Burnley

Saturday 10th December

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Hearts

Celtic have transformed their season in recent weeks and will be hoping to continue their good run with a victory over an out of sorts Hearts side at Celtic Park.

It wasn’t so long ago that Celtic were 12 points behind in second place and there were more than a few supporters who were calling for Neil Lennon to be sacked as manager. Fast forward a month or so and things are looking a lot brighter for the Bhoys. Having won their last five league matches they have cut the gap to just four points which makes the form side in the SPL. Their recent good form has been the result of some key players coming back from injury and getting a run of games under their belt. Gary Hooper is a prime example as the striker was out of sorts for much of the season because of niggling injuries whereas now he has hit the kind of form he was in last season, scoring five goals in his last three league games, including a hat-trick the last time Celtic played an SPL match at home against St Mirren. Hooper is now joint top scorer in Scotland and Lennon will be keen for his star man to continue his good form, especially as Celtic are due to play league leaders Rangers at the end of December.

Hearts started the season brightly enough despite Jim Jefferies being sacked. Paulo Sergio was installed as his replacement and the initial signs were good however there has been a total lack of consistency recently and the pressure seems to be affecting the manager as he has had several outbursts at referee’s and the other match officials. The other problem facing Sergio is discontent amongst his players who have been failed to be paid once again this season. The players must try and remain professional but they are also human and if their is no guarantee of their wages being paid before Christmas, it’s bound to have an effect on the field. Last weekends 2-1 home defeat to St Johnstone was a real low point and was their seventh defeat of the season already. They travel to Glasgow knowing that the last time they played Celtic they ran out 2-0 winners at Tynecastle in October so they will be aware of what level of performance it will take in order to repeat such a feat.

Celtic’s recent form has been impressive in terms of results and performance. The 5-0 demoltion of St Mirren two weeks ago was a signal of intent from Lennon and his men and the first half performance last Sunday away to Dundee United was also much more like they way they can play. Beram Kayal is in much better form alongside Victor Wanyama in the middle of the park and it’s their partnership which has provided more protection for the much maligned defence. This has been evidenced in the amount of goals they have conceded in recent weeks compared to earlier in the season with the opposition managing to breach the defence just twice in the last six SPL games.

Hearts have lost four of their last six matches in the league and the fans are beginning to get restless as the performances have dropped in recent matches. Sergio is a passionate person and will be hoping that his passion rubs off on his players heading into Saturday’s match as it looked lacking at times last Saturday. When they defeated Celtic in October the players were all up for it and they never stopped fighting for every ball and closing Celtic down at every opportunity. It’s now about transferring that kind of performance from Tynecastle to their travels as they have won just one match on the road all season.

Celtic are without doubt in much better form than the last time these two sides met and Hearts are regressing. Hooper and Stokes have 20 goals between this this season and will be a handful for the visitors defence whilst Kayal, Wanyama and Forrest in the midfield are full of energy and enthusiasm at the moment meaning it will be be difficult for the Hearts midfield to get a hold of the game. There is only one winner of this match for me and I can see it being a comfortable one at that.

My Selection: Celtic (-1) to beat Hearts

Best odds available: 21/20 available with Bet365

English Championship

Burnley v Portsmouth

Burnley have come from behind twice in the last fortnight to win away from home, this week they entertain a Portsmouth side yet to win away from home.

Eddie Howe came with a big reputation for such a young manager when taking over from Brian Laws last season. The former Bournemouth manager had been used to success and winning games when at his former club but it’s been a slightly different story at Turf Moor. Fans would have been disappointed after missing out on the play-off’s last season whilst this season, they have been unable to string a run of form together meaning they have been towards the wrong end of the table for much of this season. Signs are there, however, that Howe and his players are beginning to turn things around. After losing two late goals to Leeds resulting in a fourth successive defeat could have been a crushing blow but they have dusted themselves down and put a run of three wins together. They were behind against both Hull and West Ham but showed a new resilience and came back to win both matches. In between those games, they destroyed Ipswich at home which was arguably one of their most impressive wins of the season to date.

Portsmouth done the column a favour last weekend when they were successful against struggling Coventry but they face a different proposition against Burnley away from home. As mentioned, Pompey have not won an away game this term with a record of three draws and six defeats. They are one of only two sides who hold such a record so Michael Appleton definitely has his work cut out as he strives to improve his new club’s fortunes on the road. Last weekend’s victory was massive for a couple of reasons; they off-field drama seems to be never-ending at Fratton Park so the players showed how professional they are by gaining all three points and it was also the first win under the new manager. He will be hoping to build on that and ensure that Portsmouth can stay clear of the relegation zone as it’s getting very congested towards that end of the table. A win tomorrow, however, would mean that they would be just one point behind the Clarets.

Burnley’s home form has been patchy due to their inconsistency this season. They have won three, drawn three and lost the other four so if they do hold ambitions of being compeititive for a play-off spot they need to start winning more games at home. Last time out at Turf Moor their crushing win over Ipswich would have done a lot for confidence as it was also at home where they let slip a lead to lose 2-1 to Leeds late on the game beforehand. On loan striker Sam Vokes has been a breath of fresh air since moving from Wolves and he provides a different option upfront. His header last weekend which gave his new side victory showed his class and if they can retain his services to enhance their chance of promotion to the Premier League.

Portsmouth have lost six of their last seven away games in the Championship with their only point coming against Crystal Palace a couple of weeks ago. Their biggest struggle seems to be scoring goals as they have only managed one goal in their last six on their travels. Appleton may look to adopt slightly different tactics tomorrow but his hands are tied in terms of personnel as he is working with such a small squad. His options will be boosted tomorrow however as Liam Lawrence, Hayden Mullins and Luke Varney are all set to declare themselves fit after missing out last weekend.

Burnley don’t have a great home record by any means but they are hitting a bit of form and with Portsmouth so poor and toothless away from home, the selection is a home win.

My Selection: Burnley to beat Portsmouth

Best odds available: 21/20 available with William Hill

English League One

Walsall v Charlton

League leaders Charlton travel to Walsall on Saturday hoping to continue their excellent run of form which has left them seven points clear at the top of the table.

Walsall are currently in the relegation zone after a dismal run of form which has seen them fail to win any of their last six games in League One. Their last win was a 1-0 home victory over Preston back in October which was only their third win all season. Dean Smith has been in charge for just under a year but he is under pressure to get results and with the festive period coming up, he will be hoping his team can get some sort of confidence heading into one of the busiest periods of the season. Two of their three wins have come at home but they have also lost five matches at the Bescott already. In order to climb the league they need to make it harder for teams to take points off them, the visit of Charlton may well not be the type of team they will look forward to facing but if they were to get something tomorrow, it may well act as a catalyst and get their season going.

