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An 8/11 bet at Boylesports on Wayne Rooney as anytime scorer, is a fair price for a player in the form of his life. After a relatively successful night in the Champions League away at the San Siro, Manchester United turn their attention back to the immediate task at hand, trying to get their noses in front of Chelsea in the Premier League. United, after being completely overran in the early stages of their match against AC Milan, turned the screw in the second half, with another startling performance from two goal hero Wayne Rooney. All of the furore about David Beckham playing against his old team, sort of filtered out, with him looking a spare part in an unusual central midfield role. Star of the night, Rooney, has netted 21 league goals this season, and now he comes up against one of his old clubs, Everton.

As good as they are looking at the moment, with momentum apparently behind them to retain the Premier League title, Alex Ferguson’s men will have watched closely as Everton inflicted a defeat upon league leaders Chelsea just over a week ago. That was the same Everton which took the first points of the season from Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, earning a well deserved 2-2 draw there earlier in the season. Manchester United though, will draw some consolation from the fact that they thumped Everton 3-0 at Old Trafford back in November, but will also be aware that the Toffees have much improved since then. United sit just one point behind Chelsea, as they failed to capitalise on Chelsea’s defeat, as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa.

United will be without Rio Ferdinand at the back, who is still serving a ban, and Nani will also be in the stands, as he is suffering the same fate. Nemanja Vidic is fit again, after missing most of the season through injury, but despite that, he is still the centre of trade speculation that he wants out of Old Trafford, and that European giants AC Milan and Real Madrid are head hunting the Serbian international. Everton have themselves been struck with some selection problems, as Tim Cahill, the cornerstone of their midfield will be out of action for a few weeks. This is more trouble in midfield for boss David Moyes, as he will miss creative midfielder Marouane Fellaini for the rest of the season. These are two key players to have go missing, after an impressive run of form.

Injuries have been plaguing poor David Moyes for most of the season, and the likes of Phil Jagielka and Steven Pienaar have also been missing from the line-up for a long time. After being stripped to the bare bones of resources at the club, Moyes has persevered and worked with what he has got, to turn Everton around and get them back into the top half of the table. Even with all of their injury worries, they were still difficult to break down, and now they have gotten most of their first team back, the Toffees enjoyed a steady, but unspectacular climb towards the top. Sitting in 9th place and ten points out of fourth place, they are not going to be strong enough to claim a Champions League place, but a top six finish would be a particular rewarding success for Moyes in a turbulent season.

Their win over Chelsea recently showed what they can do, and success in the Europa League further strengthens their resilience to grind out results. They beat Sporting Lisbon 2-1 at home in the first leg of their Europa League tie, but conceding a late goal will have caused much frustration. Now one of the biggest challenges of the domestic calendar awaits them, as Manchester United roll into town. The loss of Cahill and Fellaini are major factors, but Moyes should be confident enough to push on through some more hard times, as well as giving Manchester United at better game than they did at Old Trafford.

BETTING STATS

Last 5 head to Head
Man Utd 3, Everton 0
Man Utd 1, Everton 0
Everton 1, Man Utd 1
Man Utd 2, Everton 1
Everton 0, Man Utd 1

Last 5 Match Goals
Everton: 7 For, 2 Against
Man Utd: 16 For, 2 Against

Last 10 Form
Everton: W5, D4, L1
Man Utd: W7, D2, L1

Win Percentage
Everton have a 46.2 win percentage at home
Man Utd have a 53.8 win percentage away from home

Match Prices
Everton to win: 4/1 at Coral
Draw: 13/5 at Bet365
Man Utd to win: 5/6 at 888sport

Asian Handicap Betting Advice: Still hard not to fancy Man Utd to win this. It could be a matter of by how many, especially with the form that Everton old boy Wayne Rooney is in. But Everton are a decent team, who can generally hold their own. It will be surprising if they roll over to another emphatic defeat like did earlier in the season against United, but they are stronger than since then, only losing once in 11 matches. For Everton to win it, it will most likely be by the odd goal, but a draw will be rewarding for them, and Chelsea fans.
Everton +0.75 Asian Handicap: 17/20 at Bet365

Chelsea will be hoping that their football can start making the headlines of the back pages again, as the fuss and furore of captain John Terry starts to fade. Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti is to hold talks with club Captain John Terry, to see if he needs time away from the game to get himself together. After being stripped of the England captaincy by Fabio Capello, it has been a difficult week for defender Terry. However, in their 2-0 victory over Arsenal on Sunday, John Terry did what he did best, and looked in superb form out on the pitch, helping his side to a very important victory. While the Chelsea fans and his team mates seem to be behind him, any defensive errors will probably be pounced upon by the media, putting more pressure on him. But the whole affair could be exactly what unites the Chelsea corps for a strong season finish.

