fernando torres

There are a couple of great football betting promotions to enjoy at Paddy Power this weekend, surrounding two of the biggest names in the Premier League. Firstly we start with Wayne Rooney, who heads to Wales with the Red Devils to face Swansea City. The Roo has lost a little bit of his goal scoring magic after a blistering start to the new season, but he is always a favourite to get in amongst the goals. You really can’t keep him quiet for all that long. For your Swansea v Manchester United betting, Paddy Power have a Money Back Special running if Rooney scores the last goal of the match. If the England striker, who is waiting on the outcome of his international ban appeal, scores the final goal in the game against Swansea, then online bookmaker Paddy Power will refund all losing First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Correct Score and Scorecast singles placed on the match. This means that you can go and delve into the submarkets for this match such as the First Goalscorer market, where Rooney himself is 7/2 favourite, along with striker partner Javier Hernandez who can be taken at the same price. With Swansea earning themselves a fantastic 0-0 draw at Anfield on their last venture out in the Premier League, they will be keen to impress their fans again in this massive home fixture. So, another 0-0 draw for the Swans would fetch 11/1 at Paddy Power in the Correct Score Market, while a 2-0 United win is priced at 6/1, and remember that you have the insurance of lost stake refunds on this if Rooney nets the last goal of the game. While United have gone into their shell a little  bit, they will be favourites to pick up all three points in Swansea v Man Utd betting, three points which will be vital in closing the gap on Manchester City at the top of the table.

Swansea v Manchester United Betting Odds at Paddy Power
Swansea 6/1, Draw 3/1, Man Utd 1/2

Now on to Sunday’s big Premier League match, where we have the fun of Chelsea v Liverpool betting to look at. The big sensation about this of course, is surrounding former Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. Torres made his debut for his new club Chelsea at the start of the year against Liverpool, and failed miserably to make any kind of impact. With a couple of glaring misses in front of goal this season, the speculation of whether he will ever score against Liverpool will rage on. At least it will do until he does net against them. So Paddy Power are running a great promotion for your Chelsea v Liverpool betting on Sunday. If Fernando Torres scores at ANY TIME during the match, then the bookie will refund all losing First Goalscorer, Last Goalscorer, Correct Score and Scorecast singles which have been placed on the match. So there could be value in this, because Torres will be keen to make his mark against his former employees. So with this promotion in place we can take a quick look at the First Goalscorer Market where Daniel Sturridge, who has just shaken off a knock, is price at 11/2, the same as Didier Drogba and Torres himself. On the Liverpool front, the Reds will be hoping that Luis Suarez is going to be fit, and he is priced at 15/2 to open the scoring. With Liverpool struggling for goals despite all the cash spent in improving their attack, they need Suarez firing. Any losing bets in this market would of course be covered by a stake refund if Torres scores at any time during the match. There will be value in the Correct Score market as well for your Chelsea v Liverpool betting, with the Blues at 6/1 for a 1-1 win, while a 1-1 draw also seems handily priced for 11/2 with the bookie. So check out the sub markets which are covered by this Paddy Power promotion, and take full advantage of the insurance which it offers.

Chelsea v Liverpool Betting Odds at Paddy Power
Chelsea 5/6, Draw 5/2, Liverpool 7/2

Online bookmaker Paddy Power offer a free £50 bet for new customers registering a new account. The highly rated bookie gives out the free bet as sign up bonus when registering a new account with them. Paddy Power will match the value of your first bet with a free bet, up to the value of £50, giving you some great free cash to work with. Another weekend of top Premier League football action awaits us again, with Chelsea v Liverpool betting taking the headlines. Will Torres get that goal?

Fulham v Chelsea Betting Tip & Odds: Well, it may be worth looking at importance on this game to influence your football betting. Chelsea saw themselves fall behind Tottenham in the race for fourth spot in the Premier League on the weekend, and so they must approach this game as a  must win one. That means you would expect them to have a little more drive, as they need to stay in touch at the top of the league. This really could influence your betting, and Chelsea have hit four goals in each of their last two away matches. It’ll be interesting to see how Chelsea lined up after their new formation against Liverpool failed miserably. Expect them to have a little more punch, but even then this looks as if it could have draw written all over it. Chelsea’s outright winning odds are tempting enough on their own, so why not have a Fernando Torres Anytime Scorer bet for 16/11 at Unibet

