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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

Saturday 28^th November

English Premier League

Fulham v Bolton Wanderers

Fulham play their 3^rd match in 7 days when they come up against Gary Megson’s Bolton Wanderers who will be determined to halt their recent run of bad form having lost their last 3 matches in the league.

Roy Hodgson’s charges have had a hectic season to date having already played 22 games in all competitions thanks to their involvement in the Europa League. They have also had to contend with key personnel being injured with the likes of Danny Murphy, Andy Johnson and Diomansay Kamara missing large chunks of the season to date. All that considered, they are in decent enough shape in the league at the moment as they currently sit in 10^th position, 4 points off of 5^th place. They have gathered most of their points at Craven Cottage, amassing 4 wins from 6 matches. They have defeated the likes of Liverpool, Everton and most recently triumphed over Blackburn in midweek. Their only two defeats at the Cottage this term have been against Arsenal and Chelsea which is no disgrace at all. Hodgson has turned their home ground into something of a fortress and any visitor knows they’ll have to be at the top of their game to come away with anything.

Bolton, after a decent run of form at the end of September and beginning of October have started to slide down the table. Currently in 18^th position, they have conceded 11 in their last 3 matches, scoring just once and gaining zero points. Their latest match against Blackburn was arguably the poorest of their season thus far as they never looked capable of getting much from the game from the first few minutes. Rovers, who were searching for their first away win of the season, dominated large parts of the game and as soon as they opened the scoring they never looked in any real danger. One of Bolton’s problems is the main striker position. They have tried several players in the position but no-one has made it their own and this results in a lack of fluency going forward. Unfortunately for Megson and his side, the other main problem is that they give the opposition too many chances throughout the 90 minutes making them more likely to concede. It’s not often a trait you associate with Gary Megson’s side’s, they are normally hard to beat and stubborn but this season they have shipped 26 goals in 12 games, which equates to more than two goals a game.

Despite key injuries in the last 3^rd of the part for the Cottagers, they still have a lot of options available for Saturday and good ones at that. Erik Nevland and Clint Dempsey both got on the scoresheet on Wednesday night against Rovers so they have staked their claim ahead of Saturday’s match. Hodgson also has the likes of Damien Duff, Jonathan Greening and Zoltan Gera whilst Johnson should be fit enough for the bench on his comeback from injury. Duff and Dempsey especially will cause immense problems for most teams in the league so Bolton’s porous defence will be under pressure from the off. Their movement and ability to make telling contributions at vital stages of the game is crucial to Fulham’s style of play and with a predator like Nevland lurking, they are liable to score goals from the first minute to the last.

Bolton have actually won more games on the road this season than they have at home which is surprising considering the amount of teams which used to struggle at the Reebok. Their wins, however, have come against Birmingham and Portsmouth who, no disrespect, are not as potent at home as Fulham are.

Fulham have had the better of this fixture in recent years having won 3 of the last 4 meetings at the Cottage in the league. Bolton just give too many chances away for my liking and I think the home side’s attacking players will be too much for the visitors.

My selection: Fulham to beat Bolton Wanderers

Best price available: 10/11 available with several bookmakers including Coral

English Championship

Newcastle v Swansea

First versus fourth at St James’ Park on Saturday as Paulo Sousa and his Swansea side travel north to take on league leaders Newcastle who are still unbeaten at home this season.

Newcastle have dusted themselves down and got on with the job at hand after their relegation at the end of last season. They have managed to retain most of their squad with a couple of exceptions but look all the better for it. Chris Houghton has been appointed as manager until the end of the season and this has had a massive, positive effect on the club and its players. One of the most noticeable things about Newcastle this season is they don’t have that one superstar in their team this season that they have had in the last decade or so. It used to be Alan Shearer for so long and he passed the torch to the injury ravaged Michael Owen. Nowadays, they are much more of a team and unit.

Swansea City, after a pretty slow start under their new manager, have rejuvenated their season with a run of 11 games unbeaten in the league which has propelled them right up the table. Sousa has built from the back and made them stuffy, resilient and hard to score against. They currently have the 2^nd best defensive record (Newcastle have the best) conceding just 12 goals. Their defence on the road is the best, losing just 5 goals in 8 games. Scoring goals has proved problematic however as they are the lowest scorers in the division with Craig Beattie their top scorer on a measly 3 strikes.