After suffering a dead leg against Arsenal, he has been passed fit to take his place in the starting eleven in their tricky midweek game against Everton. Chelsea really need to keep up the pressure on Manchester United, as they only hold a slender two points lead over them. These are those tricky games away from Stamford Bridge, which Chelsea have struggled so much with this season. Everton are a solid, workhouse team, and managed to hold Chelsea to a 3-3 draw at Stamford Bridge, the only team to have left there with something this season. Chelsea fans will have been heartened by the return of Didier Drogba from the African Cup of Nations, as it was his two goals which secured the win against Arsenal. Chelsea are missing Michael Essien still, and Portuguese midfielder Deco, who is reportedly on the brink of retiring from international duty, needs a check on his knee. If Chelsea can win away at Goodison, it should instil a new sense of belief that they can take the Premier League title this year.

Everton won’t have Steven Pienaar available for the big home game, as he saw red in the derby match against Liverpool on the weekend. Not many teams can score that many against Chelsea, which made their three goals at Stamford Bridge all the more surprising. They were, however, able to capitalise on Chelsea’s apparent lack of control in defending set pieces, and that is something which boss David Moyes will no doubt be pressing home to his players. Everton started slowly to the new season, but of late, with a squad getting back to full fitness, with only Fellaini missing. This has been highlighted by a strong run of home form, but they are still lacking in enough fire power to really push them up the league. They are down in tenth, but with a goal difference of -2, it highlights the fact that they are lacking an offensive game. You know what you are going to get with Everton though, a hard working, hard tackling, defensively sound set up.

How much they can influence a game in sustained attacking pressure is another matter though, and Chelsea’s ball possession is usually enough to take a lot of that pressure away. Everton will need to be high tempo and physical, as that is what could knock Chelsea off their stride. Moyes will know that Chelsea are still hesitant and edgy on their travels, and that is something which they could capitalise on. Their defence will need to stand firm though, as it’s very rare that Chelsea fail to find the back of the net, and with the combination of Drogba and Lampard totalling more goals than the Everton team in total, the league leaders will go to Goodison, expecting nothing less than a win. Everton could well have other plans with a solid performance.

BETTING STATS

Last 5 Head to Head (League)
Chelsea 3, Everton 3
Chelsea 0, Everton 0
Everton 0, Chelsea 0
Everton 0, Chelsea 1
Chelsea 1, Everton 1

Last 5 Match Goals
Everton: 7 For, 3 Against
Chelsea: 15 For, 4 Against

Last 10 Form
Everton: W4, D5, L1
Chelsea: W6, D4, L0

Win Percentage
Everton have a 41.7 win percentage at home
Chelsea have a 50.0 win percentage away from home

Match Prices
Everton to win: 9/2 at 888Sport
Draw: 11/4 at Boylesports
Chelsea to win: 8/11 at Bet365

Betting Advice: A draw wouldn’t be a great surprise here. Everton are pretty good at home, and with Chelsea’s problems on the road, it could all even out. This makes for some good betting options. A draw no bet for either team would offer some comfort, as it should be a pretty tight affair. Chelsea are the better side, but Everton are able to put them off their natural game and cause an upset.
Everton +1 Asian Handicap: 19/20 at Victor Chandler

Saturday 6^th February

English Premier League

Liverpool v Everton

The second Merseyside derby of the season takes place at Anfield as the home side look to move into 4^th place in the table when they take on an in form Everton.

Rafa Benitez knows how important it is for his Liverpool side to finish in the Champions League places this season so anything other than a win here would be a catastrophic blow to their chances. As a result, this derby game takes on even more significance than it normally would. Liverpool are currently unbeaten in 6 league games, a run of games in which they have won 4 and drawn 2. The pick of their wins was against Tottenham last month where they played a more controlled game and always looked like winning. They are beginning to keep clean sheets as well with more regularity, conceding only 1 goal in those 6 matches, a last minute equalizer against Stoke. Benitez has finally stuck with a team selection and formation which has brought more consistent and better results and performances. They are still nowhere near the level they were last season but much better than earlier on in the season. Captain Steven Gerrard is back fit but he must start producing more often this season as he’s been disappointing in the first half of the campaign.

Everton are beginning to play like everyone expected them to from the start of the season. David Moyes’ side have had no luck whatsoever with injuries but now that the treatment room is beginning to empty, performances and results have improved dramatically. The blue half of Merseyside are unbeaten in 10 league matches, by far their best run of the season. They have won 5 of the 10, including their last 3. There have been several reasons for their resurgence in form, one of them is the loan signing of Landon Donovan on loan from the MLS. Donovan has provided a goalscoring threat from wide for the Toffees which they were missing in the early part of the season so it has given opposition defences more to think about. This has meant there has been more freedom for the likes of Tim Cahill and Steven Pienaar to play centrally and behind the striker, allowing them to play their natural game has inevitably brought more goals and in turn, points. Cahill notched the winner last weekend away at Wigan as well as at home against Sunderland whilst Pienaar has 3 in his last 5 games.

