Saturday british betting preview

Saturday 12^th March (12.45)

English FA Cup

Birmingham v Bolton Wanderers 

Quarter final stage of the FA Cup see’s an all Premier League tie at St Andrews as Birmingham host Bolton as both sides look for the win that will take them to Wembley.

Fresh from their recent triumph in the League Cup over Arsenal, Birmingham came crashing back down to earth when losing a key relegation battle last weekend against Midlands rivals West Brom. It was a dose of reality for the Blues who surpassed all expectations in defeating their more illustrious opponents at the National Stadium. Alex McLeish has been quoted on several occasions already this term that the league is their foremost priority and the cups, although a very welcome distraction considering their success to date, are no more than a bonus. McLeish’s men showed that they are able to bounce back as well on Wednesday when they got a credible 1-1 draw with Everton at Goodison Park. It’s that resilience and determination that will see them escape their relegation plight. Currently out of the drop zone on goal difference, there is sure to be a few more twists and turns left in their quest for survival.

Bolton have surprised many this season with their consistency and high level of performances. Rarely out the top eight this season, Wanderers have proved their doubters wrong who tipped them to be involved in a relegation scrap at the start of the season. In what has been a very strange season in terms of upsets, Owen Coyle’s men have been one side who have managed to churn out more good results than bad ones. Even when they are not playing well they are still able to snatch a point or better from games. Last weekend’s match at home to Aston Villa was a prime example; dominated for much of the match they managed to sneak all three points. It’s testament to how their attitude has changed under Coyle who has instilled a never say die mantra which is definitely working for them. Four wins and a draw from their last five games in all competitions is excellent form at just the right stage of the season.

Birmingham have more options going forward this season than they did last year which may be part of the reason why they are not as consistent as they were 12 months ago. Having such a small squad can often work to a manager’s advantage (providing they steer clear of injuries and suspensions) as it brings the players closer together and they are fully aware of their own jobs. Bolton seem to be benefiting from that this term as they regularly depend on a core of 12 or 13 players.

I have sided with Birmingham in the cup already this season and see no reason to change that. The Blues have shown that they are able to win cup matches this season which is a very good trait to be in. They have played plenty of football of late but the price on them at home is too big to miss.

My Selections: Birmingham to beat Bolton Wanderers

Best price available: 2/1 available with Victor Chandler

English Championship

Burnley v Millwall

Burnley and Millwall head into tomorrow’s match against each other on the back of positive results for both during the midweek.

Since Eddie Howe took charge at Turf Moor earlier this year, Burnley have rapidly climbed the table. Having lost only one league fixture since taking the job, the Clarets are the form side of the division and stand a real chance of challenging for promotion through the play-offs, if not better. Only three points off of sixth position with two games in hand over all the teams directly above them, it’s not a forlorn hope that Burnley may even challenge for the automatic promotion spot as, if they accumulate six points from their two games in hand, they would be just a point of Swansea who currently occupy second place. They do have hard games coming up over the next few weeks, starting tomorrow. They also have to face four of the six teams above them in the league between now and the end of the season so the chance of promotion is certainly within their own hands.

Millwall fans would have really enjoyed their 2-0 success over city rivals and league leaders QPR on Tuesday. It was just more proof of how strong the Lions are when playing at the New Den. The frustration for Kenny Jackett will be that their home form is in keeping with the best in the league but they are unable to transfer those results away from home. Their away record has been terrible of late and is very much the reason as to why they are not closer to the play-off positions. Just three wins on the road all season is an indication of how much they’ve struggled on their travels, but considering the fact they remain just nine points off of sixth placed, how good their home form has been. Before winning against QPR however, Millwall had went five games without a win. Their last away win was against Middlesbrough back in November having lost four of the last five away.

Burnley have won seven of their 10 league matches under Howe and will be determined to enhance that record further tomorrow. They are unbeaten at Turf Moor this year having won five out of six in all competitions. The only team to leave with anything was infact QPR. The relative form books suggest this should be a home win and I certainly agree with that – home win.

My Selection: Burnley to beat Millwall

Best odds available: 10/11 available with BlueSquare

Scottish Cup

St Mirren v Aberdeen

The Cup has certainly been a welcome distraction for both Aberdeen and St Mirren this season as they have endured poor seasons to date.

St Mirren have never really got going this season and are still failing in the same areas under Danny Lennon as they did under former manager Gus McPherson. They still don’t score enough goals and are do not create anywhere near the chances they should in order to rectify that. They have yet to record back to back victories this season which is one of the many reasons there still fighting relegation. They remain the only side Hamilton can catch with Aberdeen a further nine points clear. The Buddies saving grace is that Accies are every bit as bad as them this year and are cast adrift at the bottom (seven points clear having played a game more).

Aberdeen have also struggled this season and are in a deplorable position for a club of their size. Craig Brown has failed to deliver consistency although he has improved the playing squad with several shrewd purchases. The Dons fans have already visited Hampden this season but they lost heavily to Celtic in  the semi final of the League Cup. With one half of the Old Firm already out of the competition, the remaining sides know they stand a better chance of reaching the Scottish Cup final this year which is a great day out for a smaller clubs supporters. Aberdeen fans probably don’t see themselves as a small club considering their history, but they will be demanding a semi final appearance at the very least to compensate for a poor league campaign.

