March 27, 2017 at 6:52 pm
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola described the 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield two weeks ago – three days after going out of the Champions League – as “one of the most special days of my life” and the Spaniard will clearly be in buoyant mood for the visit to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, on the other hand, is contemplating his future at the club after the Gunners suffered their fourth defeat in five Premier League matches against West Brom at the Hawthorns. His side went into the international break five points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, albeit with a game in hand, and the pressure on the beleaguered Frenchman is increasing.
In fairness, the Gunners have lost just one of their last eight home matches and scored in all but one of the 13 matches they’ve played at the Emirates Stadium this season. Nevertheless, the Sky Blues have accumulated more points away from the Etihad Stadium than at home this season, so let’s try both teams to score and Manchester City to win at 3/1 with bet365, William Hill or Paddy Power.
Selection: Both teams to score and Manchester City to win (3/1 with bet365, William Hill and Paddy Power)
March 12, 2017 at 5:09 pm
Stoke City take on Chelsea at the be365 Stadium on Saturday, as the Blues seek to consolidate their seemingly unassailable 10-point lead at the top of the Premier League table. Antonio Conte’s side has lost just twice in 14 games away from Stamford Bridge this season, failing to score just twice and keeping six clean sheets. The Potters will need to be at their very best to contain the likes of Diego Costa, Eden Hazard and Pedro, who have scored a total of 36 goals between them in the Premier League this season.
However, Mark Hughes’ side is unbeaten in its last eight home matches, winning four and drawing four. Overall, they’ve failed to score in just three home matches this season and kept six clean sheets, so this fixture might not be as one-sided as the odds suggest. The Potters gave the Blues one of the toughest tests of the season at Stamford Bridge on New Year’s Eve, albeit eventually succumbing 4-2, so let’s try an equally entertaining 2-2 draw at 20.0 with NetBet or 10Bet.
Selection: Correct Score 2-2 (20.0 with NetBet and 10Bet)
February 27, 2017 at 6:07 pm
With Chelsea not playing until Monday, their nearest rivals in the Premier League, Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal, have an opportunity to make some headway against the Blues, albeit temporarily. Fifth-placed Liverpool versus fourth-placed Arsenal at Anfield looks the tie of the weekend and, having won five and drawn two of their last eight home matches in the Premier League, the Reds are clear favourites at 2.05. The return of Senegalese striker Sadio Mane, who scored twice in two minutes against Tottenham at Anfield, is a godsend for Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp and, with the Gunners’ title aspirations effectively ended by the 3-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge two outings ago, Liverpool may just have the edge. Interestingly, Liverpool have scored in 92% of their home matches in the Premier League, while Arsenal have scored in 92% of their away matches, so let’s try both teams to score and Liverpool to win at 3.95 with 188Bet.
Selection: Both teams to score and Liverpool to win (3.95 with 188Bet)
Tottenham beat Burnley 2-1 at Turf Moor last Saturday, while Premier League leaders Chelsea lost by the same score to Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge to make the title race “more interesting” in the words of Blues’ boss Antonio Conte. Spurs still trail by seven points but, with Chelsea hosting Manchester City on Wednesday, Mauricio Pochettino’s side has a chance to close the gap still further when it travels to relegation-threatened Swansea.