Watching Newcastle on Monday night away to Preston was interesting due to the fact that it was almost inevitable that they were going to win the game no matter how much North End threw at them, you always felt United would nick a goal and take all 3 points. It of course did happen and proves yet again that the better teams in the division win games despite not playing all that well. They will create chances at home and have proven even harder to beat at St James’ with 6 wins and 2 draws from 8 games.

I can’t see the game being pretty or having a plethora of goals (cue a 3-3 draw) with such good defences on show. I can, however, see the home side creating a couple of really good opportunities and taking at least one of them such is the form they’re on at the moment. Swansea, I feel, will have to score to get something from the match, at least once, which I think is debatable given their poor scoring record. As a result I think Newcastle will take all 3 points and strengthen their position at the top of the league.

My selection: Newcastle to beat Swansea

Best price available: 5/6 available with Bet365

English Championship

Sheffield Wednesday v West Brom

Sheffield Wednesday, searching for their first win in 6, look to have it all to do against 2^nd placed West Bromwich Albion at Hillsborough.

I tipped against Wednesday last week when opting to go for Ipswich, and but for a masterclass in goalkeeping by Lee Grant, I would have been right. As it was, the keeper had a day out and saved his side, earning a good point in the process. Their home record is better than their form on the road so their fans will be expecting them to be more threatening and adventurous on Saturday. They have already defeated Coventry, Cardiff and Scunthorpe on their own patch this season but they’ll be up against one of, if not the best, side in the Championship when West Brom come calling.

Roberto Di Matteo has fitted in really well with WBA’s footballing philosophy since joining as Manager from MK Dons in July. His side play the best football in the division and have proved too much for so many teams already this season. They are currently the highest scorers in the division, averaging more than two goals a game. They have lost the one game in their last 7, a run which has included thumping wins against Watford and Bristol City and an excellent away victory over Leicester City.

Simon Cox has taken a while to get fully fit after an injury at the start of the season but the £2m signing from Swindon is beginning to find his feet leading the line for the Baggies. Cox has scored twice in his last 3 matches and will fancy of notching against Wednesday who have shipped 4 goals in their last two home games. Cox doesn’t just bring goals to the team, his overall play has made a big difference to West Brom who at times lacked a potent attacking threat up top.

West Brom have brushed aside better teams than Sheffield Wednesday already this season and I for one can’t see Brian Laws’ men getting anything from Saturday’s match. This one is easy enough for me anyway, away win.

My selection: West Brom to beat Sheffield Wednesday

Best odds available: 23/20 available with 888Sport

Good luck and happy punting

The end of the war in ‘45 saw the resumption of competitive football in the form of the F.A. Cup.

During hostilities the league set-up was two "first divisions", North and South and lesser regional leagues. On this occasion the two finalists were both from the Southern Section, Charlton Athletic and Derby County. 98,000 saw they game which went into extra time, but not without a couple of "firsts". Jacky Stamp, (Derby centre forward), shot for goal only for the ball to burst in mid-air. Just as it had done in a regional league game between the same sides the previous week.

First blood went to Derby when Charlton’s left half Bert Turner put thru’ his own. Almost immediately Charlton went on the attack and Turner equalised. The first person to get on both score sheets in an F.A. Cup Final.The  game went to extra-time, for only the second time at Wembley. Derby went on to win 4 – 1.Charlton gained their revenge next season. beating second division Burnley 1 – 0 in extra-time.

No team dominated in the early years after ‘45 until Newcastle won 3 times between ‘51 and ‘55. In amongst these successes was the MATTHEWS FINAL. Bolton lead 3 –1 with some 22 mins remaining. Matthews completed one of his dazzling runs with a cross for Mortenson to score his and the teams second goal. Mortenson went on to score the only Cup Final hat-trick at the old stadium.

The next outstanding happening was in the 55/56 final,  when City, having lost the previous year, beat Birmingham 3 – 1. With their goalkeeper, Bert Trautman playing for the last 20 mins with a broken neck.The club doctor stated that the slightest jolt to the neck could have paralysed if not killed him. I watched that game on T V and Trautman was awesome.

Two years later Man Utd lost to Bolton Wanderers. This was three months after the Munich disaster. United were allowed to sign players who had already played in that seasons cup games. The only time it has been allowed. Not surprisingly Bolton ran out 2 – 0 winners. United’s second consecutive Cup final defeat. They made amends beating Leicester City 3 -1 in 62/63.

