Five reasons why it’s not worth backing Manchester City to be the best of the rest

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chickendinner aren’t stupid enough to say that Man City have no chance of a top-five finish - after all they could have Robinho, Samuel Eto’o and Carlos Tevez up-front. They should have challenged for fifth last year though but ended up closer to West Brom than Arsenal, so the odds of 5/4 with Bet365 on them being best of the rest this season seem far too short. Here’s why we think you’d be better off backing Everton or maybe even Spurs:

Click here for the latest odds on who will be the “best of the rest”

1. Manchester City are still yet to finish any higher than eighth in the Premier League, a feat they achieved under Stuart Pearce in 2004-05.

2. Since Blackburn’s title win in 1994-95, just four sides have ended the season as the best of the rest: Newcastle, Leeds, Tottenham and Everton. Spurs and Everton are the only two to have done it in the last five years.

Posted: July 9th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 6 Comments

Positive signs for Liverpool, Rangers poised for the SPL

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. Victory over West Brom guarantees Liverpool their best points finish (83 possibly rising to 86) since taking 90 in 1987-88.

2. Barring a very unlikely set of results next week, it is also likely to be the first time in 19 seasons that Liverpool have finished the season with the strongest goal difference in the division.

3. Nine teams have failed to beat a Big Four side in the Premier League this season, an improvement on last season’s 11 and Sunderland still have a chance to strike themselves off that list against Chelsea next weekend.

Posted: May 19th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Stats for all of this weekend’s Premier League matches

For Man Utd/Arsenal stats, check out our Correct Score wizard

Baffled by Sky’s decision to broadcast a nothing match between Chelsea and Blackburn over games that will have a huge impact on the relegation battle and the race for seventh, we’ve decided to instead publish a stat for every league match taking place this weekend:

Bolton v Hull
Gary Megson’s side are unbeaten at home to sides below them in the table and have won their final league game at the Reebok in three of the last four years.

Everton v West Ham
The Toffees have lost just one of their last 13 home games in all competitions while West Ham haven’t beaten a top-six side all season.

Middlesbrough v Aston Villa

Posted: May 15th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Why Blackburn are likely to beat Wigan at Ewood Park

Blackburn/Wigan, Sun 4pm, Sky Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Sam Allardyce shifted the blame for losses to Liverpool and Stoke on injuries to strikers but chickendinner won’t accept that excuse if they lose at home to Wigan because Morten Gamst Pedersen, Benni McCarthy and El-Hadji Diouf are a trio that most Hull and West Brom fans would be glad of. Here’s why Steve Bruce is unlikely to get a chance to “disrespect” the Blackburn boss:

» Allardyce has lost just one of his ten home games in charge of Blackburn.

» Wigan have won just one of their eight away games in 2009, losing five.

» The Latics have triumphed in just two of their last 12 league games.

» Wigan have never won at Ewood Park and have lost on four of their five visits.

» Bruce has failed to beat Blackburn away in eight attempts as Huddersfield, Birmingham and Wigan boss.

Posted: April 24th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Paul Hart’s good start, Boro’s strong home form and more

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. Only Manchester United and Liverpool have taken more points at home than Tottenham since Harry Redknapp took over in October. Spurs have won seven, drew four and lost one of their twelve under the former Portsmouth boss.

2. Middlesbrough are now unbeaten in six league games at the Riverside and would be four points clear of the drop right now if only home results were taken into account.

Posted: April 14th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Blackburn won’t make it easy for Liverpool to regain form

Liverpool/Blackburn, Sat 12.45pm, Sky S1, Free Bets, Best Odds

The best odds available on Liverpool is 1/3 with Bet365 and Paddy Power, a price that is ridiculously short considering Blackburn’s record under Sam Allardyce and the fact Chelsea just humbled the Reds at Anfield.

Liverpool have only won five of their last eleven home matches against Blackburn and the visitors have lost just three of their 14 league games since Allardyce took charge. The good news for Rafael Benitez though is that those defeats came in their three clashes with top five opposition.

Posted: April 9th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | 1 Comment