Barnsley

Saturday 25th November

English Premier League

Arsenal v Fulham

A Lodon derby at the Emirates between inform Arsenal and Fulham is the early evening kick off on Saturday.

After an horrendous start to the season which culminated in an 8-2 thrashing by rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford, Arsenal’s form has picked up dramatically in recent weeks. From their last 13 matches in all competitions they have failed to win just two of them – one in the league and one in Europe. The only match they did lose was the North London derby against Spurs at White Hart Lane. That defeat was back in early October which means they are on a run of nine games without defeat winning eight of those. Their last home defeat was against Liverpool in August and despite their early season troubles, it was, to date its the only loss they have suffered on their own patch this season. They have, in actual fact, won nine of their following ten matches at home which is an excellent record by anyone’s standards. Their good form see’s them sitting in 7th place at the moment, three points off the fourth Champions League spot which is surely their aim at this stage of the campaign.

Fulham have been diasppointing thus far and are edging ever closer towards the dreaded relegation zone. Last weekend’s draw with Sunderland was one of the most boring fixtures that have been played in a long time. Fulham had a couple of chances to win the game but it would have been harsh on Sunderland who dominated for large spells. It now means Martin Jol’s side have won just two of their 12 Premie League matches which means they sit only above four sides in the division. Jol has had a reputation of playing attractive, attacking football at his previous clubs including Spurs. That doesn’t seem to be the case at his current club, however, despite the amount of attacking talent that he has at his disposal. One of their victories has come away from home so there is a little crumb of comfort for the travelling fans but it’s only the smallest of crumbs as their record away to Arsenal is terrible – they have yet to win. From 25 games they have lost 22 and managed just three draws.

There is not a man in World Football who is in better form than Robin Van Persie. The Dutch striker has really came to the fore in 2011 and his run of form has conincided with his longest injury free spell for years. From 33 matches this calendar year, Van Persie has scored 31 goals. Arsenal have scored 15 goals in their last five games of which Van Persie has scored two thirds of them. There is little doubt that the Gunners have adopted a different style of play this season since losing Cesc Fabregas in the summer and it’s suited their striker in form. Theo Walcott’s direct play from the wide areas as well as Mikel Arteta’s and Aaron Ramsey’s distribution from the middle of the park has allowed Van Persie to get more chances and with his confidence so high and finishing so clinical, he is not missing too many at the moment.

Fulham paid a big fee for Brian Ruiz who arrived from Dutch side Twente in the last transfer window. He has taken some time to adapt to his new club, so much so that despite the large fee he has been unable to command a regular starting spot and has just one goal to his name. Bobby Zamora remains Fulham’s biggest threat and despite not scoring as many as he would have liked he is still very much in the thoughts of England manager Fabio Capello. Zamora lined up in his country’s recent 1-0 victory over Sweden at Wembley and will be hoping to kick on between now and the end of the season and stake a claim for a place in the Euro 2012 squad.

There can only be one winner for me on Saturday evening and I envisage a comfortable home win. The 1/2 available may well tempt many but to make it a little more attractive, go for Van Persie to score anytime and his side to take all three points.

My Selection: Robin Van Persie to score at anytime and Arsenal to win

Best odds available: 13/10 available with Betfred

English Championship

Leeds United v Barsnley

Another derby but this time it’s of the Yorkshire variety as promotion chasing Leeds entertain their near neighbours Barsnley at Elland Road.

Leeds have been in and around the play-off zone for much of the season and after narrowly missing out at the end of last season, will be even more determined to ensure they last the pace this time around. Simon Grayson has had to contend with losing key players throuhgout his time in charge at Leeds but he still manages to keep churning results out and keep his side competitive with the other sides looking gain promotion to the Premier League. The Championship is as competitive as ever this season so it will be close come May when the top six will be set in stone but currently sitting fifth and with a couple of points to spare, it’s looking positive for Leeds. What will be especially pleasing for Grayson and their prospects of sustaining their challenge is that their away form is just as good as their home record. He will be hoping that his players can make amends for their last home match which resulted in a 5-0 thumping from Blackpool. In actual fact, Leeds have not won a home match since the 1st of October.

Barnsley’s aim at the start of the season will have been to remain in the division but they will be hoping to do that as early as possible and then look to finish as high as possible. 17 matches into the season and they are sitting in 15th position with a healthy 21 points. Their last match was a 2-0 win over another Yorkshire side in the shape of bottom club Doncaster at Oakwell. Tomorrow’s match will be a totally different prospect but they will make the short journey to Elland Road in good heart after that win. Their away form does leave a lot to be desired however as it’s now six games without a win on the road. They have lost their last three matches against Portsmouth, Cardiff and Brighton so they, along with tomorrow’s opponents, have something to prove and rectify. Their sole win on the road came back in August when they got the better of Reading in a 2-1 victory.

Leeds have won their last two games since being thrashed 5-0 at the beginning of the month. A 1-0 victory over Leciester was followed by a come from behind 2-1 success against Burnley last Saturday. At the heart of both of those wins and most of the good things about Leeds this season has been Robert Snodgrass and Ross McCormack. The Scottish internationalists have scored 13 goals between them in the League this season and their fitness and form will be vital as Leeds look to cement their positive league position.

Barnsley have not faired too badly against Leeds in recent times and have managed to accumulate eight points from their last four meetings – two wins and two draws. Goals were a common theme last season in this fixture with a total of 13 goals shared between the sides so there is reason to believe that there may well be goals tomorrow. That hope is enhanced further with the amount of goals that both sides have conceded this term. Leeds have shipped 26 goals already this season (the most of any top side) whilst Barnsley’s defences have been breached nine times in their last three away matches alone.

I wouldn’t put anyone off backing over 2.5 goals but the value bet for me is for the home side to record their first home win in four.

My Selections: Leeds to beat Barnsley

Best odds available: 3/4 available with William Hill

English League One

Sheffield Wednesday v Leyton Orient

The third match previewed this week see’s Sheffield Wednesday host Leyton Orient with the home side hoping to maintain their unbeaten record at Hillsbrough.