The sixties really belonged to ‘Spurs with a double success in 60/61 and 61/62. Follwed by a third in  66/67.

The 64/65 final would add a new name to the trophy now matter who had won. It turned out to be one of Liverpool’s numerous successes. Leeds had to wait until 71/72 for their first ever Cup Final win. The following season when they attempted to retain the trophy, they were surpisingly beaten by a Porterfield goal for Sunderland.
No one team dominated during the Seventies, and the start of the Eighties saw three years of replays. ‘Spurs winning the first two of these for yet another double final success.

Everton won in 83/84 and were beaten in each of the following two seasons. The second of which saw the first ever Merseyside Derby Final. Repeated three seasons later, when Liverpool  also repeated their victory. The shock of the decade came in 87/88 when WIMBLEDON beat all the odds and Liverpool by a single goal.
‘Spurs saw in the next decade with a 2 – 1 defeat of Notts Forest.

The next nineteen years have been a virtual monopoly fo the "BIG FOUR". Only twice has an "outsider" won the Cup. Everton 94/95 and last year Portsmouth were successful.

When the F.A. Cup is mentioned the thoughts often tend to wander to the few clubs who have also achieved the Cup and League Double. With some hundred and twenty finals decided only six teams have achieved the Double. Preston, Aston Villa, ‘Spurs and Liverpool have one success each Whilst Arsenal and Man. Utd have three each.

The spread of these successes shows no pattern whatsoever. Two between 1889 and 1897 then a blank until 1961. A ten year gap to the next and then another barren spell until 1986.Then there was a fistful (four) between 1994 and 1999. The last occasion was 2002.

Although the "Big Four" appear to have most things their own way, none seems to be able to really dominate as Man. Utd did in the nineties.

Aston Villa V Newcastle United – Sunday 16:00

This fixture will undoubtedly attract a fair few neutral spectators as two sides with only winning the game in mind go head-to-head at Villa Park this Sunday afternoon. Although Aston Villa would love to secure a fifth place finish, the pressure to win will firmly rest on the shoulders of Newcastle and more importantly, on Alan Shearer. The Magpies recent defeat against Fulham has seen their bid for survival hang by a thread and this will be the biggest Premiership fixture in Newcastle’s history. This is certainly a game you cannot afford to miss and it’s live on SkySports this Sunday.

Both Martin O’Neill and David Moyes have expressed their feelings about how much they want to finish in fifth position and only a win will do for Villa with Everton’s win over the weekend pushing them above Villa into fifth. Although the arrival of a battling Newcastle side may bring about a lot of market support for the away side, we actually think Villa have a decent shout of nailing down all three points in this fixture. O’Neill’s side shown us all at the weekend when they travelled to The Riverside that they could carve out opportunity’s and if they more clinical in the final third, could of won at a cantor. They will certainly get several chances in this fixture and providing Agbonlahor and John Carew get their shooting boots on, Villa should enjoy themselves in front of the Newcastle goal.

To say this fixture is big for Newcastle would be a massive understatement. It literally is make or break for the club on Tyneside. Defeat at Villa Park could potentially destroy a club who were once striving for Premiership success. The most daunting factor about this fixture is that the Newcastle team could produce the performance of their lives and still not survive the drop. Their home defeat at the hands of Fulham last Saturday meant Newcastle now have no control over their fate. Even if they were to smash Villa off the park, which is highly unlikely. They would still need Manchester United to do them a favour against Hull City at The KC stadium. Alan Shearer can ill-afford to let that thought slip into his players minds though and he must ensure that his squad do their part in order to leave themselves with some sort of chance of avoiding the chop.

This fixture has so much riding on it that i find it hard to justify anyone’s decision to go lumping on either side. Newcastle desperately want and need all three points but their performances of late would indicate that they have no chance. For Shearer’s sake i will be a proud member of the ‘Toon Army’ but I’m not too optimistic. I would be surprised if Villa didn’t breach Steve Harper’s goal and while i do want Newcastle to win, i’ll play kinda safe by backing each side to score.

Match Odds –
Aston Villa  6/4 Boylesports     
Draw  5/2 PaddyPower    
Newcastle United  9/5 PaddyPower

SoccerBetting Tip – Both Teams to Score at 4/6 – Bet365

What a season it’s been and it is only early November!