Chris Powell will be delighted with the start his Charlton side have made this season after so many coming’s and going’s during the close season. More than 20 players have been brought to the Valley under Powell but the supporters will not be caring about that so long as they continue to steamroll through the League One opposition. With just one defeat all season, an incredible eight wins in a row in all competitions and the top scorers in the division, the plaudits they have earned thus far have been well deserved. Their last league match was arguably the biggest of the season to date in England’s third tier as they came up against a Huddersfield side who had not been beaten for over 40 matches in the league. This Charlton side don’t care much for reputation or records though, and they accounted for them rather comfortably in the end, winning 2-0.

Walsall know that if they can string a couple of results together then it will mean a move out of the relegation zone. It is tight at the bottom of League One but the longer they go without winning, the harder it becomes to climb the table. Jon Macken is one of the most experienced players in the division and Smith will be hoping that his striker can put that experience to good use and prevent others around him for panicking as it’s the worst thing that could happen at this stage.

Bradley Wright-Phillips is one of the most inform strikers in England never mind League One. The former Manchester City trainee has 14 league goals to his name already including seven goals in his last six league matches. He is certainly capable of playing at a higher level but his attitude has been called into question at previous clubs. If Powell can keep his mind on his football and ensure he keeps putting the effort in, there is every reason to believe that he could finish up top scorer out of all the divisions in England this season.

Charlton are bang in form, Walsall are totally out of sorts so the away win looks the only wager here.

My Selection: Charlton to beat Walsall

Best odds available: 5/6 available with Coral

Saturday 13^th November

English Premier League

Aston Villa v Manchester United

Gerard Houllier had many a battle with Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson when he was Liverpool boss so it’s a case of renewing old acquaintances as he now faces them as manager of Aston Villa.  

Houllier took over the Villa hot seat after Martin O’Neill sensationally quit the club just says before the start of the new Premier League season. Since taking the job it’s been a case of one step forward and two steps back until recently where they have put some sort of run together. One defeat in five league games has given them some much needed consistency and lifted them into the top half of the table. Villa have also had to contend with a number of injuries to players who have been a big part of their success in recent seasons. One of the most notable absences was Gabriel Agbonlahor. The striker has topped the scoring charts at Villa Park for the last couple of seasons and with him not in the side, they look a lot poorer. He’s beginning to get back to full fitness now and could start against United tomorrow.

Despite their problems this year, Villa have yet to taste defeat at home with three wins and three draws thus far. They have stifled Chelsea already this term so the signs are there that they can cope with the big boys when they come to town.

United are coming into this game off the back of a dour, disappointing and downright dull derby against City on Wednesday night. The first ever goalless derby draw in the history of the Premier League tells it all. Both sides were lacking in inspiration and any real desire to win the game. City will possibly get the brunt of the criticism as they were the home side; however Ferguson sent his team out in a defensive manner as well with one upfront. It’s getting to a stage in the season now where any dropped points are going to be even more crucial as Chelsea are beginning to stretch their lead to their magnificent and unstoppable home form. Already four points off the pace and with Chelsea at home to Sunderland this weekend; Ferguson knows that the margin for error is very small despite it only being the middle of November.

The away side will have it all to do as well when they travel to the Midlands tomorrow as they have won only one of their 6 away matches to date and haven’t been victorious at Villa Park for over three years in the league.

I am a firm believer of class and quality prevailing when push comes to shove and United certainly hold those cards tomorrow. However for them to win on the road for only the second time this season, they have to be much more adventurous and attacking, as it’s likely Houllier will play on the counter even though his side are at home.

I have had my fingers burnt a few times over the years when expecting United’s class to come to the fore, however I really believe that Ferguson will not want to slip further behind and because of this, he will go with two strikers. If they do, I expect an away win as Villa’s defence has been ropey when faced with two central players this term .

My selection: Manchester United to beat Aston Villa

Best odds available: 17/20 available with Blue Square

English Championship

Burnley v Watford

Both Burnley and Watford enjoyed flying starts to the season but things have since tailed off so they will be looking to get back on tract when they clash at Turf Moor.

Burnley really impressed at the start of the season, especially at home where they demolished sides at will. However they are currently on a run of just one win form their last seven games. The only real positive for manager Brian Laws is that they are also proving difficult to beat as they have only lost one game in that run. The problem for the clarets has been too many draws which can be just as harmful as losing a couple of matches. Their last three games have all been stalemates, admittedly against three decent teams in the shape of QPR, Norwich and Doncaster. Laws will be seeking a change in fortunes when Watford visit tomorrow in order to pick up some more points to boost their promotion hopes as they currently lie in ninth position, just a point off sixth place.

Malky Mackay will be experiencing the same feelings of frustration as his counterpart as Watford found themselves in the top six a month ago. A run of four defeats in six matches has witnessed a drop to 13^th and a further point off of tomorrow’s opponents. Watford’s main problem has been their inability to keep a clean sheet. They have only managed to prevent the opposition scoring in one of their last 10 matches. It will be a real source of annoyance for Mackay who was himself a no-nonsense defender during his playing career. Tuesday night’s defeat away to bottom dogs Crystal Palace basically highlighted their deficiencies as they held the lead in the second half only to make silly mistakes and end up with nothing.

Burnley still boast a very decent home record with just one defeat, and five wins, from eight matches played at Turf Moor in the league this season. Their sole defeat was a 4-0 hammering from Reading, however, which will still be fresh in the mind of the manager and players as another southern club visit tomorrow. Watford have been impressive on the road this term with wins over Norwich, Millwall and Sheffield United, however their three most recent matches on the road have all ended in defeat.

With their run of defeats on their travels, and Burnley’s pretty good form on their own patch, I think the home side will edge what is sure to be an entertaining game.

My selection: Burnley to beat Watford

Best odds available: 10/11 available with William Hill

English League Two

Rotherham v Oxford United

It’s not very often I delve into League Two but Rotherham host Oxford in match up which caught my eye throughout the week.

Rotherham were well and truly hammered during the week when hosting Huddersfield in the Johnstone Paint Trophy. A 5-2 reverse was sore to take from local rivals but with the form Lee Clark’s men are on at the moment in League One, it’s no great shame. In the league Rotherham have been very poor of late and have not won match since their victory over Accrington Stanley a month ago. One of the pre-season favourites for promotion, the Millers have faded in recent weeks but with Ronnie Moore in charge they have plenty of experience at the helm as well as some excellent individual players.

Oxford United sit comfortably in mid table after gaining promotion from the Conference last season. Their form has also tailed off of late with only one success from their last six matches. They haven’t even managed to gain a draw from the other five matches which will be a massive worry for Chris Wilder who is experiencing managing a side in League football for the first time in his career. He has moved to quell his side’s recent problems with the signing of three new players who should all face Rotherham on Saturday. Paul Wotton and Steven McLean have joined on loan from League one clubs whilst Ben Futcher also comes in on a temporary deal from fellow League Two side, and Wilder’s former club, Bury.  