It would have been hard for any side to keep tabs on Huddersfield and Charlton with the form the top two in League One have been in but Gary Megson and his Wednesday side are just about managing it. Just two points off of second placed Huddersfield, the Owls are impressing many with their consistency. One defeat from 11 matches in all competitions is impressive form considering how competitive League One is. Their home record is also very strong as the only blemish from nine league games was their most recent home fixture against Brentford. That matched ended goalless but they had won their other eight matches at Hillsbrough with an aggregate score of 18 goals for and just five against. Viisitng sides will really have to be on their game if they wish to take anything back home with them.

Leyton Orient are also a side in very decent form as they have not lost in any of their last nine games. Russell Slade’s side certainly started slowly but no-one can deny that they have certainly turned the corner and are definitely heading in the right direction. Orient have actually performed slightly better on the road and ammased more points on their travels than when playing at home. Their only two defeats away from home this season have come against Brentford and Walsall both of which were very early on the season. It means that they have been to Huddersfield and avoided defeat so they will certainly not be overawed heading into tomorrow’s fixture, despite Wednesday boasting the best home record in the division.

Megson will once again be hoping that the goals of Gary Madine can prove to be the difference for his side. The former Carlisle striker is enjoying an excellent season but he has failed to score in his last four matches. Before that, however, he had went on a run of eight goals in seven matches. If he does get back to that kind of form then there is no reason that Wednesday cannot look to push for one of the automatic promotion spots.

Leyton Orient may not score as many as other teams in the league and have had some trouble keeping them out at the other end but they are one of the form sides in the division at present. Kevin Lisbie is an experienced head upfront and he will lead the line tomorrow as he looks to do the double over the Sheffield clubs having scored against United earlier in the season.

Both sides are in good form and people may be put off backing the home side because Orient haven’t lost in nine. I’m of a different opinion and despite the away side being hard to beat, Wednesday are a better side and have better players. Gary Madine will be a handful for one of the worst defences in the league so take the Owls side to gain another three home points.

My Selection: Sheffield Wednesday to beat Leyton Orient

Best odds available: 8/11 available with Skybet

Saturday 22^nd January

English Premier League

Arsenal v Wigan

Arsenal and Wigan met at the tail end of 2010 and they do so again tomorrow at the Emirates with the home side looking to strengthen their Championship winning charge.

Arsene Wenger fielded a much changed side when these sides met at the DW Stadium last month and paid the price as his side dropped two points from a winning position. It’s unlikely he’ll make the same mistake this time around as he looks to put pressure on Manchester United at the top of the table. Wenger will be heartened with the fact that he will be able to call on nearly all of his squad with Thomas Vermaelen the only absentee who would have started. This means that Robin Van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Theo Walcott will be in attack for the home side. It’s a daunting challenge for anyone, especially a Wigan side who are currently in the drop zone. The Gunners have been upset a couple of times at home this season, most notably by Newcastle and West Brom, so will be looking to cement their credentials as contenders for the Premier League.

Wigan have drawn too many games this season and it’s proving costly as they have surrendered too many games from a winning position. Last week’s home match with Fulham was a perfect example as they held a lead for most of the game before succumbing to a late leveller. Roberto Martinez knows that his side needs to turn some of these points into three if they wish to stay in the division come next season. With it being so tight at the bottom, it will be the smallest of margins which will decide who stays up and who goes down. It could be argued that Wigan are set up to perform better on the road than at home with their one upfront, with only a couple of wins on the road, however, it really is time for them to simply start performing.

Arsenal have won four of their last five at home in the league with Manchester City the only side to leave with a point. They are heading into this match off the back of a confident 3-1 away win in the FA Cup when they disposed of Leeds United so are in good heart. Wigan will have to make history if they wish to leave the Emirates with anything on Saturday as they have been turned over on all four previous meetings with an aggregate score of 9-1.

Arsenal will have far too much firepower for Wigan in my opinion and it’s a question of how many as opposed to if they will win. There are several bets which catch my eye and all favour a comfortable home victory.

My selections: Robin Van Persie to score anytime at a best priced 5/6 available with Stan James

Arsenal (-2) to beat Wigan at a best priced 13/8 available with Paddy Power

Over 1.5 first half goals at a best priced 5/4 available with William Hill

English Championship

Barnsley v Swansea

Second placed Swansea travel North on Saturday to take on a Barnsley side who are once again residing in mid table obscurity.

Mark Robins has a selection headache ahead of him tomorrow as he will have to do without his two centre halves who were both sent off last Saturday whilst he also has to look to replace their top scorer and best player Adam Hammill who has moved on to Wolves. Working with such a small squad as it is, then you really feel for the Barnsley manager who has done a terrific job in the main. A club who have always had to play with limited resources as it is, the Tykes are looking to better last year’s finish of 18^th and points total of 54. Currently two places better off, they are on course to do so, but will need to replace the goals and industry of Hammill. They were enjoying a good run in the last couple of months of last year, however, they have begun to struggle of late and have won just once in their last six games. Overall, their home form has been pretty strong with seven wins and three draws from their 13 games played thus far at Oakwell. The only teams to leave there with all three points have been Burnley, Leicester and Cardiff City.

Swansea are enjoying an excellent season under Brendan Rodgers. The Swans are currently sitting in second place and on course to sustain a challenge for automatic promotion. Only three points off of league leaders QPR, the Welsh club have overtaken arch rivals Cardiff who held second spot for long spells in the first half of the season. They head into tomorrow’s match knowing that they can draw level on points with Rangers who do not play until Sunday. The current league leaders would have two games in hand, but it would be pressure all the same. Last week’s trouncing of Crystal Palace was their fourth clean sheet in the league in a row, so it’s no real surprise to learn that they are in the top three for least goals conceded, with only Millwall and Nottingham Forest boasting better defensive records. The other end of that scale, however, is the lack of goals scored. With just 34 goals for in 27 games, Swansea have the worst offensive record of anyone in the top eight. Rodgers has looked to rectify that by bringing in Luke Moore from West Brom who has vast experience at this level and has led the line well as a lone striker.

