Didier Drogba

There will be a few Premier League managers anxiously viewing the African Cup Of Nations from afar once it gets under way in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. Particular nervous will be Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew, who will be wincing with every challenge on Demba Ba. The Senegal striker has been a revelation since arriving on Tyneside from West Ham and has already found the net 15 times for his club since the start of the campaign. Boylesports have opened up a market on the top goalscorer at the Africa Cup Of Nations and have made Ba their 4/1 joint favourite alongside Chelsea‘s Didier Drogba. The Ivory Coast centre-forward has doesn’t figure anywhere near the top of the Premier League‘s current sharp-shooters but has had an interrupted campaign and is almost guaranteed to start every game for his national side, who have a powerful squad and are likely to go a long way in the competition. Alongside Drogba the Elephants, winners in 1992, can also call upon Premier League stars Yaya and Kolo Toure, Salomon Kalou, Cheick Tiote and Gervinho. The Arsenal striker is 18/1 to end up the leading goalscorer in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Gervinho‘s club team-mate Marouane Chamakh has struggled to make his mark at the Emirates but will lead the Morocco line in the Africa Cup Of Nations and is 22/1 with Boylesports, but it appears that Sunderland‘s Asamoah Gyan is facing a race against time to be fit for Ghana‘s opener. Gyan is on a season-long loan at Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates and suffered a hamstring injury earlier this month. He is 8/1 with Boylesports and on betfair but just as interesting is compatriot Andre Ayew.

The French-born striker was the BBC‘s African Football of the Year in 2011 and has already impressed for club side Marseille in the Champions’ League this season. Still only 22, he has already played for his country in two Africa Cup Of Nations as well as a World Cup so knows what tournament football is all about. Ayew is a 16/1 chance to be top goalscorer with Boylesports which is almost twice the odds of Senegal‘s veteran striker Mamadou Niang (9/1), who has been playing his club football in Qatar, and a lot bigger than the latter’s fellow countryman Moussa Sow (10/1), who has only ever scored once outside his native country in international football.

2012 Africa Cup of Nations – more Betting Odds, Tips and Preview

Paddy Power are running a FA Cup Money Back Special on Chelsea v Everton. If the fourth round replay happens to end in a 0-0 draw, then you can lost stake refunds on the 1st/Last Goalscorer, Correct Score and Scorecast singles on the match. The Blues will be without record signing Fernando Torres, as he is cup tied, and new defender David Luiz is also ineligible to play. Ancelotti will draft Didier Drogba back into the line up after getting a rest in the Premier League last week, and Drogba is 7/2 First Goalscorer which will of course be covered by the Money Back Special. If you think that Salomon Kalou, who netted the equaliser in the first match will score the last goal of the game, then there is a 6/1 price riding on him. These are great markets to look at with the insurance from Paddy Power, and three of the last four games between Everton and Chelsea have ended in a draw. In the correct score markets, Chelsea are being tipped to edge this one 1-0 and that fetches 11/2 with Paddy Power, while a more comfortable 2-0 win will bring returns at 6/1. Everton’s defence has been leaky as they are slipping back down the Premier League and don’t seem to have the firepower to run riot at Stamford Bridge. But matches between these sides are generally pretty close, and with so much at stake, the tension will be high. Check out Paddy Power for your FA Cup betting, and take a look through the sub markets which are covered by their Chelsea v Everton football betting promotion. If you are not a customer with Paddy Power, then the extra good news is that there is a free £25 bet awaiting new customers, when they sign up with the popular online bookmaker, who really excel at football betting promotions like this!

Online bookmaker Paddy Power, to very little surprise are offer a football betting special for the forthcoming Chelsea v Liverpool Premier League fixture which takes place on Sunday, February 6th. The Blues have of course, landed the £50m striker Fernando Torres, and are looking to boost their chances of bringing home some silverware this year, after falling behind in the Premier League title race. Torres will certainly improve Chelsea up front, as their strikers were to blame for a large portion of their slump in form this season. So now there is competition for places, and Chelsea are again looking as if they have rediscovered their scoring touch, putting four goals past Bolton and Sunderland in their last two league matches. If Chelsea are getting their power play mode back, then Torres will only enhance it. With the departure of Fernando Torres from Anfield, Liverpool were able to dip into the transfer market, and picked up Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, and capture the signature of Newcastle and England forward Andy Carroll. Two heads are better than one perhaps, as the lone approach from Torres certainly wasn’t working for the Reds. Maybe it is a shrewd bit of business by both teams, but the focus will be on Torres as he faces his former club so soon after leaving them. Paddy Power’s Money Back special surrounds Torres. If the last goal of the Chelsea v Liverpool match is scored by Torres, then the popular online bookmaker will refund all losing first/last goalscorer, correct score and Scorecast singles placed on the match.

This is a pretty good promotion, from one of the best providers of football betting promotions. With Didier Drogba being offered at 4/1 at Paddy Power for First Goalscorer, or a 2-0 Chelsea victory being priced at 13/2 with the bookie, there is some good value to be taken early, and the Money Back Special offers a little insurance on your betting. It would be fitting for Torres to win the match for the Blues with the last goal of the game! As for outright prices on the match at Paddy Power, Chelsea are favourites to pick up all three points, with a price of 8/13, while Liverpool are underdogs at 9/2 to pick up the victory. The match ending in a draw can be taken for 14/5 at Paddy Power. Check out Paddy Power for your week in, week out football betting, as there are always money back specials to enhance your wagers. The online bookie really does excel at providing these great offers, and is a reason why they are so popular. Their action packed website provides a wonderful portal for your online betting. There is also the welcome offer of a free £50 bet waiting for new customers, making Paddy Power a great bet your sports wagers.