Fact of the matter is Aberdeen have more quality than St Mirren, especially going forward. That is not always enough however as you need to have the desire and proper attitude, especially in cup football. Brown will make his players well aware of their responsibility to the supporters and although consistency has been a problem, Brown is a past master at readying his troops for one off games. Aberdeen are the value call tomorrow.

My Selection: Aberdeen to beat St Mirren

Best odds available: 6/4 available with William Hill

Saturday 4^th March

English Premier League

Fulham v Blackburn Rovers

 Mark Hughes faces another one of his former clubs a week on from visiting the City of Manchester Stadium as Blackburn Rovers travel to Craven Cottage tomorrow.

Fulham have been this season’s draw specialists with 14 to their name already. There are two ways of looking at it; one would be the fact they are hard to beat and do not lose many games, whilst the other viewpoint is that they struggle to win games. Either or, the end result is the same, a low points total which means they are still in contention for the drop. In recent weeks there have been signs of improvement, however, as the Cottagers have remained unbeaten through a difficult set of fixtures against Aston Villa and Manchester City away, as well as Newcastle and Chelsea at home. Hughes would have been frustrated that his side never came away with more than six points from those games as Fulham missed a last minute penalty against Chelsea which would have won them all three points. As well as not losing many games (just eight from 28 games) they also have one of the best defensive records in the league. Their total of 28 goals conceded is only bettered by the top four sides in the division, which certainly shows where their main strengths lie.

Blackburn Rovers currently sit bottom of the form table in the Premier League with just one win from their last six matches. It’s testing times for their new boss Stewart Kean who was a surprise appointment when getting the job before Christmas. If history tells us anything in football it’s that new owners, especially one’s pumping millions into a club, are not the most patient of folk. Kean will be only too well aware of this and will be under no illusions as to what needs to change if he wishes to lead Rovers in the Premier League next season. Like Fulham, Rovers are very much involved in the relegation dogfight as the season moves into its final quarter. It’s been on their travels where Blackburn have really struggled as well as they have lost 10 of their 14 matches on the road – only Wolves have lost more games away from home in the league. They have, in actual fact, lost eight of their last nine games in all competitions away from home.

Fulham are beginning to get their key players back, Bobby Zamora withstanding, Hughes now has more depth to his squad then he has since taking the job. They have more goal scoring options which can only be a good thing as they fight against the drop. Zoltan Gera, Moussa Dembele, Andy Johnson and Eidur Gudjohnsen really need to start taking more responsibility when on the park and chip in with more goals to support top scorer Clint Dempsey. Rovers also have a plethora of options going forward but few of them chip in with enough goals to move Blackburn away from danger. When your top scorer is only on five goals, you need to worry.

Fulham have only lost three games at home all season, and whilst they have only won five, they remain strong opponents and difficult to get the better off at the Cottage. Their wins have also come against sides in and around them or below them in the table. With Rovers on such a bad run of form on the road, I fancy Fulham to take a big step to Premier League safety tomorrow.

My Selection: Fulham to beat Blackburn Rovers

Best odds available: 3/4 available with Paddypower

English Premier League

Newcastle United v Everton

Everton have to pick themselves up after being knocked out of the FA Cup by reading as Newcastle will prove stern opposition tomorrow as they get back to league business.

Life after Andy Carroll has been nothing but eventful at St James’ Park. The comeback from 4-0 down against Arsenal was unarguably the most entertaining and one of the all time greatest matches in Premier League history whilst they have gone four games unbeaten since losing to Fulham at the beginning of February. Alan Pardew will no doubt be pleased by the resilience shown by his players in the midst of a lot of media attention and fans criticism for the sale of their former number 9 to Liverpool on the last day of the January transfer window. One man who has certainly stepped up to the plate is Leon Best. Hardly given a chance since his move to the club over a year ago, Best has done well since coming into the team as a regular starter in January. He has scored five goals in nine league games including a hat trick against West Ham. Although not completely safe from relegation, Newcastle are still in a comfortable enough position heading into the latter months of the season. In ninth position with 36 points, another couple of wins should see them safe for another season and a chance to spend the £35m burning a hole in Mike Ashley’s pocket.

Everton have been this season’s biggest enigma by far and must be a source of great frustration for their manager Davie Moyes. Their season could be summed up by their FA Cup exploits in recent weeks. Despite knocking out Chelsea in replay on penalties, and looking every inch potential winners of the competition, they undone all their hard work during the week as they were knocked out by Championship side Reading at Goodison Park. So many times this season, you expect them to kick on and put together a strong run of form like they have in previous season, only for them to hit a brick wall. It’s the main reason as to why they are fighting against relegation as opposed to challenging for a European place. Moyes has openly admitted that he is disappointed with the lack of consistency and will demand that he and the supporters get a big performance tomorrow after the disappointment of midweek.

For me, Newcastle still lack some firepower upfront. As well as Best has done since taking over Carroll’s mantle, he’s still very much a novice at this level. Kevin Nolan remains a threat, especially at set-pieces but they can’t continue to rely on the former Bolton man for goals. Everton do a much better job of sharing goals around the side. Three players have scored at least five league goals this season with Tim Cahill their top scorer with 9 to his name, despite missing a month due to the Asian Cup.