Liverpool will have to do without their main man upfront again as Fernando Torres is still absent. Glen Johnson is also still out so Jamie Carragher will fill the right back slot once again which will mean Soti Kyriagkos keeps his place at the heart of defence. He has been in good form of late but I remain very unconvinced that he’s good enough for a club like Liverpool. He was extremely error prone when at Rangers a few years ago and even against Stoke his concentration was lacking at times. He’ll be up against it tomorrow with all the attacking threat on show for Everton from all over the park. The away side are also brilliant at set-pieces so concentration is a must.  Everton will have Yakubu and Joseph Yobo back from international duty but both may have to settle for a place on the bench as the side are in such good form at the moment.

I expect their will be goals tomorrow afternoon despite both sides defences playing well of late. This will be the hardest match both sides have faced on their good runs in my opinion, simply because it is a derby game and the pace of the match will be even greater than it normally is in the Premier League. I’m not convinced Liverpool are good enough to beat Everton tomorrow despite being in decent form results wise. They were woeful against Wolves a fortnight ago whilst they were lucky not to concede last week at home to Bolton. Everton are playing far better than their city neighbours but they’ve not won at Anfield in the last decade so they know how hard it will be to take all 3 points back to Goodison. With all this considered I feel the wise money is on a scoring draw. However there may also be value in Everton draw no bet. The blue’s are in terrific form and records are there to be broken. I’m not convinced of the Liverpool defence and with Everton so strong at set pieces, they stand a good chance of breaking their Anfield hoodoo.

My selections: Liverpool and Everton to draw at a best priced 5/2 available with Skybet

                            Everton to beat Liverpool ‘draw no bet’ at a best priced 11/4 with Boylesports

Providing Liverpool do not win, you’ll be in profit should you back both of these bets at level stakes. Should the game end in a draw you will also receive your stake back on the DNB wager.

English Championship

Sheffield United v Derby County

Kevin Blackwell will be glad to get his side back to home comforts after two successive away defeats as Sheffield United take on Derby County at Bramall Lane.

The blades have got themselves back into the promotion picture after a run of good from since the end of December. They’ve won their last 4 home matches and unbeaten in the last 5, conceding zero goals in the process, so it doesn’t take a genius to work out where their strengths currently lie. They have, however, conceded 6 in the last two away games, against West Brom and Watford. Blackwell was left seething after both performances so will be demanding a much improved display tomorrow. With the 4^th best home record in the division, it is not inconceivable that they can put their poor away form behind them and get back to winning ways.

Derby put in a massive performance last weekend in their local derby against Nottingham Forest. Forest had been unbeaten in 16 league matches and had not lost away from home all season before their visit to Pride Park. 90 minutes and a Rob Hulse goal later, both records were away and Derby received a massive morale boost in their bid to stay in the Championship. Their away from, however, is not great at all with only 2 wins from 14 games on the road. Nigel Clough would no doubt be happy with a point and his side will be in buoyant mood after their heroics last Saturday.

Michael Tonge is no stranger to playing at Bramall lane after playing there for 8 years. This time, however, the midfielder will be lining up for the away side after his loan move from Stoke at the start of the week. He’ll likely go straight into the side as he’ll be match fit after a similar spell at Preston North End. Chris Morgan is out injured for the home side as is Andrew Taylor and Marcel Seip, so it will be a defensive reshuffle for Blackwell. The Blades have won their last two home games against tomorrow’s opponents and know that another victory is vital in their quest for a play-off place.

Derby will have put in a massive amount of energy last weekend, both physically and mentally. It will be interesting to see how they react to that expenditure tomorrow but I have a sneaky feeling that they will fail to maintain those levels this time around. There is a reason they are where they are and it is inconsistency.

My selection: Sheffield United to beat Derby County at a best priced 5/6 available with Coral

It is a major weekend in the Premier League, with the action kicking off with the Merseyside derby between Liverpool v Everton. Betting will be rocketing on the game, as the Toffees go in search of revenge for their 2-0 home defeat in November. A sluggish start to the season has been redressed somewhat by boss David Moyes, as he has finally gotten some of his players back from injuries. The injury crisis at Goodison was almost bordering on the comical, as the blues lost player after player. Still, Moyes, in his frugal and understated way, has dragged the club back up into the top ten. It would take a monumental effort to get anywhere near the fourth spot that would seal a Champions League place, but they could do themselves a huge favour by beating their bitter rivals.

Everton are not one of the expansive top six sides in the Premier League, but they fall in to the category of being diligent workhouses, which usually secures them a top half of the table finish. With a game based on defence first, they aren’t going to go out and blitz teams like the top three can do, but they can grind out good honest results. That’s what they have done in their last two Premier League matches, with wins over Wigan and Fulham, which was a nice way to bounce back after losing in the FA Cup to Birmingham. The Toffees are definitely on the up at this point of the season, and with the likes of Phil Jagielka and Michael Arteta all coming back from injury, the competition for places will hot up again, and that should drive Everton further.

