aston Villa with a long-standing hamstring complaint, while Defoe is struggling with a groin injury he suffered in training. Michael Dawson (Achilles), Tom Huddlestone (ankle) Niko Kranjcar (thigh) and Danny Rose (ankle) are unavailable. 

Arsenal v Fulham 

Arsenal have reported no fresh injury problems; midfielder Thomas Rosicky (thigh) could be in contention after missing out against Dortmund in midweek, while Laurent Koscielny is set to continue at right-back in the absence of Carl Jenkinson (back) and Bacary Sagna (ankle). Midfielder Ryo Miyaichi (ankle) remains out, as does Jack Wilshere (ankle) and Kieran Gibbs (hernia). 

Fulham will be without several first-team players, with Damien Duff missing the game with a calf problem, Stephen Kelly sidelined with a thigh injury, and Steve Sidwell (hernia), Zdenek Grygera (cruciate), Orlando Sa (hamstring) and Simon Davies (knee) also absent. John Arne Riise, though, returns after missing last week’s clash at Sunderland due to the birth of his son. 

Sunday’s matches 

Swansea City v Aston Villa 

Brendan Rodgers is set to restore midfielder Joe Allen to his starting line-up after he had to settle for a place on the bench against Manchester United due to a calf problem. Centre-half Steven Caulker has returned to training after his knee injury, but is not likely to be risked. 

On-loan midfielder Jermaine Jenas will return to the Villa squad after being ineligible to face his parent club Tottenham, though he has yet to start a game for Alex McLeish’s side. Sskipper Stiliyan Petrov (hamstring) and fellow midfielder Chris Herd (leg) are battling to be fit to face the Swans. 

Manchester City v Liverpool 

Mario Balotelli has recovered from a fever, having been sick during Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Napoli. City have no other injury concerns following their trip to Italy but Carlos Tevez remains out of the first-team picture. 

Kenny Dalglish is likely to keep changes to a minimum after last week’s win at Chelsea. Jamie Carragher, who returned to the squad at Stamford Bridge but was an unused sub, may have to settle for a place on the bench again. Stewart Downing will be pushing for a recall having been dropped last week after starting the first 11 league matches but captain Steven Gerrard is still not fit to return from an ankle infection.