Saints have Magic touch
TWELVE teams. Six matches. Two days. One stadium.
It’s Magic Weekend for the Betfred Super League at St James’ Park in Newcastle with some tasty derby match-ups.
It kicks off at 3pm when St Helens should have little trouble seeing off Widnes.
Saints have won 20 of the 23 Super League meetings and odds of
1-14 suggests they should make it 21 and maintain their place at the top of the table.
Next is Warrington v Wigan at 5.15. Who can forget the epic 24-24 draw these teams served up at the last Magic Weekend? It’s
22-1 for a repeat which is worth a speculative punt.
Wigan are 8-11 to avenge their 16-10 defeat earlier in the season with Warrington
6-5 to complete the double.
The handicap is set at two points in favour of Warrington with both sides available at Evens.
Wrapping up Saturday’s action is a repeat of last year’s Grand Final as Castleford Tigers take on Leeds Rhinos.
Leeds dominated
24-6 at Old Trafford in October but Castleford edged a ding-dong battle 25-24 earlier this season at Headingley.
Luke Gale (below) landed five first-half kicks – including a drop goal – and proved decisive for Tigers. The Rhinos are 8-13 but the
11-8 for the Tigers should be snapped up as they have won their last nine regular season meetings against Leeds, including a 29-18 here last year.
Sunday’s action kicks off at 1pm with a couple of strugglers. Salford have been backed into 4-5 to repeat their March victory over Catalans Dragons and stop the rot after three successive defeats.
Huddersfield have a good record at Magic Weekend with seven victories and are 11-8 to record a muchneeded victory over
8-13 favourites Wakefield.
The final game to wrap up the action is the face-off between the two Hull sides.
Hull FC have won the last six meetings and are 4-9 to record a seventh. There have been nibbles for Hull KR at 15-8 to upset the form book.
JOSE MOURINHO is my tip to join an illustrious FA Cup group tonight by becoming only the third manager to lift the trophy with two different clubs.
Mourinho’s Manchester United take on Chelsea at Wembley in this evening’s final with the Reds looking to equal Arsenal’s 13 wins in the competition.
Mourinho would join greats Billy Walker (Nottingham Forest and Sheff Wed) and the legendary Herbert Chapman (Huddersfield and Arsenal) in the record book.
Mourinho’s last cup win came with Chelsea over United 1-0 back in 2007.
This is the third final between the sides with the other a 4-0 Reds win in 1994.It is the eighth game between the two at Wembley with the previous seven resulting in two wins apiece and three games going to penalty shoot-outs.
United are marginal 8-5 favourites at BetVictor to win in 90 minutes with the Blues 9-5 and the draw at 21-10.
Both teams to score in the 90 minutes is evens and that must be the recommendation despite the fact that United have only conceded once on their way to the final and Chelsea twice.
Romelu Lukaku should be fit to face his old club and United have missed the striker.
But I just feel Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez and Paul Pogba are all due a big game for United. A 2-1 win for the Red Devils is priced at 19-2 and that might be a shade overpriced.
Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger is 21-2 to be the first player carded and 9-4 to be shown a yellow at some stage during the Wembley showpiece – the latter might be overpriced.
Motherwell must take heart from the fact that they were just a minute away from beating Brendan Rodgers’ SPL champions Celtic at Fir Park earlier in the season when the sides meet in today’s Cup Final at Hampden Park. Some will say the pressure is on the Hoops who are chasing backto-back domestic trebles.
But I can’t agree despite the fact the champions appear unlikely to have the very talented Odsonne Edouard available as he battles with a hamstring injury.
Celtic are 1-4 to win in 90 minutes with the Well 21-2 and the draw at 19-4.
Those odds are not exactly attractive so I have to go for Celtic to win to nil at 21-20.
Manchester City reached 100 points in the Premier League this season and I doubt that will ever be equalled – let alone bettered.
If Celtic do win an unprecedented double treble it will be a serious reminder to Steven Gerrard of the task facing him at Ibrox next
Chelseas’ s Anthony Rudiger to be booked in the FA Cup Final .......... 9-4
Go to BetVictor.com