West Brom

Even in the cutthroat environment of the Premier League, the sacking of Roberto Di Matteo at West Brom appears to have shocked many of those in the game. Di Matteo took the Baggies up from the Championship last season and it’s only four months since he won the manager of the month award back in the top flight. But the Italian was placed on gardening leave less than 24 hours after Albion had been beaten 3-0 by league leaders Manchester United at Old Trafford and his sacking was confirmed soon after. West Brom may be going through a bad patch but the Premier League is hardly a level playing field nowadays and Di Matteo’s case, alongside that of Chris Hughton at Newcastle, must rank as one of the most baffling managerial dismissals of a ridiculous season. Di Matteo was just one of three managerial casualties in England last week, following swiftly on the heels of Alan Irvine at Sheffield Wednesday and Andy Scott at Brentford, and we’re fast coming to the stage where almost half the clubs in the country will have had a change of leadership this season – no wonder so many of them are in a mess, on and off the field. 

West Brom have placed first-team coach Michael Appleton in temporary charge as the team prepare for crucial games against releagtion rivals West Ham and Wolves. The former Albion midfielder has been coaching at the Hawthorns for five years and has the respect of the players. Some bookmakers regard him as a serious candidate to get the job full time so the 28/1 on offer with bet365 is likely to be snapped up pretty quickly as he’s sure to know sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth, who will probably have a big say in the next appointment. Sam Allardyce is as short as 6/5 with William Hill to get the job but he’s available at 7/1 with Victor Chandler. Chris Hughton is the latter’s 6/4 favourite. Former Baggies player Martin Jol is a 5/1 chance with William Hill, who offer 7/2 about Hughton, while Roy Hodgson is 12/1 with Victor Chandler in a very volatile and varied market. One quote that catches the eye is Victor Chandler‘s 9/1 about St Johnstone boss Derek McInnes, who has been linked to a number of jobs south of the border in recent months and was a big favourite with Albion fans in his playing days.

There has been a bit of turmoil at West Brom, as the Premier League side have parted company with manager Roberto Di Matteo. The Italian former Chelsea player, was a all a bit shocked at the news. Di Matteo becomes the Premier League’s fourth boss this year to lose his job, along with Chris Hughton, Roy Hodgson and Sam Allardyce. The board at West Brom had simply had enough by the looks of things, and it’s not too difficult to see why. It had all started so promisingly for the Baggies, including a great draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford. However, with a recent record of 13 defeats in their last 18 games, West Brom rapidly slipped down towards the bottom of the Premier League table. They are now in danger of going back down the Championship, unless someone can step in and strop the rot. The final straw for the West Brom board was a 3-0 defeat against Manchester City. That equated to just one win in their last eight matches, and with the worst defensive record in the league, the time has come for a change. Strangely, Di Matteo wanted to spend in the January transfer window, but the Baggies did not spend when they needed to. Maybe they just didn’t find the right fit, but they needed to bring in a little extra quality to fight off relegation, but Di Matteo was left empty handed after being the man who had gotten the Baggies back into the top flight.

It’s a tough life for managers in the Premier League, and now West Brom will be looking for a new permanent manager. The usual names will crop up, with deposed Newcastle boss Chris Hughton being favourite at the Bookies to take over at the club. There are mixed reports coming from the club though, and anyone who does get appointed will be working under their technical director Dan Ashworth, who seems to be absolved of all blame. Michael Appleton, the first team coach at West Brom has stepped in for the moment, but the club, who have had just four managers in eleven years, seems to be keen to get someone in the hot seat before they square off in a crucial battle against West Ham next weekend. Whoever comes in will definitely have to tighten up the defence, and run a much tighter ship in terms of tactics, as Di Matteo was quite brave with his offensive, open tactics. West Brom have cut their ties with Di Matteo in order to try and stop the bleeding of points at the club. So who will step into the breach?

Chris Hughton is favourite priced at 9/4 with Victor Chandler at the moment to be the man to try and save West Brom’s Premier League status. Temporary caretaker Michael Appleton looks to be in with a fair chance priced at 9/2 with SkyBet (remember Steve Kean at Blackburn!). Big Sam Allardyce, who was booted out of Blackburn when the club was taken over is also priced at 9/2 to be the next West Brom manager at Victor Chandler. Derek McInnes, current St Johnstone boss is well in the hunt at 7/1 with Victor Chandler. Martin Jol, whose name has been linked with just about everyone this season, is priced at 8/1 with Victor Chandler, and Gus Poyet, another former Chelsea man, currently at Brighton could be in with a good chance of a big promotion. Alan Curbishley, who has very good Premier League experience is fluctuating in prices between bookmakers, as short as 10/1 at some, but out at 20/1 with Victor Chandler.

The punters who lumped on the Tangerines to go down at the start of the season will have been getting seriously worried about their bets after Blackpool went and won at Sunderland over the Christmas period.

However, Ian Holloway’s team have struggled to land enough points at Bloomfield Road and sit just four points off the relegation zone after Tuesday night’s home defeat against Birmingham City. It has prompted the bookies to start slashing their odds on the seaside club and Stan James now offer a best price 3/1 that Blackpool return to the Championship.

One thing in Blackpool’s favour is that they have games in hand to elevate themselves back up the table, while there are plenty of other teams scrapping it out for survival. West Ham United got themselves out of the drop zone last weekend, although Wednesday’s 5-0 thrashing at Newcastle means the Hammers are back in 20th position.

There are rumours that Avram Grant could be on his way after such a heavy defeat and Paddy Power now offer 8/11 that the east London side are relegated this season. It will be interesting to see what effect that result at St James’ Park had on morale against a former West Ham manager.