Aside from losing 2-0 to Bolton in February, Everton have done relatively well on the road recently. A narrow defeat to Arsenal was preceded by a very good derby draw with Liverpool. Their most recent away game was in the FA Cup replay at Stamford Bridge where they acquitted themselves really well. I like the balance Everton have, especially away from home. I also believe Moyes is an excellent manager and his players will be desperate to prove something to him after Tuesday night. Although you have to have a bit of faith and go against the form table a little, I think Everton are attractively priced to win all three points tomorrow.

My Selection: Everton to beat Newcastle United

Best odds available:  15/8 available with Victor Chandler

Scottish Premier League

Celtic v Hamilton

After an eventful Old Firm Scottish Cup replay, Celtic return to league action against Hamilton on Saturday hoping to stretch their league at the top of the table.

Three sending offs, fisticuffs in the tunnel, arguments between both benches…just another derby day in Glasgow. That was the case on Wednesday as Celtic kept their treble bid alive after defeating arch rivals Rangers 1-0 at Celtic Park. Neil Lennon’s side had been in tremendous form before crashing to a 2-0 defeat against Motherwell last Sunday. They responded with Wednesday success but know that the most important prize of all remains the SPL Championship. Currently five points clear but having played two more games than Rangers, anything but a win would be unwelcome, if not disastrous at this stage of the season. 10 wins from 14 home matches is good form but it certainly needs to continue with 11 games of the season left.

Hamilton are in big danger of being cast adrift of the rest at the bottom of the table Seven points behind and on level games with St Mirren, things look bleak for Billy Reid and his players. With just two wins all season, and none of those at home, it doesn’t take Columbo to see where they have to improve. You can sympathise with Reid and his plight as he has had to sell off his best players to doting admirers in recent seasons. James McCarthy, James MacArthur and Brian Easton have all left for England and have yet to be replaced with any real quality. Alex Neil is also a big miss as the captain has been injured for much of the season. All things considered, however, they don’t score enough goals, they concede too many and they are lacking in quality – there usually is only one outcome for those sort of traits.

Celtic have a big squad at their disposal and have the luxury of making changes ahead of tomorrow’s game. Anthony Stokes is likely to come back into the side after missing out on Wednesday, whilst Joe Ledley and Fraser Forster should also return after missing out through suspension. Stokes is the key one however as he is Celtic’s top scorer and the one capable of scoring from any situation. He has already netted against Hamilton this season and having not scored since the middle of February, will be keen to add to his tally of 12 league goals. Celtic have an exemplary home record against Hamilton in the Premier League having won four from four with 13 goals scored and just one conceded. I expect this to continue tomorrow.

My Selection: Celtic (-2) to beat Hamilton at a best priced 9/5 available with Coral

Anthony Stokes to score and Celtic to win available at a best priced 5/6 available with 888Sport

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

Saturday 21^st August

English Championship

Burnley v Leicester

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My selection: Burnley to beat Leicester City

Best odds available: 11/10 available at Bet365

Scottish Premier League

Hamilton v Hearts (12.00)

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

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

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

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

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

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

My selections: Hearts to beat Hamilton

Best odds available: 8/5 available with William Hill

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

Well its back! The football season really kicks into action this weekend with the return of both the English Premier League and the SPL. After a slightly underwhelming World Cup in South Africa now a mere afterthought, we can look forward to 10 months worth of drama, disappointments and hopefully delirium on the betting front.

Saturday 14^th August

English Premier League

Wigan v Blackpool

Our first port of call takes us to the DW Stadium where Premier League new boys Blackpool are the visitors in a fixture which should have taken place at Bloomfield Road but for reconstruction work.

Roberto Martinez achieved his mandate last season by keeping his Wigan charges in the league in an acceptable first year as manager. Survival will once again be the main target this season for the club but seeing as though Martinez has always been one of the games optimist, he will be hoping to surprise a few by avoiding a relegation battle this season. He’s been relatively busy this summer with the arrivals of 5 new players including £6m for Mauro Boselli who has been signed to solve their lack of goals. He will join Hugo Rodallega upfront in what looks a pretty decent strike partnership. They will have to do without Gary Caldwell for the foreseeable future after the Scottish defender had two hip operations over the summer. It will be a new look defence for Wigan as Titus Bramble has departed so expect to see new signings Antolin Alcaraz and Ronnie Stam make their debuts tomorrow afternoon.

Ian Holloway would no doubt have been very frustrated for much of the summer being unable to add to his squad the way he would have liked. He only signed one player up until this week where he landed 5 new signings. The most recognisable one for British readers would be Marlon Harewood. The former West Ham striker was on a free after being released from his Aston Villa contract at the end of last season. He’s expected to go straight into the squad to face Wigan and may even start due to the lack of senior strikers available at the club. Holloway is still on the look for new arrivals as he believes his squad to be weaker than the one that gained promotion due to the loan returns of Seamus Coleman and DJ Campbell. Both were stand-outs during the playoffs and will be missed by the Seasiders. One player that will be playing tomorrow is Charlie Adam. The Scot excelled in the Championship and he has stayed to lead out his side in their first Premier League match. If Blackpool are to do anything this season, he’ll be the man at the centre of it all.

Wigan are now an established Premier League side as they face their 6 successive season in England top’s flight. Despite being a very unfashionable club, they’re resilient and I can see them getting off to a winning start tomorrow. Charles N’Zogbia is still at the club and his undoubted talent should see him start tomorrow to provide that extra bit of class. James McCarthy will also be expected to perform at a consistently high level after an up and down debut season. The teenager exudes confidence and he can be a big player starting tomorrow.

