All articles by: Jools Jordan-Probert

West Brom vs Derby County – Match Preview

by ·Comments Off on West Brom vs Derby County – Match Preview

West Brom vs Derby County
Wednesday 24th October 2018
SkyBet Championship, The Hawthorns

Live on Sky Sports Football – Kick-Off: 20:00 GMT

West Brom vs Derby County – Two of the Championship’s heavy hitters match up as fifth place Derby travel to third place West Brom.

Showcasing the strength of the Championship, a team newly relegated from the Premier League in West Brom face a side that have already knocked Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup this season. And neither are even in the automatic promotion places.

Not for the want of trying though. After an excellent start to the season, in which they have already smashed in a league-leading 31 goals, West Brom are third. That is just one point away from second-placed Sheffield United. The same Sheffield United that Derby beat 2-1 at Pride Park last time out to sneak into the play-off places.

Prior to the Derby game, The Blades had won four consecutive matches, so it was a huge win for Frank Lampard’s side. Much has been made of the appointment of the former Chelsea and England midfielder, and deservedly so. Lampard has trusted in youth and got Derby playing a more exciting brand of football.

Ultimately, that has to translate into results and even though the division is inevitably tight, fifth place come the end of the season would mean a solid campaign. To maintain that position Derby will have to navigate one of the most challenging tasks this season has to offer, going to The Hawthorns. Barring a loss to Bolton, Darren Moore’s side have won every game at home this term, scoring a massive 20 goals in the process.

At the heart of the attack, Dwight Gayle and Jay Rodriguez have eight and seven goals and are second and third in the league’s top scoring chart respectively. Derby’s goals have been much more shared out, with no one scoring more than three (Mason Mount, Tom Lawrence) for The Rams.

This match will be a true indicator of promotion credentials. West Brom are the bookmaker’s favourites for promotion. Not only that, this game is almost guaranteed to contain goals. Expect the best that the Championship has to offer. West Brom have only kept one clean sheet all season, Derby have only kept three. This will be a cracker.

Referee Robert Jones takes charge of his 15th game of the season here. Jones has already amassed 50 yellow cards and a red this term so isn’t afraid to deliver discipline. His last match, Brentford losing 1-0 to Bristol City, featured that red and seven yellows.

West Brom vs Derby County will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports Football with kick off at 20:00.

Prediction – West Brom 2-1 Derby County

Suggested Tips – West Brom vs Derby County – (BET365):

  • Correct score: West Brom to win 2-1 – (link no longer available)].

Suggested Tips – West Brom vs Derby County – (SKYBET):

  • Price Boost – BTTS and West Brom to win – 3/1.
  • RequestABets upto 10/1 – BTTS, 4+ corners each team and 20+ booking points each team – 15/2. (NAP).
  • First Goalscorer – Dwight Gayle – 4/1.

Odds and markets last updated on Wednesday 24th October @17:47 GMT.

Remember to keep visiting the tips and preview area for further updates and betting previews around this weekends other domestic games and remainder European action this week.

PSV vs Tottenham Hotspur – Match Preview

by ·Comments Off on PSV vs Tottenham Hotspur – Match Preview

PSV vs Tottenham Hotspur
Wednesday 24th October 2018, Philips Stadion, Eindhoven
UEFA Champions League – Group B Qualifier 

BT Sport 3 – 17:55 GMT.

PSV vs Tottenham Hotspur – the visitors are scrambling for Champions League survival in a crunch match at PSV.

After an underwhelming start to the season, Mauricio Pochettino’s side have bounced back to win four consecutive Premier League games. Spurs are now only out of the top four on goal difference, in fifth behind North-London rivals Arsenal after Monday’s convincing 3-1 victory against Leicester.

With so much power in the league, namely Manchester City and Liverpool consolidation of a top four place is surely the goal once again for Spurs. The goals of Harry Kane will be vitally important in achieving that goal. The England captain and World Cup Golden Boot winner has six in all competitions so far, chasing more personal accolades.

It is a collective title that he, and Spurs yearn for, however. It is well documented that ‘Poch’ is yet to win a trophy at White Hart Lane (or Wembley) and whilst keeping such a talented squad each passing year is a missed opportunity. Whilst not amongst the favourites, Spurs have all the required tools to seriously contest in any competition, including the Champions League.

In Group B, Spurs have it all to do though. A late collapse at the San Siro brought heartbreak in a 2-1 defeat before a Lionel Messi inspired Barcelona came away from London with a resounding 4-2 victory, leaving Spurs pointless and bottom after the first two matchdays. Anything but a victory could already all but seal Spurs’ fate, which would be a massive disappointment. Pochettino will have to do it without Dele Alli, who is injured, and Christian Eriksen, so key to how Spurs play, is also a doubt too.

In the way are PSV, who are enjoying a magnificent start to the domestic season. After nine games, dominance has been imposed and Mark van Bommel’s side have nine wins, smashing in 36 goals and conceding just three to boot. No one in the league has scored more than duo Hirving Lozano and Luuk de Jong, who already both have eight goals.