Fulham to win: 4/1 at SkyBet
Draw: 11/4 at Victor Chandler
Chelsea to win: 4/5 at Bet365

EPL Match Preview: Interesting London derby between the neighbours, as there is not only a bit of pride on the line, but quite a bit to play for. The defending champions are still have a rough time of things this season and it was after their last game against Fulham where things started going wrong. Michael Essien was sent off in Chelsea’s 1-0 win, assistant coach Ray Wilkins left and Chelsea went on a big downwards spiral. Now their title hopes are hanging by a very thin thread, while Fulham are looking to continue their improvement on the season. This should be a tight match, and even though Chelsea have the better of things in the head to head record, there isn’t much to chose between them in form at the moment.

Fulham Form: Fulham, after struggling through the early half of the season,  and being on of the Premier League’s top teams for picking up draws, Mark Hughes has finally started to see a bit more reward from his men. A big triumph this season was thumping Spurs 4-0 in the FA Cup, and it shows the good form which the Craven Cottagers have been in recently. They have only lost twice in their last eight matches, which is incidentally one less than Chelsea, but more importantly they have won four of those eight. In their eight matches previous to that, Fulham didn’t manage a single win in that time. Their home form is looking pretty strong at the moment, winning the last three there without conceding a single goal. Fulham are not a high output team in front of goal, and that it is why it is all important for their game plan to keep things as tight as possible. They rely on their team ethic and work to get them through, and after losing Bobby Zamora for the season, Clint Dempsey has stepped up with 9 goals on the season. He continues to look their biggest threat, and it has helped Fulham enjoy a pretty good 2011 so far. Fulham are in good form at the moment and look a hard side to beat. Their only two recent defeats have come away at Tottenham and at Liverpool, so it’s not as if they have fallen down against struggling teams. You get the feeling that they will give Chelsea a good run for their money, and a victory would come in a tight manner. The only thing which may count against Fulham again, is that they have a poor record in London derbies, picking up just one point from six this season.

Chelsea Form: Just when it looked as if Chelsea had gotten their game together, going on a three game winning streak and hitting ten goals. However, with the arrival of striker Fernando Torres, Chelsea couldn’t find any penetration against a visiting Liverpool side, who was set up to simply negate the threat of the home Blues. When Liverpool struck on the break, Chelsea had nothing in response and that was a crushing defeat at a time when they looked to be getting back into the swing of things. Boss Carlo Ancelotti has pretty much written off Chelsea’s title credentials now, and they currently sit thirteen points behind leaders Manchester United with their domestic season looking as if it coming to an abrupt end. While their hopes of defending their title seem to have gone out of the window, Chelsea still have a lot to play for. They have a big battle with Tottenham in the race for fourth place and Champions League football next season. Spurs have now a three point advantage over Chelsea, and this makes the trip to Craven Cottage even more important. It is not a game Chelsea can afford to lose. Ancelotti’s men have lost three of their last eight matches in the league, which doesn’t point to title winning form, but on the other side of that, four of the other eight matches have been victories. They did look as if they had rediscovered their scoring touch before the Liverpool game, but they looked lost and a bit clueless against Liverpool, as Ancelotti tinkered with the formation playing Nicolas Anelka at the tip of a diamond, which didn’t work at all. You have to look at their last four games and see some kind of improvement there, they will need Torres to step up to the mark quickly, and a scrappy 1-0 win at their West London rivals would do wonders for them.

Head to Head: Chelsea have a big advantage in the head to head stats against Fulham. Chelsea have only lost once to Fulham in their last 28 meetings, and that last Fulham win came back in 2006. There is quite a remarkable head to head record in this victory actually, with the away side completely dominating proceedings. Chelsea have a massive 60% win percentage on their visits to Craven Cottage, and you don’t often see such a strong record like this for an away side. This equates to 21 victories for Chelsea at Craven Cottage, while Fulham themselves have won just seven of the encounters there. Only seven of the matches have ended in drawn matches, so there is a big discrepancy in terms of results here. It’s not as if Chelsea have heavily outscored Fulham or anything, as Chelsea average 1.77 goals in this fixture, while Fulham average 1.17 goals. So it all points to Chelsea’s dominance in this fixture coming at a very narrow margin. It is unlikely that Chelsea are going to run out winners by more than a two goal margin if the head to head trends are to keep going. This year’s fixture ended in a 1-0 win for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. That would be just the ticket on their visit to Craven Cottage.