Alan Pardew is enjoying himself as manager of Newcastle and the Toon Army don’t seem as angry about the fact that he replaced Chris Hughton as manager a few short weeks ago. Their team now sit eighth in the table and Victor Chandler now go as big as 12/1 that the Magpies are relegated.

It’s developing into a similar story at Blackburn, where Steve Kean is doing a fine job since Sam Allardyce was strangely removed from his post before Christmas. A midweek 3-1 win over Liverpool has shunted Rovers well clear of danger and the Lancashire side are now 9/1 (Victor Chandler) for the drop.

However, it’s bunching up at the bottom after Wolves pulled a rabbit out of the hat to beat Chelsea. Mick McCarthy’s team have been written off several times this season, although Wanderers’ win at Anfield and against the champions have given them every chance of staying afloat for the second season running. Even so, Coral offer 5/6 that there are tears at Molineux on the final day of the season.

Wigan (4/5 Paddy Power) remain odds-on and continue to struggle for wins, although West Brom are the team truly on the slide and the Baggies are now 11/4 (Betfred) after a bright start to the campaign has turned into a string of defeats. Birmingham City (4/1 Coral) are another team who face a scrap during the winter and spring months, while Aston Villa are now 4/1 (bet365) to be relegated, having been a bigger price than this to finish in the bottom half at the start of the season.

One team that nobody is linking with relegation is Liverpool, who are on offer at 40/1 with Victor Chandler. That’s despite the fact that they sit just four points clear of the relegation zone and aren’t exactly displaying the form that might get them away from trouble at the moment!

West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United Betting Tip & Odds: There is absolutely no signs that this is going to be anything other than a United win. They have had their problems finishing off games on the road this year, but they still have to start as favourites. It is highly unlikely that they are going to lose, and yes, they dropped points against Birmingham in midweek, but Birmingham are a much better defensive side than West Brom, and could survive better against United than the Baggies will be able to. This is something of a formality, but you cannot ignore United’s seven away draws this season. Therefore, it’ll make sense to head off to an Asian Handicap. You will be able to find a West Brom +1 or a United -1 Asian Handicap for around Evens across the board, which isn’t bad return (favouring the West Brom option). West Brom’s defensive issues will tip the tip in favour of a bolder Manchester United -1.25 Asian Handicap for 6/5 at Bet365.

West Bromwich Albion to win: 6/1 at Coral
Draw: 10/3 at SkyBet
Manchester United to win: 4/7 at BetFred

EPL Match Preview:  Worryingly for the home side, after their 3-1 defeat against Blackburn on the 28th, boss Roberto Di Matteo called his defense out for falling asleep. There are more defensive woes for Di Matteo now, as Gabriel Tomas, Gonzala Jara definitely miss the match through suspensions, and Paul Scharner is a possible casualty as well after falling ill. One the positive side, they get Chris Brunt back into the midfield, which should help with creativity. Things are not looking too rosy for West Brom at the moment, after going on a three match losing skid. Welcoming Manchester United to the Hawthorns is not the match you really want when looking to get out of a slump. A wake up call is exactly what they need right now, to halt their slide down the table. The bottom half of the table is pretty tight and congested, so there is likely to be a thin line between success and failure this year at the bottom. Weirdly enough, all of the Midlands sides are really struggling at the bottom at the moment, with West Brom, Birmingham, Aston Villa and Wolves occupying four of the bottom seven places in the league. Back in October, West Brom went to Manchester United and put in a fine display to quieten the Old Trafford crowd. They came away from the north with a well earned 2-2 draw (in which the Baggies scored from their only two shots of the game), and that was part of an impressive looking six match unbeaten streak for the Baggies. It appeared as if they were going to make life back in England’s top flight a comfortable journey for their supporters, but since the very beginning of November, things have really gone downhill for West Brom. In their ten matches since November 1st, West Bromwich Albion have lost seven of them, drawing one and winning just two. That is an immense amount of points dropped, and in the cutthroat world of the Premier League, it isn’t good enough.

What can West Brom get out of this match? That has to be the question for your football betting on this New Year’s day match. For newly promoted teams, there has to be a reliance on picking up points at home to aid survival, but with some concern, West Brom fans will look at their record of having lost three of their last four home matches and be worried. It is not the form which is likely to stand up against the Premier League leaders on Saturday really. West Brom have had their good moments, hammering Everton and Newcastle, beating Arsenal and drawing against Man Utd and Spurs along the way. But the points they have dropped of late have been against teams around and below them, which is ultimately going to hurt them more. When you look at the defensive problems that West Brom have to start with, and see that they have only managed to keep one clean sheet all season, you have to favour a home defeat in this match. The Baggies won’t be bolstered by the history books either, when they remember a 5-0 thrashing at the Hawthorns when United last visited in 2009. On the positive side, if you believe that this match is the perfect tonic to the Midlands side to raise their game, the Baggies hold a 48% win success against Manchester United at home. They have won 28 of the encounters there, with United picking up 17 victories. That’s throughout history as a whole, while the last three fixtures between the two sides at West Brom, have all ended in wins for United. In fact, United have outscored West Brom 10-1 in those three matches. It doesn’t make pretty reading for a good start to the new year for Di Matteo.

