Sunderland

Saturday 10th September

Sunderland v Chelsea

Top flight league action returns after a week of International football as Steve Bruce’s Sunderland, still without a win, entertain Chelsea at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland have endured a tough start to their league campaign with just two points to show from their opening three games. They have found it hard to score goals having found the net just once which was on the opening day of the season. At the same time, however, they remain hard to break down which results in few teams getting the better of them. Liverpool could only manage a draw on the opening day of the season whilst Swansea, for all their efforts, had to settle for a point as well. It’s testament to the organsation of Bruce who prides himself on building from the back having been such an accomplished defender in his playing days. The Sunderland fans will be hoping that the new arrivals from the summer begin to click with Nicklas Bendtner the latest to sign on after agreeing a year long loan deal from Arsenal. He may just be the focal point the Black Cat’s need to push on and turn some draws into victories.

Chelsea remain unbeaten with two wins and a draw from their three games but few have been impressed with how they have reached their seven points. Andre Villas-Boas is learning the hard way in the Premier League that time is not a manager’s friend. Stuttering home wins against West Brom and Norwich followed an opening day draw with Stoke. The young manager said after that game that his side’s opponents were too physical and never played football in the correct manner – he may find history repeating itself tomorrow. Accused of lacking craft for a while now, Juan Mata and Raul Meireles who both arrived in August will be charged with providing that spark to ignite their title aspirations. Fernando Torres has looked sharper but is still to get off the mark this term whilst the likes of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Nicholas Anelka are another year older.

Sunderland will make it difficult for Chelsea tomorrow with a five man midfield abley supported by a well drilled back four. Bendtner will likely start in place of Gyan who after the Ghanian injured himself in his country’s friendly against Brazil. Chelsea will also be without a striker in the shape of Drogba as he is still recovering from the vicious head injury he recieved in their last match against Norwich. This means Torres is likely to play through the middle with Mata and Florent Malouda possibly supporting him from the wide areas.

Chelsea have a magnificent record away to Sunderland winning on their last six visits. The home side will take heart from the fact they crushed Chelsea 3-0 last season at Stamford Bridge so they know it can be done. Personally I think Chelsea will be all the better for the International break and can seem them kicking on a bit now. Mata is a terrific addition to the squad and his trickery may well be the difference.

My Selection: Chelsea to beat Sunderland

Best odds available: 8/11 available with Paddypower

English Championship

Reading v Watford

Both Reading and Watford were much higher up the table for a lot of last season but they are looking up at most teams at the moment so both will be determined to get the points at the Madejski Stadium.

Brian McDermott must have been aware that this season would be even harder than his first full season last term. Not only did he need to pick his players up after losing out at Wembley in the play-off final, he also had to contend with the loss of key players such as Matt Mills and Shane Long. Both made big money moves and little of that money has been reinvested into the team. Adam Le Fondre has been brought in to shoulder the burden left by Long whilst Kaspars Gorkss has replaced Mills at the heart of the defence. Having impressively beaten Leicester at the Walkers Stadium in the middle of August, many would have expected the Royals to kick on but they have lost their next four games in all competitions. McDermott may well take some heart from the fact that every defeat has been by the odd goal but it’s little consolation as it still results in the same outcome – no points.

Watford have also had to contend with a shake-up in the summer as their manager, Malky Mackay has moved on to pastures new to take up the job at Cardiff. Sean Dyce, former player at the club, has come in but he has had to sell his best players as well. Danny Graham, last season’s top scorer, moved to Premier League side Swansea whilst Don Cowie has followed his former manager to Wales. It has resulted in Watford failing to win any of their five league games to date. Three draws with Birmingham, Coventry and Burnley, as well as defeats against West Ham and Derby have left many fans fearing the worst. The one positive that the Hornets can take solace from is the fact they have kept hold of their much sought after striker Marvin Sordell. Southampton were one of many sniffing about but he will be a Watford player until January at least.

Reading were one of the most impressive sides in the division last season and despite their departures, they still have a lot of quality. Le Fondre is a goalscorer and his move from Rotherham may prove to be a stroke of genius on McDermott’s part.

Watford on the other hand look likely to struggle this season. Dyce is very inexperienced and his signings have yet to impress. If it wasn’t for a last minute equaliser against Birmingham last time out then they would have been faced with the prospect of going into this match in second bottom place.

The home side look very attractive at the prices and with Le Fondre set to make his debut I can see them taking all three points tomorrow afternoon.

My Selection: Reading to beat Watford

Best odds available: 4/5 available with Betfred

English League One

Huddersfield v Tranmere Rovers
Huddersfield remain unbeaten but will face a tough test as Tranmere, who sit above them in the table, come visiting in search of extending their good run with their fourth victory of the season.

Having tipped up the Terriers in last week’s previews, they let readers (and myself) down as they could only manage a draw with rivals Oldham. Only the bar denied Alan Lee from helping Huddersfield to all three points but as it was, they settled for keeping their unbeaten record in tact. They will be looking to get back to winning ways tomorrow however as they cannot afford to keep drawing matches if they wish to pursue automatic promotion. With MK Dons and Sheffield United flying high at the top, Lee Clark will be aware that his side must be more ruthless infront of goal, especially on their travels. Their home record his strong, and has been for a while. Two wins and a draw from their first three matches, it already looks ominous for visiting opponents who will find it difficult to take anything from the Galpharm Stadium.