With Jason Shackell and Stephen Foster both missing for the visit of Swansea, after being sent off last Saturday, Robins will have to shuffle his pack. With Hammill moving on to the Premier League, a change of system may also be in place as the wide player provided a much needed link between midfield and striker. Gary O’Connor is a shrewd acquisition at this level but will need support tomorrow. The man who could provide it is James O’Brien. The wide players moved from Motherwell last summer and has impressed in the Championship.

Leon Britton has moved back to Swansea after only leaving last July and is included in the squad for tomorrow’s game. His inclusion will be another positive for the support as he was a real fans favourite before his departure. His combative and intelligent style of play suits Swansea’s system so it’s no surprise to see Rodgers snap him up.

Swansea’s price looks a little skinny at face value but when you consider the players that the home side will be missing and the form Swansea are currently in, it’s still a price worth taking – away win.

My selection: Swansea to beat Barnsley

Best odds available: 11/10 available with William Hill

Saturday 18^th December

English Championship

Millwall v Barnsley

Both Millwall and Barnsley comfortably sit in mid-table as they prepare to clash at the New Den tomorrow afternoon.

Millwall started the season very well and looked as though they took the transformation from League One to the Championship in their stride. However it’s never as easy as it looks and there is bound to be some sticky patches along the way. The Lions have suffered one of those already as they went on a run of seven games without a win in September and October. Since then, they have suffered from a lack of consistency as they have won four, lost four and drawn three from their most recent run of fixtures. Kenny Jackett will have probably expected this kind of form at this stage in the season as they have a number of players who have never played at this level before. Of course it’s going to take time to adjust and mistakes will be made. Without a doubt, their biggest disappointment would have been the 6-1 mauling at home to London rivals Watford. It was humiliating and embarrassing but if the younger players learn from it then there will be a positive to take from it.

Barnsley seem to have been around the Championship for years. Mark Robins men have flirted with relegation more often than not in recent seasons but they have that knack of being able to accumulate just enough points to survive. This time around, however, they look to have enough about them to produce a comfortable enough campaign, with the small possibility of even challenging for a play-off position. They currently sit 10^th in the Championship, just four points behind 6^th placed Norwich City. It’s testament to the hard work and discipline that has been instilled in the side by Robins since he took charge in 2009. Aside from some senior strikers, it’s another pretty young squad which has resulted in an almost identical season. Thankfully for Barnsley however, they’re on a very good run of form at the moment after a slow start. Having won four of their last 5, undefeated in all, they head into tomorrow’s game full of confidence, especially as they have won their last two away games.

Without a doubt, Millwall’s star man of the season to date has been Steve Morison. The man who was playing league football for the first time last season, is the club’s top scorer and talisman on their return to the Championship. Now a Welsh internationalist, Morison has led the line superbly well and is catching the eye of some Premier League clubs heading into January. After notching a brace in his side’s last home game, he’s in decent form and will certainly be a pest for the visitors defence tomorrow.

Barnsley will do well to hold on to Adam Hammill as the tricky winger is the subject of some firm interest from England’s top flight. It’s no surprise really as the former Liverpool youth has seven goals from out wide and is thriving at present. When you consider the quality of player plucked from this league in the past, Hammill may well be plying his trade elsewhere next month.

Millwall’s home record has been in and out all season which will be frustrating for Jackett as they normally are so strong at the New Den. Barnsley have had a couple of good wins on the road of late, but they have been against sides struggling for form and even then, they were lucky to grab all three points. I like Millwall’s intensity and style of play at home and because of that, I believe they can triumph tomorrow.

My selection: Millwall to beat Barnsley

Best odds available: EVENS available with Coral  

English League Two

Northampton v Morecambe

Northampton host Morecambe at Sixfields tomorrow knowing a victory could hoist them as high as eighth in the table.

The Cobblers have had an indifferent season to date but things seem to be picking up heading into the festive period. A run of six straight defeats in the league earlier this season was a real shocker for everyone at the club but they have picked themselves up and managed to put a decent run together which has seen them lose just one league match since October. The last time they lost a match at home in the league was over eight weeks ago which proves that they have turned a corner. At the heart of this recovery has been veteran striker Leon McKenzie. The forward has scored six goals in his last ten matches including a hat trick over Hereford. His experience and ability to put the ball in the net is there for all to see and should prove to be a shrewd acquisition in the coming months.

Morecambe have had a real fall from grace this season after their exploits last term. Sammy McIlroy guided his side to the play-off’s last season, only to be thrashed by eventual winners, Dagenham. This time around, however, has been surprising for all the wrong reasons as they are currently languishing in 20^th place, just a couple of points away from the relegation zone. Their dire form may be partly due to their change in stadium as they made the move over the summer. It can have either a positive or negative effect on clubs, for Morecambe, it certainly seems to be the latter. Just two wins from their last nine games in all competitions has resulted in them plummeting to the lower ebbs of the division and very much in a dogfight to stay up.

For all of Northampton’s problems in the early part of the season, they have still only lost two games at home. With two wins and a draw from their last three games, Ian Sampson’s men will be in buoyant mood, especially as tomorrow’s visitors have not tasted success on the road in the same number of matches.

Form is everything in these kind of matches and it makes sense to side with the team on a good run of it. That being the case, I expect Northampton to claim all three points.

My selection: Northampton to beat Morecambe

Best odds available: EVENS available with Victor Chandler  

Scottish Premier League

Kilmarnock v Hibernian

Neither Kilmarnock or Hibernian have played in December due to the big freeze in Scotland so both will be desperate to get back into action at Rugby Park tomorrow.

I have previewed a couple of Kilmarnock games this season and explained that the difference between Killie this season to last is night and day. The style of football, the make up the squad and the entertainment value have all benefited from the change in management. Tomorrow’s match against Hibs represents a different challenge though as they have been inactive for a couple of weeks and unable to train properly because of the weather. With it being a pretty young squad, it will be interesting to see how they cope with not only expectation with the form they’re in, but also the lack of competitive action of late.