Manchester United was left ruing a late Lee Bowyer equaliser in midweek, when that goal earned a battling Birmingham City a point against United. Interestingly enough, although it was no way near being a disaster for United, it did highlight an interesting area of Manchester United’s season. Although they remain unbeaten after their 18 matches of the 2010/11 season, they have still only managed just one win on the road. That means that the Red Devils have now tied seven of their eight away matches all season, and could just be the one glimmer of hope for West Brom fans on New Year’s day. What has really facilitated United’s rise to the top of the Premier League, has been a run of four home matches since the end of November (until the Birmingham match), with the big freeze postponing away matches at Blackpool and Chelsea. That has helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s men build some momentum, and take a firm grip at the top of the Barclays Premier League. It is their defence which continues to shine, conceding just two goals in their last five matches, and they sit atop the tree at the end of the new year, level on points with Manchester City, but holding a two game advantage of their rivals. It is a strong position to be in, and a trip to the Hawthorns is unlikely to disrupt them. It certainly doesn’t raise any expectancy of United losing their first match of the season. United have simply gotten the job done this season. There hasn’t been the flair of old, the squad is not as good as previous title winning ones, but they still continue to set the pace for the rest of the chasing pack. Ferguson has said that he will not be spending during the January transfer window, which speaks volumes for the faith he has in his squad.

United have not been defeated by West Brom in their last 13 meetings in the league, and are on a streak of six straight league wins against the Baggies. It is likely they will be bolstered by the return of Nani (who jointly leads the Premier League in assists along with West Brom’s Chris Brunt). There will be no Paul Scholes though, who has an impressive scoring record against the Baggies, but United’s Dimitar Berbatov will be worth looking at as goalscorer (4/1 at Bet365 for First Goalscorer), as he has now scored eight of United’s last 11 goals in the league. Strike partner Wayne Rooney, well, his season is far from being impressive in the stats, after scoring just one goal (from the penalty spot) this season, and his own personal away form is really nothing to write home about. Rooney has contributed to just one away goal all season for United, an assist for Nani against Bolton back in September. Berbatov is really carrying the teams, and while others have chipped in, with out the form of Berbatov, United would be struggling. Still, you wouldn’t back against United in this situation, no, they haven’t been convincing away from home, but they are still unbeaten, they are still top of the Premier League, so you have to look at United picking up a draw at the very least.

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Stan James offers stake refunds on all losing Goalscorer bets placed on a match, if the game ends in a 0-0 tie. A scoreless draw is probably West Brom’s best chance at picking up a point at home against the league leaders. Can they sort out their defensive issues to get the job done? If you think so, then this offer provides some good coverage on your goalscorer options, and it covers any goalscorer market option. Stan James also offer a Free £25 matched bet when you open a new account with popular online bookmaker.

West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Manchester United 2, West Bromwich Albion 2
West Bromwich Albion 0, Manchester United 5
Manchester United 4, West Bromwich Albion 0
West Bromwich Albion 1, Manchester United 2
Manchester United 3, West Bromwich Albion 0

West Bromwich Albion have an 44% win percentage at home in the league this season
Manchester United have a 12% win percentage away from home in the league this season

West Bromwich Albion are on a streak of five home matches with no draw
Manchester United are on a streak of eight away matches with no defeat

West Bromwich Albion have scored 12 goals, and conceded 13 at home
Manchester United have scored 12 and conceded 11 goals in their away matches

West Bromwich Albion average 1.3 goals per match at home this season
Manchester United average 1.5 goals per match away from home this season

West Bromwich Albion have scored the bulk of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket
Manchester United have scored the majority of their goals in the 76-90 minute bracket

West Bromwich Albion have opened the scoring in 26% of their matches
Manchester United have scored first in 72% of their matches

West Bromwich Albion 2010/11 top scorer: Odemwingie, 6
Manchester United 2010/11 top scorer: Berbatov 14

West Bromwich Albion 2010/11 Season Form: P19 W6 D4 L9 GF25 GA34 Pts 22 (14th)
Manchester United 2010/11 Season Form: P18 W10 D8 L0 GF39 GA17 Pts 38 (1st)

Saturday 27^th November

English Premier League

Everton v West Brom

There are some signs that West Brom are beginning to struggle after a good start so tomorrow’s match versus Everton at Goodison is probably not the match they would have been hoping for.

Everton are still currently enduring their season as opposed to enjoying it. There have been some bright sparks like the comeback against Manchester United at home and the derby win against Liverpool, but they’ve still to really kick on and add much needed consistency to their season. Their latest match away to Sunderland on Monday night ended in another draw meaning they have drawn exactly half of their 14 matches thus far this season. Monday’s game was endemic of their season to date as they played some really good stuff and even dominated at times, creating a plethora of chances, but they were undone by some poor defending and shocking decision making at crucial times.

West Brom had a flying start to the season after gaining promotion last season. Roberto Di Matteo’s side surprised many with their early season form, especially away from home. A win over Arsenal was further complimented by a draw with Man United at Old Trafford. They even found themselves in the top four at one point. Things since, however, have gone slightly pear shaped and they are currently on a run of five games without a win, losing four of them. They have slipped right down the table and sit in 16^th position, just two points off of the third and final relegation spot. That being said, three points are all that separates them from eight position so it is a very tight league this season.

 Everton are finally able to name a strong starting eleven and able deputies on the bench as well. They always seem to suffer from a lengthy injury list but things look to be brightening up on that horizon. They have key players such as Mikel Arteta, Tim Cahill, Steven Pienaar and Louis Saha are all fit and well. The four of them linked up well on Monday night and looked dangerous for the whole of the game. West Brom will have to match their opponents in the middle of the park tomorrow as Everton have dominated better sides than Albion when on top at Goodison Park. A key player for the visitors will be Youssuf Mulumbu who has excelled since making the step up to the Premier League. He is strong, powerful and has excellent technical ability which has led to some very impressive performances already. His match up with Arteta could prove to be pivotal tomorrow afternoon.

