Newcastle and Spurs should provide Arsenal and Chelsea with tough tests

A stat on every Premier League game taking place this weekend

Portsmouth v Everton (Saturday, 12.45pm, Sky Sports 1)
There have been under 2.5 goals in each of Everton’s last four trips to Fratton Park and their last ten away games.
Best Bet: Under 2.5 goals at 1.66 on Betfair

Blackburn v West Ham
West Ham have won six straight games against Blackburn but have lost all five of their Premier League away games against Sam Allardyce sides.
Best Bet: The home win at evens with most bookmakers

Fulham v Manchester United
Both teams have scored in each of the champions’ last three league games and six of their seven Premier League trips to Craven Cottage.

Posted: March 20th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Manchester City’s away form isn’t as big an issue in Europe

Aalborg/Man City, 8pm, Five, Free Bets, Best Odds

Manchester City have been waiting seven months for a domestic away win but they don’t have struggle anywhere near as much in Europe. Here are five key stats to bear in mind when betting on their trip to Aalborg tonight:

» Mark Hughes’ side have gone fourteen domestic matches on the road without keeping a clean sheet but have shut the opposition out in three of their six European away games.

» The Citizens have been beaten just once in their six UEFA Cup away games this season - winning four and drawing one. The loss came 3-1 away to Racing when City’s qualification from the group stage was already assured.

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

Aston Villa need to return to form against improving Spurs

Villa/Tottenham, Sunday 4pm, Sky Sports 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

For the majority of the season Aston Villa have been pushing forward at the same pace that Tottenham have been falling backwards but over the last month the two sides’ fortunes have reversed somewhat, with Villa on a six-match winless run and Spurs on a five-match unbeaten run. Here’s why a draw - offered at 5/2 by Boylesports - could be on the cards this weekend:

» Four of the last seven meetings between the two sides have finished level, including two of the last three at Villa Park.

» Aston Villa have drawn half of their fourteen home league games this season, which is the biggest percentage in the Premier League and only matched by Morecambe in the Football League.

Posted: March 13th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Why Chelsea should win but need to be wary of away goals

Chelsea/Juventus, 7.45pm, Sky Sports Xtra, Free Bets, Best Odds

Juventus have waited three years to return to the knockout stages of the Champions League but must have been cursing their luck when they drew British opposition, considering their record is ever worse than Roma’s.

Claudio Ranieri has already suggested that Chelsea’s decision to change managers has hindered his chances of a victorious return to Stamford Bridge but the odds were stacked from the outset because of their recent results in England and Scotland.

One positive for the Bianconeri is that on six of their last eight visits they have scored, which means that even if they lose, they stand a strong chance of taking an away goal back to Turin with them and Chelsea have already been humbled in Italy once already this season.

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

Can Arsenal take advantage of Roma’s record in England?

Arsenal/Roma, 7.45pm, ITV4, Free Bets, Best Odds

Roma knocked out Real Madrid at this stage last year but as our table above shows, they have got an awful recent record in England and have lost four of their last five visits 1-0. Their boss Luciano Spalletti is adamant those statistics won’t count against them but if they do, it means all Arsenal need to do is score. The only problem there is that Arsene Wenger’s side have failed to find the net themselves in four of their last six games. Paddy Power offer 21/10 on Arsenal winning to nil while 1-0 is 6/1 with 888sport. However, if you expect the Gunners to be contained again back a goalless draw at 9.2 on Betfair.

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