Blackpool will have days in the sun during their debut season but I think this game will come too soon for a lot of their players as they seem behind in their preparations. Wigan have had a decent pre-season but most importantly, they’re experienced and Martinez is a shrewd character.

My selection: Wigan to beat Blackpool

Best odds available: 5/6 available several firms including with William Hill

English League One

Bournemouth v Peterborough

Dropping down the leagues for our next preview as we visit Dean Court for a battle of two sides who were separated by two leagues last season – Promoted Bournemouth host relegated Peterborough.

Bournemouth exceeded all expectations last season by gaining promotion despite having such a small squad. Manager Eddie Howe worked wonders and he will be desperate to show that last season was not just a flash in the pan. They had a difficult first match in League 1 last week away to Charlton, they done pretty well but eventually lost out by a single goal. They followed this up midweek with a 2-0 reverse in the League cup away to Southampton. Howe will not be panicking yet, nowhere near it, but at the same time, he’ll also know that the longer it goes without scoring a goal and gaining points, the harder it becomes.

Peterborough did not do themselves justice last season in the Championship. Darren Ferguson was one of 3 managers to ultimately fail to keep the side up in the 2^nd tier of English football. Last season, however, is behind them and they are now under new stewardship in the shape of Gary Johnson. The acquisition of the former Bristol City manager was a real coup and having already won promotion from this division previously, he knows what it’s all about. He has managed to keep the likes of Joe Lewis, Aaron McLean and George Boyd which has been very important, whilst also adding a couple of decent players, most notably Grant McCann from Scunthorpe.

Bournemouth were very strong last season, especially at home, but this is a massive step up as they are playing one of the promotion favourites. They’ve equipped themselves well thus far and still look hard to beat. With Brett Pittman upfront, they have a striker that is always liable to nick a goal so will be threatening. Peterborough, however, look irresistible at the moment after scoring 7 goals in their opening two matches. They followed last Saturday’s 3-0 league win at home to Bristol Rovers with a 4-1 cup victory against Rotherham. This will be their first away game but they have a lot more quality than their hosts and players who have thrived at this level beforehand.

I expect the likes of Boyd and McLean (if fit), to be too powerful for Howe’s Bournemouth. I think the Cherries will stay in this division but this will be one of their more difficult fixtures they face, as the fresh, grassy pitches will suit the Posh’s quick, passing game.

My selection: Peterborough to beat Bournemouth

Best odds available: 7/5 available with several bookmakers including Betfred

Saturday 15^th May

English FA Cup

Chelsea v Portsmouth

No-one would have given Pompey a chance of reaching an FA Cup final with everything that has gone on at the club this season so it’s testament to the hard work of Avram Grant and his players that they face Chelsea at Wembley tomorrow.

Chelsea come into this match on the back of winning the Premier League last Sunday so are chasing their first domestic double for decades. It would cap off what has been a pretty successful first season for Carlo Ancellotti as manager of the club. They could hardly come into this match in better form with 8 wins from their last 9 games in all competitions. It’s been a fantastic recovery since losing to Inter in the Champions League and they have proved that experience is every bit as important as skill in the closing weeks of a season. Some of their attacking play of late has been superb as well, most notably at home where they have scored 16 goals in 3 matches, conceding zero.

Portsmouth are already relegated and have been for quite some time which means this match has taken on even more significance since they defeated Spurs in the semi-final last months. It’s been a turbulent season which included a manager being sacked, several new owners and culminated in the club going into administration which ultimately sealed their relegation fate. Their cup exploits have been excellent, however, and they have fully deserved their place in tomorrow’s final. They have saw off, as well as Spurs, Birmingham, Sunderland and local rivals Southampton. The players really seemed to have risen to the challenge of giving their supporters something to be happy about this term. Of course the club won the competition in 2008 when things looked a lot rosier for them. The team is basically unrecognisable from the one that defeated Cardiff that day but they can still call on their goal scorer from that game, Kanu, who will likely start on the bench.

Everyone has this one down as a Chelsea win and if I am being honest, I do too. However, the price on them is disgusting when you take everything into consideration. It’s a one-off game. It’s at a neutral venue. Portsmouth have looked like a different team in this competition. Chelsea have been celebrating since last Sunday and their key players have a big summer ahead of them in the World Cup.

So as ever, I’ll look elsewhere for a good value bet. I know Chelsea have been in excellent goal scoring form and that Portsmouth have been pretty generous at the back, but I have a feeling that this could be a low-scoring match. Pompey will defend for their lives as they did in the semi-final. They’ll look to restrict space in the final 3^rd and will play with one up in order to flood the midfield. Their midfielders are also better defensively than they are going forward. I also feel that Chelsea are a slightly different team when away from Stamford Bridge so I’m going to have a play on under 2.5 goals.

I do expect Chelsea to win and when they do get a goal, if I have called the game correctly, I expect Portsmouth to push for the last 20 minutes or so and this will result in gaps being left which Chelsea will exploit so I think 2-0 seems as good a score as any to have a small stakes gamble on.