Everton have struggled at home this season which is unusual for them as they are normally very hard to beat on their own patch. With just two wins at Goodison all season, they really need to pick up more points and that begins tomorrow. They were impressive on Monday night and looked a real handful going forward. With West Brom on a poor run at the moment, I believe the home side will come out on top in what promises to be an attractive football match.

My selection: Everton to beat West Brom

Best odds available: 8/13 available with PaddyPower

FA Cup

Bury v Peterborough

One of the more intriguing FA Cup fixtures of the weekend takes place at Gigg Lane as Bury of League Two entertain League One side Peterborough.

The home side are coming into this game on the back of a 5-0 thrashing of Lincoln away from home during the week. It was a win that followed on from another impressive showing at Burton and highlighted the form they are currently in, form which has catapulted them up the table where they currently sit third. Just two defeats in 13 league games finally see’s the Shakers living up their pre season billing as one of the promotion favourites after some good efforts in recent seasons. One man who has been at the centre of this recent success and key to their hopes this season is Ryan Lowe. The striker is already into double fixtures this time around and has been instrumental over the last couple of years in improving the hopes and expectations of the club. The veteran striker had went six games without netting before a double in midweek which should stand him in good stead for tomorrows big match.

Peterborough have been the model of inconsistency this season and are proving really hard to predict. They have mixed some sublime performances with some absolutely horrendous one’s in the league so will be hoping that the cup provides a welcome distraction this weekend. They have conceded at least once in their last 11 matches which just emphasises where their problems lie. They had to have a second bite at knocking out another League Two side, Stockport, in the last round as they were ran really close in the first game before finishing off the task at home ten days later. Gary Johnson knows the benefits that a good cup run can bring to a club as he showed when manager of Yeovil Town. Not a stranger to causing the odd upset in the cup, he will be hoping he’s not on the wrong end of one come Saturday night.

Bury have already knocked out a League Two side in the shape of Exeter City in the last round. A comfortable 2-0 success proved that they are a match for sides in a league above them and will give them the confidence needed to compete tomorrow afternoon in what is another step up.

The cold snap has hit the North of England in recent days and I am always wary of Southern sides making the long trek in such a climate. This match-up is exactly what the FA Cup early rounds is all about and although a league separate’s them, it wouldn’t be a massive upset if Bury did triumph. They are in excellent form at the moment and the Posh will not relish the surface at Gigg Lane tomorrow nor the sub-zero temperatures.

My selection: Bury to beat Peterborough

Best odds available: 7/4 available with Victor Chandler

Scottish Premier League

Kilmarnock v Aberdeen

Scottish football has been in limbo all week with a referee’s strike putting SPL games in danger but Aberdeen will travel to Ayrshire to take on Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

Grade One officials, who are normally in charge of SPL games, have decided to strike this weekend because of what they deem to be unfair and excessive criticism of their performances. Some of their decisions have been nothing short of diabolical so it’s no surprise to see that they look to have made another blunder as the SFA have called their bluff and brought in foreign officials for the weekend.

To matters on the park now and Kilmarnock will be desperate to resume their winning form after losing an entertaining match with Rangers last Saturday. Before that defeat, Killie had won three and drawn one of their last four games. During the run they notched 10 goals and conceded just one. Even last week they ran Rangers close with 10 men, finally succumbing 3-2 in the end. Mixu Paatelainen has transformed what was an ailing squad, under Jim Jefferies and then Jimmy Calderwood, into a young, vibrant and exciting team. Star of the show has been Alexei Eremenko; the Finnish internationalist has been a revelation since coming on loan and is certainly a fans favourite at Rugby Park.

Aberdeen are in dire form and are plummeting down the table. Their only saving grace is the fact that Hamilton Accies are worse off than them at the moment. Mark McGhee has had to endure a horrific season to date. There was a 9-0 thrashing from Celtic which was incredibly embarrassing and one of five straight league defeats. McGhee is still sure he won’t resign nor be sacked, and quite frankly, it’s hard to believe he will as the club simply do not have the funds to pay him off and get someone else in. The fans are obviously growing disillusioned with the situation at the club but there is still support for the current man in charge due to the lack of finances being awarded to him.

Kilmarnock have impressed for much of the season and look like a team going places. As well as Eremenko, the Ayrshire side have another man in form in the shape of Connor Sammon. The big striker has taken on the mantle left by Kevin Kyle to be the focal point of the attack. He has scored 10 goals in 14 matches this season and is a big threat to a very dodgy Dons defence tomorrow. Aberdeen have not won away in the league since August and it’s hard to see how they can alter that tomorrow.

I have been impressed with the improvement of Kilmarnock and feel they will be too strong for a shocking Aberdeen side.

My selection: Kilmarnock to beat Aberdeen

Best odds available: 10/11 available with Stan James

West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City Betting Tip & Odds: Roberto Mancini may be on borrowed time, and failure to beat West Brom could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Is the situation that dire at Eastlands? Mark Hughes was fired for less, so it must be. City are not panning out to be the team, nor the force they were supposed to be in the league this year. They have looked hesitant and directionless at times, and are now on a three match losing skid. As for West Brom, they are unbeaten at home and that has to cause some favouritism for your football betting. This one will probably pan out to a draw, so it’s worth looking at a Score Draw bet for 4/1 at Ladbrokes.