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Stan James football betting promotion could be worth looking at for this one. This should be a tight game, and if it ends in a 0-0 draw, Stan James will refund all lost bets on any goalscorer market taken for the match. This is good coverage for your Premier League football betting, and is an ongoing thing. Stan James come highly recommended for their online betting services, and they offer new customers a £25 free bet as a bonus to get started with them.

Fulham v Chelsea Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Chelsea 1, Fulham 0
Chelsea 2, Fulham 1
Fulham 0, Chelsea 2
Chelsea 3, Fulham 1
Fulham 2, Chelsea 2

Fulham have an 38% win percentage at home in the league this season
Chelsea have a 38% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Fulham are on a streak of 3 home wins
Chelsea are on a streak of 2 away wins

Fulham have scored 17 goals, and conceded 14 at home
Chelsea have scored 22 and conceded 14 goals in their away matches

Fulham average 1.3 goals per match at home this season
Chelsea average 1.6 goals per match away from home this season

Fulham have scored the bulk of their goals in the 46-60 minute bracket
Chelsea have scored the majority of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket

Fulham have opened the scoring in 38% of their matches
Chelsea have scored first in 52% of their matches

Fulham 2010/11 top scorer: Dempsey, 9
Chelsea 2010/11 top scorer: Drogba, 10

Fulham 2010/11 Season Form: P26 W6 D12 L8 GF28 GA28 Pts 30 (12th)
Chelsea 2010/11 Season Form: P25 W13 D5 L7 GF46 GA22 Pts 44 (19th)

Chelsea v Liverpool Betting Tip & Odds: This is the big match that the Premier League has been waiting to see since the end of the January Transfer window. What a crazy place the Premier League has been this weekend, and will the Chelsea v Liverpool fixture live up to its billing? It should be a cracker really, although it’ll be hard to match some of the games which have taken place. Chelsea have gotten stronger up front with the arrival of Fernando Torres, and better at the back with the arrival of David Luiz. Liverpool have Suarez who is already looking like a great fit up front, so who will win. Well, you have to look at the midfield area, and that is where Chelsea really should dominate. They will create the better chances, or at least you would expect them to, because they will have the better possession. They have lacked a bit of punch this season, but they seem to be getting back in their groove. They would take a 1-0 win at this point, and it is a must win to try and hold on to at least fourth place in the league. A Chelsea -1 Asian Handicap is decently priced at 6/5 with Victor Chandler.

Chelsea to win: 8/13 at Paddy Power
Draw: 16/5 at Stan James
Liverpool to win: 5/1 at Bet365

EPL Match Preview: Let’s get the obvious Fernando Torres stuff out of the way. Yes, he is at Stamford Bridge waiting to make his debut, ironically against the side for which he handed in a transfer request near the end of the January transfer window. Chelsea laid the bait and Liverpool took it, and it does look to be a solid deal for both teams. Yes, Torres was so important to Liverpool, as his goals pretty much carried them, but with Liverpool falling from the top four in England, and therefore out of the Champions League, it’s natural that the World Cup winner would want away. So, Chelsea, being in need of a world class striker to boost their ranks for the rest of this season, and for the future, shelled out a record £50 for the Spaniard. Liverpool to their credit, had already worked out deals for Luis Suarez and Newcastle’s Andy Carroll, so they have now got two for the price of one. Shrewd bit of business by Liverpool, and everybody gets what they want. Not that the Liverpool fans will have much room for grace and gratitude towards Torres, who some believe deserted the club after pledging his allegiance to them earlier in the season. Still, that’s football and everybody has to move on. Torres will come under some stick from the away supporters at Stamford Bridge, but the quickest way to silence them, would be to fire Chelsea to a victory.