Rotherham have to contend with placing at the vast and open spaces of the Don Valley Stadium where atmosphere is at a premium. They have coped relatively well with this hindrance as one defeat from eight games would testify. Oxford have been poor travellers since their return to league football with only one success from seven matches.

It may be more of a speculative punt due to the unpredictable nature of the league, but with a striker like Adam Le Fondre, top scorer in League Two, a win is never far away and with the price on the home win being what it is, I believe it represents huge value.

My selection: Rotherham to beat Oxford United

Best odds available: 5/4 available with Victor Chandler

Saturday 23^rd October

English Championship

Burnley v Reading

Both Burnley and Reading have tasted top flight action in recent years and will be determined for points tomorrow in an effort to return to the Premier League.

Brian Laws had a pretty disastrous spell when taking over from Owen Coyle at the start of the year. Three wins from 19 premier league games meant relegation and a straight return to the Championship; there were even calls for him to be sacked before the start to this season. He survived those claims however, and both he and his side have came out fighting. 20 points from their first dozen games means they find themselves in a very promising position of fourth, just six points off of 2^nd placed Cardiff City. The majority of their points have come at Turf Moor (16 in total) but they have only suffered a couple of defeats on the road at the same time, proving they are in pretty good form and also hard to beat.

I previewed Reading last week in their home match against Swansea and to say that their performance and result was a disappointment is an understatement. Tepid, indecisive and disjointed were three words that could apply for that game, as well as their most recent match – another 1-0 loss, this time away to Bristol City. Despite my confidence last week, there are signs there that Reading are beginning to struggle now after a very decent spell. One point from their last three and two goals scored in their last four suggest that something is amiss at the Madejski Stadium. It may just be a case of freshening things up and giving some of their younger players who have played a lot, a rest. Brian McDermott is still a novice as a manager at this level so it will be interesting to see how he can cope with this slump in form and what he does to both halt it and improve things.  

Without doubt, Burnley’s star man and player in form so far this season, has been former Manchester United youngster, Chris Eagles. The midfielder has been in scintillating form thus far earning the plaudits and praise of Brian Laws in the press. The midweek win over Barnsley saw Eagles net another two goals to bring his season tally to six (five in his last four games) resulting in Laws describing him as unplayable at the minute. Eagles has always threatened to be a quality player but has suffered from massive inconsistencies so he has to now build on his latest good efforts and ensure it lasts for the majority of the season. His battle up against Reading left back, Ian Harte, is sure to be one of the more intriguing match-up’s tomorrow afternoon.

Bristol City are the only team to have left Turf Moor with a point this season as the likes of Hull, Leicester and Nottingham Forest have all been defeated. Burnley also notched a famous victory over Coyle’s new club, Bolton in the league cup earlier in the season. With the form Burnley are in at home weighted against how poor and lacklustre Reading have been of late, I strongly fancy the home side to gain all three points.

My selection: Burnley to beat Reading

Best odds available: EVENS from a host of bookmakers including Betfred

English Championship

Nottingham Forest v Ipswich Town

Nottingham Forest and Ipswich both have a rich history of success, both domestically and in Europe, they meet each other at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon, looking for points in a bid to boost their chances of writing another chapter.

Nottingham Forest done ever so well to reach the play-offs last season in what was Billy Davies’ first full season in charge. Davies was forever telling the media and supporters that it would have been too early for the club to go to the Premier League. That may just have been bluster but with their start to this season, added to the amount of youngsters in their squad, then it may have been wise words after all. Forest started very slowly, much like last season, but there are signs that things are beginning to turn around heading into the winter months. One defeat in 11 matches has somewhat consolidated their position before hopefully, for them, pushing further up the table. Of those 11 matches, seven have ended in draws which have somewhat curtailed their progress up the league. Their last three home games have witnessed a return of seven points, wins against Middlesbrough and Swansea, and a draw with Sheffield United. Continuing this good form will be pivotal to any hopes of gaining promotion this season, especially at home.

Roy Keane endured a terrible start to last season with his Ipswich side which set the tone for much of the season as they were rarely out of the bottom quarter of the league for the majority of the season. Another year older, another year wiser, the Tractor boys have started this season much, much better. They are only two points and places outside the play-off places, giving themselves a far better chance of succeeding in their wish to be promoted after spending a considerable amount of money for the league. The last week, however, has seen two defeats in a row, one at home to Coventry and the other during midweek away to Watford. Keane will be stressing to his players the importance of halting this mini slump as soon as possible in order to stave off a lack of confidence or belief within the team itself.

Forest built their season around their home form in the last campaign. They suffered jut three defeats at the City ground last season and basically made it a fortress. What’s also interesting to note about last year, was that they really started to push on and put a run together from a similar point of the season to the one we’re currently at. Between the 27^th of September and the 6^th of February, Forest suffered only one defeat in the league. Davies knows the Championship inside out after spells with Derby and Preston before joining Forest, and he will know that it’s around this time of year where you can really give yourself a chance and put yourself in a position to challenge for the 2^nd half of the season.

Ipswich have looked sluggish of late which doesn’t bode well for tomorrow’s game. It doesn’t bode well ahead of their visit to the City Ground as Forest have not been defeated there in 25 matches. It’s also been over a decade since Ipswich won at the ground. A home win would put Nottingham Forest above tomorrow’s opponents and it’s one I believe they are capable of getting.

My selection: Nottingham Forest to beat Ipswich

Best odds available: 6/5 available with Ladbrokes

Once again, there are three golden tickets to the Premier League up for grabs this season, with QPR currently in the box seat to be one of the promoted clubs from the Championship. Neil Warnock couldn’t have imagined that his team would enjoy such a near-perfect start, which has seen the Super Hoops drop just four points to leave them six points clear of the chasing pack and with an outstanding goal difference of +21.

While it is too early to talk about QPR as being ‘past the post’, the west London side are no bigger than 13/10 with William Hill to win the league and it is likely that the club will strengthen in January if Rangers continue to stay at the top of the Championship. Every bookmaker go odds on that the league leaders are promoted this term and Coral have 4/7 on offer.

You can throw a blanket over the chasing pack and it is Cardiff who are in second place after ten matches. The Bluebirds have wobbled a little in recent weeks, although returned to winning ways with victory at Barnsley in their last game and are buoyed by the return of Craig Bellamy from injury. Bet365 offer a best price 6/4 that the Welsh team are celebrating promotion this season and you can get 5/1 with Sky Bet that they land the title.

There are then a range of teams who are between 14/1 and 20/1 in the outright betting, all of whom could take advantage of any QPR slip-up this season but have so far shown too much inconsistency. The one side that catches the eye is Nottingham Forest, who are on offer at 18/1 with Blue Square. The Tricky Trees have once again had a slow start to their campaign, although Billy Davies’ men are now 10th and have only lost once all season.