West Bromwich Albion to win: 13/5 at Totesport
Draw: 12/5 at Bet365
Manchester City to win: 6/5 at Boylesports

EPL Match Preview: West Brom can rightly be considered the surprise package of the season, with Italian manager Roberto Di Matteo largely upstaging his Manchester City counterpart, Roberto Mancini. Di Matteo has impressed all by guiding Albion on an unbeaten streak at home this season. The Baggies have put together some good performances, which were nowhere near the expectations placed upon them at the start of the season. West Brom were expected to be prime relegation candidates, but things haven’t quite panned out that way. It didn’t seem like it would be a great return to the Premier League for West Bromwich Albion after they got thrashed 6-0 by Manchester City on the opening day of the new season. That was one of three away defeats City have suffered this season, but they have impressed as well on the road, beating Arsenal at the Emirates and holding Manchester United to a draw at Old Trafford. West Brom like to play the ball from the back, and you can see the style from Di Matteo filtering down through the team. They have not been found wanting in front of goal, but they have yet to keep a clean sheet this year, and have conceded heavily. Still, on the large part, they have been holding their end up, but need to bounce back from a rough 2-1 defeat away to Blackpool. That ended six game unbeaten streak for Albion, which shot them up the league.

Now in the battle of the two Italian managers, Di Matteo, with a victory over City, could see his team leap above their Sunday opponents in the league. That will be a big feather in the West Brom manager’s cap. West Brom have already beaten City this season, knocking the Eastlands club out of the Carling Cup, plus the Baggies have won the last three home league matches against City.  West Brom may have been outspent by Manchester City in the summer, but they certainly haven’t been outplayed over the course of the season. West Brom’s winning streak against City is a pretty good streak to look at, and being at home, West Brom appear to be a pretty good bet to pick up at least a point. That is because Manchester City are restless. Mancini has now seen his team lose the last three matches, and is behind the points tally which Mark Hughes picked up as boss last season after the same amount of games. Mancini must now be treading a thin line with regards to his job, and sitting just two points above West Brom, City really haven’t delivered money’s worth to their fans or their owners. This now represents a tricky away match for fourth placed Mancini, and that last time they traveled away from home, they were embarrassed 2-1 by Wolverhampton Wanderers. That clearly isn’t good enough returns, but what has kept them in the hunt, is their four game winning streak, including victory over Chelsea which they earned before their mini slump.

There is a Manchester derby on the horizon, and will Mancini still be in the hot seat by the time that comes around. There is rumored to be a lot of unrest in the dressing room, with players butting heads with team mates as well as the manager. Although all this has been played down, things really don’t sound very harmonious, and very different from what is happening at West Brom. Can Manchester City turn things around at the Hawthorns? That is the question, and everything could hinge on Carlos Tevez, who may or may not play. With so many players vying for the starting eleven, Mancini has been mixing up his team, rotating the players, and things seem to be falling apart at the seams. After losing heavily away in Poland in the Europa League in the week, City fans need some better news, but they may have to wait a little longer. The biggest surprise about City is that they really are not as potent in front of goal as they should be. Whether this is down to Mancini’s rotation policy, or whether the team just has not gelled yet, is anyone’s guess. City are simply not keeping pace with other title contenders in front of goal, and it could be down to the negative and conservative nature of the boss. It is no time to go cowering away though, City need a good attacking performance to lift their spirits again. They are not out of the running for the league title by a long shot. Not yet, but they can ill afford to lose three consecutive Premier League matches.

Online Bookmaker Promotion: SportingBet are giving 25% top ups on your winnings for Anytime Goalscorer bets. This is for the weekend’s Premier League matches, and is a wonderful promotion to take advantage of, if you enjoy looking at goalscorer markets anyway. You can earn a maximum free bet up to the value of £25 for each stake on an Anytime Goalscorer market. With the West Brom v Man City match one of three Premier League games on Sunday, this represents great value. SportingBet are also offering up to £50 in free bets for new account holders who sign up with the bookie before the end of November, 2010.

West Bromwich Albion v Manchester City Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
Man City 4, West Brom 2
West Brom 2, Man City 1
West Brom 2, Man City 0
Man City 0, West Brom 0
West Brom 2, Man City 0

West Bromwich Albion have an 60% win percentage at home in the league this season
Manchester City have a 40% win percentage away from home in the league this season

West Bromwich Albion have scored 8 goals, and conceded 4 at home
Manchester City have scored 6 and conceded 5 goals in their away matches

West Bromwich Albion have scored the bulk of their goals in the 46-60 minute bracket
Manchester City have scored the majority of their goals in the 61-75 minute bracket

West Bromwich Albion have opened the scoring in 20% of their matches
Manchester City have scored first in 60% of their matches

West Bromwich Albion average 1.6 goals per match at home this season
Manchester City average 1.2 goals per match away from home this season

West Bromwich Albion 2010/11 top scorer: Odemwingie, 3
Manchester City 2010/11 top scorer: Tevez, 7

West Bromwich Albion 2010/11 Season Form: P10 W4 D3 L3 GF14 GA17 Pts 15 (8th)
Manchester City 2010/11 Season Form: P10 W6 D2 L2 GF13 GA10 Pts 17 (4th)

The bookmakers are struggling to split the Red Devils and the Gunners after both teams booked their place in the quarter finals of the competition this week.

Manchester United had to take the lead three times to see off a spirited Wolves team and the Carling Cup might represent their best chance of winning silverware this season, especially with Chelsea storming ahead in the Premier League. Sir Alex Ferguson’s men are 2/1 with Paddy Power to retain the trophy that they landed last season when beating Aston Villa in the final.

Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger was able to rest the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri for the Gunners’ match at Newcastle on Wednesday, although Arsenal were still far too strong for the Magpies at St James’ Park.

Impressive performances from Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner helped the visitors win 4-0 and they have been cut to 2/1 with bet365 to claim their first piece of silverware in several seasons.

The competition continues to enjoy a resurgence as many Premier League clubs take it seriously and Aston Villa once again feature at the business end of the competition, with Gerard Houllier’s team finally going through in extra-time against Burnley on Wednesday night.