Sunderland v Chelsea Betting Tip & Odds: This becomes a tough one to call. Sunderland are on the rise and rise, even though they have lost Darren Bent, and Chelsea are still getting back into their groove. This is a tough away match for Carlo Ancelotti’s men though, as Sunderland have played some great football this year, and have shown their mettle against tough opposition. Will Chelsea be able to enact some revenge for the heavy defeat Sunderland handed them at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season. Will Fernando Torres be playing for Chelsea? If he is, then Chelsea will automatically be more of a threat. They are still the better team than Sunderland, but the Black Cats, with their tight unit and solid defence, could nick it, even though they are light up front. A draw really isn’t out of the question, so let’s head for an Asian Handicap for coverage. Chelsea -0.75 Asian Handicap for 7/8 at Bet365 looks like a solid, decent value bet. It’ll pay out a half win for 1 goal margin on Chelsea, full payout on 2 goals.

Sunderland to win: 9/2 at Bet365
Draw: 14/5 at Bwin
Chelsea to win: 7/10 at Paddy Power

EPL Match Preview: Will Chelsea have Fernando Torres by the time they take to the field against Sunderland on Tuesday night? The Blues are looking more and more likely to get the unsettled Spanish striker, who had a transfer requested rejected by the club. However, Liverpool are looking more and more likely to cash in on Torres, but only if Chelsea stump up the £50 million asking price. There could well be a part deal, with Nicolas Anelka going back to Anfield in a player plus package deal. Torres would be exactly what Chelsea need to get their season going again. With Didier Drogba looking just a bit off the pace and out of sorts this season (until the last few games), along with Anelka, who has not been firing at all, Chelsea need someone who can convert their chances. A partnership of Drogba and Torres up front would probably terrify a lot of defenses in the league. Is it too late for Chelsea to mount a Premier League title challenge though? You would seriously think so, and it all looks to be out of their hands right now, as they are sitting a massive ten points back of leaders Manchester United. Surely that is just far too much ground to make up, but at least they do appear to be getting their confidence and rhythm back a bit, and their 4-0 victory over Bolton at the Reebok Stadium on January 24th, was a welcome relief to the Chelsea fans,  who have grown to be accustomed to seeing the Blues run up plenty of goals. Their incredibly poor run of form though, has left them probably just fighting for a Champions League place, but if Torres does arrive at Stamford Bridge, then at least it will be a positive move forward for them.

Chelsea’s season really came of the rails when Sunderland went to Stamford Bridge and completely outplayed, outworked and outclassed the home side. The Black Cats came away with a shock 3-0 victory, and that was something which Chelsea really had a hard time recovering from. The Blues need to enact some revenge here, and three points at the Stadium of Light for them would be huge, and would be another shot of confidence for them. It’s not going to be easy, as Sunderland have a great home record, and Chelsea will have to work hard, an area of their game which has let them down at times this season. They simply haven’t been willing to mix it up when things haven’t been going their way, and that has allowed teams to get at them. Chelsea actually don’t have a spectacularly good record away at Sunderland, winning on just 29% of their visits there down the years. They are also averaging just 1.2 goals per match up north as well. However, that having been said, Chelsea have won on their last five visits to Sunderland, so they have been in good shape up there. You look down the list of Premier League fixtures and see 3-0 score lines, 4-0, 5-0, 7-2 score lines in Chelsea’s favour, so they have had the large upper hand lately. The bad defeat which they suffered at Stamford Bridge, should serve as all the inspiration they need to go and put in a strong performance.

There will be no Darren Bent on show for Sunderland of course, as he made the strange decision to move to the struggling Aston Villa. Sunderland are a very good side this season, hard working and play as a very tight unit. Manager Steve Bruce has really instilled a sense of consistency in them, and they come into this match on the back of a four match unbeaten run in the league. They have rocketed up to sixth in the league, and at the start of play, they will be just four points behind Chelsea, and so they have a lot to play for. They are not going to need too much of an inspirational and motivational talk from the boss, as they have proven that they beat the best this season. Sunderland have actually lost one game fewer than what Chelsea have, but the difference is in the goal scoring department, and this may make the difference on the day. Chelsea have hit 42 league goals, while Sunderland have scored just 28. How much will they be hurting from the departure of Darren Bent? Well, he has been a proven goal scorer for them, but Sunderland do have the exciting Asamoah Gyan and Danny Welbeck to turn to and in the immediate match played after Bent’s departure, Sunderland went on and beat Blackpool away from home, apparently not skipping a beat.

The strengths of Sunderland are in the midfield and how well they stick together at the back. They have a very good defensive record, better than Tottenham and almost on par with Arsenal. They are making a great name for themselves this season, and will look to add another feather to their cap by doing the double over the defending Premier League Champions. They have home advantage and they will give a good account of themselves. If they turn out a high paced game, then the less than solid Chelsea back line will probably have another long evening, even though they still have the best defensive record in the league. With the right attitude, Sunderland can win this game, and incredibly be on the brink of a Champions League place. They have captured the signature of Stephane Sessengon, a French midfielder who could put in an appearance against the Blues. There are good vibes at Sunderland at the moment, and that strong home record is there to be seen. They have lost just once at the Stadium of Light this season, and that was a slip up against Blackpool in December. They are strong, and this is a real test of their top six credentials. However, you feel that on the day, Chelsea should still just edge things, the Blues have a point to prove to many, including themselves, and if Torres just happens to be in the picture, then things could really be looking rosy for the Blues up north. When it comes down to taking chances, Chelsea should be out front in this one, they will have learnt their lessons, they will just need to get a firmer grip of the midfield.

