Liverpool get another chance to go top against West Ham

WHU/Liverpool, Sat 5.30pm, Setanta Spts 1, Free Bets, Best Odds

This is the closest Liverpool have ever come to winning the Premier League and the TV schedulers seem to enjoy torturing them. Once again the Reds play before Manchester United, offering them the chance to experience being top with just two games to go, only to probably have it cruelly snatched away from them a day later. West Ham won’t be a pushover though - even if odds of 23/4 with 888sport suggest otherwise:

Key Trends

» West Ham have lost all five of their home games against teams above them in the league.

» Liverpool have the best record against top-half teams in the Premier League and haven’t lost to any of the top nine clubs.

» In only one of West Ham’s previous 13 Premier League seasons (2000-01) have they failed to beat any of the Big Four - this is their last chance to win against one of them this year.

Posted: May 8th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Statistics on tonight’s other five Premier League matches

Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal prepare for a game of catch-up

While Sky’s focus is on West Ham and Hull’s battle for mid-table position, there is plenty of excitement to be had elsewhere. Liverpool and Chelsea are in action, Arsenal travel to Everton and Sam Allardyce hosts old club Bolton. Here are all the key statistics you need to know for betting on those games:

Blackburn v Bolton
Sam Allardyce will look to continue his six match unbeaten run as Blackburn manager with victory over former club Bolton. Last season he triumphed over the Trotters while at Newcastle and he beat the Magpies earlier this month with Blackburn. Rovers are unbeaten in four against Bolton, winning three. Five of the last seven meetings between the two at Ewood Park have featured under 2.5 goals but all three of their home games since Allardyce arrived have featured three or more goals.

Chelsea v Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough are on a run of ten league games without a win. The last time they went that long without tasting victory they triumphed over previously unbeaten Arsenal in their next match. However, Middlesbrough haven’t scored in any of their last six visits to Stamford Bridge and were beaten 5-0 at home by them earlier this season.

Everton v Arsenal

Posted: January 28th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Craig Bellamy is 6/1 to still be at West Ham next month

Sky Bet are convinced that the Welsh forward is off to Spurs

Following today’s developments, Craig Bellamy is now 6/1 on Sky Bet to still be at present club West Ham at the end of the transfer window, with Tottenham the 2/5 favourites to seal his signature.

Sky Sports claim that the Welsh striker handed in a transfer request today which has been rejected. West Ham have confirmed offering a new contract to Bellamy but made no reference to a transfer request, instead confirming that neither Tottenham or Manchester City (3/1) have permission to speak to the 29-year-old.

Bellamy appears to be Harry Redknapp’s primary target this month but it is by no means a done deal. The bidding reportedly started at £6 million but has already escalated to £11 million and despite stories that the East London club have to sell their best players, they appear determined to hold on to Bellamy. Even if they do decide to sell, they would almost certainly prefer to sell to Manchester City than their local rivals.

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

Betfair punters expect Santa Cruz and Bellamy to be sold

Use Betfair to garner public opinion on who’s staying and going

In the summer there were so many ongoing transfer sagas that ended with the player in question staying put, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Emmanuel Adebayor, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Andrei Arshavin and Samuel Eto’o just being a few examples.

With so many players’ futures again up in the air this month it is tough to figure out which rumours to believe and which to immediately dismiss. One way of establishing the general opinion is to check Betfair’s transfer specials markets, which offer prices on a number of players staying or leaving their current clubs in the transfer window

To make things easier, chickendinner have compiled a list of each player you can bet on and what their current prices are to stay and go:

Posted: January 8th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Redknapp hunts FA Cup win number four against Man Utd

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. While Tottenham were knocked out against Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth round last season, they have a manager more than capable of causing an upset at Old Trafford. Harry Redknapp has won FA Cup games against the Red Devils with three of his four previous clubs. He won 2-0 at home to them with Bournemouth before enjoying 1-0 away wins while managing West Ham and Portsmouth.

2. If Chelsea see off Southend in their replay they will face Ipswich at home in the fourth round. This will be the ninth time in eleven third-to-fifth round draws that Chelsea have been given a home tie with a lower league club.

Posted: January 5th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

West Ham’s goal shy strikers

West Ham/Spurs, 8pm, Setanta Sports 1, Best Odds, Free Bets

West Ham have played for twelve hours and twenty-one minutes since one of their strikers last scored a goal. Since Carlton Cole’s consolation goal against Bolton over two months ago, the East London club have played eight games and their only goals in those fixtures came from midfielders Hayden Mullins, Jack Collison and Valon Behrami. Craig Bellamy has yet to score under Gianfranco Zola. Will West Ham’s strikeforce be able to end that run against Heurelho Gomes or will he be given an easy night? Click here for all the anytime goalscorer odds.

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Posted: December 8th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment