All articles by: Elliott Jackson

Huddersfield Town vs Sheffield Wednesday – Match Preview

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Huddersfield Town vs Sheffield Wednesday
Sunday 15th September 2019
Sky Bet Championship, John Smith’s Stadium

Live on Sky Sports Football – Kick Off: 12:00 BST

Danny Cowley and Garry Monk will both make their managerial debuts in this Yorkshire derby as Huddersfield Town look to address their poor start to the season against Sheffield Wednesday.

The Terriers sit second-bottom of the Championship after six games, with only a point to their name. They’re on a 17-game winless run, which stretches back to April. As a result, Cowley’s first task will be to get three points on the board. The former Lincoln City boss was named as Jan Siewert’s successor on Monday. There were links that Cowley could have been in the away dugout for this clash but those reports proved to be untrue.

Cowley’s first task is to change the losing mindset surrounding Huddersfield. Having dropped out from the Premier League they’re in free fall and have lost belief they can win matches. Whilst their squad isn’t amazing, it’s more than capable of competing in the top half of the table. Karlan Grant is their main source of goals, with the former Charlton striker bagging four goals already this term.

Sheffield Wednesday ended their managerial uncertainty with the appointment of Monk last Friday. The former Leeds United boss has been out of work since leaving Birmingham City in the summer. This is his fifth Championship job in as many years but it is widely accepted he’s done a good job in each of his roles, bar Middlesbrough. He’ll look to inject some life into the Owls, who’ve been without a permanent manager since Steve Bruce left.

Wednesday have made an average start to the season, with three wins and three defeats from six games. After back-to-back wins at the start of the season, one win in four has followed. A disappointing defeat to Queens Park Rangers was a lowlight of the season before the International break. The Owls do have quality players, though. Barry Bannan can pull the strings in midfield, whilst Kadeem Harris will provide a threat down the left-hand side. If Monk can get those two playing to their best, the Owls can be a real force in the play-off race.

Simon Hooper is the referee for Sunday’s match. The Englishman racked up an average booking points total of 41, across 21 Championship matches last season. With that in mind, I would recommend a maximum of 60+ booking points for this fixture.

Both managers will be desperate to win their first game but equally won’t want to lose. I think both teams will raise their game to impress their new bosses, which could see the game end all square.

Huddersfield Town vs Sheffield United will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports Football with kick off at 12:30 GMT.

Prediction: Huddersfield Town 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday

Suggested Tips – Huddersfield Town vs Sheffield Wednesday – (BET365)

  • Correct Score – Draw 1-1- (link no longer available).
  • First Goalscorer – Karlan Laughton Ahearne Grant – (link no longer available).
  • Anytime Goalscorer – Stephen Fletcher – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Huddersfield Town vs Sheffield Wednesday – (SKYBET)

  • Full Time Result & Both Teams to Score – Sheffield Wednesday and Yes – 11/2.

Markets Updated at 10:05 BST on Saturday 14th September 2019.

Norwich City vs Manchester City – Match Preview

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Norwich City vs Manchester City
Saturday 14th September 2019
FA Premier League, Carrow Road

Sky Sports Premier League – 17:30 BST

Manchester City will be looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the Premier League season with another three points against Norwich City at Carrow Road.

Pep Guardiola’s side trail Liverpool by two points in the race for the title. City’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur is the difference between the two sides, with the champions taking maximum points in every other fixture. They’ll be without Aymeric Laporte for a few months with a knee injury which will call on Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones to step up to the plate. Fernandinho and Kyle Walker are City’s only other make-shift options at the heart of their defence.

Raheem Sterling has made a sensational start to the new season. The winger has seven goals in six appearances this season for club and country. Alongside Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva, they have the deadliest attack in the league with playmakers such as Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva feeding them at will. As a result, they should have some joy against a porous Norwich defence.

Norwich have one win and three points to their name after four league fixtures. That victory came against Newcastle United, another team in a relegation dog fight. Their form at Carrow Road will be vital and having run Chelsea close a few weeks ago, City will need to be wary of the threat they can pose teams.