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Perhaps Sunderland would be happy walking away with a 0-0 point from this one. It would certainly keep them chugging along nicely for the top six. If you have a bet on any goal scorer market at Stan James for this match, and the game ends up 0-0, the popular online bookmaker will refund your lost stake as a free bet. Will Sunderland’s tight defence stand firm? Will Chelsea’s forwards be misfiring again? Check out Stan James for your football betting, and look at the goal scorer markets there for this bit of coverage. For new customers to Stan James, you can get a £25 free bet on a new account, to use to your advantage on their great sports book.

Sunderland v Chelsea Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Chelsea 0, Sunderland 3
Chelsea 7, Sunderland 2
Sunderland 1, Chelsea 3
Sunderland 2, Chelsea 3
Chelsea 5, Sunderland 0

Sunderland have an 50% win percentage at home in the league this season
Chelsea have a 33% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Sunderland are on a streak of 2 home games with no defeat
Chelsea are on a streak of 3 away games with no draw

Sunderland have scored 15 goals, and conceded 8 at home
Chelsea have scored 18 and conceded 12 goals in their away matches

Sunderland average 1.2 goals per match at home this season
Chelsea average 1.5 goals per match away from home this season

Sunderland have scored the bulk of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket
Chelsea have scored the majority of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket

Sunderland have opened the scoring in 45% of their matches
Chelsea have scored first in 56% of their matches

Sunderland 2010/11 top scorer: Gyan, 7
Chelsea 2010/11 top scorer: Drogba, 10

Sunderland 2010/11 Season Form: P24 W9 D10 L5 GF28 GA24 Pts 37 (6th)
Chelsea 2010/11 Season Form: P23 W12 D5 L6 GF42 GA19 Pts 9 (19th)

Arsenal v Chelsea Betting Tip & Odds: Should be a cracking match, with lots of permutations going on with it. There is a sense of balance between the two sides, with them both needing to be better than they have been of late. Chelsea’s form has deserted them more than what Arsenal’s have though, and it may prove crucial here. There is a lot of sense in backing a drawn match here, both would probably be happy at avoiding defeat. But, with Arsenal have a little more to offer up front, and being at home, they are worth backing in some form. Therefore it is to the Asian Handicap markets we go for our tip, and an Arsenal -1 Asian Handicap for 31/10 at Bet365 is pretty good value for a top three side being at home. If chances fall their way, you would expect the Arsenal strikers to finish better than the Chelsea ones at the moment. Therein could lie all the difference, albeit it a slight one. Arsenal do have a 49% win percentage against Chelsea at home.

Arsenal to win: 13/8 at Bet365
Draw: 23/10 at  Skybet
Chelsea to win: 7/4 at Extrabet

EPL Match Preview: This a great fierce rivalry to stoke up the fires for Monday, as Chelsea head to Arsenal. This is a match which now is a crucial must win for both sides. Arsenal are two points back of leaders Manchester United at the top of the league, but have played a game more. A loss now would put them further back, but the likes of Manchester United’s Patrice Evra and Nani may have just riled Arsenal up enough to see them put in a good performance against Chelsea. The Manchester United players have been saying that Arsenal won’t be winning the league this year, because basically they are not been good enough. Arsenal though have not enjoyed much of a good time against Chelsea though, including this year when they lost 2-0 on their visit to Stamford Bridge. It seems with Arsenal you are going to either get a win or a loss, as they have only drawn two matches this season. They have visibly missed the influence of captain Cesc Fabregas at times through the midfield, and they froze in the headlights when they went to Old Trafford recently, and they cannot afford to do the same at the Emirates against Chelsea. The big boost for Arsenal, is that both Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie are ready to start. It will be the first time since August that Arsene Wenger has had that luxury. However, they really don’t like playing Chelsea, especially Didier Drogba who just enjoys scoring against them. The defensive frailties and toughness of mentality are still the biggest problems with Arsenal, but of course the natural talent is there. They are the team with all of the flair, the ones who play the most attractive style of football. It may just be enough this time to get them past a below par Chelsea.

Arsenal do have a strong home record against Chelsea overall throughout history, but they have lost their last two matches there, in a run of four straight losses against Chelsea. They are still missing Thomas Vermaelen from the back, and it could be a factor with the menace of Didier Drogba threatening the Arsenal back line. While Arsenal are a prolific team, they have really struggled to break down Chelsea. Chelsea just seem to know how to play Arsenal perfectly, and the Gunners have managed just one goal in four matches now against the Blues. What is also a bit of a worrying trend for Arsenal fans, is the fact they are losing matches at home this season, something which has been pretty much unheard of. Three defeats out of eight home matches this season really isn’t the form of Champions to be honest. It is not the stronghold that it is meant to be. So can Arsenal raise their game to pick up an extremely vital three points? Well if ever there was a time to do it, now would be it. Winning would give them a huge advantage over London rivals Chelsea as well so there is a lot at stake. What could tip the balance in this match, is the firepower between the two sides. Arsenal rarely struggle to hit the back of the net, something which Chelsea have as of late. With Marouane Chamakh and Samir Nasri especially threatening, they have the creativity to undo Chelsea. In a current form of goal scoring, Arsenal would win this one. They won’t be as stifled as they were against Manchester United in their last outing.

