The latest round of Premier League matches takes place this weekend ahead of the break for the FA Cup next week so the 20 sides in action over Saturday and Sunday will be eager to pick up a win to go into the sabbatical with.
There are eight matches in a rare bumper Saturday with two live matches and a host of 3pm kickoffs – another rarity for the top flight of English football these days.
The early kick off comes from Carrow Road as Norwich host Liverpool in a match the home side have little to lose in. Six 3pm games see Crystal Palace hosting Tottenham in a London derby, Leicester look to go top on their own for 24hrs when they host Stoke at the King Power while Man Utd look to keep tabs with them when Southampton visit Old Trafford.
Sunderland take on Bournemouth in a match which could have big implications on the relegation scene, as could West Brom vs Aston Villa at The Hawthorns. Watford are slowly getting dragged into it as well and they host Newcastle before West Ham take on Man City in the late game.
Liverpool are favoured to win the early game and I would probably agree with that but I’m not priced in or anything which is handy because Norwich do have the potential to be spoilers as they showed at Anfield earlier in the season so I’ll leave that game alone.
I’m always keen to take on Man City when they are away from home especially when they are odds on away from home but West Ham hurt me last week and I’m adopting a once bitten twice shy approach where they are concerned until they get back to form. I certainly have no interest in City on big caps though.
The 3pm games are interesting. Unfortunately we can’t get a level ball line on Tottenham and I respect Palace just enough to not take Spurs on the -0.25 cap and I’m starting to have more respect for Villa now too having been bitten by them a couple of times. Stoke are without Marko Arnautovic which puts me off them.
Ultimately I’m going to side with just the one bet which comes on Sunderland to see off Bournemouth in what is a big match for both sides. Sunderland have begun to see off sides around them in recent times and Allardyce is no mug he knows that is pivotal to their survival hopes.
Sunderland have seen off Aston Villa and Swansea and done so pretty emphatically and I’m sure his side will be right up for this one in front of their own fans. Jermain Defoe has been in good form which is a positive.
Bournemouth had a good win over Norwich last week but Norwich were pretty abject it has to be said. Prior to that the Cherries had managed just one goal in four matches, all winless matches so Sunderland might be getting Eddie Howe’s men at the right time.
Bournemouth have already gone down to Aston Villa, Newcastle and Norwich this season and they only drew at Swansea so their record in what you might call the important games for them isn’t what they would like so given that Sunderland up their game for the big matches I’ll side with them on a quarter ball cap.
Back Sunderland (+0.25AH) to beat Bournemouth for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with BetVictor