The whipping boys have been handing out the whippings. Spurs looked like a very poor team until Harry appeared and turned them into overnight successes.

Newcastle by contrast are having their usually dull and uneventful year.

Chelsea have finally lost at Home and then are humbled in the Champions League by Roma

Manchester United have the usual slow(ish) start and very nearly get humbled themselves by Celtic.

Liverpool appear to be the form team that is until Tottenham Hotspur knock them out of their stride

Arsenal, well what can I say about the Gunners, I mentioned a few weeks ago that the sign of a great team was how they responded to a poor result and Arsenal hadn’t shown these qualities. And then they draw the North London derby having led 4-2 with moments to play, follow that with the loss to a brave and battling Stoke who I for one wont bet against now! and a goalless draw midweek in the Champions League.

West Ham looked buoyant, until the sack their manager, their sponsor goes bust and their chairman doesn’t seem too far behind them.

Manchester City are taken over by the Sheiks and sales in tea towels go through the roof. Robinho and co look exciting going forward but the purchase of a defence in the January window cant come soon enough.

I could go on but I think you’re getting my point!

So we look at the weekend’s fixtures and try to find a value bet…….. Errrrr any offers?

I’m personally drawn to West Ham v Everton at The Boleyn Ground tomorrow. Neither team has really got any form this season, both team have injuries and suspensions to several key players and will enter this game with the ‘no lose’ mentality that makes me eye up the draw which is best priced at 12/5 with Totesport. However, I won’t be spending the winnings just yet!

Folks,

Welcome to my post, I am to deliver previews of the biggest European games each weekend as well as in-depth analysis of how to make you money. I have an accurate strategy which aims to minimize risk and utilise a spread betting systemhealthy return which should still guarantee an .

I am based in the UK but have contacts in Scotland, Spain and Italy meaning an up-to-date insight of European Football. My picks this weekend will focus on teams on the road, therefore better odds on top teams, when teams are playing away they are quite unpredictable, but if you bet across numerous leagues picking big teams then the risk is lessened.

The English Premiership drums up some very interesting fixtures this weekend.

As an avid Liverpool fan, I have to discuss the Merseyside Derby. Liverpool were uninventive against Stoke and lazy against Crewe yet they still remain undefeated in the league. How £40 million pounds worth of strikers haven’t clicked yet, I do not know, it drives me up the walls without being too bias. This match is always fiery and produces goals, it’s maybe Robbie Keanes time to step up to the plate and produce the goods. Im sticking my neck on the line and going for an away win, Everton are scoring goals with Cahill getting back to form but their defence is hardly water tight at the moment.

Back Liverpool, odds (6/5).(Bet Direct/Skybet/Stan James)

Newcastle are on a downward spirral at the moment, the talk of El Tel taking over will also not bear will with the faithful Geordies. The talks with a Nigerian consurtium are also promising, the sooner Mike Ashley moves on the better. They need stability, security, and patience. Whether King Kev returns or not, the new manager should be given sufficient time and money, but this weekend I feel spells more doom and gloom, even Tottenham beat Newcastle this week!! Blackburn to edge this one just.

Back Blackburn, odds (2/1)(Ladbrokes)

My other picks for this weekend in the Premiership are Chelsea (2/5) Bet 365) to easily overturn Stoke, and Man City (7/5) Ladbrokes) (Goal Machines) to overturn Wigan in a game that will produce a lot of drama.

The Scottish divisions are a speciality of mine, I have lived in Edinburgh for three years and the Scottish people are very passionate about their football. I have learnt a lot from uber enthusiam regarding the beautiful game, fitba as they call it.

My Scottish banker this weekend is – Rangers.

Rangers to come to Edinburgh and take all three points against Hibs. Rangers only have the league to play for this year, and Hibs are just getting over a somewhat sticky start. ( Back Rangers 8/11 (Bet 365)

Across Europe we also have some interesting teams on the road. All three teams have performed comfortably well on the road recently, both Barca and Madrid hammered the helpless Sporting Gijon, so I feel Villareal will comfortably follow suit. I can’t help but add Real Madrid and Barcelona to my coupons, they have superstars thoughout their team and are arguably world beaters on their day. Just be careful to mix your away selections accordingly picking one or two teams from each league, reducing the risk.