Hibs are on to their second manager of the season after John Hughes was sacked for a poor run of results. Colin Calderwood is now tasked with the challenge of toppling city neighbours Hearts from third position. Anything other than that would be considered failure by the Hibee faithful who have grown disillusioned with the club of late. Their recent form has been anything but consistent as they have mixed disaster with delight. A derby day trouncing by Hearts was followed with an excellent success away to Rangers. The quality is at the club but it needs to be focused and channelled in the right direction in order for it to flourish.

Five points separate the clubs heading into tomorrow’s match with Killie looking for a win to close the gap on Motherwell above them. In recent times, Hibs have a terrible record in Ayrshire which doesn’t bode well for them tomorrow. I like trends in the SPL and I believe that Kilmarnock were on too good a run of form before the enforced break for Hibs to gain anything tomorrow.

My Selection: Kilmarnock to beat Hibernian

Best odds available: 6/5 available with Betfred

Saturday 18^th September

English Premier League

Blackburn Rovers v Fulham

Both Blackburn and Fulham will have aspirations of a top half finish at the very least this season so tomorrow’s clash at Ewood Park will be a good indicator for both managers.

Sam Allardyce has completely transformed Blackburn Rovers since replacing Paul Ince. He has brought in a flux of players and has reverted to building from the back in order to make his side hard to beat, especially at home. They have started this season pretty well with a win on the opening day against Everton which was then followed by an unlucky defeat away to Birmingham despite taking the lead in the second half. A home reverse against Arsenal, where they more than held their own, was trumped by a very good away point against Manchester City last time out. In every game they have played this season, they have caused their opponents big problems, which is a compliment to Allardyce, as every one of their games has been against a completely different style of play.

Mark Hughes was the man the Fulham board chose to replace Roy Hodgson after he departed for Liverpool during the summer. Hughes has sought to use the majority of Hodgson’s players and pretty much his 4-4-1-1 system. Carlos Salcido and Moussa Dembele have been the two most notable additions with the former replacing Paul Konchesky who followed Hodgson to Anfield. The new manager, however, has recently been dealt a blow with the news that their talisman, Bobby Zamora, will be out for five months after breaking his ankle last weekend in a challenge with Wolves captain, Karl Henry. Zamora has been in phenomenal form for the best part of two seasons which culminated in an England call up last month. Fulham will almost certainly have to change their style with his continued absence.

 Before losing to Arsenal last month, Rovers had only lost one match at Ewood in the whole of 2010. It’s testament to how hard to beat they are now when the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton have all come away with either a defeat or a draw. Fulham, on the other hand, have a horrendous away record in recent times. Their last win on the road in the league was August 2009, a total of 20 fruitless, away trips. That being said, they are still unbeaten this term with three draws and their win over Wolves last weekend. Two of those draws have been earned on the road against both Blackpool and Bolton so it’s another trip North to see if they can end their away day hoodoo.

Mark Hughes had a successful spell in charge of tomorrow’s opponents in the middle of the decade taking them into Europe and on several domestic cup runs as well as a couple of finishes in the top eight. He will be well aware of what his new club will be faced with on Saturday from Allardyce’s Blackburn. With Zamora out, it will be no surprise to see Dembele as their sole striker with a packed midfield behind him. Blackburn may well recall their star player, David Dunn, who has been struggling for fitness after injury. Dunn has a bit of quality which can light up a lot of dour matches and it may just be that his creativity is needed against Fulham tomorrow who have proven to be stuffy opponents thus far.

Blackburn currently sit a couple of points behind tomorrow’s opponents despite playing pretty well. They will know that a loss tomorrow and they will be cast adrift of that top ten pack already. Allardyce will be targeting these sort of games as ones which should deliver three points and it is my belief that they will succeed in doing this

My selection: Blackburn to beat Fulham

Best odds available: 11/10 available with several bookmakers including Skybet

English Championship

Barnsley v Derby County

Barnsley have made a flying start to the season and will look to continue their good form with another home win at the expense of visiting Derby at Oakwell.

Mark Robins came in during the season last year and although his arrival was not spectacular, there was enough about it to suggest that this season Barnsley would be a different proposition for the other teams in the Championship. He has got his new side playing attractive football which was no more evident than in their excellent 5-2 victory over local rivals Leeds on Tuesday night. Despite trailing early on, Barnsley came roaring back and completely dismantled their more illustrious opponents in a breathtaking manner. It was their third home win of the season in the league after getting the better of Middlesbrough and Crystal Palace. Key to their good form has been winger Adam Hammill. The former Liverpool trainee has been in excellent form with three goals already. He was subject of much interest over the summer but he has remained at the club where his stock will only grow higher.

Derby started the season very brightly with a good away win at Elland Road over Leeds. That, however, is their sole victory to date whilst they have only managed one other point in a draw at home to QPR. Nigel Clough will be disappointed as he was expecting his side to challenge for the play-off’s this term. Of course that expectation is not dead, but the signs look ominous. A disillusioned support is growing increasingly impatient and two defeats against Sheffield United and Hull City without even managing a goal, has only heightened that. The next six games may will make or break their season and Clough’s reign as manager. The first of those is obviously tomorrow and it’s not exactly been a happy hunting ground for Derby, they have only won once of their last six visits.

Barnsley have further strengthened their attacking options with the loan signing of Gary O’Connor from Birmingham. The Scotland striker was surplus to requirement s at his parent club with the arrival of several new attackers over the summer so he has moved temporarily. He scored on his debut against Leeds and will be looking to add to his tally on Saturday. Derby will once again look to Kris Commons for a spark to ignite their season. The little midfielder is their main source of goals, both scoring and providing, so a lot rest’s on his shoulders.

I think Barnsley have a great chance of gaining a fourth home win of the season against an indifferent Derby side. The visitors have used 6 strikers already this season with only one goal between them, and funnily enough, that striker was Rob Hulse who has moved on to QPR. With that kind of drought upfront, added to Barnsley’s confidence, it ‘s a home win for me.

My selection: Barnsley to beat Derby

Best odds available: 23/20 available with 888Sport.  

