All articles by: Elliott Jackson

Liverpool vs Manchester City – Match Preview

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The league’s best attacking sides go head to head at Anfield with Liverpool vs Manchester City clashing this Sunday. We could be in for a goal fest this weekend!

Pep Guardiola’s men are still yet to lose in the league campaign, with a trip to Anfield likely to be one of their toughest tasks yet. After winning at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge already this season, if they can navigate this fixture without defeat, it’s tough to see who could stop them. It did, however, take a stoppage-time Sergio Aguero goal to see them past Bristol City in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final. After going in at the break a goal behind, goals from Kevin De Bruyne and then Sergio Aguero sealed the win.

That result showed that there are ways of getting at this City side. Bristol City’s high-pressing game contained City for Guardiola’s side for large portions of the game and ultimately lead to them opening the scoring. With John Stones just back from injury and Eliaquim Mangala still looking out of place, City were far from convincing defensively, something Jurgen Klopp’s men will look to exploit.

De Bruyne, David Silva and Sane will be hoping to keep City’s undefeated streak going at Anfield Photo Credit: skysports.com

Liverpool sealed their place in the next round of the FA Cup after beating Everton. That win means the Reds have won five of their last six games, including their last four. Unbeaten since October, Liverpool will be hoping the signing of Virgil van Dijk can help continue that run. The 75-million-pound defender scored on his full debut last week and will help plug a leaky backline that has threatened to derail Liverpool’s top four hopes. Against City, Van Dijk will be put under the microscope as he is put up against the division’s finest attackers.

In attack, Liverpool will be hoping to welcome back Mohamad Salah after he missed last week’s derby win. They will obviously be without Phillipe Coutinho, who completed his move to Barcelona this week, but they have a number of players ready to step into his shoes for this game. There’s no doubt the little Brazilian will be missed on Merseyside, but with an abundance of attacking options and the January window open, I think Liverpool got the better end of the £142 million-pound deal. With Adam Lallana now back fit alongside Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, the Reds have plenty in reserve.

Can Mane, Salah and Firmino fill the void left by Coutinho? Photo Credit: skysports.com

Despite losing 5-0 in the reverse fixture last September, Liverpool have won five of their last nine meetings with City, losing just three times. Similarly, City haven’t won at Anfield since 2003, 15 years ago. Andre Marriner has been appointed as referee for this game. Marriner is regarded to be a calm, ‘safe pair of hands’ having only brandished one red card this season. He has also only shown 36 yellow cards in his 15 matches to date, averaging at 2.4 a game. He has the sixth lowest average booking points in the league, with 27.3 per game.

With both sides boasting such a wealth of attacking talent, there will be goals in this game. I think that it will end a draw, with both teams to score a very safe bet. I wouldn’t rule out btts in both halves either if you’re feeling lucky.

 

Prediction: Liverpool 2-2 Manchester City

 

Suggested Tips

(SKYBET)

CORRECT SCORE DRAW 2-2- 9/1

BTTS AND OVER 3.5 GOALS- 5/2

AGUERO TO SCORE AND CITY TO WIN- 7/4

SALAH TO SCORE FIRST AND LIVERPOOL TO WIN 3-2- 80/1

BTTS IN BOTH HALVES- 8/1

MANE AND STERLING TO BOTH SCORE- 15/2

(BET365)

ANYTIME GOALSCORER – VIRGIL VAN DJIK – (link no longer available)

HALF TIME/FULL TIME – DRAW/DRAW – (link no longer available)

TO SCORE IN BOTH HALVES – LIVERPOOL – (link no longer available)

Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton – Match Preview

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Saturday’s evening kick off comes from Wembley Stadium with Tottenham Hotspur vs Everton. The Toffee’s are looking for their first win in 5 games.

Spurs come into this game with four wins from their last five games, having secured their place in the FA Cup fourth-round last time out. Mauricio Pochettino’s side find themselves three points outside the top four in fifth place, with Liverpool just ahead of them. With the Reds facing Manchester City on Sunday, it’s vital that Tottenham take advantage of any dropped points as they look to close the gap.

Kane has looked unstoppable in the past few games for Spurs Photo Credit: skysports.com

With games against Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal all to come at the beginning of February, Spurs need to make sure they take points of the teams they’re expected to beat. After Everton, they face trips to Southampton and then Newport in the FA Cup, two games they must win. If Pochettino wants to secure a third consecutive top-four finish, making sure they don’t lose against surrounding teams is vital. Spurs have only taken three points in games against ‘the big five’ having lost four of those. That record needs to improve.

After a fantastic start to life under Sam Allardyce, Everton have stalled in recent weeks. Without a win in five games, the Toffees have lost their last three. Last week’s 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby also means they’re out of the FA Cup. With Premier League consolidation the target, it’s important Allardyce uses this time to suss out his squad to prepare for next summer.