Villareal vs Sporting Gijon.(4/6 Ladbrokes)

Barcelona vs Espanyol. (17/20 Centrebet)

Real Madrid vs Betis. (9/10 Betdirect)

Apologies I have recently fractured my thumb and typing is frustrating at the moment, anyway best of luck this weekend, and don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions!!

Gerard

by Matthew Chapple

A very good start to the Barclays Premiership season which sees Chelsea occupy the top spot with Liverpool level on points in second. Those two, along with Manchester United, are the only sides who have yet to taste defeat. Chelsea got off to the best possible start by thrashing Portsmouth at home in their opening fixture 4-0 and followed it up with a narrow 1-0 away win over Wigan. They let their 100% record slip at home to Tottenham Hotspur when a defensive error let in Darren Bent to level the match at 1-1.

Liverpool have made a shakey start to the season with narrow victorys over both Sunderland and Middlesborough but could only manage a dull -0- draw against Aston Villa at Villa. One slight positive for them is that they have got the result without playing well. When they do start playing well they should pick up points more comfortably. They have been delt a blow which is that they will be without Gerrard for the match against Manchester United and Fernando Torres could also miss the tie.

Their haven’t been many surprises so far with the only real shock result coming at Old Trafford where Manchester United were held by Newcastle in their opening fixture. Also, a late Djibril Cisse goal seen all 3 points go to Sunderland when they beat Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane 2-1.

Hull got their first ever Premier league victory at the first attempt when they beat Fulham 2-1. With 4 points from their first three games they find themselves in a respectable 10th position. The other two new clubs haven’t made matching starts with Stoke being hammered 4-1 in their first outing and West Brom picking up just the one point after their first three fixtures.

Outright Betting: Chelsea are justified 6/5 favourites after their first three preformances and look a good bet as they will almost certainly be thereabouts come the end of the season. Despite Liverpool currently lying in second place in the table, the bookies have priced them up as just 4th favourites for the title at 8/1. Arsenal look a poor bet at 6/1 after they looked shakey when they lost to Fulham on their travels while Man Utd are second favourites at 7/4.

Relegation Betting: Despite Hull finding themselves in 10th position at this early stage the bookies have priced them up as joint favourites for the drop with Stoke City at 3/10. With West brom not far behind in the betting at evens, it is clear to see that the bookies don’t fancy their chances of survival. The value in this market looks to be with Bolton Wanderers. They are currently 3/1 and with no recognised striker they could struggle for goals. They may have thrashed Stoke City 4-1 but Stoke were poor and they won’t get many easier games then that.

Arsenal
Players in: Aaron Ramsey, Samir Nasri, Mikael Silvestre
Players out: Mathieu Famini, Jens Lehmann, Kerrea Gilbert, Philippe Senderos, Justin Hoyte, Alexander Hleb, Gilberto Silva
Key Player: Cesc Fabregas
Prediction: 4th Despite them having a very young and in-experienced side Arsenal once again finished in the champions league places in 3rd. They have lost several key players though with Mathieu Flamini and Alexander Hleb moving on to so called better things with AC Milan and Barcelona. They did eventually manage to keep hold of Adebayor who was second top goalscorer in the premiership last season and with Cesc Fabregas and new boy Samir Nasri providing the creativity, Arsenal should be thereabouts come the end of the season.

Aston Villa
Players in: Curtis Davies, Steve Sidwell, Brad Friedel, Brad Guzan, Luke Young, Nickey Shorey, Carlos Cuellar, James Milner
Players out: Patrik Berger, Thomas Sorensen, Luke Moore, Shaun Maloney
Key player: Gareth Barry
Prediction: 5th We like Aston Villa a lot. They are a young side full of pace. Gareth Barry has the ability to control the midfield while pacey English winger Ashley Young has the ability to beat his man and put in a decent ball to the two tall forwards, John Carew and Gabriel Agbonahlor. They did very well to keep Gareth barry out of the clutches of Liverpool and they have a great chance of snatching a European spot.

