Betting Previews 

With the Carling Cup final taking centre stage on Sunday, there is a reduced programme in the Premier League this weekend with a total of 7 games, including 5 3pm kick offs on Saturday afternoon.

Aston Villa v Blackburn Rovers. Both sides come into this one with work to do before they can consider themselves safe from the threat of relegation, and Villa start as 4/5 favourites with the draw 12/5 and the away win a 7/2 shot. Interestingly, Villa have beaten Rovers by a scoreline of 3-1 in 3 of the previous 5 meetings between the sides at Villa Park, and a repeat of that on Saturday is a 12/1 chance, and doesn’t sound unrealistic. Darren Bent to score at any time definitely looks like a good thing at evens, while for the visitors, David Dunn could be a good bet at 4/1 in the same market. It’s well worth noting that Rovers have conceded more goals away from home than any other Premier League side – a whopping 31 – and Villa to score 4 or more goals might be a decent outside bet at 13/2.

Everton v Sunderland. The Toffees have continued to struggle at Goodison Park this season with just 4 wins from their 12 home league games, though they start as odds-on favourites at 3/4 to win this one, with the draw 9/4 and Sunderland as big as 4/1. That price about the away win might seem very big considering are 7 places above Everton in the league, but Steve Bruce’s side have lost their last 3, shipping 9 goals in the process, and they haven’t won on this ground for 15 years. Nevertheless, I can’t help feeling that the value lies with the visitors, and the insurance of Sunderland +1 looks very good at 5/6 on the Handicap. With the pace and power he offers on the break, Asamoah Gyan is a great weapon to have in your side when you’re playing away from home – get on the Ghanaian to score at any time at 2/1.

Newcastle United v Bolton Wanderers. Newcastle start this one as the 11/10 favourites, with the draw a 9/4 shot and Bolton available at 12/5. Alan Pardew’s side are currently just a point behind Bolton, whose away form that has been their Achilles Heel this term – the 10 points they’ve picked up on the road is 2 worse than both Wigan and West Ham, who both occupy relegation places. The last game at this ground was that amazing 4-4 draw with Arsenal, and since then, the Magpies have picked up 4 points from 2 away games, and I fancy them to get all 3 from this one. Leon Best has bagged 2 goals in his last 3 games and looks good for a goal at any time at 6/4. 7 out of the last 11 meetings between these sides at St James Park have produced 3 goals or more, and Over 2.5 looks like a really solid 10/11 shot here.

Wigan Athletic v Manchester United. As you would expect, Wigan are big outsiders for this one at a price of 11/2, with United 8/15 favourites and the draw an 11/4 shot. For those of you keen to lump on United here, and there will be plenty, it was their last away league game that brought the end of their unbeaten run, and that came at Wolves, who like Wigan are a side in massive relegation trouble. Since then, Fergie’s men have sneaked past Man City and Crawley at home before this week’s 0-0 draw in Marseille, and they certainly aren’t in the best of form right now. As such, going for Under 2.5 goals looks like a wise move to me at 10/11, and I like United win 1-0 at 11/2 in the Correct Score market. It would be a big upset if United were to fail here – Wigan have never taken a Premier League point off them – so get on Nani to score and United to win at an attractive 13/5.

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Blackpool. This is a game that really will define Wolves’ battle against the drop, and you have to feel that they simply must take at least a point from this one, and they are odds-on at 5/6 to win it, with the draw 12/5 and Blackpool 10/3. It might be difficult to back the home side with any confidence at that price, however, and their last 4 games here were a 5-0 FA Cup win over Doncaster, a thrashing by Liverpool, a narrow defeat to Stoke and then a famous win over Man United, and their inconsistency makes their matches really tough to call. However, Blackpool travelling without their talisman Charlie Adam through suspension is huge here as he is at the heart of all their attacking football, and I fancy Wolves to make the most of that fact and pick up 3 priceless points. Wolves to win 2-1 looks like a good way to go at 15/2 in the Correct Score market.  

West Ham United v Liverpool. We start at Upton Park at lunchtime on Sunday with Liverpool the firm favourites at 21/20, the draw 9/4 and the home win a 13/5 shot. The recent history of this fixture makes dire reading for the Hammers, with Liverpool winning on 5 of their previous 6 visits to east London, and the Reds have only lost once under Kenny Dalglish as their season has taken a dramatic turn for the better. The Hammers’ brilliant fightback at West Brom and midweek FA Cup thrashing of Burnley will see them come into this one in confident mood, however, and the return to fitness – and goalscoring form – of Thomas Hitzlsperger is an enormous boost to them. The German is an attractive-looking 11/2 to score at any time. Over 2.5 goals looks like an absolute must here at 11/10, as does both teams to score at 10/11. Back Luis Suarez to make hay here with Matt Upson still out – the 11/10 about him scoring against an often shambolic defence looks like a cracking bet.

Manchester City v Fulham. City start this one as the 1/2 favourites with the draw at 3/1 and the away win as big as 11/2. Most observers believe that City’s title challenge is now over after their defeat at Old Trafford, but in a strange way that may even help them here with the pressure of chasing their rivals ultimately lifted, and with Fulham having only won once away from home all season, you’d have to fancy the home win. Edin Dzeko’s brace in the Europa League on Thursday will have done him the world of good, and he looks a good bet for the first goal of the game at 4/1. Over 2.5 goals would have been a winning bet in each of the last 6 matches between these sides in Manchester, so backing that outcome at 5/6 looks like a really wise move here. Bobby Zamora is finally back for Fulham and should feature here, and he is an attractive 3/1 to score at any time. A correct score of 3-1 to City definitely appeals at 11/1.