This game could also see the debut of new signing Cenk Tosun. The Turkish international has signed from Besiktas for a reported fee of 25 million pounds. Evertonians will be hoping their new striker can provide much-needed support for youngster Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as they look to replace the goals of Romelu Lukaku.

Everton’s new signing, Cenk Tosun, could feature against Spurs this Saturday Photo Credit: skysports.com

Tottenham are unbeaten in their last ten meetings with Everton, winning five and drawing five. The Toffees haven’t won away against Spurs since 2008. Craig Pawson will be the man in the middle at Wembley, with the Englishman holding the highest average booking points in the league. Having shown an average of 3.8 yellow cards and 0.2 red cards in his 16 games, Pawson finds himself top with an average of 44.4.

With Spurs in good form recently and with big games to follow, I think they’ll get the three points here. Everton don’t travel particularly well, having only won on the road once this season. I think over 2.5 goals is a good bet, with Spurs knocking in 16 goals in their last five home games.

 

Prediction: Tottenham 3-1 Everton

Suggested Tips

(SKYBET)

CORRECT SCORE – SPURS TO WIN 3-1- 10/1

KANE TO SCORE A BRACE- 9/4

ROONEY AND ALLI TO SCORE- 10/1

BTTS AND SPURS TO WIN- 21/10

TOTTENHAM TO WIN BY EXACTLY TWO GOALS- 11/4

(BET365)

OVER 2.5 GOALS – (link no longer available)

HALF TIME/ FULL TIME – DRAW/TOTTENHAM – (link no longer available)

ANYTIME GOALSCORER – GYLFI SIGURDSSON – (link no longer available)

FIRST GOALSCORER – HARRY KANE – (link no longer available)

 

Sheffield Utd vs Sheffield Wednesday – Match Preview

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The Steel City derby takes place this Friday with Sheffield Utd vs Sheffield Wednesday in the Skybet Championship. New Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay faces a tough test in his first game in charge against their city rivals.

The Dutch manager has managed in Germany all his career, with teams in both the Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga. He is known as ‘the Bundesliga promotion expert’ in Germany, having guided Borussia Monchengladbach, Augsburg and Hertha Berlin into the top flight of German football. He has achieved promotion with every club he’s been at; a record that is unmatched in Germany.

Jos Luhukay is the new Sheffield Wednesday manager, taking over from Carlos Carvalhal Photo Credit: skysports.com

With Hertha Berlin, he steered the club back to the top flight at the first time of asking, achieving the record number of points in the division’s history with 76 points from 34 games. Luhukay’s sole focus is to get Wednesday back into the Premier League, as soon as possible. With the Owls currently sitting in 16th place, 13 points off the play-offs, it’s unlikely that it will be this season. Luhukay will be able to use the rest of the campaign to assess his squad before the summer transfer window.

Wednesday come into this game with more than 10 first-team absentees. Injuries to Wednesday has been a factor in their lowly league position. They will be without a number of key players at Bramall Lane with Barry Bannan, Sam Hutchinson, Tom Lees, Kieran Lee, Gary Hooper and Fernando Forestieri just a few of the big names missing.

After their memorable 4-2 win at Hillsborough earlier in the season, Sheffield United will be hoping to do the double over their arch-rivals. A win would also move the Blades back into the play-off places and up to fifth. Chris Wilder could give a debut to new signing Ryan Leonard after the former Southend playmaker completed his move last week. Lee Evans looks to be on his way to Bramall Lane from Wolves but a deal has not been completed yet.

Clarke scored a brace in the reverse fixture when Sheff Utd won 4-2 at Hillsborough Photo Credit: skysports.com

Despite only winning two of their last ten games in all competitions, United coming into this game in the best form. Of those ten games, Chris Wilder’s side also drew three of them, including points against promotion rivals, Aston Villa and Derby County. Wednesday, by contrast, have collected just seven points from their last ten league games, with only one win in that time.

David Coote will be in charge of the Steel City derby. Coote has just the one red card to his name, to John Fleck of Sheff Utd and has shown an average of 3.9 yellow cards a game, with his average booking points total at 41.1.

Whilst I think this will be a much tighter affair than some have predicted, I think Sheffield United will get the win. It is, however, certainly the platform for Luhukay to make a name for himself.

 

Prediction: Sheffield United 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday

 

Suggested Tips

(SkyBet)

CORRECT SCORE UNITED TO WIN 2-1- 15/2

CLARKE TO SCORE FIRST AND DRAW 1-1- 18/1

RHODES TO SCORE AND WIN- 11/1  

DONALDSON AND REACH TO BOTH SCORE- 14/1

BTTS IN BOTH HALVES- 20/1– (Happened last time)

BTTS AND WEDNESDAY TO WIN- 8/1

(BET365)

 TOTAL GOALS/BTTS – OVER 2.5 AND YES – (link no longer available)

 HALF TIME/FULL TIME – SHEFF UTD/DRAW – (link no longer available)

 FULL TIME RESULT – DRAW – (link no longer available)