Blackburn Rovers
Players in: Paul Robinson, Carlos Villanueva, Danny Simpson, Vincenzo Grella, Keith Andrews
Players out: David Bentley, Brad Friedel,
Key Player: Roque Santa Cruz
Prediction: 9th With a new manager at the helm in the form of Paul Ince, Blackburn will be looking to build on their finish of 7th last season. A big negative is the transfer of David Bentley. Not only did he provide the strikers with extremely good service from the wing but he contributed with his fair share of goals. They did keep Santa Cruz who is now their most high profile player and with him singing a new long term contract, Fans will be hoping for more goals from the Paraguay international this season. The key to their season will be centred around this man and if he can continue scoring like he did last season then they could have a decent season.

Bolton Wanderers
Players in: Johan Elmander, Danny Shittu, Ebi Smolarek, Fabrice Muamba
Players out: Daniel Braaten, Abdoulaye Meite, El-Hadji Diouf
Key Player: Kevin Nolan
Prediction: 17th A club with only one real aim for the season which is Premiership survival. Gone the days when they used to finish around the UEFA Cup spots. They lack quality players with their captain being their only player worth mentioning. They spent somewhere in the region of £12,000,000 on Toulouse striker Johan Elmander which i don’t think is a good piece of business. Kevin Davies has lost his sharpness and won’t bag them enough goals this season. They have to beat the teams around them else they could be lured into a relegation dogfight.

Chelsea
Players in: Jose Bosingwa, Anderson Deco, Slobodan Rajkovic
Players out: Ben Sahar, Steve Sidwell, Claude Makelele, Khalid Boulahruz, Tal Ben Haim, Claudio Pizarro, Andriy Shevchenko, Shaun Wright-Philips
Key Player: Anderson Deco
Prediction: 1st Chelsea already had one of the strongest teams in Europe but went ahead and improved their squad by adding two Portuguese internationals in Jose Bosingwa and play-maker Anderson Deco from Barcelona. Deco will be a fantastic addition to Scolari’s squad. He has the ability to pull the strings and can ship in with a few goals. Bosingwa also adds more width down the right hand side and will be tricky to handle. With Lampard and Drogba remaining with the blues Chelsea remain one of the favourites for the crown and will certainly be up there come the end.

Everton
Players in: Segundo Castillo, Carlo Nash, Louis Saha
Players out: Lee Carsley, Thomas Gravesen, Andrew Johnson
Key Player: Mikel Arteta
Prediction: 12th Everton had a very good season last term and finished in 5th position. However, they haven’t brought in any new recruits over the summer that are worth making a note off with maybe the exception of Louis Saha. Everton do lack quality in depth and with Andrew Johnson heading to Fulham, if they were to get a few injuries then they could struggle. Mikel Arteta will be key for them. If he could form some sort of partnership with Louis Saha then maybe they could have a decent season but we doubt they have enough to match last season finish.

Fulham
Players in: Mark Schwarzer, Zolton Gera, Toni Kallio, Bobby Zamora, John Pantsil, Andrew Johnson, Dickson Etuhu, Julian Gray
Players out: Dejan Stefanovic, Ricardo Batista, Hameur Bouazza, Steven Davis, Alexei Smertin, Antti Niemi
Key Player: Andrew Johnson
Prediction: 15th Probably the most active team in the transfer market over the summer which seen Andrew Johnson and Zolton Gera join the Fulham squad. Both could be very influential. Fulham will be hoping the new boys will help them push away from the relegation zone and a mid-table finish would be a great result for Fulham. Their early win over Arsenal at home proved they can play very well on their day and i think they will have enough to stay away from a relegation battle.

Hull City
Players in: Craig Fagan, Geovanni, Bernard Mendy, George Boateng, Peter Halmosi, Anthony Gardner, Marlon King, Daniel Cousin
Players out: David Livermore, Simon Walton
Key Player: Daniel Cousin
Prediction: 20th With very little in quality entering the club over the season. Hull could find themselves in a tricky situation earlier then then they would want. The Premiership is one of the hardest leagues in the world and Hull just don’t have enough decent players to survive this time around. Geovanni looked decent in his opening game but he did the same at Man City and rarely got a gamer come the end of the season. Daniel Cousin could be a decent capture and they will need him to get his shooting boots on straight away if they are to put up a fight.