Burnley have once again shown two sides this term, going unbeaten at Turf Moor in their five matches to date and failing to win any of their games on the road. Providing that Brian Laws can figure out a way of winning away, then the Clarets should be in the mix and Ladbrokes offer a tempting 14/1 that the Lancashire side finish top of the pile.

Another team whose target is promotion are managed by Roy Keane and Ipswich Town are having a much better campaign than last season where a slow start meant they were scrapping against relegation for much of the season. Not so this term and the Tractor Boys are 14/1 with Coral to win the Championship. Keane has steered Sunderland to the promised land of the Premier League and he is 7/2 with Coral to do the same with Ipswich.

Meanwhile, there is a hot race going on for the Top Goalscorer award in the Championship, with Burnley’s Chris Iwelumo on offer at 6/1 with bet365 and Jamie Mackie available at 8/1 with Coral. The latter has been an inspiration for QPR and was recently called up by Scotland.

First up, I can only apologise for last week’s dismal previews and advice. Unfortunately, the start of the season can throw results like that up. Hopefully I can point towards a couple of winners this time around.

Saturday 21^st August

English Championship

Burnley v Leicester

Both Leicester and Burnley harbour genuine hopes of being in the promotion mix up come the end of the season so tomorrow’s fixture at Turf Moor should give an indication of how far both sides are away from challenging.

After a pretty horrific second half of the season last term, Burnley and Brian Laws have made a quick start to this one with 4 points from 6. It’s an impressive opening considering they have played Nottingham Forest and Ipswich, two of the better sides in the division. Despite being in the bottom 3 for most of their debut season in the Premier League, the Clarets kept up a decent home record with 7 wins and 5 draws so they know how to win games at home. That being said however, most of this wins were under the stewardship of Owen Coyle and were aided by the likes of Steven Fletcher and Robbie Blake, all 3 have since departed. Laws has sought to replace the goals of Fletcher and creativity of Blake by bringing in Chris Iwelumo and Ross Wallace. Both are experienced and proven quality at Championship level.

It was a close season of upheaval for Leicester as they lost manager Nigel Pearson to Hull, replacing him with Paulo Sousa, on to his 3^rd Championship club in a couple of seasons, who will no doubt bring his own brand of football to the Walkers Stadium in time. Sousa was in charge of Swansea last season and they were renowned for their lack of goals and mean defence. His new side have not quite adjusted to this style as they have scored 6 goals and conceded the same amount in their 3 competitive matches to date. One player Sousa probably thought he wouldn’t be working with is DJ Campbell. The striker was on loan at Blackpool last season, helping them win promotion. He was expected to seal a permanent move over the summer but the clubs could not agree a fee and he finds himself playing in the 2^nd tier for another season.

Burnley have one of the best squads at this level with several influential attacking players. As well as Wallace and Fletcher, the likes of Chris Eagles, Martin Paterson and Wade Elliot would get into most sides in the league and they will need to keep them fit if they wish to return straightaway to the top flight. Their opening day win over Forest showed a mentality that was sadly lacking last year. Despite being on the back foot for a lot of the match, they stuck in and held on to their lead to gain all 3 points. The same mentality was evident once again last weekend when they went down to 10 men and lost a goal in the last minute only to equalise in injury time to remain unbeaten.

Leicester will be slightly disappointed with their start after such a good season in their return to the Championship. An opening day loss to Crystal Palace was followed up by a goalless draw at home to big spending Middlesbrough. Sousa would have been happy to rack up their first point of the season but they dominated the game and should have won the game, especially with chances missed in the first half.

Laws has done a good job in replacing key personnel with seasoned, Championship professionals. He will know that if they are to stand any chance of promotion, his side will need to make Turf Moor a fortress, and that they will have to win the majority of games against fellow promotion candidates. Their opponents tomorrow will no doubt be hard to beat, but you get the feeling that they are still finding their feet under the new manager. Star striker Matty Fryatt returned from a long term injury against Palace but he was only a sub last week.

With this in mind, and the fact Burnley have a good record over Leicester over the years leads me to think that Brian Laws and his charges will be celebrating another home win tomorrow evening.

My selection: Burnley to beat Leicester City

Best odds available: 11/10 available at Bet365

Scottish Premier League

Hamilton v Hearts (12.00)

It’s little surprise that ESPN have snapped this fixture up to screen live tomorrow as games between Hearts and Hamilton, especially at New Douglas Park, are very entertaining.

Billy Reid had the chance to jump ship and become the new Swansea manager during the summer but he decided to stay loyal to Hamilton and try and keep them in the SPL for the 3^rd consecutive season. He will have to do without several players from last season’s squad however, including their key man, James McArthur. The little midfielder has joined James McCarthy at Wigan and it will be interesting to see how the Accies cope without him. Gary McDonald from Aberdeen was brought in to replace him whilst the likes of Jack Ross and Gavin Skelton have also been added to the ranks.

Jim Jefferies begins his first full season in charge in his second stint at Hearts manager. Jefferies replaced Czaba Lazlo, leaving Kilmarnock in the process, to steady the ship at a club where he enjoyed great success in his first spell. Over the summer he has attempted to bolster his attacking options with the signings of Steven Elliot and most notably, Kevin Kyle. Both strikers played together at Sunderland before moving in opposite directions. Elliot pottered around several Championship clubs whilst Kyle became a pivotal player for Kilmarnock under Jefferies. Calum Elliot, already at the club, clearly sensed competition for his jersey and notched last week at home to St Johnstone.

Hamilton had a dreadful start to the season as they were trounced 4-0 away to Aberdeen. The score slightly flattered the home side in the sense that 3 of the goals came from the penalty spot but it didn’t mask the fact that Hamilton looked slow at the back and toothless upfront. Hearts should have got the better of St Johnstone but only ended up with a solitary point.

Billy Reid had the best intentions when deciding to stay on as manager, and the loyalty is refreshing to see in this day and age, but it may well be misplaced. The loss of key players over the last year or so may well take its toll this season, and I believe the away side to be very good value to get the better of a poor Hamilton.

Kevin Kyle is likely to play from the start for the first time tomorrow and he will be a real handful for a shaky Accies backline. He was a real thorn in their side whilst at Killie and I expect him to pick up where he left off tomorrow.

My selections: Hearts to beat Hamilton

Best odds available: 8/5 available with William Hill

Kevin Kyle to score first at a best priced 8/1 available with Bet365

There are only six teams that can realistically win the Premier League, although there are at least a dozen sides who have the potential to finish top of the Championship. While Newcastle cruised to the title last season, it looks set to be more competitive this time around, with fifteen teams currently trading at 20/1 or lower.

It’s Middlesbrough who are the favourites to win the English second flight and potentially join fellow north-east clubs Newcastle and Sunderland in the Premier League next term. They have certainly been the big spenders of the Championship this summer, recruiting Barry Robson, Willo Flood, Scott McDonald and Stephen McManus from former club Celtic. However, the real coup de grace is the acquisition of Kris Boyd and that means the bookies are offering no bigger than 7/1 (Victor Chandler) about Boro.