It has been something of a crazy weekend in the Premier League. There were goal fests everywhere, from Everton’s 5-3 win over Blackpool, Newcastle’s miraculous comeback from 4-0 down against Arsenal to tie, Wigan’s 4-3 win over Blackburn and of course, Wolverhampton Wanderers ending Manchester United’s unbeaten run since the start of the season. So, hopefully there will be more fireworks at Stamford Bridge, as Chelsea have been cut something of a break here. They now actually have a genuine chance to close the ten point gap between them and leaders United, with a win over Liverpool. Chelsea have started picking up their form in the past couple of matches, winning away at Bolton 4-0, and then getting revenge over Sunderland with a 4-2 win at the Stadium of Light. That was some much needed away wins for Carlo Ancelotti and Chelsea are now on a three game winning streak. The importance of Fernando Torres could be immense for the rest of Chelsea’s season. The form of both Nicolas Anelka and talisman Didier Drogba completely fell away over the course of the season, and even though Drogba looks sharper than he was, he is still not quite the big presence that won him the golden boot in the Premier League last season. The injection of younger, fresher legs will help Chelsea out no end. The biggest likelihood is that a Torres and Drogba partnership will be seen, with Florent Malouda joining in as he has been doing so. It means now, that any balls played in behind the Liverpool defence, Chelsea actually have a striker quick enough to get there first.

Anytime Goalscorer Markets

Fernando Torres: 5/4 at Stan James
Didier Drogba: 5/4 at Extrabet
Nicolas Anelka: 21/10 at Extrabet
Frank Lampard: 21/10 at Extrabet
Luis Suarez: 5/2 at SkyBet
Steven Gerrard: 4/1 at Paddy Power

It was Torres who scored twice at Anfield to beat Chelsea earlier in the season, and now a repeat of that in reverse would be just the ticket for Chelsea fans. Chelsea hold a pretty strong record against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, and they have to be looked at as favourites, even though the majority of betting at the moment is going on a Liverpool win. Nearly 55% of all bets placed on the match at the time of writing this, was in favour of Liverpool picking up three points. But when you start looking over the stats, you see how well Chelsea have done here. Liverpool have failed to score on five of their last six trips to Stamford Bridge in the league (and the time they did, it was a Chelsea own goal). Looking at head to head at Stamford Bridge between the two teams, Chelsea have won 55% of all matches, with Liverpool winning just 22%. That’s a strong advantage for Chelsea, who average about a goal more per match in this fixture. On the goal scoring front, Didier Drogba could be the man to watch for Chelsea, as he has hit five goals in eight games against Liverpool. Chelsea have generally eked out wins against Liverpool in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge. There haven’t really been any overly convincing ones in terms of running riot, but the Liverpool had been competitive. Chelsea’s 2-0 victory in this fixture last year, really was the best example of the difference between the two clubs.

However, Liverpool are stretching back into some kind of form at the moment. Only Manchester United can better their form now in the last five games, where they have averaged two points per game. Liverpool are nine points back of Chelsea, having played a game more, so this is quite an important one in terms of them keeping in touch. Their run of three straight wins has been such a huge welcome sigh of relief at Anfield, that it has probably been heard in London. New signing Luis Suarez made himself an instant hero as he came on to make his debut and score a goal in Liverpool’s recent win at Stoke. Suarez really could be a hugely bright spark for Kenny Dalglish, as the young Uruguayan is a confident player with great control, and he has that quickness of feet and mind to make an impact. If you’re not sure who he is, you may remember back to the World Cup when Suarez did a deliberate handball off the goal line to stop Ghana scoring, and then Ghana missed the subsequent penalty. It’s that chap. The other big signing Andy Carroll, who has been on sparkling form for Newcastle, which earned him an England call up last year, won’t be at Stamford Bridge. At least not on the pitch, as the big lad is still a few weeks away as he is nursing an injury. His absence could be a huge factor in Chelsea winning this match. Carroll would have been the perfect guy to batter the Blues back line, but Liverpool bought a crocked player, and have to wait for him.

Instead they will rely on the speed of Suarez to make the break through. There will be no Joe Cole to face his former club Chelsea, as he misses out through injury. There is the Anelka connection, as the Frenchman played at Liverpool, but it all falls under the shade of Fernando Torres. Will he score? Will he celebrate? Kenny Dalglish is still picking up the pieces of a disastrous reign from Roy Hodgson and the final season of his predecessor Rafa Benitez. It’s certainly looking better for the Reds at the moment, with Raul Meireles banging three goals in four games for Liverpool now, so he’s on a streak you may want to look out for. But, Liverpool have struggled for goals at Stamford Bridge, and with David Luiz likely to step into the Chelsea back line alongside John Terry, Chelsea will be a lot more mobile at the back. Finally Chelsea have a recognised, speedy and talented centre half to rely on, as the Brazilian signed right at the end of the January transfer window. So which way is this match likely to win? Well, Chelsea look to have rediscovered their scoring touch. Liverpool have kept three clean sheets in a row, but you always have to look to the home advantage. Chelsea have lost only one match at Stamford Bridge this season, and they still hold the best defensive record in the league. Liverpool have scored 13 fewer and conceded 10 more than Chelsea, and therefore, really a Chelsea narrow victory wouldn’t be too much of a surprise, especially given the strength of their head to head record in their fixture. The goal scoring stats below just further aggrandize the point.