Tranmere have surprised many with their start to the season after a few seasons at the other end of the table. Les Parry, formerly the club’s physio, has worked wonders on such a limited budget. From their first six matches they have won three and drawn two, their only defeat was against Notts County in a five goal thriller, losing out by the odd goal. They have secured two wins on the road, however, both down in London with Brentford and Leyton Orient losing out respectively. They are a team very much built from the back as they have scored just seven goals from their half dozen league games. Tomorrow will arguably be their biggest test as Huddersfield have been in the promotion shake-up the last couple of years so Parry will be able to see how far his side have come in recent weeks.

Tranmere are packed full of experience from the back four right through to the strikers. They do, however, have a very small squad so getting points early may well prove vital come the end of the season. As much as these sides are only seperated by a point, I believe Huddersfield, especially at home, are much better equipped to mount a serious charge for promotion and sustaining their good early season form. Having scored seven already at home, I’m banking on the Yorkshire side to get the better of tomorrow’s opponents.

My Selection: Huddersfield to beat Tranmere

Best odds available: 3/4 available with William Hill

The Club:
Really like the atmosphere which is being created at the Stadium of Light, and manager Steve Bruce is being backed by the board to take the club forward. They are one of the more progressive teams from the Premier League, and they are not happy with middle of the table, and with an influx of signings, they could leave the transfer-limited likes of Everton and Stoke behind as the Black Cats race forward. This should be a good, positive season ahead, as all the signs from the summer look to injecting further new life into a side which did pretty well last season. They certainly created enough to build a future upon, and that is what they are doing at the moment.  Everything seems in a pretty decent harmony at the Stadium of Light, will it really all fall into place and the players fulfil the board’s ambitions on the pitch?

Players/Manager:
There is going to be a good look about Sunderland this season, as boss Steve Bruce has been on a shopping spree. The former Manchester United star has raided his former club by taking the defensive duo of John O’Shea and Wes Brown from Old Trafford. They are just the tip of the iceberg for the Black Cats, who really look determined to charge forward. First of all, let’s take a look at the manager, Steve Bruce. He has done a fairly solid job at Sunderland, and has gone through ups and downs. He has made them a tough side to beat at times, but at times they have also thrown points away. But Bruce at least knows what direction he wants to take the side in, and he is definitely looking forward. The addition of O’Shea and Brown will only strengthen what Sunderland have in defence, but they also need to find more goals than last season. They of course let England striker Darren Bent go to Aston Villa, leaving goal scoring duties to Asamoah Gyan. In the midfield, Steve Bruce has also brought in Craig Gardner, Seb Larsson and David Vaughn so there is plenty of competition at the back an in the middle for the Black Cats. Sunderland are definitely looking a positive club, and they want more than their top ten finish last season. They have lost Jordan Henderson to Liverpool (who will face his old club on the opening day), and as new players come in, some will exit, with Marcos Angeleri, Steed Malbranque and George McCartney looking very likely to be leaving. There is big competition for places at Sunderland now, and the Stadium of Light faithful appear to have a lot to look forward to. There is also whispers of Sunderland looking to take Shaun Wright-Phillips from Manchester City as well.

Last Season: 10th
A solid finish for the Black Cats, who were patchy at times. But they had enough in the tank, to many people’s surprise to land a top ten finish. The goals just weren’t there to propel them any higher and that really needs to be sorted out. If they find more goals and their defence really is going to be improved, then they should be able to improve on this. Last season was definitely an improvement from the one before, and they will look to keep than momentum going.

2011/12 Projection:
Sunderland look as if they are building a pretty solid side. The experience the Manchester United duo of Wes Brown and John O’Shea will be valuable to the Black Cats, and were decent acquisitions for a mid table team. There really is potential for Sunderland to fulfil their ambition of landing in the top six, if the new squad gels together quickly, and they don’t suffer their blips of lack of concentration. There are still inconsistency issues to work out, and if they can land a big name striker as well, then Sunderland would look in really strong shape. As for now, they seem to be shaping up quite well, and they may well be worth a bet on finishing inside the top six. They are not resting on their laurels that is for sure, and seem to be one of the more active teams in aggressively changing their set up to chase success. It is just the kind of attitude that may seem them break through from the very closely matched clutch of teams which are expected to be around the middle of the table come the end of the season. Ahead of the new season, they look tougher and more solid, and reports are that the new side is coming together very well. Bruce now has plenty of strength and options from the bench, and this should be a pretty good season for them. We will expect them to be in the top half of the table come the end of the season. Could also make a great bet for a domestic cup. Great opening fixture at Anfield, which will really test their mettle.

Finishing Position: Top Half of Table

Premier League Top Ten Odds:
Evens at Bet365

First Three Fixtures
August 13th: Liverpool v Sunderland
August 20th: Sunderland v Newcastle
August 27th: Swansea v Sunderland

BACK TO 2010/11 PREMIER LEAGUE BETTING PREVIEW

Arsenal v Sunderland Betting Tip & Odds: Very interesting game, if only from the point of view that we will get to see the title credentials of Arsenal again. They have come through some tricky tests of late, showing their battling qualities and good resilience. They need another one here, but when you weigh up all the factors here, a draw really jumps to the fore of your betting decisions. This is all about how well Arsenal will balance their squad rotation and stand up to the pressure of playing catch up again to United, with one eye on the Champions League. Sounds like distraction enough really to warrant a Sunderland +1.25 Asian Handicap for 7/8 at Bet365. That covers your bet by paying out a half win if Sunderland lose by one goal. A draw or a win for them would pay out fully.