Manchester United will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing 2-0 defeat at Anfield in the Premier League. Their tactics looked all wrong there, but it was still a bit of a surprise that Liverpool, on a bad run of form, were still able to overturn the Champions with relative ease. Chelsea would certainly have been happy with the result, and it will have eased some pressure off reds boss Rafa Benitez. Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson was quite contrite after the game, with no complaints about having been beaten by a better side on the day. Now United can turn their attentions to Barnsley, and hope that Rio Ferdinand, who was beaten hands down by Fernando Torres for Liverpool’s opener, finds his form too. There may also be some concern over how much Manchester United lacked in posing a serious threat to the Anfield outfit going forward.

Barnsley, who ousted Premier League side Burnley in a 3-2 thriller in the last round. Barnsley are just two places above the drop zone in the Championship and suffered a ten-man 3-2 defeat against Bristol City on Saturday. There is not a lot to suggest that Barnsley are anywhere near good enough to beat Manchester United, but they will certainly be up for this one. It is another chance to show that they can live with the best, and while Barnsley will be looking at this fixture as a huge cup night, and an important one in their season, Manchester United will probably be looking at it as something that just needs to get done while they chase more important titles.

There will likely be changes to the Manchester line up for the Carling Cup tie, as the experience which Ferguson fielded on Sunday simply did not pay off. This is where the depth of the United squad comes into play, and whatever line-up Ferguson decides to go with, then it should still be stronger than the challenge from the home side. It will probably be a rousing cup night for the home team, with plenty of spirit and a couple of close chances going begging. They will need to throw caution to the wind and take the initiative to Manchester United, perhaps in the hope that an early goal will dent their confidence a little more after Sunday’s crucial defeat.

Barnsley to win: 13/2 at 888Sport
Draw: 10/3 at Bet365
Manchester United to win: 1/2 at SkyBet

Betting Advice: Manchester United should be good enough for a win here, even if there are a few unrecognisable names turning out for the Red Devils. It will be debatable whether Wayne Rooney, who has just returned from injury will make an appearance or not. The game will probably mean a starting place for Michael Owen. They will weather a few storms from the home side charging on, and while it possibly will not be too fluid a game, United still have to be fancied.
Manchester United to win 1-0: 6/1 at Totesport

Saturday 19^th September

Preston North End v Coventry City         

PNE entertain Chris Coleman’s Coventry on Saturday looking to maintain their above average start to the season.

I’ve tipped Preston twice already this season and find myself bored of repeating the reasons as to why I’m tipping them. They’re direct, aggressive approach to the game is very affective, especially against lesser sides in the Championship. Rather than repeat myself, regular readers are able to look back at why I like Alan Irvine’s side and why his tactics will be successful in such a league.

I’ve yet to comment on the away side this season so let’s look a bit more closely at them. Coventry have started the season reasonably well with 11 points from their opening 7 matches. It may not sound or look impressive, but their points haul find themselves in 10^th position just a solitary point outside of the play-off’s. What should be noted is that Coventry have managed to accumulate 8 goals from their first 7 matches. What is even more interesting is the fact that Leon Best and Clinton Morrison have notched 7 of those 8 goals between them, with Martin Crainie getting the other.

Preston’s impressive home record (2 wins and 1 draw from 3) will be halted at some point but I can’t see it being on Saturday. Jon Parkin, Chris Brown and Neil Mellor are very effective at this level and will pose numerous problems for any defence. Coventry have shipped 8 goals thus far and I can see that being added to come Saturday evening.

My selection: Preston to beat Coventry City

Best odds available: 5/6 with several bookmakers including Coral

English Championship

Barnsley v Swansea

Both these sides find themselves at the bottom end of the table after poor starts which has even resulted in Barnsley appointing a new manager in Mark Robins.

Barnsley had a total of 1 point after 6 games under former manager Simon Davey. Their single point came away to Sheffield Wednesday at the beginning of August. As they lost every other game, they sacked Davey and brought in Robins as his replacement. His appointment had an immediate effect on Tuesday night as the Oakwell side notched their maiden victory of the season with a 3-2 success at Derby.

Paulo Sousa’s Swansea are struggling to emulate Roberto Martinez’s Swansea. He may have the same philosophy and thoughts on the game but he has unable, as yet, to translate them on to the park. Sousa has had to contend with injuries and suspension to key players but will have the likes of Gary Monk, Ferrie Bodde and Angel back this week, whether it is enough to stop the slide is another matter. The Swans are suffering a massive hangover after such a good first season in the Championship. The loss of Martinez, as well as Jordi Gomez and Jason Scotland, to Wigan has been monumental.

I highlighted Swansea’s shortcomings last weekend when they face Preston and I feel they’ll fall short once again with a weak backline up against the likes of Andy Gray and Jon Macken. Both strikers are proven at this level and have simply been lacking confidence in recent weeks. Their strength and direct style of play is very similar to North End’s attackers who Swansea failed to deal with. As a result, I think Robins will continue his successful start by guiding his new club to their 2^nd successive 3 points haul.

My Selection: Barnsley to beat Swansea

Best odds available: 6/4 with several bookmakers including  Skybet

Scottish Premier League

Hibernian v St Johnstone

The home side will be looking to make up for a dismal performance last  time out against Hamilton by taking all 3 points at home to newly promoted St Johnstone.

John Hughes had a bright start to his reign as Hibs manager, taking 6 points from his first two matches before being narrowly beaten by Celtic. This makes last Sunday’s defeat at New Douglas park all the more surprising. They were very poor all over the park and never looked liked getting anything from the game.

St Johnstone have started the season in a positive manner with their only defeat coming against the green and white half of Glasgow on the 2^nd day of the season. They may, however, consider themselves to be unfortunate as they have only picked up 3 points. Without a win, their impressive performances against Motherwell, Hearts and St Mirren have all resulted in stalemates which may prove to be their downfall in the long run.

Hibs have talent and quality in abundance. The likes of Derek Riordan, Anthony Stokes and Liam Miller are excellent players at this level. This is highlighted even further by the fact Celtic have had two of them on their books and offered £2m for Stokes 3 years ago. The problem they have, however, is they lack real leadership since the departure of Rob Jones in the summer.