Both sides have had a long time to rest, something which has helped both sides really. Back into the starting line up comes Frank Lampard, whose goals for Chelsea have been sorely missed this season. Chelsea put in a much more spirited and all round better performance against Tottenham in their last match, after boss Carlo Ancelotti had dropped Didier Drogba from the starting line up. The talisman came on to score though to help Chelsea secure an away draw, and he really should be in the line up against Arsenal. Drogba has an incredible 13 goals in 13 matches against Arsenal in all competitions. There really are not that many problems for Chelsea, certainly not as many as they have had through the season. They are now only missing Yossi Benayoun, Yuri Zhirkov and centre half Alex. Captain John Terry has voiced his concerns over the lack of depth now at the club, but Ancelotti has insisted that there is nothing wrong, there is a good crop of young players, ready to fill in important roles. The results of late though have told a completely different story though, as they have picked up just three points out of the last fifteen which have been available. That’s no win in five league matches. While the midfield has been lacking the same composure without Lampard and Michael Essien at times, the strikers seem to have, well, gone on strike. Didier Drogba has been in miserable form compared to his high standards, and Nicolas Anelka has completely forgotten where the goal is, not having score in over ten hours of play.

Chelsea are on a run of three drawn matches, and they are three points behind leaders Manchester United now, plus at a one game disadvantage, after leading the way for so long after an incredibly strong start to the season. They have to discover form immediately if they are going to keep in the race. A loss would put them a big four points back of Arsenal. They cannot afford that, but there is a lot of promise for Chelsea here, as Arsenal’s form against both them and Manchester United have been terrible really. Arsenal haven’t beaten either of their rivals in the league in their last eleven matches now, and the Gunners have only won just once out of the last seven home meetings against Chelsea now. But maybe the tables are about to turn, with Chelsea still searching for top gear. This is a big opportunity for Arsenal and will probably be worth backing. Will Frank Lampard have a big say though on his return to the Chelsea starting eleven? He will be worth having a punt on as Anytime goalscorer, especially at a price of 5/2 at Bet365. This match could swing either way, Chelsea have the better defence, Arsenal have the better attack in form at the moment. For your football betting, home advantage really should play a part, but Arsenal have shown big frailties at the Emirates. Chelsea haven’t traveled well. Is this a match of parity and a draw? Bookies seem to think so.

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Paddy Power are offering a money back special on Monday’s big Arsenal v Chelsea Premier League match. If you have a losing First/Last Goalscorer, Correct Score or Scorecast single on the match, because the game ends 0-0, then you get your stake refunded as a free bet. There are plenty of goal scoring talent on show, with Drogba, van Persie, Chamakh, Anelka, Nasri, Fabregas and Lampard in the mix, but if they all have an off day, then you will be covered. Paddy Power also offer a free £25 matched bet for new account holders.

Arsenal v Chelsea Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Chelsea 2, Arsenal 0
Chelsea 2, Arsenal 0
Arsenal 0, Chelsea 3
Arsenal 1, Chelsea 4
Chelsea 1, Arsenal 2

Arsenal have an 62% win percentage at home in the league this season
Chelsea have a 33% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Arsenal are on a streak of eight home matches with no draw
Chelsea are on a streak of four away matches with no win

Arsenal have scored 19 goals, and conceded 10 at home
Chelsea have scored 13 and conceded 8 goals in their away matches

Arsenal average 2.37 goals per match at home this season
Chelsea average 1.44 goals per match away from home this season

Arsenal have scored the bulk of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket
Chelsea have scored the majority of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket

Arsenal have opened the scoring in 64% of their matches
Chelsea have scored first in 52% of their matches

Arsenal 2010/11 top scorer: Nasri, 8
Chelsea 2010/11 top scorer: Drogba, 8

Arsenal 2010/11 Season Form: P17 W10 D2 L5 GF36 GA16 Pts 34 (2nd)
Chelsea 2010/11 Season Form: P17 W9 D4 L4 GF31 GA12 Pts 31 (17th)

Two months ago, you could have got odds of 80/1 that Andy Carroll would be the top goalscorer in the Premier League this season. However, the Newcastle striker has embarked on a goal spree which means he has to be taken seriously in the race to win the Golden Boot.

Ladbrokes are the only firm to offer double figure odds with their quote of 12/1, which can be explained by the fact that the Magic Sign don’t have big liabilities on the England international. At each-way terms of ¼ the odds for the first three places, this price is worthy of consideration when Carroll stands on ten goals.

The other player on ten at the moment is Carlos Tevez, although the striker’s odds have been on the drift from the moment that he handed in a transfer request at the start of the week. Many people who backed him at 14/1 in August must have thought they were on to a good thing, although Boylesports are prepared to lay 7/1 since the latest reports coming from Eastlands. Ladbrokes are wary of taking on Tevez and still have 3/1.

Both of these players are currently one goal behind Dimitar Berbatov, with the Bulgarian available at 4/1 with Stan James to remain top of the pile come the end of the season. In my opinion, these odds are too short, especially as Sir Alex Ferguson opted to leave Berbatov on the bench for the recent 1-0 win over Arsenal and might do the same for the weekend trip to Chelsea.