Obviously, retaining the Eredivisie would equate to success, but for such a powerful club in the Netherlands the ambition is to be successful in Europe. Getting out of the group, and an absolute group of death by the way, would represent massive success. Especially after being pointless from the first two matches.

Both these sides simply have to win to have any chance of making it out of the group. Both try to play football on the front foot with tempo, so it should be a wonderful game in the making.

Slavko Vincic is taking charge of his second Champions League game of the season, previously dishing seven yellow cards Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Valencia in the last match day.

PSV vs Tottenham Hotspur will be televised live in the UK on BT Sport 3 with kick-off at 17:55.

Prediction – PSV 1-3 Spurs

Suggested Tips – PSV vs Tottenham Hotspur – (BET365)

  • Correct Score – Tottenham Hotspur win 3-1 – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – PSV vs Tottenham Hotspur – (SKYBET)

  • Scorecast Boost – Harry Kane to score first and Tottenham to win 3-1 – 55/1.
  • 1st Goalscorer – Harry Kane – 7/2.
  • RequestABet 80/1 and above – Kane and Moura to score and Hendrix and Sanchez to be carded  – 100/1.

Odds and markets last updated on Wednesday 24th October 2018 @12:34 GMT. Keep checking back to see if there’s any updates to markets – the time stamp in the previous sentence for when we update tips on this page will be updated.

Remember to keep visiting the tips and preview area for further updates and betting previews around this weeks other European games.

{ad}

Promotional Offer from BET 365 

Norwich City vs Aston Villa – Match Preview

by ·Comments Off on Norwich City vs Aston Villa – Match Preview

Norwich City vs Aston Villa
Friday 23rd October 2018
SkyBet Championship, Carrow Road

Live on Sky Sports Football – Kick-Off: 19:45 GMT

Dean Smith looks to continue his good start to life as Villa manager as they travel to fellow promotion-chasers Norwich.

Boyhood Aston Villa fan Dean Smith took what was billed as a challenging, but dream job following Steve Bruce’s sacking. Making the move across from Brentford, Smith comes with a stellar reputation and an appetite to succeed.

Life couldn’t have started any better, as Tammy Abraham scored the only goal to take all three points against former club Swansea City last time out. That was only the second win from 12 matches for Villa. Smith insisted there is much more work to be done.

Key to that work could be how impactful the talents of Jack Grealish turn out to be. The 23-year-old is yet to find the net this season, so is surely due an explosion. His perennial potential is surely running thin and the time has come to actually deliver. Especially with the club so desperately chasing a return to the top flight.

The aforementioned victory took The Villains up to 13th, leapfrogging Swansea in the process. The Championship is more bizarre than ever currently, with just five points separating Derby County in 5th and 18th position Bolton Wanderers. As it stands, Norwich are level on points with Derby in 6th. A Villa win here would see them overtake Norwich.

That should come as a surprise as The Canaries have been very good over the previous half a dozen matches. After a sluggish start to the campaign, Daniel Farke’s men won four on the bounce before getting a creditable point at Derby County. Losing at home to Stoke before the international break was quickly put to bed with a 2-1 victory at Forest on Saturday.

Villa have scored in every single league game this season, so why should that change? Norwich have conceded in the last three too, only keeping four clean sheets all season. That is still twice as many as Villa, however, their total of two only bettering six clubs.

Make no mistake, Norwich and Farke truly believe they are promotion candidates. Villa believe they are too big a team to be in the Championship, thus craving the Premier League’s aura.

No side has really put together an incredible run of form yet, and this game will stifle one team’s momentum. It could, however, lend a hand in deciding who is up there come crunch time. Or at least who is more likely to. Who knows? In this league, I’d bet on nobody.

Simon Hooper is the man in the middle, taking charge of his eighth game of the season. Those matches have come all across the domestic system, from League Two to the Premier League. Hooper has a fairly lenient record, dishing out 20 yellows and one red in those seven games. Norwich and Villa are 13th and 10th respectively for total number of cards (23 yellows and 21 yellows and one red respectively), so the stats say there shouldn’t be fireworks.

Norwich City vs Aston Villa will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports Football with kick-off at 19:45 GMT.

Prediction – Norwich City 2-1 Aston Villa 

Suggested Tips – Norwich City vs Aston Villa – (BET365):

  • Correct score: Norwich win 2-1 – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Norwich City vs Aston Villa – (SKYBET):

  • Price Boost – BTTS and Norwich to win – 9/2.
  • RequestABets 33/1 to 66/1 – Norwich to win, BTTS, 12+ match corners and 50+ booking points – 33/1.
  • Scorecast Boost – Tammy Abraham to score first and Aston Villa to win 2-1 – 66/1.

Odds and markets last updated on Tuesday 23rd October @18:57 GMT.

Remember to keep visiting the tips and preview area for further updates and betting previews around this weekends other domestic games and remainder European action this week.