My selections: Under 2.5 goals available at a best priced 6/4 with Ladbrokes

                             Chelsea to win 2-0 at a best priced 11/2 available with Coral

Scottish Cup Final

Dundee United v Ross County

It’s another version of David vs Goliath in the Scottish equivalent as 1^st division Ross County hope to upset SPL side, Dundee United.

United have had an excellent season finishing 3^rd and qualifying for Europe. It’s even more impressive when you consider the fact they lost their manager Craig Levein halfway through the season as he took the Scotland’s manager job. His assistant Peter Houston took over the reins and he has done superbly well after a sticky first couple of games in charge. He’s basically carried on where Levein left off as it’s the same set of players he has at his disposal, tactics are exactly the same and the way they play their football is almost identical, so the change in leadership has been seamless.

Ross County defeated Celtic in the semi-finals to reach their first ever National cup final. Derek Adams side played the Glasgow giants off the park that day and thoroughly deserved their win and place in tomorrow’s finals. They also saw off Hibernian in the quarters over 2 games so they have had a very difficult and challenging route to the final. Their fans are adamant that they are not coming to make up the numbers and Adams has said that they will go to attack Dundee United in order to bring the trophy back up north to Dingwall. They also seem to be very confident and know that they are capable of springing another surprise in this season’s competition.

 I expect the FA cup final to be pretty close in terms of goals and I expect this to be a similarly close match but I envisage more goals in this game simply because the way both teams set up. Both sides will go with 2 strikers and 2 wide players capable of creating chances. County have scored 24 goals on the road to Hampden so they certainly know where the goals are. As do United who were the 4^th top scorers in the SPL so there is definitely going to be plenty of chances for both sides.

David Goodwillie has had a good season and has managed to scored in 3 of his sides Scottish Cup games this season, including the opening goal in their semi-final win over Raith Rovers at Hampden. He’s a handful for any defence with his power and pace and the 6/4 for him to score anytime is worthwhile nibbling at.

My selections: Over 2.5 goals available at a best priced 10/11 with Victor Chandler

                             David Goodwillie to score anytime at a best priced 6/4 with Ladbrokes

Saturday 17^th April

English Championship

Blackpool v Nottingham Forest

Both of these sides have aspirations of playing in the Premier League next season so there’s a lot on the line as Forest travel North to take on Blackpool at Bloomfield Road.

Ian Holloway has done a marvellous job this season to even get his side close to the play-off picture. In a league where the likes of Middlesbrough, Ipswich and Sheffield United are all behind Blackpool, it’s testament to the hard work and endeavour of one of the more colourful characters in the game. Holloway has transformed a side who were only ever hoping for a mid-table finish at best into a side who currently sit 2 points off the final play-off position with 3 games to go. Their success this season has been built on a very good home record. They have won 12 of their 21 home games, losing just 4 all season long. After a lull during January and February, they have picked up again and have went on a run of 1 defeat in 6 before last week’s defeat to Newcastle at St James’ Park – where everybody has struggled this season.

Nottingham Forest secured their play-off position last week with a comfortable win over Ipswich. Forest had a sustained challenge for automatic promotion which only petered out in the last couple of months, which can be put down to the loss of some key personnel to injury. Billy Davies will be determined to get his side back on a consistent run of good form before the play-off begins however, and after guiding Derby to the Premier League through the play-offs, as well as leading Preston to the play-off final before that, there is nobody better for the challenges which lie ahead. Forest, however, have struggled on the road of late and have not won on the road since their demolition of West Brom at the Hawthorns at the beginning of January. It’s a run of form which has seen them lose 7 and draw 1 of their last 8 on the road, scoring just 4 goals in the process.

Blackpool’s key player without a doubt has been Charlie Adam. Their skipper moved from Rangers in the summer for £500,000 and has never looked back. He has scored 15 goals from midfield and has been the catalyst for ‘Pool’s promotion bid. His form has earned him a call-up to the Scotland squad and he has been linked with a lucrative move to the Premier League in recent weeks. His future could lie in the top league with another club should Blackpool be unsuccessful in their bid to gain promotion, despite this, he will be as committed as anyone to push his side as far as they can go.

There has never been much between these sides when they play, as shown by the numerous draws in recent times (5 of the last 7 have ended in stalemates). This time around, however, a draw is not much good to the home side who need all 3 points to keep the pressure on Swansea and Leicester above them. With a play-off place assured and the likelihood it will be 3^rd place at that, I think Blackpool’s desire will be greater and can see them sneaking all 3 points.

My selection: Blackpool to beat Nottingham Forest at a best priced 6/5 with Betfred

English League 1

Gillingham v Leeds United

I think it’s always wise towards the end of the season to concentrate on matches involving teams who have something to play for and that is certainly the case for both Gillingham and Leeds.

Gillingham are still in deep trouble at the bottom end of the table where they currently lie 3 points and one place from the relegation zone, directly above Tranmere who have a game in hand as well. They are there in no small part because of their dreadful away form which reads zero wins, 6 draws and 15 defeats. It’s a shocking record which would normally see a side already relegated in most leagues. However, their home form has compensated for this somewhat as they have lost just 3 games all season at Priestfield, winning 10 and drawing the other 8. It’s the home form of a side who could be chasing promotion yet they are most definitely hampered by their inability to win away from home. Their recent home record is good as well, with 3 wins and 3 draws from their last 6.