Arsenal to win: 5/11 at Bwin
Draw: 18/5 at Victor Chandler
Sunderland to win: 15/2 at Boylesports

EPL Match Preview: A big weekend in the Premier League for Arsenal, and good potential for Sunderland stealing a point here. Arsenal will have one eye on the return leg against Barcelona, while you wonder how much longer Sunderland’s poor run of form is going to continue. There is much at stake here for the Gunners, who simply have to keep winning from now until the end of the season, if they are going to get their hands on the Premier League title. They will be starting as favourites naturally here, simply because the Gunners are strong at home, and have the quality in their squad to destroy most teams. However, with injuries and the Champions League distractions, Arsene Wenger has some big decisions over what personnel to put out for this one. He doesn’t want any more injuries, but fielding a weaker side and Arsenal could shoot themselves in the foot. Arsenal are the better team obviously, but there are some interesting connotations to this match. The Gunners have strength in depth up front, but Sunderland have proven to be stubborn opponents for the most part this season, and the players there have a lot to prove to manager Steve Bruce. The two sides played out a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light earlier in the season, so there is draw history there between them.

Arsenal Form: Well, the Gunner’s didn’t take too long to bounce back from their Carling Cup final horror show against Birmingham, although a 5-0 win over League One side Leyton Orient in the FA Cup wasn’t too tough a test for the Gunners. This match against Sunderland comes at a tricky time for Arsene Wenger, as the return leg of the Champions League fixture against Barcelona is on Tuesday, and Wenger has injury problems already. That blip in the Carling Cup aside, Arsenal are in very strong form, and haven’t lost in the league in ten matches now. They have had one of the busiest fixture lists around of late, but they are scrapping their way through it all. The Gunners will be thankful for the run of home matches they have had, which has fully kept them on the heels of Manchester United. Arsenal, sitting in second and four points back of the leaders, have won their last four home matches straight. More impressively, they have only conceded one goal in that run. The margins of victory on the scoreboard may not have been great, such as the 1-0 win over Stoke City for example, but they are winning, and at this stage of the season, that is all that matters. They have suffered a bitter blow with Robin van Persie and Theo Walcott missing through injury, but at least back up strikers Marouane Chamakh and Nicklas Bendtner got on the score sheet in the week. Arsenal should still be fine up front, and they have the patience and quality to unlock teams, even defensive ones like Sunderland. The Gunners have lost one more at home this season than they have on the road, but those glitches look to be well behind them. The pressure is on now, as the big run in really builds up a head of steam now, and this is a match where the Gunners need to be clinical and won’t want any more injury worries. Wenger says that the Premier League is the main priority, so we will see, based on what kind of team he sends out. Form is good though, they have a solid defence at home at the moment, and haven’t lost in seven league matches at the Emirates. All in all, good shape for a win in this one, and those vital three points should be coming their way.

Sunderland Form: Sunderland have hit a very sticky patch of the season at the moment. Although the club have given manager Steve Bruce a new contract, the Black Cats have lost their last four straight league matches now. Fortunately they have done enough work in the season to ensure that they are still hanging around the top half of the table, but they aren’t good at the moment. Even the manager admits that they are not as good as they were a month ago. Has the departure of Darren Bent really started to take its toll on the club? Defeats against Chelsea, Stoke, Spurs and Everton have hit Sunderland hard. They really looked awful against Everton at Goodison last weekend, barely raising any kind of effort to take points off another club who are struggling for form. Sunderland’s season has been built on great defensive work, working hard for other and for being incredibly difficult to score against. With eleven goals conceded in their last four matches, the road back to form for Sunderland looks a steep one. It’s not as if wins on the road have flowed for them this season, winning just three and drawing five. So a trip to the Emirates against the high scoring Arsenal, is not coming at a welcome time for Steve Bruce. That’s two straight away losses now for Sunderland in the league, just when things were looking good for them. They are in danger of slipping backwards even more if they make it zero points out of the last fifteen available for them in the league. A point at the Emirates, which is probably what they will set out to achieve, will be something of a step back in the right direction for them. They are lacking a bit of confidence at the moment, and need to sort out the problems which have arisen at the back. A good performance, against Arsenal’s depleted side, could be worth looking at for a draw for your football betting though.

Head to Head: The two sides draw at the Stadium of Light earlier in the season, and actually three of the last five league meetings between them have produced a draw. Arsenal won this fixture 2-0 last season, and the Gunners do hold a strong home record over Sunderland. Arsenal have a 54% win percentage when Sunderland come to visit, with the Black Cats winning on just 23% of their visitors. On the goal front, The Gunners average almost double the amount of goals in this fixtures as Sunderland. Home win on the cards looking at that.