What hasn’t been said about Liverpool this season? Well, maybe apart from “that was an excellent performance”. They have been rocked with an injury to their star forward Fernando Torres, and haven’t had Steven Gerrard at their disposal all season either. That said, they have played their way into fifth place, but once teams beneath them catch up on their games in hand, it could be a completely different story. They could easily be down in sixth or seventh if they don’t pick up a win against Everton at Anfield in Saturday’s early kick off. Last season, they were frustrated after being held to two 1-1 draws by Everton, in cup and league. That won’t be enough for them this season, as they can’t afford to start going backwards again.

Despite their problems, they have managed to beat both Tottenham and Aston Villa in their last five league games, but the scorelines flattered them both times. They have a problem with quality of players in the starting eleven and that is evidently not good enough for a club of Liverpool’s stature. There is only one man to take the fall, and that is coach Rafa Benitez, as he’s the one who has made all the signings. But the results have been brighter recently, on the large part, if not the performances. They haven’t lost in six league matches, which sounds good, but draws against Wolves and Stokes masks the true identity of the team. So does the FA Cup exit to Championship strugglers Reading. Somehow they are showing their stick-ability, and are getting results. That may just be enough to help them fulfil the promise that under fire Benitez made, that they will finish fourth.

BETTING STATS

Last 5 Head to Head (League)
Everton 0, Liverpool 2
Liverpool 1, Everton 1
Everton 0, Liverpool 2
Liverpool 1, Everton 0
Everton1, Liverpool 2

Last 5 Match Goals
Liverpool: 6 For, 1 Against
Everton: 9 For, 2 Against

Last 10 Form
Liverpool: W5, D3, L1
Everton W4, D5, L1

Win Percentage
Liverpool have a 66.7 win percentage at home
Everton have a 27.3 win percentage away from home

Match Prices
Liverpool to win: 9/10 at Blue Square
Draw: 5/2 at Bet365
Everton: 15/4 at Boylesports

Betting Advice. Two decent defences, would mean that this derby was leaning towards a draw. It is tough to see Everton coming away from Anfield with anything more than a draw, but David Moyes would be pretty happy with that. Liverpool need a convincing win, but this game will probably be a tight, scrappy affair with a lot of pride at stake. Neither team possesses great attacking flair, so if a win comes, it’ll likely be by an odd goal.
Everton +0.5 Asian Handicap: 41/40 at Bet365

Liverpool have won just four of their ten away matches in the Premier League this season, scoring an average of just 1.1 goals per game. However, after twenty games of the season played, it appears that the bookmakers still think that the Reds are in a false position this season. Why else can you explain why they’re priced at a prohibitive 4/6 with bet365 and Victor Chandler to win at the Britannia Stadium this Saturday (and to be fair to these bookmakers, that’s the best price that’s currently available)?

One can only assume that the bookies are prepared to give Stoke City such massive odds on account of the fact that they’re an unfashionable team to back. It’s true that the Potters don’t play the prettiest football in the division, nor that their aims are any higher than staying in the division, although their recent 3-2 win over Fulham illustrated that they are a tough nut to crack in front of their own supporters. If you factor in the abysmal weather conditions that are seemingly making matches more of a leveller than you would expect on a hot day, then it appears that Sky Bet’s 11/2 about Tony Pulis’ team is the wrong price.

Now we’re not suggesting that Stoke are definitely going to win and it’s Liverpool who clearly possess the most quality player-for-player. However, this is an example where it might pay to go against the grain. Just say you picked out three 11/2 ‘value picks’ this weekend and only one of them came in. That would still return a handsome profit, providing you backed the trio of teams at level stakes.

There are other markets where you can support the outsider if you think that the price is too big but you’re not confident enough to back them to win the match. Many bookmakers now offer a ‘Draw No Bet’ market, where there are no prizes for guessing that stakes are refunded if the match finishes all square (last season’s game between Stoke and Liverpool was a goalless draw). Sporting Bet offer 10/3 about Stoke on this market. Alternatively, there is also the option of adding the draw option to the outsider, something that can be done with a ‘Double Chance’ market. William Hill currently have 13/10 available that the outcome of the match is either a home win or a draw and I would personally make it no bigger than even money.

You may be of the opinion that Liverpool will win this match after some good recent performances in the Premier League. However, if you are prepared to take a long-term view with your betting and identify teams that are ultimately priced too big based on stats and form, then you should return a profit overall. You may think that Everton are too big at 19/10 (Boylesports) to beat Manchester City after an impressive unbeaten run which lately saw them draw 2-2 at Arsenal. However, it might be worth avoiding the 18/1 (Coral) that Burnley manage a surprise win at Old Trafford!

The snow has been falling in the UK for over a week, creating havoc up and down the country. Only two Premier League matches survived the weather on Saturday, with Arsenal managing to get their game on with Everton and Birmingham managing to successfully host champions Manchester United. Perhaps the Gunners wish they hadn’t bothered trying so hard after needing a deflected Tomas Rosicky effort to nick a draw against the Toffees. While Arsene Wenger had plenty of players out injured (not to mention Alexandre Song and Emmanuel Eboue at the African Nations Cup), it’s possible that the snow teeming down at the Emirates was a factor in David Moyes’ men nearly landing the spoils.