Most firms have Nottingham Forest as second favourite to win the league and they should certainly be featuring at the right end of the table come May. Billy Davies steered his team to third place last season and there are several young players in the squad who should improve. The Tricky Trees should have plenty of firepower in Robert Earnshaw and Dexter Blackstock, with Coral offering a best price 9/1 that they win the league.

The team that finished like a train in the Championship last season were Reading, who were relegation candidates after the first few months of the campaign but ended up close to the play-offs. Brian McDermott deserves tremendous credit for turning around the Royals’ fortunes and they are 14/1 (Sporting Bet) to continue making progress by winning the league.

Former Reading boss Steve Coppell is sure to get a warm reception when he returns to the Madejski Stadium next season with his Bristol City team. It’s a shrewd appointment by the Robins as they look to finally make the big time and Sky Bet offer 20/1 that the supporters at Ashton Gate are toasting a title-winning campaign. Striker Nicky Maynard is one reason why they might be riding high, although the manager will be concerned by how many goals were conceded last term.

It’s unusual to see the three relegated teams from the Premier League so low in the outright betting list. Burnley are 11/1 (totesport) to bounce back from last season’s relegation, although the bookmakers expect Hull City (22/1 bet365) and Portsmouth (28/1 Coral) to have a much tougher time of things on their return to the Championship.

Queens Park Rangers are back among the favourites this season, two years after Flavio Briatore bought the west London club. In that time, several managers have come and gone, although Neil Warnock is a manager well-versed in the Championship and the Super Hoops are 12/1 (Coral) to win the league. Roy Keane’s Ipswich Town (16/1 Paddy Power) are also among the favourites, although it could be a couple of promoted teams that feature near the top.

Leeds United have finally made it out of League One and are 18/1 (Blue Square) to make it a double promotion by winning the Championship. However, they were faltering badly towards the end of the campaign and that allowed Norwich (18/1 Victor Chandler) to win the league. Perhaps the Canaries can have another season to remember.

Saturday 10^th April

English Premier League

Hull City v Burnley

Another week in the Premier League and another massive game at the bottom of the table as Hull and Burnley go toe to toe at the KC stadium.

Iain Dowie has won 1 and lost 2 in his first 3 games in charge of Hull but there definitely seems to be an improvement in their displays since he took over. His first game in charge away to Portsmouth was a hard defeat to take considering they were leading 2-1 in the dying minutes only to lose two goals. Their next game was at home to Fulham where they turned in an excellent performance to clinch a 2-0 win and give them renewed hope in their battle against the drop. Confidence was high going into last weekends away match at Stoke but they were brought back down to earth with a comprehensive 2-0 loss. Not many teams come away from the Britannia with much so it may not have been a surprise but it was still another 3 points away and 1 less game to play. Dowie must now recharge his troops ahead of tomorrow’s match. It really is a must win match and one which he will have targeted for 3 points as soon as he was installed as Hull’s manager last month.

Burnley are on an horrendous run which culminated last week in an embarrassing 6-1 home defeat to Manchester City. Brian Laws’ side were 5-0 down going in at half time and you have to wonder what that defeat has done to confidence as well as their already remote chances of staying in the Premier League for another season. They are currently 4 points behind 17^th placed West Ham but more crucially, they haven’t managed to collect maximum points from a game since the beginning of February. They have lost 9 out of a possible 10, drawing the other one. They are damning statistics and you have to think that they are all but down. Even if they win tomorrow, Burnley will be 1 point adrift of Hull who will still have a game in hand over them. As well as their recent run of horrific form, they are still chasing their first away win of the season as we approach the last 4 weeks of the season. 1 point from a possible 48, 11 goals scored and 47 conceded (just under 3 goals a game). You wouldn’t fancy them doing anything constructive on the road when you look at such a record.

These two sides know it’s win or bust basically at this stage of the season and as such you can expect a tense 90 minutes. Both defences leak goals however so it would not be a massive surprise if there were some goals in the fixture, then again, you wouldn’t be shocked if it was a dour encounter with 1 goal settling the game. Due to the nature of the match and how important it is for both sides to get all 3 points, I’m ruling out the draw. It doesn’t benefit anyone so late in the season so I think both sides will be going for it right up until the last kick of the ball if it is a stalemate at that point. Hull have a decent home record for a side who are in a relegation battle with 6 wins and 5 draws from 15 matches. Jimmy Bullard is back fit and his influence cannot be underestimated. He’s creative, he’s a leaders and most importantly he scores crucial goals. I’ve often considered Burnley to be weak in the midfield with no real quality, Hull certainly do in the shape of Bullard and to a lesser extent Stephen Hunt, and for that reason, I’m tipping them to take all 3 points.

My selection: Hull to beat Burnley at a best priced 3/4 available with Paddy Power

English Championship

Middlesbrough v Sheffield Wednesday

Both sides are in desperate need of the points for very different reasons at the Riverside tomorrow as ‘Boro are still chasing a play-off spot whilst Wednesday are battling for their lives at the bottom.

Gordon Strachan has not had the season he would have wished for since taking over from Gareth Southgate earlier on in the season. After enjoying plenty of success at Celtic over the last 4 years, the stop start nature of this season will have surprised him. His side have never been able to put a proper run of form together and as a result they find themselves trailing in the search for a play-off spot behind far lesser clubs in the shape of Blackpool, Leicester and Swansea. Strachan tried to recreate the environment he had in Glasgow at the Riverside by bringing in several players from Celtic in the January transfer window. Stephen McManus, Willo Flood, Barry Robson, Chris Killen and Scott McDonald all arrived to link up once again with their former manager. Robson has been the biggest success to date whilst McDonald is back fit and will undoubtedly score goals at this level after such a successful spell in the SPL over the last few years.

Sheffield Wednesday are also a big club in the Championship, but they might not be for much longer – they could end up being a massive club in League 1 next season. They have struggled for much of the season at the foot of the table and have it all to do if they want to survive. They are level on points with Watford who sit directly above them but out of the relegation zone, only Watford have a game in hand. Alan Irvine was brought in at the turn of the year to lead the club to safety after the sacking of Brian Laws, after a initial good start, the players have reverted to form. They have won just once in their last 8 games but at the same time, have lost just twice in that run of fixtures. Draws  are decent enough at this stage of the season for a lot of clubs, but when you are fighting for your lives you really need to pick up more wins in as many games.