Liverpool
Players in: Phillip Degan, Andrea Dossena, Diego Cavelieri, David N’Gog, Robbie Keane, Albert Riera
Players out: John Arne Riise, Harry Kewell, Danny Guthrie, Peter Crouch, Scott Carson, Sebastien Leto, Andriy Voronin, Steve Finnan
Key Player: Steven Gerrard
Prediction: 3rd The under achievers in Liverpool will be hoping to close the gap on the top two this season. They were disappointing last season finishing in 4th. 11 points behind winners Manchester United. Fernando Torres was phenomenal last season scoring over 30 goals in his first season for the reds. He will need to pick up where he left off and form another lethal partnership with Gerrard if they are to get closer to Chelsea and Man Utd. Robbie Keane should be a good buy if he clicks with Torres. After the first few games they have yet to gel but I’m sure they will get it together soon. We’re not sure if they have what it takes to go all the way this season.

Manchester City
Players in: Jo, Robinho, Tal Ben Haim, Shaun Wright-Philips, Pablo Zabeleta
Players out: Emile Mpenza, Geovanni, Georgios Samaras, Bernando Corradi, Vedran Corluka
Key Player: Robinho
Prediction: 6th A turbulent last day of the transfer market saw Manchester City get bought by Abu Dhabi who have already promised the fans a top 4 finish this season and the title next season. We seriously doubt their first claim. They purchased the club too late and although they have made a fantastic signing in Robinho, they still lack quality in depth. They are very inconsistent and Mark Hughes would need the likes of Wright-Philips and Elano to perform week in, week out if they are to get close to their target. They need a lot more players to achieve this and we fancy them to fall short.

Manchester United
Players in: Dimitar Berbatov
Players out: Chris Eagles, Louis Saha, Mikael Silvestre, Fraizer Campbell
Key Player: Christiano Ronaldo
Prediction: 2nd With very little transfer activity over the summer man Utd will be looking to their new signing Berbatov for goals. With Ronaldo out until mid October they will rely heavily on Scholes, Carrick and Rooney for creativity in the center of the park. Wayne Rooney has yet to get going while Tevez is yet to score. If Berbatov settles in well at the club then he could be a great signing. It will probably be a two horse race between them and Chelsea which could go all the way once more.

Middlesborough
Players in: Marvin Emnes, Didier Digard, Justin Hoyte
Players out: Mark Schwarzer, Fabio Rochemback, Lee Catermole, Luke Young
Key Player: Stuart Downing
Prediction: 10th Gareth Southgate will be looking to push his side into the top half of the table and with players like Alfonso Alves and Stuart Downing, they have a chance. They have a defender in David Wheater who can score from set plays and looks destined for a regular England place. Stuart Downing is a class apart in that team. Many clubs have shown interest but yet to confirm it with a serious offer. He will be their key player for the season. He can beat his man on the wing and can certainly whip in a decent ball. Alfonso shown bits of good form last season but will need to vastly improve his form if Middlesborough are to make this season worth remembering.

Newcastle United
Players in: Jonas Gutierrez, Danny Guthrie, Fabricio Coloccini, Nacho Gonzalez, Xisco
Players out: Stephen Carr, Peter Ramage, David Rozenhal, Emre, James Milner
Key Player: Michael Owen
Prediction: 13th A club in turmoil right now. With Kevin Keegan walking out and the departure of James Milner, it is clear there is unrest at the club. With the new manager still yet to be decided it is a surprise Michael Owen didn’t follow Keegan out the door. He is too good for Newcastle. His is rather unfortunate with all his injuries but when he plays he is England’s best striker by far. Jonas Gutierrez looks a good buy but if Newcastle are to have any sort of season they will need Owen to avoid any more injuries. Troubles in the boardroom doesn’t help a club and we fancy them to struggle this season.

Portsmouth
Players in: Glen Little, Ben Sahar, Peter Crouch, Younes Kaboul
Players out: Sulley Muntari, Pedro Mendes
Key Player: Jermaine Defoe
Prediction: 7th Harry Redknapp really has transformed Portsmouth and with the amount he has spent over the summer we reckon they will do alright this term. Sulley Muntari moving to Inter Milan will be a massive loss and he was a rock in the centre of midfield. The capture of Liverpool forward Peter Crouch looks a decent one and if he and Defoe can click form the off then they could form a good partnership. Defoe will enjoy playing off Crouch’s knock-downs and they could complement each other. They will need to work hard to get a UEFA spot but they have a good chance.