Leeds are starting to recover from a shocking run of form which has saw them lose their lead at the top to Norwich, drop out of the automatic promotion spots for a couple of weeks, only to climb back up to 2^nd after 3 successive wins. Those run of wins were preceded by 4 straight defeats at the most crucial part of the season. Their return to form is most welcome for Simon Grayson who must have had visions of last season’s collapse at a similar stage. Their away form for much of the season has been pretty good with 11 wins and 5 draws from their 21 matches on the road thus far. They have won their last two away from home as well, against both Yeovil and Carlisle, and perhaps most encouragingly for all concerned with the club, is the fact they have created chance after chance in both these games.

Leeds have an excellent record against sides in the bottom half of the table away from home and will be looking to consolidate and continue this tomorrow. Gillingham have done reasonably well against the top sides at home, losing only to Norwich. I don’t think there is much between Leeds and Norwich when both are on form and the signs are there that Simon Grayson’s side are coming back to their best in recent games. They know they have to keep on winning with it being so tight for that 2^nd automatic promotion spot. A win tomorrow puts them within touching distance of playing in the Championship again and it’s a win I’m backing them to get.

My selection: Leeds to beat Gillingham at a best priced 5/6 available with Totesport

Saturday 10^th April

English Premier League

Hull City v Burnley

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

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

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

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

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

English Championship

Middlesbrough v Sheffield Wednesday

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday 27^th March

English League 1

Norwich City v Leeds United

The big match in the football league this weekend takes place at Carrow Road as top of the table Norwich entertain Leeds who occupy the other automatic promotion spot in League 1.

I’ve spoken about how well Paul Lambert has done since taking the reigns in August. His side have been in scintillating form since he took over and they’re currently 8 points clear of tomorrow’s opponents. They’ve won more games than anyone else in the league, they’ve score more goals than anyone in the league, they have the most home wins and the most away wins, and no other team has lost fewer games than any other team in the league. Norwich look to be nigh on certainties to go straight back up to the Championship but will want to do it in style. Their home form is staggering under Lambert with 14 wins from 17 and a 44 points from a possible 51 at Carrow Road. Only Southampton have managed to come away with all 3 points since the Scot took over, and it was probably the worst Norwich have played under Lambert. Key to their amazing form has been the trio of Wes Hoolahan, Chris Martin and Grant Holt. The 3 of them have terrorised league 1 defences all season and have 47 goals between them in the league alone. It equates to near enough 2 thirds of Norwich’s goals in the league and it’s no surprise that they have played in every game possible when available.

Leeds started the season flying and found themselves on top for nearly all of the first half of the season. Simon Grayson’s men steamrolled their way to the top of league 1 and were well clear of the chasing pack coming into January. They have tailed off massively of late, however, and now have a massive fight on their hands to secure automatic promotion. Their most recent match was at home to fellow promotion hopefuls Millwall which ended 2-0 to the away side and was very one sided. Leeds looked jaded, completely lack in ideas and a team that’s low in confidence. That’s not surprising when you analyse their recent form. Since knocking Manchester United out of the FA Cup in January, the Elland road side have won 3 of 14 league games. It’s a staggering run of form from a side who were coasting earlier in the season. Goals have dramatically dried up as well in that time as they’ve only managed to score 17 times in that run of games, an average of just over 1 per game whereas their season average before that was well over 2. Jermaine Beckford is once again their leading goalscorer but mystery surrounds his absence from Monday night’s team. The striker was said to have strained a hamstring in the warm up but reports have emerged that he has had a bust up with Grayson and stormed out of the ground before the Millwall game.

Norwich have faired pretty well against their nearest challengers, especially at home. They have beaten Millwall, Huddersfield and Swindon, scoring 6 and conceding 0, and drew 2-2 with Charlton last year. Leeds on the other hand have a relatively poor away record when up against the sides vying for promotion. They have already lost away to Millwall, Swindon and Southampton, perhaps more importantly, 2 of these defeats have came in the last 6 weeks.

Leeds will find it even more difficult with the news that Patrick Kisnorbo is out for the rest of the season which could prove to be a massive loss as the defender has been a crucial player all season long, and is arguably their best defender. His loss could be compounded with the continued absence of Beckford who may miss out again. Norwich on the other hand have all their key personnel fit and available for the top of the table clash.

The Canaries have been impressive any time I’ve seen them this season and they look to be getting stronger as the season goes on. There is a real sense of unity and togetherness surrounding the club which Lambert must take huge credit for. Holt is still banging in the goals and he will relish the thought of coming up against a weak and fragile Leeds side who looked absolutely toothless on Monday night. A win will basically ensure a return to the Championship and could all but seal the league title – it’s one I think they’ll get.

My selection: Norwich to beat Leeds at a best priced 21/20 available at Betfred

Premier League

Wolves v Everton

Both sides are coming off excellent midweek victories so Molineux should play host to an entertaining game as Everton travel to the Midlands to take on Wolves.

 Mick McCarthy was ecstatic after his side came out on top in the big relegation battled at Upton Park as his side won 3-1 and all but ensured their stay in the Premier League for another season. It was Wolves’ 3^rd away game in succession and they managed to take 7 points from them – a superb accomplishment for any side, let alone one who were written off earlier in the season. They’ve done it by playing some really good football as well and central to these impressive performances was Kevin Doyle. The Irishman has been a brilliant buy for McCarthy as he has led the line very well, especially in recent weeks. He got his reward with the opening goal in the win over West Ham, it was his 7^th league goal of the campaign, not prolific by any means, but he has a habit of scoring important goals.