‘Boro are 6 points outside of the final play-off spot with 4 games to play. It looks very much like an uphill battle but one thing you can be sure of is Strachan’s teams going to the wire. They will never give up on anything until it is mathematically impossible. Blackpool travel to Newcastle this weekend, whilst Leicester go to Peterborough who will be on a high after appointing Gary Johnson as manager during the midweek. It’s not inconceivable that Middlesbrough could find themselves just 3 points off of 6^th place tomorrow evening if results go their way. They had an excellent 2-0 away win down at Plymouth  on Easter Monday so it’s clear that they still have the desire to go up. They also have an excellent record of tomorrow’s opponents with 4 wins in the last 4 games in this fixture.

My selection: Middlesbrough to beat Sheffield Wednesday available at 8/11 with Betfred

                           Scott McDonald to score anytime at a best priced 6/4 with Skybet

Saturday 20^th March

English Premier League

Wigan v Burnley

Seems like every week there is a massive game at the bottom of the Premier League and this weekend is no different as Burnley make the short trip to the DW Stadium to take on Wigan.

Roberto Martinez is known for being a manager who likes to play attractive football and his Swansea team were prolific goalscorers, a team which included some fantastic footballers. His summer switch to Wigan, however, has witnessed a switch in his ethos, basically because he’s been forced to. He’s at a club who will perennially struggle in the top league and as such will have to battle. He has opted to go one up for most of their games recently and have decided to pack the midfield, especially away from home. Hugo Rodallega had led the line pretty well, and got the winning goal against Liverpool a fortnight ago. He’s been ably supported by James McCarthy and Charles N’Zogbia, two players who love getting forward and have proven to be real goal threats. Their most recent home game was a 2-1 defeat to 4^th placed chasing Aston Villa in midweek. It was a very close encounter and could easily have went either way, Wigan were probably unlucky losers and deserved a draw at least.

Burnley are losing ground fast on the pack above them after some crucial defeats in recent weeks. They lost to Portsmouth at home, which was followed by an expected defeat at the Emirates. Their two most recent games were home matches against Stoke and Wolves – they only managed a solitary point from these games which was surely a crushing blow for Brian Laws and his side. Owen Coyle had the same problems Laws has had on the road, i.e. no wins and losing a lot of goals, but his home form was so much better and it’s hard to see where Burnley will pick up the required points from in the coming weeks. They’ve not won a match since the beginning of February, which was in turn, their first success since the end of October. That makes it just one win in 14 league games, it really is a horrendous record and the only surprise is that they’re not cast adrift even more.

These sides met at Turf Moor back in October and Wigan notched a rare away success with a 2-1 victory. Martinez may have to do without one of his better players tomorrow however, with N’Zogbia really struggling after getting taken off in midweek. He was replaced by January signing Victor Moses so it’s likely he’ll get the nod again should the winger not make it. Moses has found the step up from Championship football to the Premier League, pretty hard thus far so if he does play tomorrow he must impress. Burnley will go with 2 from 3 upfront, with Steven Fletcher, David Nugent and Martin Paterson all looking to start. They must be tighter at the back though if they are to have any chance of winning tomorrow, they’ve lost an early goal far too many times in recent games which leaves them with an uphill battle, one they’ve lost many times before.

I think Wigan are decent at home whilst Burnley are terrible away so with that in mind, I think Wigan will do the double over the Lancashire rivals. They’ve shown against Liverpool and Villa that they’re a better side than their league position shows so I’m hoping they have the belief to continue this tomorrow.

My selection: Wigan to beat Burnley at a best priced 4/5 available with Skybet

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v St Johnstone

The league looks to be long gone for Celtic so some would argue that this is a dead rubber with St Johnstone safe from relegation – Celtic do not play meaningless games.

Tony Mowbray has been under huge amounts of pressure since becoming Celtic manager back in June, and that pressure has only increased in recent weeks as his side languish 13 points behind leaders, and arch rivals, Rangers. His main problem has been trying to find a settled 11 and his strongest possible side. There have been massive changes in the 9 months he’s been in charge and with a load of injuries as well, it’s not completely Mowbray’s fault. He was left with a stale side, a stale club infact, but he rejected the chance to overhaul the playing squad in the summer transfer window, choosing to see what he had to play with before chopping and changing in January – the gamble has not paid off. Since bringing in 8 new players 2 months ago, Celtic have won 5, lost 2 and drawn 1, with two of those wins coming in the Scottish Cup.

St Johnstone have had a fantastic season so far on their return to the SPL. Derek McInnes and his side won in midweek to move to within 3 points of the top six, with 2 games in hand. It’s a remarkable achievement for a newly promoted side and the most impressive thing is they’ve done it playing really attractive football. They have scored the 3^rd most goals in the league which is superb considering they have more potent attacks than clubs such as Hibs, Dundee United and Hearts. They still, however, have a negative goal difference as they have conceded 46 goals already this season. McInnes deserves huge credit for his style of play and also because he’s not made massive changes to the side that won promotion. He has brought in some new players over the season but he has, in the main, stayed loyal to those that put in all the hard work last season.

These sides have already met twice this season with Celtic coming out victorious on both occasions. They were 5-2 victors back in August at Parkhead and won 4-1 in Perth in January. Marc Antoine Fortune has enjoyed both games as the striker has scored four goals in total against the Super J’s. He’s proved really hard to handle for their defenders with his power and pace upfront. I expect Celtic to win and win comfortably but St Johnstone will create chances and it should be another open game. Robbie Keane has scored Celtic’s first goal in 3 of the last 4 Celtic’s games as well as claiming a hat-trick last time out. He’s in excellent form and won’t be far away from the scoresheet tomorrow.

My selection:  Marc Antoine Fortune to score anytime at a best priced 5/4 available with Bet365

                            Robbie Keane to score 1^st at a best priced 7/2 available with Bet365

                            Over 3.5 goals at a best priced 11/8 available with Boylesports

Saturday 6^th March

English Premier League

Arsenal v Burnley

4 weeks ago there were Arsenal fans calling for their manager’s head after back to back defeats against Manchester United and Chelsea – 1 month on they go into tomorrow’s match at home to Burnley with a chance to go top of the table.

Since losing to Chelsea at the beginning of February, Arsenal have won 3 league games in a row. When you consider they were well adrift of top of the league, it doesn’t sound like the sort of form to catapult them back into the title race, yet, with both sides above them dropping crucial points of late, it has. They are 3 points behind Chelsea and two points off of 2^nd placed United. Last weekend’s victory over Stoke at the Britannia was a key win considering they have lost on their two most recent visits and also because of the horrendous injury suffered by Aaron Ramsey. The last time such an event occurred in a match involving Arsenal, they crumbled and dropped points before their whole title push caved in on them. There definitely seems to be a more steely resolve about the team from the Emirates this time around and they old saying goes that any experience is good experiences, certainly rings true here.

