All articles by: Elliott Jackson

Liverpool vs Crystal Palace – Match Preview

by ·Comments Off on Liverpool vs Crystal Palace – Match Preview

Liverpool vs Crystal Palace – Match Preview – Jürgen Klopp’s men take on Crystal Palace in a pre-season tournament in Hong Kong. The match gives new Palace boss Frank De Boer his first opportunity to pit his wits against fellow Premier League opposition.

The four-team tournament consists of Liverpool, Palace, West Brom and Leicester City. The games will give all four managers a chance to access their squads ahead of the new season, allowing them to identify where they need to strengthen in the summer window.

Liverpool have been busy in the market, bringing in former Chelsea winger Mohamad Salah. The Egyptian international signed for a reported £35 million pounds, and is expected to play a part against the Eagles. They have also signed another former Chelsea man, in the shape of Dominic Solanke. The young striker joined the Reds after running his contract down at Stamford Bridge, although Liverpool will still have to pay a fee, as he is under 23.

Mohamed Salah will inject pace and creativity into the Liverpool side Photo Credit: skysports.com

Palace in comparison are yet to bolster their squad ahead of the new campaign. French keeper Steve Mandanda has left the club to re-join Marseille, but they have yet to make any additions. The club are in talks with Porto to sign former Stoke City loanee, Bruno Martins Indi, and have reportedly bid for Arsenal defender Callum Chambers, as they look to add to their defensive options.

These two sides have produced some classic encounter over the last few years, most notably when Palace came from three goals down to draw level and crush Liverpool’s title aspirations. Last season, Liverpool came away with all three points from Selhurst Park, winning 4-2 in a goal-filled encounter. At Anfield however the story was different, with former Liverpool man Christian Benteke bagging a brace as they came away with 2-1 victory.

Christian Benteke enjoys scoring against his former club Photo Credit: skysports.com

Benteke joined Palace from Liverpool last season in a club record £30 million-pound deal. The striker hit 15 league goals in his debut campaign, and is reportedly attracting interest from big spenders Everton. Benteke has a great scoring record against the Reds. The Belgium international could come back to haunt his former side again, having notched six goals in seven matches against them.

Goals are never at a premium when these two meet. In the last ten meetings between the sides, there has been 39 goals scored, so another goal fest would be of little surprise. In those ten games, both teams have scored in everyone, so expect a tightly contested game.

 

SKYBET: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE AND OVER 2.5 MATCH GOALS – 10/11

SKYBET: BENTEKE TO SCORE FIRST AND PALACE TO WIN 2-1- 66/1

SKYBET PRICEBOOST: BENTEKE TO SCORE A HEADER- 15/2

SKYBET: SALAH TO SCORE FIRST AND LIVERPOOL TO WIN 2-1- 30/1

SKYBET HALF TIME/FULL TIME: LIVERPOOL/DRAW – 16/1

Wimbledon Final – Men’s Singles

by ·Comments Off on Wimbledon Final – Men’s Singles

Wimbledon Final – Men’s Singles – Sunday marks the final day of Wimbledon 2017. In a competition that has been filled with enthralling matches, high profile upsets, and some fantastic tennis, we are down to the final two. Few would argue about the inclusion of these two, with both earning their way in to the final for a chance to lift the converted title. Whoever wins, one thing is for sure, there will be a new name on the Wimbledon trophy this year.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the final.

Federer has bounced back from last year’s semi-final exit, and looks like a man on a mission. Following last year’s exit in the last four to Milos Raonic, the Swiss took six months off to recuperate. In Tennis, it is commonly accepted if you take six months off, it will take you at least that amount of time to get back to the level you were at.

Federer is a sporting anomaly. The seven time Wimbledon champion came back from his break to romp the Australian Open, and after another break saw him miss the whole clay season, he is now in the final of Wimbledon. We are running out of superlatives to describe him. Federer is yet to drop a set throughout the whole of the competition, and has made light work of every opponent he has faced.

Roger Federer celebrates his victory in the Semi Final over Tomas Berdych Photo Credit: skysports.com

The world number five beat Tomas Berdych in the semi-final in straight sets. Despite Berdych fighting hard to take Federer to a tie break in the first two sets, he still found himself on the brink of a semi-final exit. Federer eventually sealed the win, winning 7-6, 7-6, 6-4.