Everton are on a sensational run of form at present which culminated in a powerful 2-0 win over Man City away from home. They totally bossed the side who were put together for hundreds of millions, dominating them on their own ground. Davie Moyes would never say it but he must still harbor faint hopes of challenging for 4^th and the final Champions League spot. If it hadn’t of been for a dreadful start to their season, they would surely be in pole position for the European spots as opposed to playing catch up now. They have only suffered two defeats in their last 17 games, an astonishing run of form for such a small squad. Mikel Arteta has been a driving force in recent weeks since his return from injury and the Spaniard is definitely making up for lost time. He has scored 4 goals in his last 4 games and has a massive say in any game at the moment.

Wolves will be on a high after their recent form but McCarthy will be making sure they don’t get carried away with themselves and will no doubt keep faith with the same starting XI that has served him well over the last 5 weeks. He will attempt to play the same counter attacking football his side have deployed of late with the expectation that Everton will come and force the issue.

Everton would be a match for any side in the division at this point and to find them odds against facing a side in the bottom half of the table looks to be value – away win.

My selection: Everton to beat Wolves at a best priced 11/10 available with Stan James

Scottish Premier League

Dundee United v Motherwell

Dundee United knock Rangers out of the Scottish cup during the midweek and will be looking to follow up that result with another victory over an improving Motherwell.

A last minute David Robertson goal ended Rangers’ treble ambitions and put United through to a Scottish Cup semi final with Raith Rovers. It was nothing more than they deserved and in truth, it should have been more comfortable. It’s been a productive season for United thus far as they are currently 3^rd in the table and occupying the Europa League spot. From their last 6 home games they have won 3, drawn 1 and lost the other 2, so it’s been pretty erratic.

Motherwell have been transformed under the stewardship of Craig Brown. The former Scotland boss has steadied the ship since taking over in December. They are without defeat in the league in 2010. It’s a run of form which has catapulted them into contention for 3^rd place as they are level on points with tomorrow’s opponents although they have played a game more. It makes the match even more interesting and it’s one which Motherwell must get something from if they are to chase United down.

Brown is an excellent tactician at this level and he will look to exploit United’s tiredness after their massive effort during the week. He will look to keep it tight for much of the game, trying to hit them on the break with the pace of Jamie Murphy upfront. An away win would put Motherwell into 3^rd courtesy of a better goal difference and they will be desperate for it. A draw would not be catastrophic but United have been susceptible to a lack of consistency before and Motherwell have won on their last two visits to Tannadice so at the odds, an away win is very appealing.

My selection: Motherwell to beat Dundee United at best priced 16/5 with Skybet

Saturday 13^th March

English Championship

Ipswich Town v Scunthorpe United

These sides meet for the 2^nd time in the league within a month and both are still on the hunt for the points which will keep them in the Championship.

Roy Keane has made a somewhat underwhelming start to his reign as Ipswich boss. The former Sunderland manager too charge of his first full season in August and harboured realistic dreams of being promoted to the Premier League. He signed some good players and used his contacts to bring in guys who have played at the top level over the last few years. Those dreams of being promoted and ambitions of playing at the top level come August of this year, however, have quickly disappeared and Keane and his men now find themselves locked in a tight relegation battle. Before Tuesday’s home win over Cardiff, Town were 1 point off the relegation zone so the 3 points gained in midweek have given them some breathing space. Ipswich’s main problem is the number of draws they have accumulated, especially at home. They’ve drawn 10 of their 17 league games at Portman Road, losing just 2. They’re obviously hard to beat but they quite clearly also have problems scoring goals. For a side which can boast attackers such as Jon Walters, Pablo Counago, David Healy and Darryl Murphy, 19 goals in 17 home league games is not good enough.

Scunthorpe find themselves below tomorrow’s opponents in the table and right in the mix of the relegation scrap. Nigel Adkins’ men average the 2^nd highest average for goals per game, with 3 goals per game. The statistic is dampened somewhat when you look at their goals against column, especially away from home. The Irons have the worst away defensive record in the Championship, conceding 7 more goals than the 2^nd worst, Watford, with 38. It works out conceding, on average, more than 2 goals a game, so their problems clearly lie at the back end of the pitch. They have managed 3 wins on the road thus far but have lost 11, the 3^rd least in the league. They have lost their last 3 on the road after managing back to back successes away to Derby and QPR. Scunthorpe have only won once since their win at QPR, a 2-1 victory at home to Barnsley in the middle of February. 3 out of their next 4 games are against sides in and around them so they are entering a crucial period of the season and one which they simply must collect points in. Tomorrow’s visit to Ipswich is arguably the hardest of the relegation battles they’ll face so any result will surely be a bonus.