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Worth heading to popular online bookmaker Paddy Power for your Chelsea v Liverpool betting. They are running a great Money Back Special on the match, and if Chelsea new boy Fernando Torres scores the last goal of the match, then Paddy Power will refund all losing first/last goalscorer, correct score and Scorecast singles placed on the match, prior to kick off. This is a great offer and worth looking at if you are tempted by any of those markets. Paddy Power, who really excel at football promotions really are worth looking at. There is time to open an account if you are not already a holder there, and when you do, you will get a free £25 matched bet on your new account. Another great reason to get started with this great bookie.

Chelsea v Liverpool Premier League Betting Statistics

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

Chelsea have an 73% win percentage at home in the league this season
Liverpool have a 17% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Chelsea are on a streak of 4 home matches with no defeat
Liverpool are on a streak of 6 away matches with no draw

Chelsea have scored 24 goals, and conceded 7 at home
Liverpool have scored 11 and conceded 21 goals in their away matches

Chelsea average 2.2 goals per match at home this season
Liverpool average 0.9 goals per match away from home this season

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

Chelsea have opened the scoring in 54% of their matches
Liverpool have scored first in 60% of their matches

Chelsea 2010/11 top scorer: Drogba, 10
Liverpool 2010/11 top scorer: Kuyt, 4

Chelsea 2010/11 Season Form: P24 W13 D5 L6 GF46 GA21 Pts 44 (4th)
Liverpool 2010/11 Season Form: P25 W10 D5 L10 GF33 GA31 Pts 35 (7th)

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.

Chelsea v Liverpool, Sunday February 6th. It had to happen, there was almost a certain sense of inevitability about it. Fernando Torres and his move south to Chelsea, will coincide with him being able to make his debut for the London club against, yes, you guessed it, Liverpool on Sunday. After head hunting the Spaniard for some time now, the Blues landed their man in the hopes of boosting their silverware chances. Now Torres will pull on an unfamiliar blue shirt and face the Reds at Stamford Bridge. It should be fireworks, and naturally the online bookmakers are already starting to roll out the football betting promotions for the big match. Victor Chandler has gone straight in with a Burning the Bridge betting promo on the Chelsea v Liverpool match, and this is of course, surrounding the goal scoring talents of Fernando Torres. If Torres scores at Anytime in the match, and that is correct, ANYTIME during the match, then Victor Chandler will refund any losing stakes placed on the Correct Score and First Goalscorer bets for the match. This is a great promotion, as usually these kind of offers are limited to if a certain player scores last in the match, but with Victor Chandler, if Torres nets at any point, your losing bets on the above markets will be refunded. This is a start to the weekend’s football betting, and VC Bet have Chelsea down a 4/7 favourites to win the match. Liverpool are out at 9/2 with the bookie, while a draw is being offered at 14/5. While you could back Torres in any goalscorer markets, if for example you backed Didier Drogba to open the scoring in the match as First Goalscorer, but Torres gets in in front of him, then your lost stake on Drogba would be refunded. Great promotion from a great bookie, who offer a free £25 bet for new customers opening an account. With places at stake up front for Chelsea now, and with Liverpool bringing in their own replacement strike force of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, the match should be action packed!