Despite the ominous form of Federer, this match is far from a for gone conclusion. Cilic has finally reached his first Wimbledon final at the eleventh attempt and will be determined not to let this opportunity slip him by. This is only the Croat’s second ever grand slam final, the first he won in 2014, when he picked up the US Open title. That year he beat Roger Federer in the semi-final to reach the last two, and he will be hoping for another straight set win.

Can Marin Cilic win Wimbledon on his 11th attempt at the tournament? Photo Credit: skysports.com

The world number six claimed victory in America as world number 14. Now he is number seven in the world and this highlights his meteoric rise in status as he cements his place as a major force in the Tennis world. Cilic’s route to the final hasn’t been straight forward. Having played a combined nine sets in the quarter and semi-finals, it will be interesting to see how long he can maintain his best tennis out on centre court.

His four-set duel with Sam Querrey in the semi-final lasted just short of three hours. Cilic eventually came out victorious, beating the American 6-7, 6-4, 7-4, 7-5. Cilic recorded an impressive 25 aces throughout the game, and he’ll be relying on that serve if he is to try and beat Federer.

 

SKYBET: FEDERER TO WIN 3-0 (SET BETTING), SERVE MOST ACES AND LEAST NUMBER OF DOUBLE FAULTS – 7/1

SKYBET: CILIC TO WIN- 7/2

SKYBET: FEDERER TO WIN 3-1(SET BETTING)- 5/2

SKYBET: CILIC TO WIN, SERVE MOST ACES, AND LEAST NUMBER OF DOUBLE FAULTS- 10/1

Wimbledon Final – Women’s Singles

by ·Comments Off on Wimbledon Final – Women’s Singles

Wimbledon Final – Women’s Singles – The final of the 2017 Wimbledon Women’s singles is here! Both players know they are potentially two sets away from claiming the title, with every shot the most important they have ever played. Who will handle the pressure? Who will become Wimbledon Champion 2017 and take home the title?

Here’s all you need to know ahead of the final.

Williams comes in to the match on the back of her straight sets win over Britain’s Johanna Konta. Knowing she was facing the success story of the competition, it would have been easy for Williams to buckle under the pressure, but there was no such case. The world number 11 showed her true class, and blew away Konta 6-4, 6-2, showing how determined she was to not fall at the same hurdle as last year.

Williams celebrates after defeating Johanna Konta in the Semi Final Photo Credit: express.co.uk

The American looks set to fly the Williams’ flag to glory, with the absence of her sister Serena, who is expecting her first child around August. Venus has seized her opportunity, and is now within touching distance of her first Wimbledon title since 2008, one that is long overdue.

In fact, not only would this be her first London title since 2008, but also her first grand slam victory since then too. This is only her third final since that time, which really underlines how poorly she has performed previously, given her undoubted ability.

Garbine Muguruza was runner up in the 2015 Wimbledon Final to Serena Williams Photo Credit: skysports.com

Her opponent Muguruza by contrast picked up her one and only grand slam two years ago. She won the Roland Garros in 2016, and is now in to her second Wimbledon final, having finished runner up in 2015, where she lost to her current opponent’s sister, Serena.

On the back of that disappointment, Muguruza struggled to maintain her impressive form, and struggled until her victory in the French Open. Since then she has reached the quarter finals of the Australian Open, and now a second Wimbledon final.

She has dropped only one set in this competition, back in the third round, when she dumped out world number one Angelique Kerber. She came through her semi-final in just 65 minutes, making light work of Magdalena Rybariova, beating her 6-1, 6-1. This competition has showed her ruthless streak against inferior opponents, as well as her ability to play the plucky underdog.

In what should be a gripping, tightly contested affair, the smallest margin will dictate this game. With both players so even in ability, it will come down to who can replicate the form that has got them to this stage, and who will buckle under the pressure.

 

SKYBET: WILLIAMS TO WIN- 1/1

SKYBET: MUGURUZA TO WIN- 4/5

SKYBET: WILLIAMS 2-1(SET BETTING)- 100/30

SKYBET: TIE BREAK IN MATCH(YES)- 9/4