Houllier was successful in the League Cup with Liverpool ten years ago and you can get odds of 6/1 with Ladbrokes that he steers the Villans to glory, with the Midlands side having been cruelly denied in the final last season when Nemanja Vidic was lucky not to be sent off.

Birmingham City are also in the mix after their penalty shoot-out victory over Brentford and the Blues will be tough opponents for any team when the quarter final draw is made on Saturday lunchtime. Alex McLeish will be hoping for yet another home game and they can be backed at 12/1 (bet365) on the outright market.

Perhaps the value lies with West Brom, who look a bit overpriced at 16/1 (Blue Square) despite victories over Manchester City and Leicester to reach the quarter finals. Roberto Di Matteo’s side have enjoyed a fine start to the season and the Baggies will fancy their chances of beating any team having come away with a positive result at the Emirates and Old Trafford this term.

West Ham United might be sitting bottom of the Premier League, although we should remember that Avram Grant steered Portsmouth to the FA Cup final last season and nearly took Chelsea to Champions League glory! He will hope that this cup run helps inspire the players for the long run and Ladbrokes offer 14/1 that they get their hands on this particular piece of silverware.

Wigan Athletic are as big as 25/1 (Stan James) following their 2-0 win over Swansea, while Ipswich Town are the only team from outside the Premier League still in the competition. Roy Keane’s team are 40/1 with Paddy Power to claim the Carling Cup.

Man Utd v West Brom Betting Odds

Saturday, October 16th, Old Trafford, Kick Off 3pm

Man Utd to win: 2/7 at Boylesports
Draw: 5/1 at SkyBet
West Brom to win: 12/1 at BetFred

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Popular online bookmaker Bet365 provide some excellent football betting promotions which run continuously on their site. First of all, there is there stake refund if a match ends in a 0-0 draw, plus extra places on their First Goalscorer markets. However, with the Man Utd v West Brom match likely to end with a home win, it could be a great building block for an accumulator. Bet365 run an Accumulator bonus on matches from Europe’s top leagues, and the bigger your accumulator is, the bigger the percentage bonus you will win if you pull it off. With up to £200 worth of free bets awainting new customers to the excellent Bet365 experience, it’s a great place to do your weekend’s Barclays Premier League football betting.

Man Utd v West Brom Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
West Brom 0, Man Utd 5
Man Utd 4, West Brom 0
West Brom 1, Man Utd 2
Man Utd 3, West Brom 0
Man Utd 3, West Brom 0

Man Utd have a 100% win percentage at home in the league this season
West Brom have a 33% win percentage away from home in the league this season

Man Utd have scored 9 goals, and conceded just 2 at home
West Brom have scored 3 and conceded 9 goals in their away matches

Man Utd have scored the bulk of their goals in the 31-45 minute bracket
West Brom have scored the majority of their goals in the 46-60 minute bracket

Man Utd have opened the scoring in 57% of their matches
West Brom have scored first in 28% of their matches

Man Utd 2010/11 top scorer: Berbatov 6
West Brom 2010/11 top scorer: Odemwingie, 3

Man Utd injuries/suspensions: Rooney, Giggs, Valencia, Hargreaves
West Brom injuries/suspensions: Mattock, Miller, Cech

Man Utd 2010/11 Season Form: P7 W3 D4 L0 GF16 GA9 Pts 13 (3rd)
West Brom 2010/11 Season Form: P7 W3 D2 L2 GF9 GA12 Pts 11 (6th)

Man Utd v West Brom Betting and Match Preview:

This is Barclays Premier League match between two teams which are closer together in the league than anyone would have first thought possible. That is down to the somewhat positive start to the season that West Brom have made, and coupled with the points which Man Utd have thrown away this season. But while United are expected to be near the top, not many people, probably not even West Brom fans would have expected to see their side sitting in seventh place. With Everton and Liverpool languishing near the bottom, there’s almost a topsy-turvy feeling to the league at the moment. It is to West Brom’s credit though that they are sticking to the task well, and have gotten over some difficult moments in the league this year without too much fuss. Still, you would immediately lean towards a United win here, and so it will be time to either use them as a cornerstone in building an accumulator bet, or time to delve in to submarket betting on the match. You can get a decent 1/2 at Unibet for the match bet on Over 2.5 goals. For Asian Handicap betting on the Man Utd v West Brom match, you really need to be looking around the 1.5 goal mark and beyond (in either direction) to find decent value. Best value there is West Brom +1.5 goals for Evens at Bodog. If you are expecting a comfortable win for United, then Man Utd -1.75 goals is 21/20 at Bet365, which means you’ll get a half win for a two goal win margin for United. More than that, you win outright. If you are looking for stats to back up your betting strategy, then United have won 53% of all encounters between the two sides at Old Trafford, and average over 2 goals per game there against the Baggies, double what the visitors have managed in return. United also put nine unanswered goals past West Brom over the two meetings in the league in the 2008/09 season. United have also won by a 3-0 scoreline twice at Old Trafford this season, and have scored three goals in all three league matches there. Dominance will be the word of the day.