How much will the transfer day deadline deals influence FA Cup Betting? Chelsea splashed out big on Fernando Torres and David Luiz to bolster their challenges on the domestic and European fronts, while other front runners Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City all kept things quite. That perhaps is more of a sign of their squads being settled than anything. Chelsea needed a change and they made big one. Expensive ones. There’s no doubt that Torres will make Chelsea a more potent threat. The Blues still need to get past Everton though, with a replay to come at Stamford Bridge, following the draw at Goodison Park last weekend. The winner of that will be graced with a home fixture against Championship side Reading. The big news of the fifth round draw though, was non league side Crawley Town, who landed the plum draw of Premier League leaders Manchester United at Old Trafford. This is the reward for Crawley’s heroics over Derby and Torquay so far in the tournament, and should be a wonderful experience for them. By manager Steve Evans’ words though, Crawley (who are 2500/1 FA Cup outsiders at Boylesports) aren’t turning up just to make up the numbers, reminding the press that “Miracles do happen,” and they are the only non-league team capable of beating Manchester United. Enough said. There’s an interesting draw between Aston Villa who will await the winners of the Notts County and Manchester City replay. City failed to a job in a tricky fixture and now have to complete the task back at Eastlands if they want to keep up their challenge for silverware on three fronts going. Arsenal, who are running as second favourites for the FA Cup, have themselves a trip to League One side Leyton Orient, while the only all Premier League clash comes at Craven Cottage where Fulham (who thumped a very poor Tottenham 4-0) are waiting to see who they play out of Bolton and Wigan who played out a scoreless draw. So, the fifth round draw is out, and the teams, some of them with new personnel on board, will be ready to duke it out again on Feburary 19th and 20th.

FA Cup Fifth Round Draw

West Ham v Burnley
Notts County/Manchester City v Aston Villa
Stoke City v Brighton
Birmingham City v Sheffield Wednesday
Leyton Orient v Arsenal
Everton/Chelsea v Reading
Manchester United v Crawley Town
Fulham v Bolton/Wigan

FA Cup Outright Winner Odds

Manchester United: 3/1 at Victor Chandler
Arsenal: 7/2 at Bet365
Chelsea: 5/1 at Totesport
Manchester City: 6/1 at SkyBet
Fulham: 22/1 at BetFair
Birmingham: 22/1 at William Hill
Stoke: 25/1 at Blue Square
Everton: 25/1 at Bet365
Aston Villa: 33/1 at William Hill
West Ham United: 33/1 at Bet365
Bolton: 40/1 at Bet365
Wigan: 80/1 at William Hill

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)

The gates of the January transfer window will be thrown widely open tomorrow, as teams look to bolster their squad for both title challenges and survival across the football leagues. Focus of course will primarily be on the big movers and shakers in the Premier League, as one wonders what movement there will be. There are some big names being touted around in the gossip columns already, but historically, the January Transfer window falls a little bit short on excitement. It is rare to get a big name signing, as clubs will prefer to hold on to key and star players until the end of the season. Usually the type of player who gets moved, is those who are spending far too much time warming the bench at their club, and those veteran types who get snapped up by lower standing teams to add valuable experience to try and ward of relegation. Still, that doesn’t stop the rumours spreading, and of course football betting opportunities from arising. We’ll take a look over some of the top rumours and assess the chances of where a player may end up. Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has said that there is no need for him to spend in the summer, and indeed may lose players with West Ham interested in Michael Owen, and striker Macheda the most likely candidate to be moved out of the club, possibly on loan. Arsene Wenger has not dismissed the idea of spending, but it is going to be hard seeing him add to his squad during January, realistically, there is no need to, and who knows with Chelsea? There is a likelihood that they would dip into the market, simply to score some good PR points with their fans. They have been linked with Brazilian David Luiz, a centre half at Benfica, but that is about it. There is a strong possibility that it will happen though, if they can come to some agreement over a fee.

Manchester City
It is hard to talk about trades without heading straight to Eastlands. Manchester City have the cash, and they are ready to spend apparently. Top of their list is striker Edin Dzeko, who the club are apparently desperate to bring in. His arrival from Wolfsburg could mean the departure of unsettled Mario Balotelli back to Italy. Dzeko is a player who has been linked with Chelsea for a long time, but in a bidding war, City look as if they will be able to stump up the goods. However, just as interesting, is who may leave City in the January Transfer window, as they have a big squad, and with all of the supposed discontent flying around there this season, some players are falling into the bit-part category and may just be moved. Carlos Tevez is of course likely to stay now after taking back his transfer request, and 12/1 at SkyBet for a move to Real Madrid sums up the chances of him leaving. It’s not happening. Emmanuel Adebayor though, has a lot more potential for being shown the door. Italian club Juventus are hot on his heels and are priced at 6/4 with Skybet to land him in the January Transfer window. Inter Milan are second favourites at 4/1 with SkyBet. It could be a striker clear out at Manchester City, with out of favour Roque Santa Cruz looking to secure a permanent move away. He should stay in the Premier League, and could be a decent catch for Fulham at 2/1, or more likely, Everton at 5/2 (both with SkyBet). Fulham won’t have the cash to spend, and he seems to fit better with the Toffees. What about Shaun Wright-Phillips? He would inject some life into teams like West Ham, Newcastle or Stoke, who are all front runners to get him at 5/1. Less of a likely move though.  Goalkeeper Shay Given, does look as if he wants away though, and Italian club Roma look favourites to poach him at a price of 4/1, while Celtic are also in the mix at 9/2. Aston Villa makes a reasonable destination for him though priced at 6/1, as Villa would likely send Brad Friedel the other way in a part exchange deal. There are conflicting rumours about Wayne Bridge, who could go to West Ham, but on loan. Apparently City have already turned down an offer from the London club.