Stoke City
Players in: Dave Kitson, Thomas Sorensen, Abdoulaye Faye, Ibrahima Sonko, Tom Soares, Danny Higginbottom
Players out: Marlon Broomes, Jon Parkin
Key Player: Dave Kitson
Prediction: 18th Another of the new boys in Stoke City. They have a tough challenge if they are to survive this season. Like Hull they have failed to buy anyone of real quality and lack depth. Dave Kitson could be a good signing and if he contributes with goals then they could have a slight chance of surviving. They are a powerful side and their best chance of getting goals looks to be from set pieces. They will have a tough season ahead which could end in disappointment.

Sunderland
Players in: Teemu Tainio, Pascal Chimbonda, El-Hadji Diouf, Steed Malbranque, Djibril Cisse, David Healy, Anton Ferdinand, George McCartney
Players out: Andy Cole, Dickson Etuhu, Danny Higginbottom
Key Player: El-Hadji Diouf
Prediction: 11th Roy Keane did well to get his side to 15th in the league table last season and has made signings over the summer in a bid to improve on that finish. Diouf is a lively character and could be just what Keane needs. Not only can he score but he can create chances as well. Djibril Cisse will also be crucial for Sunderland this season. Keane has loaned him from Marseille and it took him just minutes to repay his manager and score the winner over Spurs. Anton Ferdinand should strengthen their back four along with pacey full back Pascal Chimbonda from Spurs. They have put in some decent performances thus far but were rather unlucky to lose to Liverpool in their opening fixture. A win over Sours was duly deserved and a sign of things to come possibly. We fancy them to better their position this time around.

Tottenham Hotspur
Players in: Geovani Dos Santos, Luka Modric, Gomes, David Bentley, Roman Pavlychenko, Fraizer Campbell, Vedran Corluka
Players out: Teemu Tainio, Paul Robinson, Pascal Chimbonda, Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov, Steed Malbranque, Younes Kaboul
Key Player: Luka Modric
Prediction: 8th A disappointing season last year looks set to continue after a poor start once again. With two defeats against Middlesborough and Sunderland and a 1-1 draw with Chelsea shows their in-different form. They are very inconsistent despite the quality they have at the club. The fans will be devastated with the departures of both Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov and will be looking towards Darren Bent and new signing Pavlychenko for goals. Luke Modric has the ability to play his part in the centre of midfield but Tottenham are too inconsistent to mount any sort of challenge to the UEFA cup spot. Another disappointing season beckons.

West Brom
Players in: Luke Moore, Gianni Zuiverloon, Marek Cech, Scott Carson, Borja Valero, Ryan Donk
Players out: Zolton Gera, Curtis Davies, Kevin Philips
Key Player: Scott Carson
Prediction: 19th A season at the foot of the table beckons for WBA. Despite spending a fair amount over the summer they still lack a recognised striker. I honestly cannot see where the goals will come from and they will rely heavily on Scott Carson in goal to keep out their opponents. With just 1 points from the first 3 games it doesn’t look good. Them and Hull looked doomed from the off.

West Ham
Players in: Valon Behami, David Di Michele
Players out: Bobby Zamore, John Pantsil, Richard Wright, Anton Ferdinand, George McCartney
Key Player: Dean Ashton
Prediction: 16th Another club in trouble after Alan Curbishley walked out on West Ham just last week. The board were selling several key players without his consent with Anton Ferdinand and George McCartney both heading out of the club without Curbishley’s acknowledgement. They are another club i think will struggle this season as they don’t have any players that stand out in the creativity department. Dean Ashton can score when given the chance but i seriously doubt they can provide the English forward with consistent good supply. Too many good players have left with very little in return. Wouldn’t be surprised if they were involved in a battle for survival come the end of the season.

Wigan Athletic
Players in: Daniel De Ridder, Olivier Kapo, Amr Zaki, Lee Catermole
Players out: Marcus Bent, David Cotterill, Marlon King, Carlo Nash
Key Player: Wilson Palacios
Prediction: 14th Wigan should go well this season. They were terribly unlucky to lose their fixture with Chelsea after they went down 1-0 at home but enjoyed the majority of the possession and had the better chances. They followed this performance with a great victory over Hull which ended 5-0. Palacios and Valencia look good on the wing while new signing Zaki looks sharp in front of goal. If they can keep hold of Emile Heskey for the whole season then they should go well and stay clear of the drop.