Derek McInnes has adopted an expansive style of football in his first season as SPL manager. If he chooses to go this way on Saturday I can see a home win. The ability of Miller and Riordan allied with Stokes’ pace and strikers instinct should see the home side prevail in an entertaining and attacking match.

My selection: Hibernian to beat St Johnstone

Best odds available: 4/5 with  Bet365

by Matthew Chapple

With the championship season just four games old, there has already been a few surprise results with both Derby and Crystal palace occupying two of the relegation places. The biggest shock of the season so far came on the opening day with new boys Doncaster defeating Derby at Pride Park. Derby, who are widely tipped by several to be serious promotion contenders, have already given themselves a mountain to climb under Paul Jewell and are without a win after their first 4 league fixtures.

Crystal Palace are the other side who have made a dreadful start to the season. Two draws and two defeats see them lye in 22nd in the league and are also without a win from their first 4 fixtures.

Several have made undefeated starts to the season with Wolves, Preston, Birmingham, and Bristol City all yet to taste defeat. Wolves currently occupy top spot on goal difference which was largely down to their two terrific home victorys over Sheffield Wednesday which finished 4-1 and their 5-1 rout over Nottingham Forest.

Another surprise is that none of the three new clubs occupy any of the relegation places with Nottingham Forest the lowest out of three in the league in 16th. After Doncasters opening victory at Derby they went on to get 4 points from their next 3 matches.

Outright Betting: With Birmingham winning 3 out of the first 4 fixtures they are justified 10/3 favourties to win the league and judging by their early performances, they should go close. Wolves look good value at 11/2. They eased past their first few league games especially at home and look the team to beat in my opinion. Reading will be thereabouts come the end of the season and the bookies think so too and have priced reading up as third favourties at 7/1 while the new rich boys, QPR are currently 9/1 to win the Championship outright.

Relegation Odds: With both Blackpool and Barnsley not getting particularly good starts the bookies have priced them up as favourites for the drop with Blackpool 5/4 and Barnsley 11/8. The value looks to be with Derby County at 7/1. They are winless in 4 games and have just 1 point to their name. Their performances have been poor and haven’t really looked like winning any of the first 4 fixtures. Burnley lack quality and at 11/4 they look a fair bet for relegation and they should be around the foot of the table come the end of the season.

How we rate each team chances individually.

Barnsley
Players In: Luke Steele, Iain Hume, Roberto Colace, Mounir El Haimour, Darren Moore
Players Out: Paul Reid, Sam Togwell
Key player: Iain Hume
Prediction: 21st Despite making it all the way to the semi-final of the Fa Cup last season they struggled in their domestic campaign and finished 18th. They have a distinct lack of quality especially up front and they will struggle for fire-power in front of goal. We expect them to be around the bottom again this season.

Birmingham
Players In: Lee Carsley, Kevin Phillips, Marcus Bent, Kemy Agustien, Quincy Owusu-Abeyie
Players Out: Adam Lezgdins, Fabrice Muamba, Daniel de Ridder, Olivier Kapo, Sone Aluko
Key Player: Kevin Phillips
Prediction: 2nd They were unfortunate to be relegated last season as they got some decent results in the Premiership. They have kept the basic structure of the team while adding the likes of Everton’s Lee Carsley and West Brom’s Kevin Phillips. They have made a decent start to the season and they should be challenging for the automatic spots this season.

Blackpool
Players In: Matt Gilks, Joe Martin, Alex Babtiste, Steve Kabba, Jermaine Wright, Adam Hammill, David Vaughan, Marlon Broomes, Rob Edwards, Sone Aluko, Alan Gow
Players Out: Marcus Bean, Keigan Parker, Michael Jackson, Wes Hoolahan, Kaspars Gorkss
Key Player: Daniel Nardiello
Prediction: 23rd They did extremely well to avoid any sort of relegation battle come the end of the season but with a lack of quality, we fancy them to have a difficult season this time around. With just 4 points from the first 4 fixtures it doesn’t look too good.

Bristol City
Players In: Nicky Maynard, Gavin Williams, John Akinde
Players Out: Alex Russell, Nick Carle, Darren Byfield, Richard Keogh
Key Player: Nicky Maynard
Prediction: 9th They had a fantastic season last year and were unfortunate in the play-off’s. Once again they have made a great satrt to the season and with 8 points from the first 4 games they currently lye in 4th position and look on course for another good season. They were the surprise team last season but we doubt they will beat that and we fancy them to settle in the top half of the table this time around.

Burnley
Players In:Martin Paterson, Kevin McDonald, Christian Kalvenes, Diego Penny, Remco van der Schaaf, Chris Eagles, Russell Anderson, Steven Thompson
Players Out: John Spicer, Kyle Lafferty, James O’Connor, Jon Harley, Djemba-Djemba, David Unsworth
Key Player: Martin Paterson
Prediction: 22nd Burnley finished in mid-table last term and will be lucky to surive this season in our opinion. Chris Eagles should provide them with creativity while fan will be looking towards Martin paterson for goals this season after they let Kyle Lafferty go to Rangers. With just a single points form the opening fixtures the writing looks on the cards already. They lack quality and look set to face a relegation fight this season.

Cardiff
Players In: Darren Dennehy, Ross McCormack, Mark Kennedy, Jay Bothroyd, Eddie Johnson, Peter Encklemen
Players Out: Aaron Ramsey, David Forde, Warren Feeney, Robbie Fowler, Steven Thompson, Jimmy Flyod-Hasselbaink, Trevor Sinclair
Key Player: Joe Ledley
Prediction: 7th Cardiff somewhat sacrificed their league campaign for a great cup run in the FA Cup which seen them lose 1-0 to Portsmouth in the final. They will be disappointed with the departure of Aaron Ramsey who had a lot of potential and doesn’t seem as if Cardiff have found a replacement. Joe Ledley will be key if they are to push for the play-off’s this season but we think they will just come up short.