Tottenham.
It is with little surprise really that Spurs are being linked with so many players. Their chairman is ready to bankroll some new faces coming into the club. The club are on a definite upward trend, and could really use a world class star just to accent their already strong squad. Trouble is, will they be able to find such a man. Boss Harry Redknapp doesn’t seem to think so, as he knows how tough it is to pry players away from their clubs in January. Still, it doesn’t stop the speculation. How long can Newcastle fend off the advances for their star striker Andy Carroll? After earning himself an England call up this year, the bruising, classic English centre forward has not let stepping up a level to the Premier League halt his development. Clubs will want him, that is for sure, and there is one likely destination, and that will be Tottenham (3/1 at SkyBet). He would just be a perfect fit, he has that ruggedness to mix things up a bit in Harry Redknapp’s side, and would make a fantastic addition. Unlikely to head anywhere else than there. It has been no secret that Spurs have wanted West Ham midfielder Scott Parker for some time now. Parker is at really short odds of 4/5 with Skybet to head to Spurs in the January Transfer window. Is he really the star that Redknapp is looking for though? Everton’s Steven Pienaar is being linked with Spurs to, but at odds of 4/1, seems unrealistic. Aston Villa’s Ashley Young is also linked heavily with a move away from the troubled club, and Spurs are favourites to land his services. It’s a little more difficult to see him fitting into the squad though. Redknapp is a big fan of Young though, and could work a player deal to make it happen, with the likes of David Bentley and Robbie Keane going the other way. There is one other big name which is being linked to Tottenham. That is the one and only David Beckham. He is likely to go out on loan again from LA Galaxy, as he looks to hone his fitness in Europe once more. There are big rumours that he’ll be at an English club, but it won’t be Manchester United. His insistence once that he would only come back to the Premier League with his former club, may go out of the window, and Tottenham are 10/11 favourites to be the English team to get him, although Chelsea would make a great fit as they look for experience to fill their bench. Everton are the only other team which are really in the running for him, but that sounds a bit unlikely, but nevertheless are priced at 12/1 to make the deal.

Liverpool
They have been keenly tracking the services of Ashley Young for some time now, but while Aston Villa boss Gerrard Houllier has a lot of work to do to turn around the fortunes of the club which he inherited, he has insisted that Young will not be sold. That puts Liverpool’s plans of getting him in the January Transfer window (at 6/1 with SkyBet) firmly on hold. West Ham’s Carlton Cole seems a more viable prospect though. He’s had a tough season down at Upton Park, and a big move could ignite his career again. Cole is 4/1 at SkyBet to move to Liverpool, but with Avram Grant trying to salvage something from West Ham’s season, and looking to bring in talent himself, could be reluctant to let him go. Hence the price. The most fascinating transfer saga at Anfield, is of course Fernando Torres. Will the Spanish striker, who is a world class player want to carry on a team which loses 1-0 at home to Wolves? A January Transfer may be out there, and Manchester City would be the likeliest destination if he goes, priced at 4/1. Liverpool are in dire need of something, but the transfers that boss Roy Hodgson made in the summer, really have not paid off. He could be out of a job before he gets the time to make any deals.

All of the above prices can be found at online bookmaker SkyBet. The coverage on their site is fantastic, as to be expected, and the Sportsbook extensive, all backed up with news and statistics. As a welcome offer for new customers, SkyBet offer a free £10 bet for new customers opening an account.

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.

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.

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Victor Chandler are offering a 1st Scorer 2nd Chance football special at the moment. This means that if you back a First Goalscorer in the Liverpool v Chelsea match, and that player doesn’t open the scoring, but does manage to get on the score sheet at any other time during the match, then the Victor Chandler will refund your stake as a free bet! As a new customer to Victor Chandler, you can also earn yourself up to £50 worth of free bets.

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)