John Terry is 5/2 to move to Manchester City this summer

Click here to check out all of Sky Bet’s latest transfer specials

Photo Credit: Carl Court, PA Wire

Sky Bet have priced Manchester City at 5/2 to sign John Terry this summer despite Carlo Ancelotti’s claim this morning that he will be at Chelsea forever.

The online bookmakers are still fairly sure that the England captain will stay at Stamford Bridge though and have priced that possibility at 1/5. One player who seems certain to choose City over the Blues however is Carlos Tevez, who is 1/7 to move to Eastlands and 4/1 to join Chelsea.

The most open transfer special available on Sky Bet surrounds versatile Turkish forward Tuncay. The Middlesbrough man is 5/1 to stay at Riverside and is the same price to join Chelsea, Liverpool or City. As if it wasn’t already close, Sunderland are right behind at 6/1, with Spurs 7/1 and Aston Villa 9/1.

UPDATE: The Chelsea captain has now been cut to 2/1 to join City and is 4/11 to stay put

Posted: July 6th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Stats on this weekend’s four major Premier League games

Click here for the latest odds on the relegation battle

The deck seems to be stacked against Newcastle as they enter the final day in the relegation zone with Hull facing Manchester United Reserves but we still find it difficult to imagine them playing in the Championship. Here are three stats for each of Sunday’s four biggest games:

Aston Villa v Newcastle
The hosts have won just one of their last 15 games in all competitions.
Villa have only triumphed in three of their last 13 home league matches.
However, Newcastle have lost on three of their last four visits to Villa Park.

Hull v Manchester United
Manchester United have won their final match in five of the last six seasons.
The Tigers shipped three goals at home to Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal.

Posted: May 22nd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Sunderland keep up their bid to be relegated at Portsmouth

2008-09: The season where nobody can be bothered to survive

The table above shows the average number of points each Premier League club have taken from their last 11 games, with an unprecedented seven clubs all taking less than a point a game. That includes each of the bottom five, who seem to be doing everything in their power to be relegated, while Aston Villa and Wigan are plodding along with very little left to play for.

This is a far cry from the last five seasons, where no more than four teams have averaged under a point a game from matchday 27 onwards. In the last two campaigns, first West Ham and then Fulham have produced some of their best ever form to save themselves from their certain relegation:

2006-07

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 Newcastle and Boro may get the result that both dread

Newcastle/Middlesbrough, 8pm, Setanta S1, Free Bets, Best Odds

Unless West Brom do the unthinkable, there will be no Great Escape this season. If either Newcastle or Middlesbrough survive it won’t be because of a remarkable turnaround or inspirational management, it will be thanks to Hull’s ineptitude and a scrappy win or two. The stats suggest that neither Alan Shearer or Gareth Southgate will get the three points they desperately need tonight though, with Hull looking like the most likely winners:

Boylesports are offering 13/5 on the draw. Click here to claim a free £20 matched bet when opening an account with them.

1. The last four meetings between Newcastle and Middlesbrough at St James’ Park have finished level.

2. In total, seven of the last nine clashes between the two sides have been drawn, including each of the last four.

3. Newcastle have drawn 13 league games this season, more than any other club in the division.

Posted: May 11th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Aston Villa remember how to win, good news for Sheff Utd

Five stats about this weekend’s football

1. There’s no sign of any fight from the teams supposedly battling to avoid the drop. Over the last seven matches, the bottom five have produced just three wins between them - which have all come against one another (West Brom over Sunderland, Middlesbrough over Hull and Sunderland over Hull).

2. Aston Villa ended a 12-match winless streak by beating Hull last night but the sense of achievement was diminished by the fact Hull have won just two of their last 26 league games.

3. West Ham became the first team to beat Stoke at the Britannia Stadium in 2009 and joined Fulham as one of the only clubs outside the Big Four to keep a Premier League clean sheet there.

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