Ipswich have not lost in the league at home since September when a 4-0 mauling to Newcastle served as a wake-up call to Keane who has adopted a slightly more conservative approach. They have won 5 and drawn 5 of their last 10 at Portman Road which is more than decent for a side who were struggling for form. As well as Cardiff, Ipswich have seen off an inform Coventry side and promotion chasing Blackpool, so they are more than capable of holding their own. A key player in their recent good form at Portman Road has been Darryl Murphy. The Irishman is on loan from Sunderland until the end of the season and he’s been the difference in recent games. Murphy has had a point to prove after being left out in the cold by Steve Bruce so the loan move has given him a chance to score goals on a regular basis and he’s done that. He’s notched 5 in 8, including both goals in the win over Cardiff. He’s formed a decent partnership with David Healy, also on loan from Sunderland, and the two have certainly provided Town with more cutting edge up top.

Scunthorpe have not played since the 27^th of February so it will be interesting to see the effect that has had on the players. Adkins is likely to go with Gary Hooper and Paul Hayes in attack once again as the two have 18 between them and are arguably Scunny’s most important players. Playing both, however, can leave them exposed at the back and could possibly explain why they lose so many goals.

I don’t think anyone can argue that Ipswich have the better players but that is often not enough a lot of the time. Roy Keane was faced with moulding these players into a unit and to play as a team. There are some signs that he is achieving this at long last and as such I think they’ll go on from their win on Tuesday, where they bossed a Cardiff side in the play-off picture, and make it back to back home wins.

My selection: Ipswich to beat Scunthorpe at a best priced 8/11 available with Betfred

English Championship

Leicester City v Cardiff City

A match at the opposite end of the table this time as 5^th placed Leicester entertains 6^th placed Cardiff at the Walkers Stadium.

Nigel Pearson has done a remarkable job with Leicester in their first season back in the Championship since winning promotion last season. They sit comfortable in the playoff zone and are on real good run at the moment. They have lost just once in their last 9 with the defeat coming in their most recent game away to Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday. With regards to their home form they have lost just 3 games all season and won 9 of their 17 home matches. They’ve not lost a league game at the Walkers since the beginning of December, winning 5 and drawing 3 of their last 8. Their most recent home game saw an excellent 3-0 win over rivals Nottingham Forest two weeks ago. It’s a win which will have galvanised the team after losing top scorer Matty Fryatt to injury at the beginning of last month.

Cardiff have and indifferent 2010 thus far, with 4 wins, 4 defeats and 3 draws from their 11 league games. They have had to contend with a whole host of problems off field from high court appearances for missed tax payments, through to a catalogue of injuries to high profile, and important players. It has been seen them lose 3 of their last 4 in the league and only 1 goal scored in those 4 games. They turned in arguably their worst performance of the season on Tuesday night in the aforementioned loss to Ipswich. It was a weak, timid display and it infuriated Dave Jones.

The Foxes will be boosted by the loan signing of James Vaughn from Everton on an initial 1 month loan. The young striker has found games hard to come by for the Toffee’s this season but he has undoubted quality and could prove to be a shrewd signing by Pearson for the next few games at least. The bluebirds may be able to call on three players who are recovering for injury. Stephen McPhail, Mark Kennedy and most importantly, Peter Wittingham, are all close to comebacks. Wittingham especially has been a big miss as he’s the league’s top scorer and is also extremely creative. He could return but his sharpness may not be a 100% so it will be interesting to see if he starts the game.

It’s a big match for the promotion picture and one that both sides will be desperate for the win with so many sides bunched up from 7^th to 12^th looking for a way into the play-off zone. Leicester have not lost in the league at home this year and they had an emphatic win over Forest last time out. They are a very disciplined side and are excellent on the break. Cardiff like to play football so there is a chance they’ll set up to win the game which will allow space for the home side to exploit. A win will give them a big advantage in their quest for promotion and I think they can get it.

My selection: Leicester to beat Cardiff at a best priced 11/10 available with Skybet

English League 1

Millwall v Charlton

The New Den will play host to a London derby tomorrow as Millwall battle fellow promotion hopeful’s Charlton.

Kenny Jackett has got his Millwall side hitting top form at the best possible time. They are on a run of 8 wins in their last 10 games which has seen them rise to 5^th in the table and with a 4 point cushion over 7^th placed Huddersfield. Their home form has been excellent all season with 12 wins, 4 draws and just the 1 defeat from their 17 home games thus far. Their solitary loss came back in November and it was a game I tipped them to win comfortably. They lost 2-0 to a Wycombe side who have been in the drop zone all season long. It’s been the sole blip on an otherwise fantastic home record. Their record at home against sides in the playoff picture also reads well. They have defeated Leeds, Colchester, MK Dons, Huddersfield and most recently, Norwich.

Charlton started the season so well and were candidates to win the league let alone gain promotion. Things have tailed off a little, however, and they find themselves closer to 7^th than they do 1st. Things have picked up again and they go into tomorrow’s match having won their last two games, one at home and one away. They wins have come against inferior opposition however, in the shape of Southend and Stockport. They weren’t very impressive in either of the games but they got the points and at this stage, that’s all that matters.

Neil Harris and Steve Morrison have formed an exciting partnership for Millwall in recent weeks and are on form heading into Saturday. Between them they have 24 goals in total 6 in the last 3 matches. They will prove a handful tomorrow and it will be a real test for a Charlton defence who have only kept one clean sheet in their last 15 games.

It’s hard to see past Millwall with such a good home record, they’re in excellent form at the minute and they have proven they are capable of beating the best in the league at home. Charlton are not at their best at this moment in time which is what edges it in the home sides favour for me.

My selection: Millwall to beat Charlton at a best priced 13/10 available with Coral