Charlton
Players In: Stuart Fleetwood, Martin Cranie, Hameur Bouazza
Players Out: Patrick McCarthy, Darren Randolph, Chris Iwelumo, Marcus Bent, Madjid Bougherra, Osei Sankofa, Sam Sodje, Ben Thatcher, Jerome Thomas, Amdy Faye,
Key Player: Marcus Bent
Prediction: 8th We’re not impressed with their lack of incoming transfers but they do posses some decent players in the final third. I think their season will rely heavily on a good start. If they hit a win less streak then they could start struggling. 6 points from 4 games isn’t the ideal start they would have hoped for and we doubt they will make a claim for one of the play-off spots.

Coventry
Players In: Guillaume Beuzelin, Aron Gunnarsson, Keiren Westwood, Freddy Eastwood, Steven Wright, Clinton Morrison
Players Out: Liam Davis, Julian Gray, Donovan Simmonds
Key Player: Freddy Eastwood
Prediction: 10th They had a poor season last year and were lucky not to go down. A new manager at the helm in Chris Coleman and their new signing Freddy Eastwood could one of the buys of the season. The welsh international is a proven goalscorer at this level and his goals this season will be crucial for Coventry’s ambitions. I don’t think they have the credentials to push for promotion and might have to settle for a mid-table finish.

Crystal palace
Players In: Patrick McCarthy, Johannes Ertl, Darryl Flahavan, Jos Van Nieuwstadt, Jose Fonte, Simon Thomas, Nick Carle, John Oster, Leandre Griffit, Alan Lee
Players Out: Jeff Hughes, Lewis Spencer, Mark Kennedy, John Bostock, Tony Craig, Clinton Morrison, Tom Soares, Dougie Freedman
Key Player: Nick Carle
Prediction: 6th Crystal palace made it to play-off’s last season and we fancy a repeat this season despite their poor start to the season. Neil Warnock has built a decent side at Palace and his side have the ability to push for promotion back to the top flight once again. One negative for me was them letting go of Clinton Morrison to league rivals Coventry. The forward bagged 16 goals in the championship last season and will be missed.

Derby
Players In: Kris Commons, Steve Davies, Nathan Ellington, Paul Connolly, Ruben Zadkovich, Paul Green, Jordan Stewart, Martin Albrechtsen, Liam Dickinson, Przemyslaw Kazmierczak, Rob Hulse
Players Out: Robert Earnshaw, Kenny Miller, Michael Johnson, Lee Holmes, David Jones, Darren Moore, Jason Beardsley, Craig Fagan, Tyron Mears, Eddie Lewis
Key Player: Rob Hulse
Prediction: 12th Despite them dropping down from the premiership we reckon they will have a difficult season. They were the worst ever team to play in the Premiership last season and they haven’t strengthen enough for us to think they will bounce straight back up. Add that to their poor start to the season we reckon they will find things tougher then they first expected in the Championship. Kris Commons and Rob Hulse look decent signings but we’re not too confident of their defence. A tough season ahead predicted which could see the end of Paul Jewell.

Doncaster
Players In:John Spicer, Darren Byfield, Tomi Ameobi, Matthew Mills, Jos van Niewstadt, James Chambers
Players Out: Paul Green, Stephen Roberts, Mark McCammon
Key Player: Darren Byfield
Prediction:19th Doncaster made it into the championship via the play-offs from League one and although they didn’t go up through automatic promotion, we fancy them to do well this season. They have a solid look about them and they could give some of the bigger sides in the league a surprise when they play them. Derby have already found this out when they lsot at home to Doncaster 1-0. Going by their first few performances they should have enough to stay up.

Ipswich
Players In: Pim Balkestein, Gareth McAuley, Kevin Lisbie, Richard Wright, Ivan Campo, Ben Thatcher, Moritz Volz, Johnathan Stead
Players Out: Gavin Williams, Gary Roberts, Nick Colgan
Key Player: Johnathan Walters
Prediction: 3rd Ipswich are a team with a great home record. They were the best home side of last season with just the on defeat at Portman Road. We didn’t think many would beat them at Portman Road this season but with two straight home defeats it has certainly made us concentrate harder. Although they have made apoor start to the season by their own standards, we still fancy them to at least get one of the 4 play-off positions. A distinct lack of transfers into the club is a slight concern but we fancy them to go well and possibly sneak automatic promotion.

Norwich
Players In: Sammy Clingan, Wes Hoolahan, Ryan Bertrand, Dejan Stefanovic, Elliot Omozusi, Arturo Lupoli, David Bell, Stuart Nelson
Players Out: Matt Gliks, Andrew Cave-Brown
Key Player: Arturo Lupoli
Prediction: 14th Norwich finished 17th last season which is unacceptable for a club with their recent history. They lacked goals last season and have brought in some strikers wit h the aim of putting it right this season. However they still lack quality in the midfield and there is a lack of quality creative players in their squad. If they can provide the former Arsenal youngster, Lupoli with regular service then they may go well but they are very incocnsistent and we fancy them to have another poor season.

Nottingham Forest
Players In: Robert Earnshaw, Guy Moussi, Andy Cole, Joe Garner, Paul Anderson, Mickael Darnet, Lee Martin
Players Out: Kris Commons, Matt Lockwood, Alan Power, Sammy Clingan, Grant Holt, Junior Agogo
Key Player: Robert Earnshaw
Prediction: 17th Last seasons League two runners-up Nottingham Forest look to have enough to see off relegation for one season at least. The signing of Robert Earnshaw from Derby County is a massive positive. The welsh international has bags of pace and can score at this level. If Nottingham are to survive then his goals will play a key part. A 5-1 hammering against Wolves won;t go down too nciely with the players but their other 3 performances look good enough for us to think they should settle nicely in the bottom half of table.