Man Utd v West Brom Betting Tip: Man Utd to win by 3 or more goals 7/4 at SkyBet

Man Utd Betting:

United should be able to keep up their challenge at the top of the league with a comfortable home three points. United have not been their usual ruthless self this season, especially not on the road, and with all of the troubles surrounding Wayne Rooney, their star player isn’t living up to expectations. Quite what truthfully the Rooney situation is at Old Trafford at the moment is anyone’s guess, as he has now contradicted his boss in saying that he hasn’t had an ankle injury. He’s not a happy camper at the moment, and certainly not in form. Fortunately, their record signing striker Dimitar Berbatov has stepped into the limelight and is looking their most likely source of goals at the moment. Berbatov is Evens at Stan James as an Anytime Goalscorer, and Rooney is at the same price. That is because this is against supposed weaker opposition, and he’ll likely get chances. With the international break having ensued, there is a feeling that United will probably come out a bit fresher, and Ferguson will be expecting a little extra from his band of international stars on the domestic front. Man Utd have a 100% record at home this season, and when you look down the list of teams they will encounter this season at Old Trafford, West Brom hardly scream out as the team to beat the first to inflict a defeat on United at Old Trafford. Your football betting really should be only in one place here, and that is backing a Man Utd win. If you like your football betting on outrights, then naturally, the gulf in quality between the two sides, isn’t going to favour a lot of profit. Therefore, it will be well worth dipping into goalscorer markets, over/under bets and more. United will be happy to be back at home, and you have to get behind them to secure a good win. They looked lacklustre in their last away match at Sunderland, a lot of huff and puff with no end result at all. You don’t expect that trend to continue for long. There are suggestions that Owen Hargreaves may be close to a full comeback, not that United have really missed him or anything, or that he would influence a result greatly. They are the strong force in this match. At home, United are pretty much a banker in the betting.

West Brom Betting:

There has been a bigger rise in expectations around the Hawthorns after West Brom responded well to their opening day hammering at the hands of Premier League Champions Chelsea. Since then, Roberto Di Matteo’s side has been a difficult one to beat and are suddenly looking as if they have enough to survive in the top flight. West Brom were one of the relegation favourites with the bookmakers at the start of the year. There is a long way to go of course, and the Baggies may well end in a relegation battle yet. But while West Brom haven’t fared well against the top sides of Chelsea or Arsenal, they have not shown any signs of rolling over when it comes to scrapping and working hard for results. This is another one of the big tests for the them though, and if they were to get one point out of this match, then it would probably feel like a huge point gained for them. There is not many established Premier League sides who expect to get much change out of a visit to Old Trafford, but that really should mean that the Baggies can go there with a positive attitude and adopt a nothing to lose approach to the game. That rarely happens though, as it will probably be a defensive side which sets out to try and stifle Man Utd, and then catch a lucky break on the, well, break. Even though football betting odds will have West Brom as a real long shot in winning this game, it could be a closer match than expected if they keep tight, but they are having trouble keeping a clean sheet at the moment, so will probably be over run. For betting tips on this match though, you really have to look at the strength of Man Utd at home, and the quality in their side. They can turn over the best teams in Europe, so you would expect a West Brom loss in this match. One of the best tips would be looking at West Brom in a positive handicap, and hope that they can hang on to not too heavy a defeat. Tough to see West Brom breaking down the United defence really, but Peter Odemwingie is best priced at 4/1 at Bwin to be an Anytime Goalscorer for the Baggies.

Man Utd v West Brom Football Betting Prediction: Home win

Blackpool now have ten points on the board after seven matches, a ratio that will be more than enough to keep them afloat in the Premier League should it continue all the way through to game 38. There’s every reason to believe that the Tangerines’ attacking approach in away matches can keep landing the spoils and they have drifted out to 8/13 on bet365’s relegation market following that win at Anfield.

Alternatively, you can back Ian Holloway’s team at 7/4 with Sky Bet to stay in the top flight this term and there’s no doubt that the seaside club have had tough fixtures considering trips to Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have been included.

Perhaps it’s worth looking elsewhere for value on the relegation market and this could be a good time to back Wigan Athletic at even money (bet365). Yes, the Latics had a morale-boosting 2-0 win over Wolves on Saturday lunchtime, although they were up against ten men for most of the match and still laboured for large parts of the game.

Roberto Martinez’s team will still be struggling for survival come the end of the season and the same might apply to the team that they beat this weekend. Wolves spent a fair amount of money last summer to try and help the club survive a ‘difficult second season’ although Mick McCarthy’s team have the losing habit at the moment and William Hill now offer 6/5 that the Midlands side is relegated.

Meanwhile, their Black Country rivals appear to be thriving in the top flight and perhaps their difficult campaign will come next season instead. Bet365 offer 11/4 that the Baggies get relegated and it is possible that the West Brom bubble might burst at some point further down the line. However, that win at Arsenal appears to have given Roberto Di Matteo’s team the belief that they can compete with any team in the league.

There are lots of other candidates in the running to be relegated and that includes Birmingham City, who are 6/1 with Ladbrokes to return to the Championship. A recent goalless draw with Liverpool suggested that they would have few problems surviving although the Reds’ current plight doesn’t make that result as good as it would seem. Alex McLeish still hasn’t solved the team’s goalscoring problems and they could struggle.

As for Liverpool, it would have been unthinkable that the Reds would have a season like this although any early season optimism has vanished and the Merseyside club are now as short as 14/1 with Ladbrokes to be relegated. The only bookie not taking them seriously as candidates for the drop are Paddy Power who offer 50/1.

Another Merseyside team down at the foot of the Premier League are Everton and they are next up against Liverpool in a fortnight’s time. However, there could be brighter times ahead for the Toffees after a 2-0 win at Birmingham City and they are now back out to 33/1 on the Paddy Power relegation market.

Liverpool v West Brom Premier League Football Betting Odds

Liverpool to win: 1/4 at BetFred
Draw: 5/1 at Bet365
West Brom to win: 14/1 at Boylesports

Online Bookmaker Promotion: Boylesports are offering customers the chance to win a million on the new Barclays Premier League season. This is all about prediction and you will need to visit their promotion page to see the full list of requirements, such as the top five Premier League finishing positions, plus cup winners. There are guaranteed prizes, and a repeat of what they did the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Boylesports are great for football betting promotions, and plus they offer a welcome bonus of £20 for new  customers. The online bookmaker will match your first bet on a new account up to that value, just to help you enjoy their fantastic website and services.

