BDEATVTIIDNGMYERS

BOTTOM club Sunderland start a league match as favourites for the first time this season when they host West Brom on Saturday, Betway pricing them at 8/5 to win, with Albion offered at 2/1 by Betfred.

Yet note should be taken of research completed by the match stats team at bettingexpert.com which shows that, following a run of 13 consecutive league duels involving the pair between 2006-14, only one of which ended as a draw, three of their last four meetings have finished with honours even.

Saturday’s contest also promises to be a close contest, a conclusion which enhances the appeal of 888sport’s 12/5 posted against the stalemate.

Indeed, the belief that Saturday’s duel will be tight is strengthened by an examination of the correct score market where the most well-backed outcome is a 1-1 draw, priced at 11/2 by bet365.

On paper, Blues should have little difficulty sweeping struggling Blackburn aside when the pair lock horns at St Andrew’s this weekend.

Bookies are convinced the home side will waltz to victory – Skybet install City as their even money jollies, whereas the Lancastrians are offered at 3/1 by William Hill.

A foregone conclusion then? Perhaps not. Five of the duo’s last nine head-to-heads have finished on level terms and Blues have won only one of the other three.

The corresponding fixture ended goalless last term – the first time the fixture has failed to yield at least one goal since 1953 – which explains why Coral’s 5/6 for both teams to score on Saturday has been snapped up.

However, Blues are an attractive 6/4 (Paddy Power) to retain a clean sheet and 21/10 (Bwin) to win without conceding and prudent backers might be inclined to back both outcomes.

Villa drew eight league matches in the whole of last season and have already featured in seven drawn duels this term, but they face a Preston side on Saturday that has yet to register a single stalemate at Deepdale, though this has not prevented scores of punters taking Unibet’s 23/10 for the contest to end with honours even.

Villa travel north along the M6 as Betway’s 7/5 favourites to secure a maximum points haul, but few backers anticipate a goalfest ; one could settle it and punters who concur can get 7/1 (Marathonbet) against them winning 1-0.

Following an impressive start to their campaign, Norwich appear intent on spending just one season in the Championship and their good form accounts for the Canaries’ 7/5 starting price (Ladbrokes) and status as pre-match favourites prior to Saturday’s teatime meeting with Wolves at Molineux.

This one does appear likely to produce goals, hence the skinny 8/11 (bet365) for both teams to score. Wolves are 10/1 with the same firm to win 2-1.