Plymouth Argyle
Players In: Jason Puncheon, Karl Duguid, Yala Bolsaie, Graham Stack, Emlie Mpenza, Nicolas Marin, paul Gallagher, Chris Barker, Simon Walton
Players Out: Paul Connolly, Paul Wotton, Najim Abdou, Peter Halmosi
Key Player: Emile Mpenza
Prediction: 15th I live near Plymouth and the fans are not too optimistic about the season ahead. Plymouth have let several of their best players go over the past year with the likes of Ebanks-Blake going to Wolves in January and their most high profile of them all in Peter Halmosi who couldn’t resist the lure of the premiership with Hull City. Emile Mpenza is a fantastic signing for Sturrock and he could be crucial for Plymouth this season. After a decent season last year we fancy them to finish in mid-table this term.

Preston
Players In: Barry Nicholsen, Ross Wallace, Jon Parkin, Stephen Elliott
Players Out: Tamas Priskin
Key Player: Neil Mellor
Prediction: 13th Preston struggled for the majority of last season and spent a lot of the time near the foot of the table. The eventually finished in 15th and with the lack of activity in the transfer market this summer they won’t be too far away from where they finished last season. They have made a great start to the new season though and have 10 points from their first 4 games beating some of the favourites for promotion. Their start to the season is very good but they are a inconsistent side and we doubt they can keep it up throughout the season.

Queens Park Rangers
Players In: Radek Cerny, Peter Ramage, Emmanuel Ledesma, Kaspars Gorkss, Dani Parejo, Samuel Di Carmine
Players Out: Stefan Bailey, Jake Cole, Daniel Nardiello, Zesh Rehman. Simon Walton, Chris Barker
Key Player: Emmanuel Ledesma
Prediction: 4th QPR fans are confident they can win the title this season. With new investors from the world of Formula 1 they have the cash to push for promotion and a minimum of a play-off spot will be expected from the fans. They have brought in a decent keeper in former spurs shot stopper Radek Cerny and Ledesma is a classy winger who can deliver a good ball. The board have already expressed that they aim to be in the premiership within the next couple of season and we think this could be their year but it will take a lot of work.

Reading
Players In: Noel Hunt, Chris Armstrong
Players Out: Adam Bygrave, Ben Hamer, Glenn Little, Dave Kitson, Scott Davies, Ibrahima Sonko
Key Player: Kevin Doyle
Prediction: 5th Despite Reading being relegated from the Premiership they have managed to keep the majority of their best players. Leroy Lite, Steven Hunt and Kevin Doyle have all stayed at the club with their only big departure being Glen little to Portsmouth. They have started fairly well and are in 6th position after 4 games. They have enough quality to regain their premiership status and we expect them to be in the play-off’s come the end of the season.

Sheffield United
Players In: Greg Halford, Sun Jihai, Darius Henderson, Justin Haber, David Cotterill
Players Out: Chris Lucketti, Rob Hulse, Ben Starosta, Luton Shelton, Johnathan Stead, Michael Tonge, Chris Armstrong,
Key Player: James Beattie
Prediction: 11th A disappointing season last term saw them finish in 9th. They are a club expected to push for promotion each season but are very inconsistent. They did well to keep hold of James Beattie who scored 21 league goals last season. Even with Kevin Blackwell at the helm i can’t see them mounting a promotion challenge this season and will have to settle for another average campaign in mid-table.

Sheffield Wednesday
Players In: James O’Connor, Tony McMahon, Jimmy Smith
Players Out: Burten O’brien
Key Player: James O’Connor
Prediction: 24th Sheffield Wednesday seem to struggle each season and were tipped for relegation last season. They do lack fire-power in front of goal and with no recognised signings they will be in for another difficult campaign and a dogfight at the foot of the table looks inevitable.

Southampton
Players In: Chris Perry, Lee Holmes, Paul Wotton, Tommy Forecast, Morgan Schneiderlin, Anthony Pulis, Jack Cork
Players Out: Cedric Baseya, Andrew Davis
Key Player: Bradley Wright-Phillips
Prediction: 20th Another former Premiership club on the decline. After their stint in the top flight they have seriously struggled for results in the championships and were very fortunate not to go down last season and their survival went down to the last day of the season which saw Leicester take their place in the last relegation spot. A team who lack goals and confidence and if they get off to a bad start, their could be no way back for the Saints.

Swansea
Players In: Ashley Williams, Mark Gower, Federico Bessone, Albert Serran, Fabien Brandy, Stefan Morrision
Players Out: Kevin Austin, Kevin Amankwaah, Darryl Duffy, Darren Way
Key Player: Jason Scotland
Prediction: 18th Last season League one champions will be hoping to avoid a relegation fight but with a lack of depth within the squad they could have one on their hands. Despite manager Martinez making some signings over the summer they do lack a potent striker and could struggle somewhat for goals. Going on their first couple of performances they should have enough to pull off survival though.

Watford
Players In: Jon Harley
Players Out: Nathan Ellington, Jordan Stewart, Toumani Diagoura, Steve Kabba, Darius Henderson, Moses Ashikodi, Danni Shittu
Key Player: Tommy Smith
Prediction: 16th After a great start to last season which seen them top of the league at Christmas, they fell off the pace and only just managed to get the last play-off spot. They went out at the first hurdle to eventual play-off winners Hull City. Their does seem to be cash problems at the club also with Boothroyd being forced to sell several key players with Nathan Ellington, Steve Kabba and Darius Henderson all departing the club. With very little coming into the club they look in trouble. They are widely tipped to struggle this season and we reckon they will finish 10 places behind their position last season in 16th.

Wolves
Players In: Sam Vokes, Richard Stearman, David Jones, Chris Iwelumo, Matthew Hill
Players Out: Freddy Eastwood, Matt Bailey, Seyi Olofinjana, Elliott Bennett, Lee Collins, Jay Bothroyd, Charles Mulgrew
Key Player: Michael Kightly
Prediction: 1st Manager Mick McCarthy has made some decent signings over the summer in a bid to improve on last seasons finish of 7th. Wolves had a disappointing season last term and were fancied to at least get a play-off spot. Welsh international Sam Vokes looks a decent proposition for the future while Chris Iwelumo should be what they need to get the goals to push them higher up the league. They have made the best start to the season out of any of the championship clubs and with them currently in first place, we fancy them to remain their aslong as they keep up the good performances.