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Could be worth doing your Goalscorer betting at Stan James for this one. A big question about this Premier League match, is whether or not Sunderland will be able to hold out for a draw? The most plausible scoreline for them doing that would be a 0-0. So, when you have a punt on any goalscorer market at Stan James, if the match ends in a 0-0 draw, you will get your lost stake refunded as a free bet. This is great coverage on your football betting and should be considered, as Stan James are one of the most highly recommended online bookmakers available. The Bookie offer a free £25 bet when you open a new account with them.

Arsenal v Sunderland Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Sunderland 1, Arsenal 1
Arsenal 2, Sunderland 0
Sunderland 1, Arsenal 0
Arsenal 0, Sunderland 0
Sunderland 1, Arsenal 1

Arsenal have an 71% win percentage at home in the league this season
Sunderland have a 21% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Arsenal are on a streak of 7 home games with no defeat, and a four game winning streak
Sunderland are on a streak of 2 away matches with no win

Arsenal have scored 30 goals, and conceded 12 at home
Sunderland have scored 15 and conceded 21 goals in their away matches

Arsenal average 2.1 goals per match at home this season
Sunderland average 1.1 goals per match away from home this season

Arsenal have scored the bulk of their goals in the 46-60 and 76-90 minute bracket
Sunderland have scored the majority of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket

Arsenal have opened the scoring in 66% of their matches
Sunderland have scored first in 50% of their matches

Arsenal 2010/11 top scorer: Van Persie, 10
Sunderland 2010/11 top scorer: Gyan, 9

Arsenal 2010/11 Season Form: P27 W17 D5 L5 GF57 GA27 Pts 56 (2nd)
Sunderland 2010/11 Season Form: P28 W9 D10 L9 GF33 GA35 Pts 37 (8th)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunderland v Chelsea Premier League Betting Statistics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Manchester United v Sunderland Betting Tip & Odds: Some stats will sum this one up, as the match looks to have a little gloss on it that will need wiping away. Sunderland have only scored one goal in their last four Boxing Day fixtures. Man Utd have only lost once on Boxing Day (in Premier League fixtures). United have only lost one of their last twenty Premier League matches at home, winning 18 of them. Manchester United also are the leaders in not conceding shots against themselves, and against a Sunderland side which aren’t prolific, this all points to a United home win. We could go on. In three of their last five matches, United have score 90th minute goals against Sunderland. You have to go all the way back to 1968 to find the last victory for Sunderland at Old Trafford! Sunderland are sixth in the league, but there really is not much to suggest that they are going to raid OT for a win. United are strong at the moment, and they should be fresh after a long rest. The best question for your betting on this one, is whether the visitors are good for a draw or not? They are stubborn and organised enough to be so, and did limit United to only one shot when they met at the Stadium of Light. Best option may be to look for a Sunderland supremacy in the Asian Handicap – try +0.75 for 11/5 at Bet365. It’s a little on the line really, but worth a punt for the odds, simply because of the coverage.

Sunderland to win: 12/1 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 9/2 at Skybet
Manchester United to win: 2/7 at Bet365

EPL Match Preview: This should be a bit of a war of attrition. Sunderland have an unbeaten record at the Stadium of Light this year, winning five and drawing four of their matches there. However, on the road, they have only managed one win, but there is a much better resiliency about Sunderland this year under Steve Bruce, and they have managed to find a little more consistency as opposed to last season. It is a pretty good time to be a Sunderland fan, who have only had to suffer three defeats all season long in the Premier League. Striker Darren Bent is up to his old tricks again, with seven goals on the season, and the acquisition of Asamoah Gyan, along with Danny Welbeck, has really given Sunderland a new leash of life. They are an incredibly hard working side and very well disciplined, sticking to their defensive tasks, but not afraid to have a go at any team. When they went to Stamford Bridge recently, they put in one of the best performances of all teams, all season, hammering Chelsea 3-0. That really has capped a fine season, and shows the potential which they have on the day, to be able to beat the best. When Manchester United went to Sunderland earlier in the season, they had to settle with coming away with a point. Sunderland have not lost to any of the five teams currently above them in the Premier League, and that really shows how much they have come on.

Now they head to Old Trafford on Boxing Day, led of course by former Manchester United defensive star Steve Bruce. Bruce has done a pretty good, solid job in a relatively short amount of time, and now almost half way through the season, there comes the tough part where teams often fall away. Sunderland though, looks as if they have enough about them to stay well in the top half of the table at the end of the season. Yes, they are sitting in sixth place at the moment, but there are no real expectations of them pushing on for a Champions League place or anything. They are not at that level, not yet at least. Sunderland go to Old Trafford on the back of three match unbeaten run. They were one of the few teams to avoid the big freeze out last weekend, and held on to scrape a 1-0 home victory over high flying Bolton. Sunderland did ride their luck a bit in that one, and Bolton really didn’t get out of second gear until the final ten minutes of the match. Sunderland keeper Craig Gordon also pulled off one of the most miraculous saves, ever in the Premier League. It’s worth going and having a look at if you haven’t seen it already. The success of Sunderland really has been built on their defence. They will need to be at their best again on Boxing Day, as they try to negate the threat of the home side. Sunderland should be pretty good value for a draw though. Yes, they went and stuffed Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Will they do the same at Old Trafford? Unlikely.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s men have had their feet up for a while now with their last two matches being called off. The big clash against Chelsea was the biggest casualty of last weekend, but United will be happy with the postponements, because they are still top of the Premier League having played less games than those chasing them. It’s a strong position for Manchester United at the moment, and you really have to back them to capitalise upon it. This could be a tough match for United, and if this were on the road, then you consider Sunderland stealing all three points. However, this is Old Trafford, where United have dropped only two points all season. There is also the interesting record of Manchester United winning 13 of their 16 matches (drawing two and losing one) played on Boxing Day, since beginning of the Premier League. The one big strength that Manchester United’s season has been built upon, just like Sunderland, is their defence. They have only conceded two goals in their last five matches at home, and while they have bent on the road, they haven broken. They have a strength at the back which allows them to grind out results, just as they did in their 1-0 victory over Arsenal. United don’t have the old flair, the old power and force that dominated for so long, but they are still so incredibly hard to beat, having not lost a game all season. The only side in the country to remain undefeated.