Similarly, at St Andrews later that day, Birmingham managed to continue their unbeaten run by drawing with Manchester United. While the Red Devils dominated possession in the first half, they only created one clear-cut chance, with their desire to pass the ball quickly suffering due to the bobbling pitch. Although the under soil surface was in operation, the grass was easily torn under the player’s studs and it undoubtedly played into the hands of the home side, who could have won the game at the death.

Last week, we saw Stoke City race into a three-goal lead at half-time in their match with Fulham, an example of a visiting team being ‘caught cold’ quite literally! There is unlikely to be another occasion where the Cottagers are 3-0 down at the break this season and much of this is surely down to the sub-zero temperatures, the break in training routines and the mental uncertainty of whether a match is likely to go ahead. It happened at Elland Road as well, where Leeds just couldn’t get going against a Wycombe team fighting for their lives at the foot of the table.

Meanwhile, up in Scotland, Glasgow Rangers somehow conspired to give away a 2-0 lead at Hamilton. The Gers conceded three goals before half-time and needed a second-half penalty to earn a replay. However, the cold weather had nothing to do with Angola surrendering a 4-0 lead against Mali to draw 4-4 in the African Nations Cup!

With the cold weather likely to stick around for the coming weekend, we should be focusing on matches like Stoke v Liverpool, Chelsea v Sunderland and Bolton v Arsenal as matches where a team at big odds-on might not be the ‘dead cert’ they were in August. It has nothing to do with some of the ‘bigger’ clubs having a wide range of nationalities within the squad (especially if some are from Russia or Scandinavia!), but more to do with how team spirit plays a bigger part in a cold climate.

Saturday 26^th December

English Premier League

Sunderland v Everton

David Moyes takes his Everton side, on a run of 3 successive league draws, to the Stadium of Light to take on a Sunderland side who haven’t won since their impressive victory over Arsenal back in November.

Steve Bruce’s summer arrival, alongside some big investment from a new chairman, brought increased expectation to the North-east club. Things looked to be heading in the right direction with star signing Darren Bent scoring goals aplenty, excellent results over Liverpool, Manchester United and the aforementioned Arsenal game, as well as sell-out crowds for home matches. The past month or so however, has not been as positive. They have lost four out of 5 with their only respite coming against bottom dogs Portsmouth in a 1-1 draw at home. This dip in form may have coincided with the injury to Lee Cattermole. The energetic midfielder was a key player in the early part of the season for Bruce’s side and was pivotal to their style of play, especially at home where they rely on their midfielders getting close to the opposition and stifling their creative players. He has recently returned to the starting line-up but even his inclusion on Saturday couldn’t prevent Sunderland from slipping to another defeat away to Man City. Sunderland also look to be missing Craig Gordon. The influential Scottish goalkeeper broke his arm against Spurs at White Hart Lane in November and since his absence from the side, the team has shipped 9 goals in 6 matches, keeping only one clean sheet in process.

Everton have had a poor first half to the season by their own high standards set in previous seasons. Much was  expected from Moyes side after finishing 5^th last season and with the influx of players such as Johnny Heitinga, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Sylvain Distin. These signings were coupled with the retention of Brazilian striker Jo on loan for another season and the impending return of Yakubu from a long term injury. Despite all this, they find themselves at the wrong end of the table, a mere 3 points off 18^th place. A lot of this has been down to horrendous injuries to key players which has meant that Moyes has had to chop and change for much of the season. For much of the season they lacked a creative spark in the middle of the park with both Mikel Arteta and Steven Pienaar missing most of the season. The latter is now back fit and has played in the last 3 league matches which has saw a dramatic improvement in terms of chances made and goals scored. They have managed 6 in 3 games, gaining draws in all of these matches against 3 sides in top form. Draws with Birmingham, Chelsea and Spurs may just be what they need to kick-start their season.

It could be argued that this match is destined to end in a draw as both sides have only won one game apiece in their last nine fixtures. I believe Everton are gathering a bit of momentum however and with their injuries beginning to clear and key personnel playing more regularly they are due a victory. They have had a tough run of fixtures of late yet are unbeaten in 3. An away match over the Christmas period is right up Davie Moyes’ alley. They defeated Middlesbrough last Boxing day at the Riverside and I firmly believe they are capable of returning from the North East with 3 points once again. Everton have also won on their last 4 visits to the Stadium of Light.

My selection: Everton to beat Sunderland

Best odds available: 11/5 available with Victor Chandler

English Championship

Sheffield Wednesday v Newcastle United (12.45)

A meeting of two sides who are experiencing completely different fortunes at this moment in time as league leaders Newcastle make a short trip to the steel city to take on beleaguered Wednesday at Hillsborough.

