All articles by: Elliott Jackson

Arsenal vs Chelsea – Match Preview

Arsenal vs Chelsea
Saturday 19th January 2019
FA Premier League, Emirates Stadium

Live on BT Sport 2 – Kick-Off: 17:30 GMT

Chelsea vs Arsenal: Arsenal host Chelsea in the London derby as both sides look to steal a march on the other in the race for the top four.

Arsenal will be hoping to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat West Ham last weekend. The result means Manchester United are now level on points with the Gunners, whilst they are six points behind Chelsea. This game is a must-win if they are to have any hopes of clawing back that deficit and finishing in the top four. They have only won two of their last six league games, which will be a big worry for Unai Emery.

The goals have also dried up for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabon striker has scored four in his last nine – which is hardly a baron spell – but isn’t up to his usual standards. Arsenal will be hoping he comes to the party against Chelsea, just as he did against Tottenham earlier in the campaign. The Gunners haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last six league games, so they’ll be hoping that they can help address that run.

Chelsea claimed an important 2-1 win over Newcastle last weekend, to strengthen their grip on the top four. Maurizio Sarri will also be buoyed by the news that Gonzalo Higuain looks set to join the club. The Argentinian striker played under Sarri at Napoli and thrived, so Chelsea will be hoping he will be the answer to their striking struggles. Alvaro Morata also looks set to end his unhappy spell in England with a move back to Spain, to Atletico Madrid. The Blues are unbeaten in their last four games in the league, and their last three on the road. They come into this match knowing that anything but a defeat will put them in pole position to ensure Champions League football next year.

Anthony Taylor is the referee for this fixture. The Englishman has officiated 16 top-flight matches this season. In that time, he has accumulated an average booking points total of 30. However, I would advise a maximum of 60+ total points for this derby fixture.

Arsenal need to win this game a lot more than Chelsea do, but they I don’t see them keeping Chelsea out at the back. That could make for a very open, entertaining match. I think the Blues might nick this one, which would make the top four almost unreachable for Arsenal.

Arsenal vs Chelsea will be televised live in the UK on BT Sport 2 with kick off at 17:30 GMT.

Prediction: Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea

Suggested Tips – Arsenal vs Chelsea – (BET365):

  • Correct score: Chelsea to win 2-1 – (link no longer available).
  • First Goalscorer – Willian – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Arsenal vs Chelsea – (SKYBET):

  • Full Time Result and Both Teams To Score – Draw and Yes – 3/1.
  • Both Players To Score – Hazard and Aubameyang to both score – 6/1.  
  • RequestABet Specials Up To 10/1 – BTTS, 4+ corners each team and 20+ booking points each team – 4/1. (NAP).

Odds and markets last updated on Saturday 19th January 2019 @10:15 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 weekends Domestic action.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leicester City – Match Preview

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leicester City
Saturday 19th January 2019
FA Premier League, Molineux

Live on Sky Sports Premier League – Kick-Off: 12:30 GMT

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leicester City – Wolves host Leicester at Molineux in what could be a big game as both sides battle to finish seventh in the Premier League.

Wolves come into this game in 11th place, just two points but three places by their visitors. They were beaten 3-0 on Monday night by Manchester City, although they spent most of the match with ten men. Willy Boly was sent off after just 19 minutes and will subsequently miss this game.

Wolves’ form has been up and down this year. They have beaten/taken points from all of the top six, but tend to struggle at home to the smaller sides. Huddersfield, Crystal Palace and Watford have all won at Molineux this season, whilst Cardiff, and Fulham have both taken points from them on the road. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are all but safe this year – bar a major catastrophe – so their aim is to finish as high as possible. They’re only three points behind Watford in seventh and will have strong ambitions to finish as ‘the best of the rest’.

Leicester manager Claude Puel comes into this game under pressure, despite recent wins over Chelsea, Everton and Manchester City. Back-to-back defeats against Newport County in the FA Cup and lowly Southampton at home have resurfaced some of the ‘Puel out’ brigade. Whilst they sit eighth in the league – and can realistically only finish seventh – the Foxes’ faithful have pointed to the style of football and Puel’s inability to field a strong side in the cup, as the reasons for their frustrations. They are inconsistent, that much is clear from their last six game, but they can’t do much more, in the League. Southampton sacked Puel despite finishing eighth but now are embroiled in relegation dog-fights year on year, so Leicester fans might be careful what they wish for.