The Canaries’ expansive style may leave them open at times, but it also makes them dangerous against every side. In their fixtures against Liverpool and Chelsea this season they’ve scored three goals, which shows they can hurt superior opposition. Of course, their main man is Teemu Pukki, who has scored all but one of their Premier League goals this season.

Kevin Friend is the referee for Saturday tea-time’s match. The Englishman racked up an average booking points total of 60, across 3 Premier League matches this season. With that in mind, I would recommend a maximum of 60+ booking points for this fixture.

City look imperious and with the way Norwich are conceding goals, I can only see one winner. As previous clashes against the top six have shown, I wouldn’t bet against the Canaries getting on the score sheet.

Norwich vs Manchester City will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League with kick off at 17:30 GMT.

Prediction: Norwich City 1-3 Manchester City

Suggested Tips – Norwich City vs Manchester City – (BET365)

  • Correct Score – Manchester City to win 3-1 – (link no longer available).
  • First Goalscorer – Raheem Sterling – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Norwich City vs Manchester City – (SKYBET)

  • Both Players To Score – Sergio Augero and Teemu Pukki – 14/5.
  • Full Time Result and Both Team to Score – Manchester City and Yes – 1/1.

Markets Updated at 18:45 BST on Friday 13th September 2019.

Fulham vs West Brom – Match Preview

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Fulham vs West Brom
Saturday 14th September 2019
Sky Bet Championship, Craven Cottage

Live on Sky Sports Football – 12:30 BST

Two of the Championship’s early-season promotion favourites go head to head, with Fulham and West Brom both looking to steal a march on their fellow top-two rival.

Scott Parker’s side have made a decent start to life in the Championship, bouncing back from their opening day defeat to Barnsley. A run of three wins followed, but they took just one point from Nottingham Forest at home and Cardiff City away before the International break. The Cottagers are, understandably, still striving for the form that will make them automatic promotion contenders, as opposed to play-off hopefuls.

Defensively, Fulham still need to improve. Whilst conceding five goals in six games isn’t awful, they still look a little hap-hazardous at the back. In attack, however, they’re devastating. Aleksandar Mitrovic is firing the goals in, with six goals already this term. With Ivan Cavaleiro and Anthony Knockaert supplying him from either flank, the Serbian looks a shoo-in for the Championship golden boot.

West Brom are one of only three teams yet to be beaten in the league this season. Three wins and three draws have followed Slaven Bilic’s opening six games, which is a very healthy return. Grady Diangana has been their star of the season so far. The West Ham loanee has three goals already this season, which earned him an England Under-21 call-up over the International break.

Defensively frailties could once again be the only thing that stops West Brom finishing in the top two. Only Bristol City have conceded more than them, of those teams in the top six, at the moment. Semi Ajayi came in during the summer and whilst his partnership with Kyle Bartley looks promising, there are still moments of uncertainty as the pair get used to playing alongside one another.

The referee for Friday night’s clash is David Webb. The Englishman has racked up an average booking points total of 35, across four Championship matches this season. With that in mind, I would recommend a maximum of 50+ booking points for this fixture.

Both teams have fantastic attacking quality, particularly Fulham. Those attacks should have both in the promotion shake-up come May. However, defensive issues for both will determine whether that is a top-two place, or whether they’ll have to settle for the play-offs. As a result, I’m going for a high-scoring draw.

Fulham vs West Brom will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports Football with kick off at 12:30 GMT.

Prediction: Fulham 2-2 West Brom.

Suggested Tips – Fulham vs West Brom (BET365):

  • Correct score – 2-2 draw – (link no longer available).
  • Aleksandar Mitrovic to score first – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Fulham vs West Brom (SKYBET):

  • Cavaleiro and Austin to both score – 8/1.
  • BTTS and over 2.5 goals – 10/11.

Markets Updated at 15:00 BST on Friday 13th September 2019.