Sheffield Wednesday are currently in the process of looking for a new manager after sacking Brian Laws earlier this month. His removal as manager has not done much to the performances on the park as the Owl’s were comfortably beaten on Saturday by Swansea at home. There seems to be a real lack of quality at the club at the moment which is surprising considering the heroes the Wednesday fans used to have not so long ago. There doesn’t seem to be anyone willing to take responsibility on the field which is a sad indictment for such an illustrious and successful club. As well as a lack of genuine quality at the club, there is immense fear and the confidence must be at an all time low. They have not won a match since October, lost their last 6 in the league and currently sit 3^rd bottom. It’s an unenviable task facing the new manager whoever it may be.

Newcastle on the other hand are absolutely flying at the minute. Chris Houghton’s men have stretched their lead to 10 points at the top of the table and are currently on a run of 9 games unbeaten, a run in which they have won 8. They are proving to be far too good for most of the other teams in the league and it may even be a record points haul if they continue in their current form. Key to their success this season has been Kevin Nolan. The former Bolton captain has been a rock in centre of midfield and has also popped up with vital goals in games which the Magpies have not been playing well. He has an influence in the team which gets the most out of players around him. He’s the clubs top scorer with 9 and has been a virtual ever present, missing just the two games all season. The midfield in general is extremely strong with Jonas Gutierrez (an Argentine regular), Alan Smith and Danny Guthrie all comfortably capable of playing in the Premier League. Upfront they are beginning to get it right as well with the return of Shola Ameobi back from injury and scoring at the weekend. His partnership with Marlon Harewood, although not the most prolific, will be troublesome for teams in the division as they never stop all game and will create plenty of space for the midfield to take advantage of.

  It’s one of these games which looks cut and dried and although football is never cut and dry, this is probably one of the closest you’ll get. I can’t see many sides stopping the Geordie Juggernaut the way they are going and I especially can’t see hapless Wednesday doing it. Newcastle are a standout 5/6 with Victor Chandler.

My selection: Newcastle to beat Sheffield Wednesday

Best odds available: 5/6 available with Victor Chandler

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Hamilton

Celtic look to put the disappointment of their weekend loss to Hearts behind them when they welcome Billy Reid’s Hamilton to Parkhead on Boxing Day.

I previewed the trip to Tynecastle on my last blog so there’s nothing much new to report. Celtic still suffer from the same old failings at the back whilst they are still creating a plethora of chances at the other end but failing to take the majority of them. Another calamitous lapse in concentration from a central defender, this time Glenn Loovens, resulted in a penalty and a red card for fellow centre half, Gary Caldwell. Despite being down to 10 men for much of the game, Celtic were still way ahead in terms of quality, creating chances and playing the better football. It’s difficult to stress how far ahead they are of the likes of Hearts, Dundee United and Motherwell, especially when the results are so close and when they drop points to these teams but the crux of the matter is they are a lot, lot better than these kind of teams, well they are going forward. There is a lack of leadership at the back and players are not taking responsibility for their actions, especially at cross balls.

Hamilton never played at the weekend due to the blizzards on the West coast on Saturday so will be eager to go. They are coming into this match having won their last two and with only one defeat in their last 6 so confidence should be high. Reid has found a settled team for the first time this season in the last couple of months which has helped dramatically, especially in midfield. Captain Alex Neil has made a big difference on his return from injury whilst the two James’, MacArthur and Wesolowski have struck up a good partnership just infront him Neil.  It will come as no surprise to note that Billy Reid’s men will come to Parkhead to try and frustrate Celtic with a strict 4-5-1 formation with little adventure likely. Their plan will be to keep it tight until half time and get the home fans on their hero’s backs.

Celtic have won every meeting between these sides since Hamilton’s promotion last season. Their matches at New Douglas Park have been far closer than the ones at Parkhead. Hamilton’s last two visits to the East End of Glasgow have witnessed two comfortable 4-0 wins for the home side and I do not envisage anything different come Saturday. Celtic have created a barrow load of chances in nearly all of their matches under Mowbray and it really is a matter of time before they win by 5, 6 or 7. They are 4 points and 9 goals worse off than top of the table Rangers so know that Saturday is a perfect chance to go about mending those differences.

My selections: Celtic (-2) to beat Hamilton at a best priced 13/8 with Skybet

Celtic to win both halves at a best priced 6/4 with Skybet

Marc Antoine Fortune to score anytime and Celtic to win at a best priced 11/8 with Boylesports

Following the Champions League Draw on Friday, the names were pulled out of the hat for the last 32 of the Europa League. With British interest remaining with Liverpool, Fulham and Everton, there looks to a be a lot of work for all three of them to do. The eight teams which finished third in their groups in the Champions League Group Stage, all joined up with the 24 teams who had already progressed through the early rounds of the Europa League. With the dominance of the Champions League, UEFA have been struggling to find a format which draws a lot of interest to the competition, and this is its latest incarnation. By introducing some big names, such as Juventus and Russian Champions Rubin Kazan as leftovers from the Champions League, it has been hoped that it will add a bit of fire to the competition.