In addition, eight of the forward’s eleven goals have come in two matches, at home to Liverpool and Blackburn. When Berba’s in the mood, he’s really in the mood, although it could well be the case that Wayne Rooney (50/1 Coral) starts taking the lion’s share of the Manchester United goals.

Rooney was wasteful from the penalty spot against the Gunners, a day after Didier Drogba had missed from ten yards for Chelsea and it’s clear that the Ivorian is not firing on all cylinders this season. However, the Blues striker is only four goals behind Berbatov, with William Hill offering 4/1 that he retains his Golden Boot ahead of his rivals this season.

It’s hard to see any of these four players being beaten to the Top Goalscorer award, despite the fact that Samir Nasri (33/1 Ladbrokes) and Johan Elmander (50/1 Skybet) have eight goals to their name this season. In the case of Nasri, he is ultimately a midfielder who has enjoyed a recent purple patch but can’t be expected to score on a regular basis.

Elmander has never been as prolific as the first half of this season and the fact that Kevin Davies takes the penalties weighs against the Swede. Nevertheless, Drogba and Rooney might find themselves removed from duty after their weekend misses!

At the start of the season, I stated that the Golden Boot winner was likely to come from a select group of three players – Didier Drogba, Carlos Tevez and Wayne Rooney.

There seems no reason to revise that opinion at the moment, although Rooney would need something pretty special between now and May to haul himself back into contention after making headlines for matters off the field this season rather than in a Manchester United shirt.

The Red Devils striker has just one goal to his name in the Premier League and is 25/1 with Sporting Bet to finish top of the pile and we all know that the England striker has the ability to score bucket loads of goals.

However, it’s his former United team-mate Carlos Tevez who is blazing a trail at the top of the charts and the Argentinean’s brace against Fulham last Sunday means he has nine Premier League goals to his name this term.

Tevez is favourite with most firms and bet365 offer 10/3 that he remains ahead of his rivals when the season finishes. It could be a great price if Manchester City continue to create chances like they did at Craven Cottage, although Roberto Mancini does seem to employ defensive tactics quite a lot of the time.

There are some surprise names breathing down the neck of the City striker at the moment, with Andy Carroll and Johan Elmander both on eight goals at this stage of the season. Carroll was a bit of an unknown package before this season, especially with Newcastle playing in the Championship last term. However, the Geordie was recently called up by England and he’s 16/1 (Paddy Power) to be top scorer.

Elmander is even bigger at 25/1 (Skybet) although the Swede has been excellent in recent weeks and he tore apart the Magpies defence last weekend. Whether he can continue his scoring rate is another matter, especially as Bolton are arguably over-achieving at the moment.

Didier Drogba was the Golden Boot winner last season, although the striker is currently having a lean patch in front of goal for Chelsea that is lasting a few games. Some might argue that he’s therefore due to get back on the scoresheet pretty soon and three goals is not a big gap between the Blues front man and Tevez. Skybet have 7/2 that the Ivorian retains his crown as goal king.

Fernando Torres is another player available at single figure odds (7/1 Blue Square) which is worthy of consideration considering that he has five Premier League goals to his name at the moment. However, with Steven Gerrard missing for a few matches, Liverpool might create fewer chances as a result.

Darren Bent (14/1 bet365) is back for Sunderland and is pretty reliable in front of goal, while Marouane Chamakh (16/1 bet365) is part of an Arsenal team that create and score plenty of goals. It’s hard to see outside of these players, although that 25/1 about Rooney does attract.

Chelsea v Sunderland Betting Tip & Odds: Taking the Blues to win at home this season is proving to be something of a banker. Chelsea dominate the stats against Sunderland in the head to head, and both sets of fans will remember the 7-2 thrashing handed out by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last season. However, Sunderland are better than they were last season. So, while there were initial concerns going into the season about the quality of the Chelsea defensive line, they have held up better than expected. That won’t cheer the low scoring Sunderland as they roll into Stamford Bridge, but Sunderland do have a good record against top opposition in the Premier League this season. Still, you have to go with home advantage and that extra bit of quality that Chelsea can produce. Chelsea 2-0 correct Score 13/2 at Paddy Power

Chelsea to win: 1/4 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 11/2 at SkyBet
Sunderland to win: 16/1 at Boylesports

EPL Match Preview: Interesting match up this one, with Premier League champions Chelsea looking to defend a 100% record at Stamford Bridge this season. Their unbeaten run, which has yet to concede a goal at home in the league, was extended midweek when the Blues ran out 1-0 winners over London rivals Fulham. It certainly was not a classic performance, but it got the job done and allowed Chelsea to open up a four point lead at the top of the league. There seems to be an abundance of injury problems around at the moment, but  Chelsea do get back top scorer Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka. The club have received news that Frank Lampard’s recovery from injury has hit a snag, and that he will still be out for a further three weeks. That is a big blow for Chelsea, who will also miss Michael Essien in the middle of the park, after he picked up a red card against Fulham in the week. Chelsea still have a lot of class, control and quality, even though they have been knocked back from their strongest starting eleven. The win over Fulham in the week was important, as it was their bounce-back game after losing away to Liverpool on the weekend. If they can get over the visit of Sunderland without too much hassle, and see Manchester United drop points at Aston Villa, things could look very rosy for the Stamford Bridge crew ahead of the midweek international break.

