CUP WIN SHOULD BE IN THE BAG’
THIS is a Premier League column, even if this weekend is a cup one but the real stuff is in midweek.
It would have been better to have swapped it around and had the Premier League at the weekend with midweek cup ties under the lights but anyway.
We’ll have a look at the FA Cup first, although the pointlessness of the scheduling was heightened by the four matches that were on yesterday in addition to Thursday’s game.
So an FA Cup ‘weekend’ that takes five days to run off, with only 10 games on today and tomorrow.
Perhaps I’m just bitter as Bristol Rovers threw away a trip to Anfield despite leading at halftime against Norwich in their replay. I’m definitely bitter.
It’s so hard to get enthused about any of these games but West Brom against Wolves in a West Midlands derby could be a cracker.
The first half hour of Sunderland against Newcastle was absolute thrilling. A throwback with plenty of tackles going in but once Newcastle got the opener then it was only going one way.
This could be different as West Brom are better than Sunderland and Wolves are not as good as Newcastle.
You can get 3-1 for the Baggies to win this and there is no doubt they will be fired up to get one over their new neighbours.
Short
Wolves are a little short of being able to make a European spot, while they are already on 29 points and miles clear of danger.
That would make me lean slightly towards the Old Gold in this one and at 21-20 they are a backable price, although the Hawthorns crowd won’t make it easy for them.
Sadly both Liverpool and Manchester United ought to get through without any hassle as they play Norwich and Newport respectively.
Liverpool come up against a
Canaries side that is slowly improving, although the playoffs are already their only hope of promotion.
They have some good players, but even with a few squad players lining out here, Liverpool should be okay.
I will go with correct scores of 4-1 and 4-2 in favour of the home side and they are available at prices of 12-1 and 33-1. Newport at least have home advantage as they aim for an upset and I will have a quid on the draw at 14-1 but United will be furious if they have to go again.
Rasmus Hojlund (inset) has not been a big success but this might be a confidence booster for him if he starts and if he does it might be worth having a little bit on him at 9-2 to score two or more goals. Back to today’s games and if there is to be something of an upset, it might just come in another midlands derby, with Birmingham heading east to Leicester.
The Foxes are riding high in the
league so might not have laser focus on this and at 6-1, Birmingham are worth a quid.
Newcastle are in action this evening and they go to Fulham, who I think will be exiting another cup competition this week. The Toon Army are a good prospect at 27-20 to win at Craven Cottage.
Season
Sheffield United are struggling, but struggling sides do often get a good cup run and at 9-2 they are not the worst bet to beat a Brighton side I don’t think is as good as it is made out to be.
So let’s move to the midweek Premier League round, with games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Five games are on Tuesday in what is a return series from the opening weekend of the season.
Aston Villa host Newcastle with their brief dreams of the title looking dashed now, but they should still get the win here and I will take them at 10-11.
Arsenal go to Nottingham Forest and there can be no slipups if they are to make a real title run.
Forest have improved under Nuno Espirito Santo, but this has to be an Arsenal win. I will take them to win either 2-0 (132) or 2-1 (8-1).
Tottenham host Brentford on Wednesday and to be honest, Spurs have probably got away with a few home games they should have lost. They might not be so lucky in this one.
Brentford are closer to the top of the table than the bottom, but they are dangerous and at 9-2 they are worth a punt.
Liverpool are in home action again, taking on Chelsea this time and although the Blues are hinting at a slow progression, they don’t have the firepower to win at Anfield.
You can get 8-5 on Liverpool at -1 on the handicap and I see that as a an agreeable bet. The scousers don’t concede many and Chelsea don’t score a whole pile.
Brother
Just one bet on Thursday interests me. West Ham have always been like Bournemouth’s big brother and the Hammers can live up to that with a win at the London Stadium at odds of 7-5.
Just three games remain in the NFL season and two of them are tomorrow night with the Conference games in the AFC and NFC.
First up sees the Kansas City Chiefs head east to play the Baltimore Ravens and we will see tomorrow if the hosts are all they are cracked up to be.
My sense still is that the Ravens got the No.1 seed in the AFC due to the failings of others and the defending Super Bowl champions seem to be getting better each week.
I think Kansas City are a good bet to win the match at 7-4.
There seems to be a lot of goodwill for the Detroit Lions to reach a Super Bowl, but I just cannot see how they can go to the San Francisco 49ers and win.
The 4-5 for the Lions at +9.5 looks a fair price to me. You’ll get a good run for your money if you stay up past midnight at the very least.