All articles by: Jools Jordan-Probert

Wigan Athletic vs Bristol City – Match Preview

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Wigan Athletic vs Bristol City
Friday 21st September 2018
SkyBet Championship, DW Stadium

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

Wigan Athletic vs Bristol City – two unlikely Championship high-flyers meet as Wigan Athletic host Bristol City with both looking to consolidate a play-off spot.

Fresh from League One promotion, Wigan Athletic have adapted to life in England’s second tier with relative ease. Victories over Hull, Rotherham, Sheffield Wednesday and a comprehensive 3-0 win at Stoke have set Wigan off to a good start.

Paul Cook largely has the performances of Nick Powell to thank for the points on the board. The ex-Manchester United midfielder has already notched three goals and a further three assists – no one has more. Paul Cook has done a great job with a relatively young squad, and it is evident the team is improving.

There is just one point currently separating these two sides, so it is entirely plausible a home win will send Wigan into the top six. Even a draw could keep The Latics within touching distance. Obviously, Wigan are no strangers to life in the Premier League but after dropping to League One the club are surpassing expectations by currently sitting in eighth in their first season back in the Championship.

However, a very tough opponent comes in the form of Bristol City. Lee Johnson’s side lost 4-2 to rampant top-scorers West Brom last time out, ending a streak of four consecutive wins. Those four wins saw City rocket up the table and even with that loss still find themselves in fifth. Though now Middlesbrough are a firm four points out of reach in the automatic promotion spot.

Last season was a true rollercoaster for The Robins. A remarkable run in the EFL Cup culminated in a victory over Manchester United and coming close in the semi-finals against Manchester City. Before that, Johnson’s men were also truly pushing for an automatic promotion spot in the league before late-season form derailed the challenge. The end of last year saw many temper expectations of what City can achieve, but with four straight wins a lot of critics have been silenced.

One can expect goals in this affair. Wigan have scored in their last four at home while The Robins have netted in their last four away. Only five teams have scored more than Wigan and only three more than Bristol City. Andreas Weimann already has five to his name this year and will be hungry for more.

Oliver Langford will take charge of this match, his fifth Championship game of the season. Langford has previously also an EFL cup game and one match in League Two, dishing out a red card in the latter. However, Langford has generally been lenient in his games, only giving out an average of 2.6 cards per game.

This game will be an excellent marker of where each team is at. More importantly, where each team wants to be come crunch time in May. Both teams have proven they have the capability to pick up wins at this level. Stranger things have happened than one or both sneaking into the top six at the end of the year. Three points here would be a good start to obtaining that elusive dream.

Wigan Athletic vs Bristol City will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports Football with kick off at 19:45 GMT.

Prediction – Wigan 1-2 Bristol City 

Suggested Tips – Wigan Athletic vs Bristol City – (BET365)

  • Correct Score – Bristol City win 2-1 – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Wigan Athletic vs Bristol City – (SKYBET)

  • Weimann to score, Bristol City to win and BTTS – 7/1.
  • Wigan to win, BTTS, 5+corners each team and 50+ booking points – 28/1.

Odds and markets last updated on Friday 21st September @17:42 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 domestic games.

Manchester City vs Olympique Lyonnais – Match Preview

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Manchester City vs Olympique Lyonnais
Wednesday 19th September 2018, Etihad Stadium
UEFA Champions League – Group F Qualifier 

BT Sport 3 – 20:00 GMT

Manchester City begin their conquest for Champions League glory by welcoming Lyon for the first group stage game.

It has now been seven years since Pep Guardiola has made a Champions League final. Seven years. His Manchester City are the bookmaker’s favourites to win the tournament and end the great man’s barren run.

City enjoyed a well-documented, record-breaking campaign last year. Breaking the 100-point mark in the Premier League is an incredible achievement. Despite this, Guardiola knows he was brought in to deliver success in the biggest club competition of them all. His time at The Etihad may well be judged upon that very fact.

With a squad featuring players like Kevin de Bruyne, David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane (just to name four of the plethora of talented superstars at City’s disposal), few would bet against it.

The Champions have started this season in a similar vein to last, barring dropping points in a draw against Wolves. Four wins from five, exhilarating football being played, and a barrel of goals being scored, City are an absolute powerhouse.

Paris Saint Germain inevitably won Ligue 1 last season. However, barring the Parisians, no side scored more or conceded less than Lyon as Bruno Genesio’s side finished third. Lyon did well to fend away the advances of Marseille and solidify third place and guarantee a Champions League spot. Lyon had missed out the season previous due to finishing fourth, behind Nice. City would be unwise to underestimate the French outfit.

There is plenty of talent in The Kids’ side. Players like Memphis Depay, Bertrand Traore and Rafael are known to Premier League followers. But there is no doubting that the star is one certain Nabil Fekir. Captain and talisman, Fekir nearly secured a big-money move to Liverpool in the summer but it eventually broke down. Bruno’s side haven’t started the season particularly well, so the Champions League offers the opportunity to showcase their abilities.