Chris Kavanagh is the referee for this fixture. The Englishman has officiated 11 top-flight matches this season. In that time, he has accumulated an average booking points total of 34.1. Therefore, I would advise a maximum of 50+ total points for this fixture.

Wolves have a poor record at home against the lower-placed sides, so a win would help to dispel that run. Leicester need a win to ease the pressure on Puel from the fans and I think this one will finish all square, as a result.

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leicester City will be televised on Sky Sports Premier League and kicks off at 12:30 GMT.

Prediction: Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-1 Leicester City

Suggested Tips – Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leicester City  – (BET365):

  • Correct score: Draw 1-1 – (link no longer available).
  • First Goalscorer – Jamie Vardy – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Leicester City – (SKYBET):

  • Both Players to Score – James Maddison to Score & Win – 13/2.
  • Scorecast – Raul Jiminez to score first and Wolves win 2-1 – 50/1.
  • RequestABet Specials Up To 10/1 – BTTS, 4+ corners each team and 20+ booking points each team – 15/2. (NB).
  • RequestABet Specials 11/1 to 28/1 – Jimenez 2+ Shots on Target, Neves 1+ Shots on Target, Maddison 1+ Shots on Target & Vardy 1+ Shots on Target – 12/1. (NAP).

Odds and markets last updated on Saturday 19th January 2019 @09:58 GMT.

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

Norwich City vs Birmingham City – Match Preview

Norwich City vs Birmingham City
Friday 18th January 2019
SkyBet Championship, Carrow Road

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

Norwich City vs Birmingham City:  The Canaries will be hoping to move back into the automatic promotion places when they take on play-off hopefuls Birmingham on Friday night at Carrow Road.

The Canaries are on their worst run of the campaign after just one win in six games. That run has seen them drop to third in the table, although they are level on points with second-placed Sheffield United. Daniel Farke’s side have exceeded expectations this season, but there are signs that they are beginning to run out of steam. Norwich’s habit of high-scoring games has begun to hurt them and they’re falling on the wrong side of some of those results. They did earn a positive draw at West Brom last time out, with Jordan Rhodes coming off the bench to snatch a point.

That was another game in which they left it late – Norwich have scored more goals after the 80th minute than any other team in England this season. The Canaries need to start keeping clean sheets if they’re to challenge for the top two. Their last came five games ago and they’ve conceded nine times since then. They have the firepower, they just need to tighten up at the back.

Birmingham have also surprised a few with their lofty position in the table. This time 12 months ago Birmingham were bottom – now they sit eight. That is a testament to the job Gary Monk has done at St Andrew’s. The Blues are only four points off the play-offs at present but need to address a four-game winless run in order to make ground on the top six. They lost to fellow promotion contenders Middlesbrough last time out, which was their first defeat at home in some time. On the road, they’ve only lost once in five games, which came in the FA Cup at West Ham. That shows they are a gritty side, which can dig in to get results.

Tim Robinson is the referee for this fixture. The Englishman has officiated 9 second-tier matches this season. In that time, he has accumulated an average booking points total of 52.8. Therefore, I would advise a maximum of 70+ total points for this fixture.

Norwich aren’t in the best of form, whilst Birmingham don’t often get beaten away from home. If the Canaries want the top two, this is the sort of tough game they have to win. Having said that, I think this will be a draw.

Norwich City vs Birmingham City will be televised on Sky Sports Football HD and kicks off at 19:45.

Prediction: Norwich City 1-1 Birmingham City

Suggested Tips –  Norwich City vs Birmingham City – (BET365):

  • Correct score: Draw to win 1-1 – (link no longer available).
  • First Goalscorer – Jordan Rhodes – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Norwich City vs Birmingham City – (SKYBET):

  • Both Players to Score – Teemu Pukki and Che Adams both to score – 13/2.
  • Norwich City Price Boost – Full Time Result & Both Teams to Score  – Norwich to Win & Yes – 3/1.
  • Previous RequestABet Winners -Norwich to score 1+ goals, 5+ Norwich corners and 20+ Birmingham booking pts – 13/8. (NAP).
  • RequestABet Specials Up To 10/1 – BTTS, 4+ corners each team and 20+ booking points each team – 15/2.
    (Note: There is also a similar market without booking points but for the game to be a draw in previous RequestABet Winners).

Odds and markets last updated on Friday 18th January 2019 @17:45 GMT.

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