With the class that Didier Drogba, Anelka and Malouda (who is in the France squad to face England at Wembley next week) can deliver up front, in whatever combination boss Carlo Ancelotti has to, or decides to go with, it should be enough to deal with Sunderland. The Chelsea defence is not easily breached at home, and that will give the visiting Sunderland some problems. While the Bookies have Chelsea down as strong home favourites, the match could be a lot closer than a simple stroll in the park. A below strength Chelsea isn’t often as convincing as they perhaps should be, and Ancelotti will be wary of the difficulties that Sunderland have caused other top teams this season. Still, for your Chelsea v Sunderland betting, you have to look at the league table and the amount of goals scored and conceded between the two teams, and still have a good wager on a Chelsea win. They haven’t failed to score at home this season and you don’t expect them to here, so you can go into the Anytime Goalscorer markets with your online bookmaker, and confidently back Drogba or Anelka, as they will be the main sources of goals. Coming back the other way, Chelsea have received some good news that Sunderland striker Darren Bent has picked up an injury and will be missing for a few weeks.

That will aid Chelsea’s cause, although it’s a shame because it puts Bent out of the England match, and out of having the chance to shine against one of the best defences in the Premier League. Sunderland have made good nuisances of themselves this year, beating Manchester City, and holding Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham to draws. In fact, Sunderland have drawn seven matches this year, won three and only lost two. They were looking for more consistency under the second season of Steve Bruce’s management, and that is what they have got. Sunderland will still pose some threat up front, because the goal scoring responsibilities will fall onto the young shoulders of Asamoah Gyan, the Ghana striker who has hit four goals in his debut season so far, including two in the win over Stoke last weekend. So there is a big threat there, and the Chelsea centre half pairing (which will be Terry and Ivanovic as Alex is out injured) will have to watch out for his speed. Because of their good record against the big clubs this year, Sunderland should really have nothing much to fear, and take a no lose attitude to Stamford Bridge. Defensively, Sunderland are pretty solid themselves but they are just lacking that extra potency up front, which comes from a lack of genuine quality in the middle of the park, and delivering quality balls forward. Sunderland work hard, they play hard and they won’t roll over. Another draw for them would be a point very well earned, and it would most likely come through a 0-0 draw if you are looking for what technically would be a bit of an upset.

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Chelsea v Sunderland Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Chelsea 7, Sunderland 2
Sunderland 1, Chelsea 3
Sunderland 2, Chelsea 3
Chelsea 5, Sunderland 0
Sunderland 0, Chelsea 1

Chelsea have an 100% win percentage at home in the league this season
Sunderland have a 0% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Chelsea have scored 17 goals, and conceded 0 at home
Sunderland have scored 5 and conceded 10 goals in their away matches

Chelsea have scored the bulk of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket
Sunderland have scored the majority of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket

Chelsea have opened the scoring in 66% of their matches
Sunderland have scored first in 41% of their matches

Chelsea average 2.8 goals per match at home this season
Sunderland average 0.8 goals per match away from home this season

Chelsea 2010/11 top scorer: Malouda, 7
Sunderland 2010/11 top scorer: Bent 6

Chelsea 2010/11 Season Form: P12 W9 D1 L2 GF28 GA5 Pts 28 (1st)
Sunderland 2010/11 Season Form: P10 W2 D3 L5 GF10 GA16 Pts 16 (9th)

Liverpool v Chelsea Betting Tip & Odds: While Liverpool have strung together three wins in a row now, you have to ask whether they are flattering to deceive? They haven’t faced tough opposition, but now they will. Chelsea breezed through Anfield last season and picked up a 2-0 win, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t do it again. Chelsea have only won 15% of their visits to Anfield, but look for a nice away win here. Chelsea are the stronger of the two sides,  with the calm and collected Carlo Ancelotti getting the better of Roy Hodgson, who doesn’t look entirely convincing in his role. Draw/Chelsea Half Time/Full Time bet 9/2 at Unibet.

Liverpool to win: 3/1 at Boylesports
Draw: 12/5 at Bet365
Chelsea to win: 11/10 at Bet365

EPL Match Preview: Less than two years ago, Livrtpool v Chelsea would have been billed as a clash between two of the Big Four. However, with Liverpool’s demise under Rafa Benitez last year, the Big Four crumbled, leaving a Big Three and some new hangers-on. Liverpool can not genuinely class themselves as one of the top teams in the country at the moment, and while they are a great club with some of the most enviable history and traditions, the current crop simply isn’t living up to par. Hopefully the takeover and the end of the financial to-and-fro will help them get their act back together on the pitch. It was the Steven Gerrard show on Thursday night when Liverpool needed their captain’s heroics to come and save them from a 1-0 half time deficit against Napoli in the Europa League, and that paints a pretty good picture of Liverpool right now. There is quality in the side, for they have Gerrard, Torres, Kuyt and keeper Pepe Reina isn’t all that bad either. It is the fringe players which really aren’t doing the job expected of them, and instead of the old Liverpool putting trust in youth, and buying young players, Hodgson has had to go with the pieces left behind by other clubs. All expect Portugal’s Raul Meireles, none of the players that Hodgson has brought in, really look like they are going to turn the fortune of the club around. Even the normally reliable Joe Cole hasn’t found his feet, and with him out injured and unable to face his old club Liverpool are crying out for some creativity. If they could just find some, then beating Chelsea really would see them spring into life this season one would think.