Premier League Betting Statistics

Last 5 Head to Head
West Brom 0, Liverpool 2
Liverpool 3, West Brom 0
West Brom 0, Liverpool 2
Liverpool 1, West Brom 0
West Brom 0, Liverpool 5

• Liverpool have a 0%  win percentage at home in the league this season
• West Brom have a 0% win percentage away from home in the league this season
•  
• Liverpool have scored 1 goal, and conceded 1 at home
• West Brom have scored 0 and conceded 6 goals in their away matches
•  
• Liverpool 2010/11 top scorer: Ngog (1)
• West Brom 2010/11 top scorer: Odemwingie (1)
•  
• Liverpool injuries/suspensions: Maxi Rodriguez, Daniel Agger, Steven Gerrard, Joe Cole
• West Brom injuries/suspensions: Jerome Thomas, Ishmael Miller, Joe Mattock
•  
• Liverpool 2010/11 Season Form: DL
• West Brom 2010/11 Season Form: LW

Liverpool v West Brom Betting and Match Preview:

This is a match between two sides who are already desperate to pick up points, but for very contrasting reasons. West Brom, as expected before the 2010/11 Barclays Premier League season even kicked off, look as if they are going to struggle to pick up points from anywhere this season and they are already finding life in the league daunting and harsh. Liverpool on the other hand, are seen as the team which really should be the rising phoenix of the season. They need points in order to get themselves back into contention for the Champions League places, as well as any pieces of silverware which they could possible scrap for. This match however, is unlikely to be about who needs the points more, as there is a gulf in class, but the one thing which could level the playing field is any nerves in confidence. Liverpool will be edgy looking for those first three points of the season, and they cannot afford any of the surprising blows they suffered last season in losing to weaker teams. This is perhaps the one key to the game which West Brom will be playing on. West Brom of course aren’t a great side, at least not a great Premier League side, but this is just the sort of fixture where they will possibly raise their game and hang for an unexpected draw. That will be the best result which they could realistically hope for, and therefore football betting will lean heavily towards Liverpool. Obviously the Reds are going to win their fair share of home games this season, and this is just the kind of opposition they will be waiting for. After a tough season opening against Arsenal and then Man City, Liverpool may just see this result as the springboard for positivity and optimism.

Liverpool v West Brom Betting Tip: Liverpool to win by 2 goals: 3/1 at Bet365

Liverpool Betting:

This will be the moment the Kop has been waiting for. After only picking up one point from their opening day fixture against Arsenal, new boss Roy Hodgson may already be feeling a bit hot under the collar. Liverpool survived a tough scare in Turkey in the week, as they really had to dig deep and battle their way through their Europa Cup play off against Trabzonspor and while the season is still young, it looks as if some of the problems of last season are still hanging around. The personnel may have changed somewhat at Anfield, but they still look a bit listless and uninspired. In their Monday night 3-0 defeat against Manchester City, Hodgson will have seen how difficult a task he has on his hands if he is going to get Liverpool back into the Champions League. Liverpool were simply outworked in all areas of the pitch against Manchester City, who just had more desire and more hunger to win balls and work as a team. City had the edge in everything and Hodgson must be wondering how often that is going to happen. Last season, Liverpool were devoid of creativity in midfield, and without Torres fully fit for most of the season, lacked any punch up front. That is another problem which is still evident. You could already write a novel about the saga at Anfield over the summer, with talk of takeover and injections of cash, and Hodgson picking up free transfers to try and steady the ship. There is ongoing talk about unsettled Argentinean Javier Mascherano wanting to leave (who is signing now for Barcelona), and they have sent out last summer’s big signing Alberto Aquilani on loan. Granted Hodgson may need some time to iron out the creases, but quite how he is going to get Liverpool going forward is a puzzle. However, it is home matches like this which should be able to offer some glimmers of hope. This should be something of a banker for Liverpool, and they need a solid win for confidence and progress. Even with their troubles there is no real reason not to back them here because they should be able to drive home the advantages which they do have over the Premier League new boys. Liverpool at home, should be a three pointer against West Brom.

West Brom Betting:

The re-introduction of West Brom back into the Premier League has been a tough one for the midlands club. Thumped 6-0 by Chelsea on the opening day of the season, they responded well by giving their home supporters something to cheer about by beating Sunderland. That will have done them the world of good, but Roberto Di Matteo has a long season ahead, even if he lasts the entire season. There really are going to be no easy matches for West Brom, but there is a positive spin they can look at. With early matches against Chelsea and Liverpool, they are at least on a very steep learning curve and perhaps this will set them in good stead for when the easier games do come along. They cannot afford to let confidence be shattered so early, they have to stand collectively together and dig deep. Again, going into this match at Anfield, West Brom really have nothing to lose as there is no expectation upon them to win. A draw would be a nice reward and getting that would entail learning from their early season mistakes, and putting in a real backs to the wall performance. West Brom would be happy with a draw here, make no mistake as that would be precious over the course of the season. They will know that Liverpool will have the upper hand and will control most of the game, but with new striker Peter Odemwingie starting well last week, and after picking up Celtic’s Marc-Antoine Fortune, West Brom are looking to do all they can to survive. This will probably be a step they are not quite ready for just yet, as they don’t have a great Premier League record against the Reds.

Liverpool v West Brom Football Betting Prediction: Home win