United’s most creative player Nani, has been talking trash about the other title rivals, saying that only Chelsea are worthy contenders. Apparently Arsenal or Manchester City are not going to be able to win the league. United are getting things going in that daunting way of theirs. Sounds like he has come out from Patrice Evra’s shadow to mimic taunting Arsenal, and odd that he says he is only doing well because Ronaldo isn’t at the club anymore. He doesn’t have a lot of faith in himself that he would have been better than Ronaldo really. Anyway, although they aren’t as great going forward (not helped by Nani’s inconsistency), and not as naturally talented in the middle as they have been, United still remain the ones to beat. United have been held twice of their last five matches against Sunderland, to a draw, but the other three encounters have ended in United wins, and that really is worth just backing them at home against Sunderland. Because Sunderland are going well, there will be slightly better odds on United winning outright than against other teams, and would make a good building block for an accumulator. May not be a classic, may not be winning by a big margin, but at this stage, it doesn’t matter about the margin.

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Manchester United v Sunderland Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Sunderland 0, Manchester United 0
Sunderland 0, Manchester United 1
Manchester United 2, Sunderland 2
Sunderland 1, Manchester United 2
Manchester united 1, Sunderland 0

Manchester United have a 89% win percentage at home in the league this season
Sunderland have an 11% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Manchester United are on a streak of 9 home matches without defeat, five match winning streak
Sunderland are on a streak of 2 away matches with no win

Manchester United have scored 25 and conceded 6 goals in their home matches
Sunderland have scored 10 goals, and conceded 13 at home

Manchester United average 2.77 goals per match at home this season
Sunderland average 1.1 goals per match at home this season

Manchester United have scored the majority of their goals in the 31-45 minute bracket
Sunderland have scored the bulk of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket

Manchester United have scored first in 68% of their matches
Sunderland have opened the scoring in 44% of their matches

Manchester United 2010/11 top scorer: Berbatov 11 (10 at home)
Sunderland 2010/11 top scorer: Bent 7

Manchester United 2010/11 Season Form: P16 W9 D7 L0 GF36 GA16 Pts 34 (1st)
Sunderland 2010/11 Season Form: P18 W6 D9 L3 GF21 GA18 Pts 27 (6th)

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

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

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

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

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

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Chelsea v Sunderland Premier League Betting Statistics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunderland v Man Utd Premier League Football Betting

Sunderland to win: 9/2 at Totesport
Draw: 13/5 at Boylesports
Man Utd to win: 4/5 at Victor Chandler

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Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Sunderland 0, Man Utd 1
Man Utd 2, Sunderland 2
Sunderland 1, Man Utd 2
Man Utd 1, Sunderland 0
Sunderland 0, Man Utd 4

Sunderland have a 33% win percentage at home in the league this season
Man Utd have a 0% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Sunderland have scored 4 goals, and conceded 2 at home
Man Utd have scored 7 and conceded 7 goals in their away matches

Sunderland have scored the bulk of their goals in the 16-30, 61-75 and 76-90 minute brackets
Man Utd have scored the majority of their goals in the 31-45 minute bracket

Sunderland have opened the scoring in 50% of their matches
Man Utd have scored first in 66% of their matches

Sunderland 2010/11 top scorer: Bent, 5
Man Utd 2010/11 top scorer: Berbatov, 6

Sunderland injuries/suspensions: Ferdinand, Richardson, Turner, Mensah, Campbell, Meyler, Gordon
Man Utd injuries/suspensions: Rooney, Giggs, Valencia, Carrick, Hargreaves

Sunderland 2010/11 Season Form: DLWDDD
Man Utd 2010/11 Season Form: WDWDWD

Sunderland v Man Utd Betting and Match Preview:

One of Saturday’s more interesting betting encounters in the Premier League is this one. You can look at all three fixed odds outright options and come up with some case for backing it. Sunderland are on a four match unbeaten run, including a home win over Man City, and they look defensively sound and could well sneak this. With United not looking to have found their stride defensively yet, there may be chances for the likes of Darren Bent to finish and smash and grab three points. But this is Man Utd and they should have the overwhelming upper hand when it comes to firepower. You would naturally back them to go out and beat teams like Sunderland whether home or away, but things just are not as certain yet. Both teams drew their last matches in the league ahead of this one, and all of United’s away league fixtures have ended in score draws. So a draw is not out of the question either, especially with Sunderland’s apparent penchant for drawing matches, so what to do for football betting? Sunderland have a good home record against United, winning 43% of the time, while United are running under 30% away at Sunderland. Interestingly, Sunderland are just under averaging two goals per game against United at home, so there is hope for them. Overall United edge the head to head record, but that’s because they are so strong at Old Trafford. Sunderland made United work hard last year in their two matches, picking up a 2-2 draw and losing 1-0. Actually, the last four fixtures between the two sides at Sunderland, have all ended in away wins, so United are on a good streak there, and that is just tipping the balance for betting. They have Ferdinand bet, so they should be better at the back than they have been. Sunderland +1 Asian Handicap is 4/7 at Paddy Power and may be worth a look. Much better value is Sunderland +0.75 for 4/5 at Victor Chandler. Would edge Manchester United to pick up a victory.