Burnley lost a massive game in their bid to avoid the drop last Saturday at home to Portsmouth. I foolishly tipped the Clarets to get all 3 points. What I didn’t legislate for was their captain for the day, Clarke Carlisle, giving away two penalties in absurd circumstances. Pompey may have missed the first but they capitalised on the 2^nd and as such went on to bag all 3 points. Steven Fletcher missed a big chance at 1-1 and you wonder whether their season will turn on that glaring miss. Their away form is well documented as being horrendous and easily the worst in the league so it’s hard to hold much optimism for them when they head south tomorrow. Their last 8 league games away from home have ended in defeat with an aggregate score of 24-5. All 5 of their goals in that run have come in two games, against West Ham and Aston Villa – they’ve lost 5 goals in each of these games. In total they have scored 10 goals on the road but they’ve only managed to score in 4 of their 14 away games this term which suggests they do not have enough quality in the final third when they go away. 1 point from a possible 42 is treacherous form and is basically the reason they are where they are.

I’ve never been a big fan of his, but Nicklas Bendtner has made a big difference to Arsenal since returning from injury last month. He provides a focal point up top which they’ve missed since Robin Van Persie got a serious knee injury in November. Andrei Arshavin and Eduardo have tried to fill the void but their diminutive size and qualities are best utilised elsewhere and when they have someone to feed off of. Bendtner has now notched 2 in 2 for Arsenal and also scored for Denmark during the week. He takes a lot of the battering from the opposition’s defenders allowing the likes of Arshavin, Samir Nasri, Fabregas and Theo Walcott to take advantage of the space he creates. He’ll be a massive player for the Gunners between now and May and will prove very troublesome for the Burnley defenders tomorrow.

The 1/7 generally available for an Arsenal win is measly, quite rightly, so it pays to look elsewhere for a bet in this fixture. I’ve picked out 3 which I believe to be value with the first one being Arsenal to win both halves. The home side will be determined to carry on the feel good factor after last week’s win so are sure to come out firing. They are masters at taking goals off weak defences at home and I expect nothing less tomorrow. Another bet I like is for Bendtner to score during the 90 minutes. The Dane is quick, powerful, direct and most importantly, on form. He’ll relish the chance to go up against the worst defence in the league and as he’ll play as Arsenal’s lone striker, can be expected to get more than a few opportunities tomorrow. The third and final bet I like is for the first booking of the game to come in the first 15 minutes of the match. Arsene Wenger has not stopped talking about the rough treatment giving to his players of late and the home crowd will be at the referee from the start to clamp down on anything untoward from the Burnley players. Referees tend to be a bit more lenient early on in games nowadays but I think Arsenal will come roaring out the traps and expect Burnley to be a yard short against superior quality. With that in mind, an early booking is not unthinkable.

My selections:  Arsenal to win both halves against Burnley at a best priced Evens with Paddy Power

                             Nicklas Bendtner to score at anytime at a best priced 5/4 with Bet65

The first booking of the match to come between 0-15 minutes – Best price 15/2 with William Hill

English Premier League

West Ham United v Bolton Wanderers

It’s another big clash at the bottom of the table as Owen Coyle leads his Bolton charges to London to take on West Ham at Upton Park.

I’ve made no secret of my admiration for how Gianfranco Zola set’s his side up to play so it will come as no surprise to see them previewed again. West Ham have managed to give themselves some breathing space in the battle against the drop with only 2 defeats in their last 7 league games. It’s a run which has seen them rise to 13^th but they’re still only 3 points above 18^th placed Hull City. As ever, it is likely going to be their home form which will keep them in the division if they survive. They’re undefeated in their last 5 home games with 3 wins and two draws, conceding only 1 goal during that time. They’re proving to be tough to breakdown infront of their home fans and Robert Green has been in fantastic form in goals for them – which he was rewarded for with 90 minutes for England in midweek. Matthew Upson was also playing in that match and his return from injury has coincided with the Hammers being more resolute. It’s upfront, however, where you win games and Carlton Cole’s presence has helped massively of late. He scored against Hull in the last home match and looks like being the catalyst for the rest of the season.

Bolton have improved their football considerably since Coyle took charge in January but they are still perilously close to the relegation zone. Last weekend’s win over Wolves at home was a huge relief as they had went 6 league games without even scoring. It’s obviously where their problems lie so Coyle has attempted to be more attacking in midfield to aid his non-scoring strikers. Jack Wilshere was brought in on loan from Arsenal and he’s made a difference out wide whilst he has went 4-4-2 as opposed to the bewildering formations used under previous manager Gary Megson. They look more of a threat when in possession as to only really looking like scoring from set pieces beforehand. As a result of this however it does leave them more open at the back. They’ve conceded 14 goals in 9 league games under Coyle which has to improve between now and the end of the season if they wish to remain in the Premier League.

Bolton’s record at Upton Park is not terrible with 2 wins and 2 draws from their last 9 visits. It may not sound impressive but it’s a decent record for a side who have a lot more restrictions in terms of money. You just wonder where Bolton’s goals are going to come from on Saturday. Zat Knight scored their winner last weekend whilst their strikers continued to be wasteful infront of goal. West Ham will be up for the fight at set pieces and are a relatively big side with Upson, Cole, Tompkins and Mido all likely to stand up to the physical battle.

In terms of the home side, they’ll look to Cole to get the better of Knight and Sam Ricketts. Both are decent enough defenders but Cole has a point to prove in order to book his seat for South Africa. Bolton would have targeted last week’s game at home to Wolves as a must win whilst tomorrow’s is probably a must not lose for the away side. West Ham, however, know that their home form is good and also realise that a win will take them 4 points clear of tomorrow’s opponents. It’s a big incentive for Zola and his troops and one I think they’ll use to their advantage.

My selection: West Ham to beat Bolton at a best priced 5/6 available with Stan James

Saturday 27^th February

English Premier League

Birmingham City v Wigan Athletic

Birmingham have stuttered of late after a fantastic run of games unbeaten so they will be determined to get back on track and to winning ways when they host Wigan at St Andrews.

Alex McLeish has worked wonders with his Birmingham side after winning promotion to the top flight last season. He bought shrewdly with the acquisitions of Scott Dann, Roger Johnson, Christian Benitez and Barry Ferguson all coming in during the summer transfer window. All 4 have been exceptional for the most part and played a huge part in City’s 15 match unbeaten run earlier in the season. These 4, along with Joe Hart, Lee Bowyer and Cameron Jerome have built an excellent spine down the centre of the side which has made them resilient, hard to beat and disciplined. Their strength is shown with them having the joint best home defensive record in the league, losing just 8 goals in 13 matches thus far, which has resulted in them losing only 2 at St Andrews. Their record against sides below them in the table at home has been good, with wins over Wolves, West Ham, Blackburn, Sunderland and Portsmouth already. Bolton are the only team currently below Brum who have escaped with all 3 points – it took a late goal for this to occur.