That is all it boils down to. They really need someone to back them up from midfield, and not just have to rely on Gerrard having to do so. When you have Torres up front, irrespective of whether he goes and is replaced by a proven goalscorer, you simply have to supply quality balls forwards. Liverpool haven’t done that this season and it is why they are struggling. Things may well turn around in the January transfer window with some spending cash on the table, but for now Liverpool are in something of a limbo. They gave Arsenal a good game on the opening day of the season at Anfield, and the Kop is still not easy to face for visiting teams, no matter how poorly Liverpool may be playing. There has been one other glaring flaw of Liverpool this year, and that is lack of work ethic and passion. In their defeats against Manchester City and Everton this season, that was probably the biggest factor in their downfall, they were bullied all too easily out of the game. Chelsea of course will fancy their chances of a good three points to maintain a five point lead at the top of the Premier League. They enjoyed a comfortable home win over Spartak Moscow in their midweek Champions League to keep their fine season going along. Michael Essien was rested for that match, along with John Terry and of course Frank Lampard was still missing. The Chelsea midfield may not be at its naturally strongest one on Sunday, as Lampard looks set to miss out again, and there are doubts over Essien.

During the week, there were positive signs that Lampard may make a return to the side, but now it seems at the eleventh hour, he may be held back. It’s not that Chelsea have missed him too badly, but put him back in the side and he will make a great team even better. Chelsea will also be without top goalscorer Florent Malouda, has he recovers from injury, and the Blues will be hoping that the influential Michael Essien will be fit again in time. He is crucial to the side in the absence of Lampard. You are not going to see much of a variation in tactics or formation from Chelsea, they do what they do best with a nice 4-3-3 formation, with Anelka, Malouda and Drogba spearheading the attack. The likelihood is that Salomon Kalou will simply slot straight in to replace Malouda, and with the back line fully in tact again, the Blues will be hard to break down. Chelsea haven’t been flawless away from home again this season, and they have dropped four points by losing to Manchester City, and only drawing against Aston Villa. However, they are the Premier League’s top goal scorers away from home and also happen to be the Premier League’s top team in not conceding away from home. That is how good Chelsea really are, and when you cast your eye over the stats below, you see a big gulf between the two sides, and there is where your betting has to lean towards.

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Liverpool v Chelsea Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Liverpool 0, Chelsea 2
Chelsea 2, Liverpool 0
Liverpool 2, Chelsea 0
Chelsea 0, Liverpool 1
Chelsea 0, Liverpool 0

Liverpool have an 40% win percentage at home in the league this season
Chelsea have a 60% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Liverpool have scored 7 goals, and conceded 6 at home
Chelsea have scored 11 and conceded 3 goals in their away matches

Liverpool have scored the bulk of their goals in the 46-60 and 61-75 minute brackets
Chelsea have scored the majority of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket

Liverpool have opened the scoring in 50% of their matches
Chelsea have scored first in 70% of their matches

Liverpool average 1.4 goals per match at home this season
Chelsea average 2.2 goals per match away from home this season

Liverpool 2010/11 top scorer: Gerrard, 3
Chelsea 2010/11 top scorer: Malouda, 7

Liverpool 2010/11 Season Form: P10 W3 D3 L4 GF10 GA14 Pts 12 (3rd)
Chelsea 2010/11 Season Form: P10 W8 D1 L1 GF27 GA3 Pts 25 (1st)

There are some interesting goal scoring football bets around at the moment, as some of the Premier League’s top performers are showing their early form. Here we take a look over the race to win the Golden Boot for the Premier League, as some of the familiar faces in the goal scoring charts hit their strider, while some unfamiliar names are encroaching near the top of the odds. With football odds forever changing, because of goal scoring feats in weekend and midweek Premier League matches, now is a good time to browse over this market, simply because there is now an international break for the Euro 2012 qualifiers, including England v Montenegro on October 12th. Here we not only take a look at the leading contenders to finish top of the Premier League goalscoring charts, but we also assess their pro’s and con’s to help you decide who to back in your football betting.

Didier Drogba, Chelsea 9/2 at BetFred

Total League Goals: 6
Goals All Competitions: 6
2009/10 League Goals: 29

Pros: The big talismanic striker has a proven track record of goals, and just keeps on going. He is the fulcrum of the Chelsea attack, and will be again this year, even though there is pressure on him from youngsters in the squad. He will remain the main source of goals, and if Chelsea are going to retain the Premier League title they need him. He does make for a strong bet again after winning the Golden Boot last year, out shooting main challenger Wayne Rooney. Chelsea are such a heavy goal scoring side, that he will get plenty of chances to fill his boots.
Cons: Age isn’t on his side any more, and sometimes goes missing in action. With such good form of players around him like Anelka and Malouda, may get a little less time on the pitch this season.

Carlos Tevez, Man City 6/1 at BetFred

Total League Goals: 5
Goals All Competitions: 5
2009/10 League Goals: 23

Pros: He is the main man at Man City, and his ability and class immediately stands out on the pitch. Had an incredible season last year, carrying the Man City attack, and it looks as if it will be that way again this season. A lot of the goals he scored are spectacular and is one of the best technical finishers in the league. Every team would like him, in their side, there’s not much doubt about that. Has better players around him than last season. Can he push Drogba?
Cons: He is not in the most attack minded team, even though City have spend big in the summer on attacking players. The City style is still caution first, and they don’t create as many chances as they should. With a quality strike partner and better service from midfield, he could do so much better.