Sunderland v Man Utd Betting Tip: Draw/Man Utd Half Time/Full Time bet for 7/2 at Bet365

Sunderland Betting:

There has actually been quite a bit of hype surrounding Sunderland this year, and how well they are doing. True, they have been a pain in the side of Liverpool and Arsenal so far, but when you look at the league table and see the Black Cats down in eleventh, you wonder just what all the contradiction is about. It is like this, Sunderland were totally hit and miss last year as Steve Bruce took charge for the season. They went on a rollercoaster season, but this year Bruce has done what he set out to do and add some stability and consistency to the team. That consistency has not come in the form of wins though, it has come in the form of draws, a result which has shown its head in four of their six Premier League matches. To their credit, Sunderland are a very hard working side and those drawn matches haven’t all been plain sailing. It took a last minute effort to secure a point at home against Arsenal for example, so there are still weaknesses there. Sunderland’s only defeat in the league came against West Brom, and then it was only a 1-0 loss, so Sunderland really are proving to be a disciplined, defensive team. They also beat Man City 1-0 to in their bounce back game. Bruce went on a mini spending spree at the end of the summer transfer window to try and boost his offence. He landed Ghanaian striker Asamoah Gyan, which, over the course of the season should be a fantastic signing, and England’s Darren Bent looks to have picked up where he left of from last season. That’s all good news, but very soon they are going to need to start turning those draws into wins, as they are riding a very fine line between success and failure. Can they beat Man Utd? Well, arguably they are not as good, and have nowhere near as much firepower as the Red Devils, but the Black Cats are at home are a tough call at the moment. Why not back them for a draw to keep the theme going? Darren Bent is 12/5 at SkyBet as Anytime Scorer and that’s the most likely source of a goal.  They may have enough to challenge a slightly uncertain United defence, but this will be another massive test of the Sunderland defence. A score draw is 9/2 at Ladbrokes for a decent price.

Man Utd Football Betting:

Not sure when we are going to see the real Man Utd stand up. There is no Wayne Rooney to lead the front line at the moment, as he sits out for a couple of weeks with an ankle injury. Not that he was contributing too much to the season with one goal in six matches anyway. The upside of all this is that Man Utd are never short of attacking power. With everyone waxing lyrical about the rebirth of Dimitar Berbatov in a United shirt, Rooney is almost playing second fiddle in terms of actual football action on the pitch. With new Mexican striker Javier Hernandez popping up and hitting a late, late Champions League winner for the Red Devils in Valencia, Alex Ferguson won’t be too worried about where the goals are going to come from. He may be worried about the lack of concentration at the back though, and how easily teams have been getting through them. That’s all very un-Manchester United like, but at least they held their line in a tough away fixture midweek in Spain. United have thrown points away this season in silly draws against Fulham, Everton and last weekend against Bolton. United had a major chance to close the gap on leaders Chelsea after the Blues had been beaten by Man City, but United had to eventually dig themselves out of a 2-1 hole against Bolton after Ferguson had seen his side take the lead. Perhaps with Rio Ferdinand back marshalling the troops, things will be better. Perhaps, although unlikely as it sounds out loud, that the return of Michael Carrick to fitness played a big part too in the holding midfield role. It’s hard seeing him as the lynch pin of the whole team though. Even though they took the win against Valencia, there were still evident problems there for United, who looked second best for good stretches of the match. They are going up against a well organised Sunderland at the Stadium of Light next and that is no given, the way former defender Steve Bruce has them playing. Worth backing Berbatov to get on the score sheet, for 5/4 at SkyBet. Last weekend’s equalising hero Michael Owen is 7/4 at Bet365, while Hernandez is out at 15/8 at Bet365. Good options from the United forwards. They have the strength in attack, do they have the organisation at the back? They are still worth backing, as they have a good record at the Stadium of Light, and are the better team.

Sunderland v Man Utd Football Betting Prediction: Away win

Saturday 2^nd October

English Premier League

Sunderland v Manchester United

Steve Bruce once again comes up against his old boss as his Sunderland side welcome Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United to the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland go into their third match in a row against one of England’s supposed top four. They go into it in good heart after avoiding defeat against both Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks. Draws have very much been the story of the season for the North East side thus far with four of their opening half dozen games ending in stalemate. Their only defeat came on the road against West Brom back in August; it’s been an encouraging, if not spectacular, start to Bruce’s second season in charge. The manager will know it could have been a lot better though as at least two of those draws probably should have been victories. Sunderland conceded two second half goals on the opening day of the season when comfortably leading Birmingham, whilst last week’s visit to Anfield included a farcical goal for the home side before a late leveller from Liverpool after Sunderland dominated much of the game and held a 2-1 lead for a long time.