Wigan are still in the thick of a relegation battle after going on a run of 6 games without a win in the league. Roberto Martinez’s side suffered a heavy defeat in their most recent game against Tottenham at home. The first goal in a 3-0 reverse was blatantly offside but it shouldn’t mask the fact that Wigan offered nothing in an attacking sense and looked decidedly weak, slow and cumbersome at the back. Unsurprisingly the have only scored 3 goals in their last 6 matches which doesn’t bode well for Saturday as they were playing against far weaker defences than the only they’ll be up against at St Andrews. Part of Martinez’s problems have been the lack of goals but the main problem is their porous defence. Wigan have the 2^nd worst away defence in the Premier League, the only above them in this table is Burnley who haven’t won away from home all season. Wigan’s away record isn’t too bad for a team fighting relegation as they have been victorious 3 times on the road already this season. Their wins have come against Wolves, Aston Villa and Burnley. The win over Villa was a freak result in the sense that it was the opening day of the season and they have never looked like emulating such a win again.

McLeish’s side are so good at frustrating the bigger teams so it will be interesting to see if they adapt this style of play and take the game to the visitors. If they do change and be more expansive, it could mean they leave space for the likes of Hugo Rodallega and Charles N’Zogbia. I think McLeish is too canny for that and he’ll stick to his side strengths of having two compact units of 4 and trying to hit the away side on the break using the pace of Benitez and Jerome. Both players should relish the prospect of playing against Gary Caldwell and Titus Bramble. Both are very awkward when up against pace and power in my opinion, especially Caldwell. The Scottish international is a good reader of the game and his distribution isn’t the worst but he’s not physical enough for a centre half which could prove to be Wigan’s downfall come the end of the season.

Birmingham have won both games against Wigan at St Andrews in recent years and they will have targeted this match as one where they can get back to winning ways. They’ve not lost a home game since that defeat to Bolton back in September and I can’t see a poor Wigan side altering that statistic come 5pm on Saturday. Birmingham will be pushing for their best finish in the league for a long time and I think they’ll get another 3 points in this fixture.

My selection: Birmingham to beat Wigan

Best odds available: Evens available with Betfred

English Premier League

Burnley v Portsmouth

It will be Premier League first on Saturday when Burnley take on the first top flight side in England to go into administration – Portsmouth.

Brian Laws took the reigns from Owen Coyle in January and has tasted victory once thus far – a 2-1 win over West Ham in their last home match. For all their failings on the road (and there have been many) their home form is still more than decent with 6 wins and 4 draws from the 12 games played at Turf Moor this season. The only team to beat them at home, other than Wigan, were Chelsea at the end of last month, and even that was a close run thing. They are most definitely difficult to beat on their own patch. They are also beginning to get key players back at the right stage of the season with Martin Paterson returning last week and Steven Caldwell also getting back to fitness.

Portsmouth have had a disastrous season already and it’s set to get worse tomorrow (Friday) when they officially enter administration and automatically incur a 9 point penalty deduction. They’re already 7 points adrift at the bottom so when the penalty is incurred they are as good as relegated. It’s a shame for the players, supporters and the likes of Avram Grant who have done nothing to deserve such problems, but for the likes of Peter Storrie and the multiple owners who have tried to make a quick buck and totally mis-managed the finances of the  club in the last few years, it’s nothing more than justice. You simply can’t break the rules so extremely and expect to get away with it in the long run. They’ll go down because they deserve to. On the field Pompey have 1 win and 10 defeats from 13 away games and have lost 7 of their last 8 away league games.

Laws and Burnley are running out of games between now and the end of the season and they know that Saturday’s game is a must win if they are to survive their maiden season in the Premier League. Home games will be vital in their bid, especially home games against sides in and around their own position in the league. Pompey are the only side below them in the league at this point but it’s not all bad, only 4 points separate 7 positions and a win on Saturday could arguably see the Claret’s move to 14^th providing other results go their way,

You expect nothing else other than Portsmouth to give 100% on Saturday as they have done in every match this season, but the hype, attention and scandal surrounding the club at this moment is bound to have an affect. They have struggled on the road for the whole season and as I have already proven, Turf Moor isn’t the easiest of hunting grounds.

Burnley need the points more and I think their desire will prove to be too much for a club in crisis.

My selection: Burnley to beat Portsmouth

Best odds available: 6/5 available once again with Betfred

Sunday 28^th February

Scottish Premier League

Rangers v Celtic

It’s derby weekend once again in Glasgow when Celtic travel across the city to take on their bitter city rivals at Ibrox.

Rangers go into the match with a 7 point lead, a game in hand an 20 goals better off in terms of goal difference. The league really is theirs to throwaway and it will be a surprise if they don’t make it back to back league championships in May. Their team is not the greatest to watch, they don’t play free flowing football but their style of play is effective. They have a strong goalkeeper and defence, a hard working midfield and a good partnership upfront with Kenny Miller and Kris Boyd. They are undefeated at home this season and have already defeated Celtic in the league earlier this season – a 2-1 win back in October. Manager Walter Smith is likely to have a fully fit squad to choose from with Allan McGregor likely to take his place in goals despite being assaulted last Saturday in Glasgow. Smith will more than likely line up 4-4-2 and try to overpower Celtic using Lee McCulloch and Kevin Thompson as his midfield partnership.

Celtic are massive underdogs in the league but anything can happen in this fixture as we all know. They have played Rangers off the park twice already but only have a single point to show for their efforts. The last match between these two was the most one sided game I’ve watched in a long time – if it a was a boxing match it would have been stopped at half time. With a mix of shocking refereeing and some horrible finishing from Celtic, the match ended in a 1-1 draw. Celtic have failed to record back to back wins in the league since the beginning of December which is a damning statistic only made worse hen you consider it’s against teams such as Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Falkirk. Tony Mowbray knows his side are in last chance saloon on Sunday and it’s up to them whether they take it or not.

Marc Antoine Fortune has been a big player for Celtic of late and his performance in the last game against Rangers was excellent. He dominated both of their centre halves and they couldn’t cope with his pace and power. His partner that day was Giorgios Samaras who missed a glut of glorious chances which were created because Fortune pulled the defence all over the place. On Sunday his partner will be Robbie Keane so it’s a massive difference in terms of quality, ability and bottle. Keane has done it all throughout his career and he will be desperate to score for his beloved Celt’s at Ibrox, providing of cours it is in a Celtic win.

Celtic are due a victory over Rangers but I normally refrain from betting on the outcome of these games because they are so hard to predict. I think the 9/4 on offer for an away win is too big as I strongly believe that Celtic have far more quality in their ranks, so I wouldn’t put anyone off backing them. The bet I will advise is for Keane to score at anytime. Fortune will do a lot of the ‘ugly work’ for his strike partner and Keane’s movement and quick thinking should seem him have at least a couple of good chances. He’s also scored in his last two games for Celtic so the signs are there that he is hitting top form as he get’s his sharpness.

My selection: Robbie Keane to score at anytime

Best odds available: 21/10 available with PaddyPower

KTF