Lyon have only mustered six goals in their opening five matches. A stark contrast to the Premier League’s joint-top-scorers, netting 14 in as many games.

The French side have a lot to live up to compared to their female counterparts. Lyon’s women’s team (Olympique Lyonnais Feminin) are reigning European Champions, for a second consecutive year and a fourth in total. Levels of supremacy that City themselves want to achieve, in both the men’s and women’s game.

Italian referee Daniele Orsato takes charge of this one, and he is not card-shy whatsoever. Orsato has officiated two Seria A matches this term, brandishing seven and five yellow cards out in each respectively.

Anything other than a comfortable City win would undoubtedly be a shock. That probably speaks more to their dominance than to any Lyon ineptitude, however. Expect Guardiola’s men to put a statement out to the challengers, they want European glory.

Manchester City vs Olympique Lyonnais will be televised live in the UK on BT Sport 3 with kick off at 16:00 GMT.

Prediction: Manchester City 4 – Olympique Lyonnais 1

Suggested Tips – Manchester City vs Olympique Lyonnais – (BET365)

  • Correct Score – Manchester City win 4-1 – (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Manchester City vs Olympique Lyonnais – (SKYBET)

  • Both Players to Score – Sergio Aguero & Raheem Sterling – 9/4.
  • RequestABet Specials up to 10/1 – A goal in each half, Manchester City to score 2+ goals, Fekir 2+ Total shots and 10+ booking points each team – 11/4. (NAP).
  • @FootyAccums Specials – Sterling & Depay to score and Fernandinho & Rafael to be carded – 100/1. (Outsider).

Odds and markets last updated on Wednesday 19th September 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.

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Middlesbrough vs Bolton Wanderers – Match Preview

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Middlesbrough vs Bolton Wanderers
Wednesday 19th September 2018
SkyBet Championship, Riverside Stadium

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

Middlesbrough vs Bolton Wanderers is the Wednesday night treat from the Riverside stadium as ‘Boro look to keep up their promotion charge by hosting Bolton.

Tony Pulis’ side slumped to their first defeat of the season last time out, losing 1-0 at Norwich last. The result meant Leeds gained a point, but perhaps more ominously, it allowed other teams to catch nearer. Boro slipped to fourth, while Brentford and Bristol City strode into second and third respectively. The two latters side are ahead on goal difference as it stands.

The Teesiders are heavily fancied to be in the reckoning for promotion come the end of the season, and the first seven games have done little to dissuade from that assertion. A Tony Pulis side will always be sound defensively, and if Marcus Braithwaite and Britt Assombalonga can provide the firepower up top then Boro can be as good as anyone in the division. The latter has scored in each of his three previous matches facing Bolton, notching five times.

This match will be record-setting in one way or another. Boro are seeking a seventh straight home win for the first time since 1998, whilst Bolton are looking to remain undefeated in the opening four away games of the season for the first time since 2001/02. Testament to both side’s solid starts to the campaign.

It may even be more impressive in Bolton’s case, considering the troubles at the club. The past few years have been tough for The Trotters, enduring severe money issues that threatened the very livelihood of the club. This week brought solace however, as the club announced that it would unequivocally not be going into administration.

What more of a reason to be buoyed and raring to go. Even more so after the sad news of Stephen Darby’s forced retirement. The ex-Liverpool defender has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, so his teammates will undoubtedly have in mind when they step onto the turf at The Riverside.

Boro and Bolton have received 15 and 12 yellow cards, the third and sixth worst records in the division respectively. Referee David Coote may have his hands full in his second Championship fixture of the year. In the previous one, Coote gave out four yellows, one more than the total amassed in the sole Premier League game he officiated this season.

This will be a battle of two good sides, both with a sting in the tail. Bolton have slumped after a strong start and have not won in three, but victories away at Reading and more notably West Brom on the opening day of the season will fill Wanderers with plenty of optimism. Pulis will hope Middlesbrough demonstrate the superior quality in the squad and back to winning ways. A place at the top of the table could depend on it.

Middlesbrough vs Bolton Wanderers will be televised live in the UK on Sky Sports Football (red button) with kick off at 19:45 GMT.

Prediction – Middlesbrough 2-0 Bolton Wanderers.

Suggested Tips – Middlesbrough vs Bolton Wanderers – (BET365)

  • Correct Score – Middlesbrough win 2-0 –  (link no longer available).

Suggested Tips – Middlesbrough vs Bolton Wanderers – (SKYBET)

  • First Goalscorer – Britt Assombalonga first goalscorer – 10/3.
  • BTTS and Win – Bolton to win and BTTS YES – 22/1.

Odds and markets last updated on Wednesday 19th September @15:50 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 domestic and European games.