Man United have also endured a frustrating start to the season with draws which could have been wins as well as enduring several injuries to key personnel. Draws with Everton, Fulham and Bolton have been costly in the sense that they trail Chelsea by three points despite the leaders having lost a match whilst United remain unbeaten. Ferguson has also had to suffer injuries to Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs of late, all three of whom will miss the trip to Wearside on Saturday. The manager, and his players, will be boosted by their result in the Champions League after they brought home an impressive 1-0 victory from Valencia thanks to Javier Hernandez’s first competitive goal for his new club. What will be just as pleasing for Ferguson would be the return of Rio Ferdinand and as a direct result of this; the more solid his side looked.

Sunderland have proven very difficult to beat at the Stadium of Light under Steve Bruce. They lost just three games at home last season and remain undefeated so far this term. A lot of their good form, and points, is down to Darren Bent. The England striker scored 24 times in 2009/10 and he has already notched five goals this season. Bruce will hope he can link up with new signing Asamoah Gyan who is already off the mark after scoring against Wigan in September. Man United will probably line up pretty similar to the way they set out on Wednesday evening, possibly with the exception being a start for Hernandez up alongside Dietmar Berbatov.

Sunderland have already accounted for the other half of Manchester in a 1-0 victory but will be all to well aware of Saturday’s visitors record when the two meet in the North East. United have won on their last four visits whilst their last defeat was in March 1997. With that record and off the back of an excellent European victory, I’m siding with the away side to do the business and collect all three points.

My selection: Manchester United to beat Sunderland

Best price available: 4/5 available with Victor Chandler.

Scottish Premier League

Inverness Caley Thistle v Aberdeen

A game often described as a local derby despite their being nearly 100 miles separating Inverness and Aberdeen; nevertheless, the two sides face each other on Saturday.

Terry Butcher’s side are still waiting on their first points at their own Stadium since their return to the SPL. Defeats to Hearts, Hamilton and Celtic have meant that ICT have accumulated their seven points on the road. Not a bad trait but they will be desperate to sort out their home form sooner rather than later. A case could be made for adopting a slightly more attacking style for home games as they look very much like a side hoping to hit on the break. This is all well and good on the road when the opposition has more of the ball and they come out a bit more leaving space in behind. However, more and more now, visiting teams are being cautious and as a result, it’s very much up to the home side to break down their opponents, Caley, thus far, have failed to do this and there is a question over the amount of creativity in the side.

Aberdeen had a flying start to the season with seven points from their first three games. They soon found themselves top of the league but that form has dwindled and they are without a win in their last three. They have lost two of those matches against Dundee United and most recently Rangers, but have performed well in spells. A terrible first half where they lost three goals meant they had no chance at Tannadice despite playing relatively well in the second 45, whilst a flying start last week at home to Rangers meant they were 2-0 up in the first half hour. That level of performance never remained and they lost three goals without reply from there on in.

Despite not being much of a local derby, these games are always fiercely competitive. Both sides have shared players over the years as well as managers so there is a history to the fixture and it’s always hard fought and intriguing. Aberdeen have a pretty decent record when travelling to Inverness, so much so that in eight visits, they have yet to taste defeat whilst taking home maximum points six times. It’s an amazing statistic.

Aberdeen showed enough last week that they can cause problems and have a bit of quality going forward. I don’t know how different the home side can play, if they have the flexibility or strength in depth to alter things drastically. With that in mind, and with that fantastic record at the stadium, I believe Aberdeen are good value to record another three points at a happy hunting ground.

My selection: Aberdeen to beat Inverness

Best odds available: 2/1 available with Coral

Sunderland v Arsenal football betting

Sunderland to win: 9/2 at Bet365
Draw: 11/4 at SkyBet
Arsenal to win: 7/10 at Stan James

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Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Arsenal 2, Sunderland 0
Sunderland 1, Arsenal 0
Arsenal 0, Sunderland 0
Sunderland 1, Arsenal 1
Sunderland 0, Arsenal 1

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

Sunderland have scored 3 goals, and conceded just 2 at home
Arsenal have scored 3 and conceded 2 goals in their away matches

Sunderland have conceded all of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket
Arsenal have scored the majority of their goals in the 46-60 and 76-90 minute brackets

Sunderland opened the scoring in 75% of their matches
Arsenal scored first in 75% of their matches

Sunderland 2010/11 top scorer: Bent 2
Arsenal 2010/11 top scorer: Walcott 4

Sunderland injuries/suspensions: Andy Reid, George McCartney, Lee Cattermole, Michal Turner, Fraizer Campbell, Craig Gordon, David Meyler
Arsenal injuries: Abou Diaby, Nicklas Bendtner, Thomas Vermaelen, Theo Walcott, Robin Van Persie, Emmanuel Frimpong, Aaron Ramsey

Sunderland 2010/11 Season Form: D
Arsenal 2010/11 Season Form: W

Sunderland v Arsenal Betting and Match Preview:

This match for your football betting may not be quite as straight forward as first appears. In last season’s corresponding fixture, Sunderland won the match 1-0 against the odds, and they always look a little bit sharper when a big team comes to town. The atmosphere can be overbearing for visiting teams, but Arsenal, after drawing away at Liverpool, and beating Blackburn away from home, look as if they perhaps have gotten over the away jitters which cost them a genuine run at the Premier League title last year. So are Sunderland worth looking at in football betting here? The answer is yes, they should be, but of course, with football betting it needs to be looked in the right approach. While an outright win for Sunderland is probably the hardest to see happening out of home win, draw or away win, this is the perfect time to employ some Asian Handicap football betting strategy. Taking the home side for +1 for 3/4 at Bet365 looks quite an attractive option, largely because with the amount of goals Arsenal are scoring at the moment, they are expected to run rampant again, but it probably won’t happen here. Arsenal naturally aren’t as prolific away from home. You should certainly be able to go down the route of taking Sunderland in the plus for Asian Handicap in your match betting. Arsenal are generally better in the second half, and look for their goals to come after the half time break, and they have scored first in 75% of their matches, which is an indicator of how better their defence has been this year. Arsenal do make the more sound bet to go out and win the match and at around 4/6 to make that happen away from home, isn’t a bad price at all to make the most of. This is sort of a match of who is missing from the line ups, with both teams having a lot of injury problems, that should play even more into the hands of Arsenal.

Sunderland v Arsenal Betting Tip: Marouane Chamakh Anytime Scorer 11/8 at SkyBet

Sunderland Betting:

Steve Bruce is pulling together a little more stability this season it looks like at the Stadium of Light, and his summer transfer window coup of signing Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan has already paid dividends. The African striker scored on his debut to earn an away point at Wigan last weekend, which leaves the Northerners on five points from their opening four fixtures. Their only defeat was an uncomfortable away fixture against West Brom in their second match. They showed great resilience from that as they bounced back to take down Manchester City in the very next match. What Sunderland do need is more goals, and that is why the signature of Gyan is such an exciting prospect. He was a breath of fresh air for his country at the World Cup, and now with him playing up front alongside Darren Bent, surely the signs are there for Sunderland to push on. After a rollercoaster ride of results last season, the extra goals Gyan will bring will help Sunderland, and you can always expect a Steve Bruce side to be scrappy and fight for everything. In the defeat against West Brom, they looked terrible, but have shown enough to suggest that can hang around the top half of the season. It is matches like this though where they really need to raise their game, and the more points they can take off the top clubs, the better their standings will be in the end. Gyan is going to score goals, as he is a confident player and now is a great time to get behind him in Anytime Goal Scorer bets, before the long grind of the English season probably wears him a bit thin. Sunderland will be without Lee Cattermole for this important match after getting sent off against Wigan, and Bruce has warned the midfielder about his conduct after the captain has now being sent off twice in four matches. There is a good spirit at Sunderland, that is hard to deny and they must keep the temp up if they are going to get anything out of the Gunners. Can they? Well, Sunderland are a tricky side to face at the Stadium of Light, but Arsenal look as if they are too good for them at the moment. Sunderland fans will be reminded of a great 1-0 victory which they pulled off last season at home against the Gunners. Can history repeat itself? You’ll certainly get a good price in your football betting if you think so, and while a draw isn’t out of the question for Sunderland, especially if the speed of Bent and Gyan can get in behind the Arsenal defence, it may be worth a punt on a Draw No Bet for Sunderland. It is hard to see them taking all three points this time around though, as Arsenal are early into a very strong stride.

Arsenal Betting:

The Gunners really are gunning hard right now, and convincingly remain unbeaten at the start of the season. Wenger has been accused by Blackburn’s Sam Allardyce of using the media to try and protect his players from tough tackling teams like Rovers. This is because Abou Diaby picked up a long injury against Bolton last weekend from a tackle, which Wenger wasn’t happy about. We can leave the handbags between the old rivals Wenger and Allardyce for another day and concentrate on football betting for this one. Arsenal have to go out and get some revenge after losing away from home at the Stadium of Light last season. After the Gunners demolished Braga in the Champions League 6-0, they are clearly not short of goals, nor confidence, and having already fired in thirteen goals in their four Premier League matches, it’s hard to see the Sunderland defence standing up to them. No, Arsenal don’t have Robin van Persie nor Theo Walcott, but they don’t seem to be exactly missing them at the moment. This is largely down to Marouane Chamakh, who is really looking the part at his new club. He really could help take Arsenal on to the next level and get them closer to some silverware, which fans at the Emirates are desperate to see. It’s worth looking at Chamakh in your Goalscorer betting for matches, because without Van Persie, a lot of responsibility is going to fall upon his shoulders. In four league matches, he has hit two and assisted on two, which is a great return so early in the season. There is so much to admire about Arsenal’s style, and with Cesc Fabregas, and Jack Wilshere so creative in the middle of the park, from a football point of view, you don’t want to see Arsenal lose for the good of the game. They play it the right way, and against Sunderland it should be enough to get them three points again and keep them going. Arsenal are stronger in defence than they were last season, although they could use a world class keeper. There looks to be too many factors backing Arsenal, for Sunderland to take three points even at home. Would take Arsenal with some relative comfort in football betting for this one. It may not be a goal fest for the Gunners, but they do have the quality to put matches away clinically, and they are riding high on confidence right now. Put the two sides on paper on Arsenal should win 9/10 times so as plucky as Sunderland are, Arsenal make the sensible bet.

Sunderland v Arsenal Football Betting Prediction: Away win