Dimitar Berbatov, Man Utd 13/2 at 888Sport

Total League Goals: 6
Goals All Competitions: 7
2009/10 League Goals:

Pros: United’s record signing is finally starting to return the expectations surrounding him. He has gotten off to a blinding start, which is just as well for United as Rooney has disappeared. Has some quality touches and can unlock defences with his technical ability. On his day he can look a world beater, and in a United side which likes to attack, he should be in the mix heavily when he plays.
Cons: One thing which Berbatov has been labelled as, is lazy. He hasn’t always shown the commitment to his side in terms of putting in the leg work. That was his downfall last season, and you can’t help but feel that once Rooney returns to full fitness, and once the hard winter matches get here, Berbatov may just fade back into his shell. Does he have the commitment and consistency to deliver?

Darren Bent, Sunderland 7/1 at Blue Square

Total League Goals: 5
Goals All Competitions: 7
2009/10 League Goals: 24

Pros: Remarkable that he has picked up where he left off last year, and proving not be a flash in the pan as people thought he might be. His goal scoring feats at Sunderland were remarkable last year, and earned him and England call up. The club look to him for goals, and he keeps delivering. With a new strike partner Asamoah Gyan, Bent really could be even more potent instead of being a lone striker. May not be the classiest player, but he certainly gets stuck in a knows where the back of the net is.
Cons: Playing in a Sunderland side which is just lacking the quality up front to supply him with more chances. That’s all that is missing really from making him a true contender for the Golden Boot. If he was at Man Utd, then you would back him heavily for example. It sums a lot up when three of his five goals have been from the penalty spot. There is a lot of pressure and expectancy upon him, but probably doesn’t have enough support around him to give him the chances he needs.

Wayne Rooney, Man Utd 10/1 at BetFred

Total League Goals: 1
Goals All Competitions: 1
2009/10 League Goals: 26

Pros: One of the most naturally gifted strikers in the league, and a fully fit and match sharp Rooney is something to be feared as shown last season where he was lethal. Give him a chance and he will finish it, or he has the ability to go and create his own chances out of nothing. The benefits of playing at United in a system which suits his game as lone striker will always help him.
Cons: Looks as if he is starting to feel the pressure from the media and the weight of expectation. Again missing out because of injury at the moment, and looking as if he is playing second fiddle to Berbatov. It’s been a long time now since we’ve seen the best of Rooney, you probably have to go back to March for that, and it’s just not there for him at the moment. United aren’t on top of their game either, with lack of quality coming from the middle of the park. Not looking good for Rooney this year.

Fernando Torres, Liverpool 12/1 at BetFair

Total League Goals: 1
Goals All Competitions: 1
2009/10 League Goals: 18

Pros: The Spaniard is still one of the world’s best finisher when he fit and enjoy himself. Last season he was plagued with injury but still managed to weigh in with a decent tally. A world class finisher, and if he moves to Man City as rumours are expecting to in January, it could boost his tally a lot.
Cons: In a very poor Liverpool team. In very poor health and fitness. In very poor match fitness. Torres deserves better and he has looked increasingly frustrated at Liverpool. He has had his critics, but he has not been getting any quality service this season. Was rushed back to quickly for the World Cup, and like Rooney hasn’t looked his best for a long time. Needs to be fully fit and on a better team to challenge and even fitness looks a long shot at the moment.

Florent Malouda, Chelsea 16/1 at BetFred

Total League Goals: 6
Goals All Competitions: 6
2009/10 League Goals: 12

Pros: Has really come on in his Chelsea career. Remember how long it took Didier Drogba to look like a class act after moving to Chelsea? Well, Malouda looks to just been finding his feet this year. Getting more involved in games, and making a more direct impact up front along with Drogba and Anelka. Could weigh in with a decent tally of goals, although it would be something special to beat his team mate Drogba.
Cons: Playing wider and behind the main front man, he doesn’t get as many chances. He is flourishing, but his place in the team is for support as opposed to being a main source of goals.

Nicolas Anelka, Chelsea 20/1 at Blue Square

Total League Goals: 2
Goals All Competitions: 7
2009/10 League Goals: 11

Pros: Carries the can a lot when Drogba goes missing, but when playing with Drogba, Anelka falls back into a support role and doesn’t find the goals to easy to come by. He stands up well in European matches, but just doesn’t have that quantity of league goals in him. Class player, brilliant in his support role, and should have his fair share of goals.
Cons: Anelka is not a main goalscorer, not in the league anyway, and that is because of how Chelsea set up, and focus the attack around Drogba. Will score important goals but just doesn’t have the amount of impact that Drogba has.

Marouane Chamakh, Arsenal 22/1 at 888Sport

Total League Goals: 2
Goals All Competitions: 4
2009/10 League Goals: n/a

Pros: Looking very sharp early in his Arsenal career, and will only get better. Arsenal play some of the best football in the league, and a technically gifted striker roaming around up front for them, will be in amongst the goals quite a bit. With Robin Van Persie missing, he should get plenty of action as Arsenal will look to him for goals. Playing on such a fantastic football side will also help, and Arsenal are big scorers in the league, and they could be rewarded well through Chamakh.
Cons: Unknown and untested in the physical Premier League over a full season. Other than that, the Gunners should be able to get a decent return on him.