It will probably be little consolation for those teams who have dropped out of the Champions League, but there is still some pride to play for, and at the end of the day, it is a piece of silverware. Liverpool, who fell behind Lyon and Fiorentina in their Champions League group, weren’t even seeded for the Europa League draw, and find themselves in a very interesting match up against Romanians Unirea Urziceni. Ex-Chelsea star Dan Petrescu’s men almost qualified for the knock-out stage, missing out by just one point to German side Stuttgart. Unirea Urziceni put in some good performances, most notably a great win against strong Spanish side Sevilla, and will test Liverpool’s resolve.

SkyBet are currently offering special bets on the market for the stage of Liverpool’s elimination from the competition. Shortest odds are on them going out in the last 16, at a price of 11/4 and you can get 6/1 on them making a final appearance, whether they win or lose. Check out SkyBet for more details, and new account holders can earn themselves a Free £10 Match Bet.

Fellow Merseysider’s Everton were drawn against Sporting Club Portugal (or more commonly, yet incorrectly known as Sporting Lisbon), who won their Europa League group by one point, without facing too much difficulty. Everton boss David Moyes has literally been plagued by injuries this season, and it is a testament to the man that Everton have even progressed to the last 32 of the European competition. Perhaps though, one of the main highlights of the draw involves Fulham. Yes, really. They were drawn against Shakhtar Donetsk from the Ukraine, who are one of the favourites to pick up the trophy. Fulham, who were at one point in the season performing much better in the Europa League than the Premier League, but the vast experience of boss Roy Hodgson has seen them challenge on two fronts.

The biggest fixture though of the Europa League draw involves Italian giants Juventus, who have been paired up against Dutch side Ajax. If Fulham can progress, they will face the winner of the Ajax vs Juventus match up. The two-legged ties will be played on February 18th and 25th (with a couple of exceptions, including Everton’s first leg which is on February 16th).

Europa League Draw (Match Prices in brackets)
FC Rubin Kazan v Hapoel Tel-Aviv
Athletic Club v RSC Anderlecht
FC Copenhagen v Marseille
Panathinaikos v Roma
Atlético Madrid v Galatasaray
Ajax (7/4) v Juventus (5/4) at SkyBet
Club Brugge v Valencia
Fulham (6/4) v Shakhtar Donetsk (6/4) at Blue Square
Liverpool (2/7) v Unirea Urziceni (15/2) at 888Sport
Hamburg v PSV Eindhoven
Villarreal v Wolfsburg
R. Standard Liège v FC Salzburg
FC Twente v Werder Bremen
Lille v Fenerbahçe
Everton (6/5) v Sporting Club Portugal (15/8) at BetFred
Hertha Berlin v Benfica

Top Six Europa League Outright Winner Prices
Liverpool – 13/2 at Totesport
Valencia – 12/1 at Blue Square
Juventus – 14/1 at Victor Chandler
Benfica – 14/1 at Bet365
Shakhtar Donetsk – 14/1 at Sporting Bet
Roma – 16/1 at BetFed

….other notable prices:
Everton – 25/1 at Bet365
Fulham – 66/1 at SkyBet
Rubin Kazan – 33/1 at Ladbrokes

Sunday, December 6th
Goodison Park
4 pm Kick Off

Tottenham have the chance to jump back ahead of their North London rivals Arsenal in the Premier League, with a win away at Goodison Park. One quick glance at the table will show that the Merseyside club are in a lot of difficulty this season, sitting just two points above the relegation zone. The stout and robust Everton of seasons past, is just not there are the moment, as manager David Moyes is undergoing a season of misery thanks to an overwhelming list of injuries. Despite finding wins hard to come by, and a morale crushing defeat against Hull in the league, followed up by defeat to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby, has left Everton fans on tenterhooks.

But even with their lack of points on the board, there have been signs of encouragement for Moyes. For a start, his Everton side dominated long passages of play against rivals Liverpool, although that may not be so much of a benchmark these days. But putting in plucky performances, and the performance against Liverpool was like day and night compared to the Everton which had turned out against Hull, there were still no points forthcoming. Apparently, with any good that is coming Everton’s way at the moment, there is a price attached to it. They had a rain-sodden win over AEK Athens in the Europa League in midweek, which should cheer Toffee fans even more. But already struggling to field a full side of first-teamer’s Moyes watched in dismay as he lost three more players to injury.

Dan Gosling, Jo and Sylvain Distin were all casualties of the battle in Greece, and although the victory puts Everton in second place in their Europa League group, it is on the home front where all of Everton’s troubles lie. Now Moyes once again has to dig deep as he prepares his walking wounded to face visitors Tottenham on Sunday. The match against another top side will be mixed with two frames of mind. On one hand, there is the incredible chance to boost morale with a win over the fourth placed side in the league, yet on the other hand, Everton would fancy an easier chance to try and get three points on the board. The Toffees are struggling for goals, having only scored 9 at Goodison in the league this season. In comparison, Sunday’s opponents Spurs have scored 21 times at White Hart Lane, emphasising the difference in class at the moment.

Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham are continuing to try and prove that they belong in the top four. Despite falling down against Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, Spurs are still showing that they are at least good enough to hang on to the coat tails of those three above them. Tottenham again failed to get the better of an under strength Manchester United in the Carling Cup semi final in midweek, and Redknapp will be keen to drive home to his players, the importance of getting things back on track. They will need this win to not only get the better of Arsenal in the standings, but to also put more distance between themselves and the immediate teams behind them like Aston Villa and Manchester City.

Everton are unbeaten in the last four outings against Tottenham, and they will need more of that resilience to take at least a point from Sunday’s game. The two previous encounters between the two which have taken place at Goodison Park, have ended in 0-0 draws, which may make fans hesitate on buying tickets to the match. But Tottenham of late are showing some kind of resilience, and have turned in a very good away team, only losing once in their last ten matches away from White Hart Lane. Everton’s ever growing injury list will make life easier for the visitors, and if they can break through the Blue barrier early in the game, then it could be a very long afternoon for the Merseysiders.

Everton to win: 21/10 at William Hill
Draw: 12/5 at Ladbrokes
Tottenham to win: 7/5 at Bet365

Betting Advice: Tottenham are looking good enough to beat Everton and maintain their form at the top of the league. The defeat to Manchester United in the Carling Cup was nothing to be judged by really, with Manchester United’s defence and Tottenham’s attack both finding parity in looking terrible. Redknapp will put more first team players on show for the game on Sunday, and they will be happy with a 1-0 win.
Tottenham to win 1-0: 17/2 at ExtraBet

Two under fire Merseyside bosses go head to head on Sunday as the reds of Liverpool travel the short distance across the city to take on the blue of Everton. Better things were expected of both teams this term, and both are struggling for wins at opposite ends of the table. David Moyes’s Everton are down in 16th position, just three points above the drop zone, and Liverpool are hovering in seventh. Everton have been battling against debilitating injuries a lot this season, and they have only managed to pick up four wins out of their thirteen games in the league. The majority of their problems have come away from home, where they have lost five of their seven games, and in contrast have only lost one at home. Only one win in 10 games for Everton though on their current run of games across all competitions, simply is not good enough.

Liverpool were dumped out of the Champions League in midweek, despite a labouring 1-0 victory over Debrecen, and are seriously struggling to find a way to win in the Premier League. Only their 2-0 victory over Manchester United gave the Anfield fans any real bright spark of late, and although they have had to endure matches without Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, a team who are expected to push for the Premier League title, should have enough cover in depth. Chelsea haven’t lost when missing Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba this season. It is Chelsea, who Liverpool were expected to push for the title this year, after being involved in the race for a long time last season. The Anfield club are 13 points adrift of leaders Chelsea though, going into Sunday’s matches.

Whether Fernando Torres makes the line-up or not is still in doubt for Rafa Benitez, while for Everton, one of their main threats up front in top scorer Louis Saha may also be missing after picking up an injury. Everton lost a midweek game to Hull City, while Liverpool’s last outing in the league ended in a 2-2 tie with Manchester City. This game should initiate some extra incentive to push on for an elusive win, although Everton haven’t beaten Liverpool at Goodison since 2006. This is a big game to try and ease some pressure off their own backs for Moyes and Benitez. Arguably there is more pressure on the latter, as the Reds were supposed to be challenging on all fronts. Liverpool can draw level with 5th placed Aston Villa with a win, and put them back in touch with the top four.

Match Day Prices
Everton to win: 11/4 at SkyBet
Draw: 12/5 at Bet365
Liverpool to win: 6/5 at Totesport

Betting Stats:
Everton 10 goals for, 13 goals against
Liverpool 16 goals for, 13 goals against

Everton 33.3% home win success (2/6)
Liverpool 33.3% away win success (2/6)

Liverpool are on a current 3 game streak for away defeats.
Everton have drawn their last 3 home games

Last six head to head:
Liverpool 1, Everton 1
Everton 0, Liverpool 2
Liverpool 1, Everton 0
Everton 1, Liverpool 2
Liverpool 0, Everton 0
Everton 3, Liverpool 0

Last 10 league games:
Everton W3, D3, L4
Liverpool W5, D2, L3

Betting Advice: Neither team are in great form, and home advantage could equal out the slight advantage in quality personnel that Liverpool have available. Liverpool could again be a little light up front, something which was evident in their Champions League game. David Ngog does not look anywhere a good enough replacement for Fernando Torres. Everton look a little light all over the park and have a long way to go to pick themselves up from their defeat against Hull in the week. Out of the two teams, it is the Reds who should have the edge, and while Torres may be away, Everton’s cause still isn’t being helped by a long list of injuries including Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta, Phil Neville and Leon Osman. Probably are not going to be too many goals in the game because of the injuries and form. If there are it will be a breakout surprise, even with both defences not looking very steady at all.
Everton +0.25 Asian Handicap 11/10 at Bet365