chris50

Chelsea vs Tottenham
The Premier League action kicks off this weekend with a huge game between Chelsea and Tottenham in a 12:30pm GMT start on Saturday lunch-time at Stamford Bridge. Both of these two clubs are chasing down a potential Champions League qualification spot. Will this game have a big say in where these two sides end up this season? Let's take a look at how they enter this match.
Chelsea are the side that currently occupy the last remaining Champions League qualification place. That will all change if Manchester City's ban from European competition for two years is not suspended pending appeal. Frank Lampard's men will be reeling after the disappointing 2-0 loss at home to Manchester United last Monday night. That defeat has now made it 4 league games without a win for the Blues and the chasing pack are catching up. It is the home form that is becoming a concern for the club with it now being just 1 win in their last 5 league games at Stamford Bridge. However, it is now three wins on the bounce against Tottenham in all competitions.
Tottenham will need to pick themselves up after the gut-wrenching loss at home to RB Leipzig in the Champions League in midweek. A solitary goal was the difference but it was further evidence that Jose Mourinho's side are suffering with the injuries to Harry Kane and Son Heung-min. It's more positive news on the domestic front with Spurs now unbeaten in their last 4 league matches and having won the last three in a row. Their away form is also reasonably solid with just 1 loss in their last 5 away league matches.
There is a lot of criticism that's been fired in the direction of Lampard over recent weeks. Granted, he probably deserves next summer to mould the team more into his way of thinking but he did little movement in the transfer window during January. It seems that could be a mistake. I think their current home form is proof that the pressure from the home fans is getting to the Chelsea players but I just don't think Tottenham have the punching power up top without their two absent talismen. I'm not sure either side has it in them to win this game and neither side will begrudge a draw.
Draw @ 4.10 with Unibet
Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 2.11 with Marathonbet
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Derby vs Fulham
The Championship is an absolute minefield when it comes to betting and recent weeks have shown exactly with everybody beating everybody. The promotion race has been blown wide open and yet again we are faced with a match that could have a huge say in the fate of the top two automatic promotion spots when Derby host Fulham in a 7:45pm GMT kick-off this Friday night at Pride Park.
Derby appear to enjoying a sort of resurgence since the signing of Wayne Rooney. The ex-England captain has helped the Rams rise to 13th in the table and just 9 points off the pace of the play-offs after they had previously been battling to avoid a relegation dog fight. Unfortunately, things have stuttered recently with the 3-2 loss away to Bristol City and the 1-1 draw at home to Huddersfield. Although it can be argued that the Derby performances in those games were far from disappointing. Phillip Cocu's side have been excellent at home over recent weeks with them now moving into 2nd in the Championship home form table behind only Preston. It's now just 1 defeat in their last 14 home league games.
Fulham's promotion charge is at full speed right now. Scott Parker's side are in 3rd place and have closed the gap on the top two to just 3 points now. The Cottagers suffered a shock 3-0 defeat at home to Barnsley on the weekend and that brought to an end their 6 game unbeaten streak in the league. Fulham's away form has been left wanting with just 6 wins coming from their 16 away league games this season. However, they are undefeated in their last 5 away league games.
Derby come into this game knowing they've only won 1 of the last 5 meetings between these two clubs but that win did come in the last meeting at Pride Park. It's a tough game to call with neither side in fantastic recent form. My gut instinct is a draw but I think Parker will be looking for a reaction to their loss last week because it was so bad. I think I'm going to bottle that pick though because of the ELO ratings and compromise on a score draw.
Draw @ 3.40 with BetVictor
BTTS @ 1.72 with Marathonbet
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Stoke vs Cardiff
OK, so I'm a little bit annoyed that Cardiff drew against Wigan last weekend because it was an awful refereeing display that saw us disallowed a goal that was a soft foul at best and had a penalty given against us that was harsh. Still, that's the game and I won't dwell on it. We go again this week with my beloved Bluebirds travelling to Stoke for this 3pm kick-off on Saturday afternoon at the Bet365 Stadium.
Stoke just don't seem able to put their relegation worries behind them. Michael O'Neill appeared to be a shrewd appointment but it's an arduous process for the Potters right now. O'Neill's men are in 21st place and only 3 points above the relegation zone with the likes of Wigan, Luton, and Barnsley behind them still fighting relentlessly in every game. Form had looked like improving with an unbeaten run of 4 league games in January but it's now 3 defeats from their last 4 league games that has seen them get sucked back into the quagmire at the bottom of the table.
Cardiff are still doing enough to stay in touch with the teams in the play-off chase. For all the disappointment of failing to win last weekend, Neil Harris's men are 9th in the table and just 3 points off the play-off pace. It's a position none of us City fans thought we'd be in and there's still plenty of time for us to mess it up. We are enjoying a solid run at the moment though with 7 games unbeaten in the league. That includes back-to-back wins on the road against teams down the wrong end of the table.
I'm a little cautious to see how our players react after the Wigan game. It was a demoralising blow but we didn't lose and that's the key factor. Stoke are a team that have only lost 1 of their last 7 league games at home so this won't be easy. I'm not confident we can win and I do fear we are due a loss but I have to back us to take at least a point given our current performance levels.
Draw @ 3.50 with Sportingbet
BTTS @ 2.00 with Sportingbet

Birmingham vs Sheffield Wednesday
Well, that was a nice positive start to the weekend last night with both of the bets coming in. Lovely stuff. Hopefully, Cardiff can continue that and so will this game. It's Pep Clotet versus Garry Monk. Sorry, I mean Birmingham versus Sheffield Wednesday. Kick-off is 3pm on Saturday afternoon at St Andrew's and enough has been made about the hatred the two managers have for each other to make this a tasty affair.
Birmingham are looking resurgent under Clotet over recent weeks. The January signing of striker Scott Hogan was a master stroke with the Republic of Ireland international bagging 3 goals in his 4 appearances since his move from Aston Villa. Unfortunately, he's a major doubt for this game which could play a huge factor in the outcome of the game. The Blues are in 14th place and unbeaten in 7 league games. One eye will undoubtedly be on the play-offs but they'll need to keep winning to stand any hope of making up the 9 point deficit. Birmingham have won their last three home league games against Wednesday but have only won 1 of their last 9 home league matches.
Sheffield Wednesday have become the butt of a lot of jokes lately with memes and gifs popping up about the EFL not punishing them with a points deduction because Monk will ensure they get relegated on his own. It's a sad state of affairs with the club having previously looked like play-off contenders now down in 13th place and without a win in 6 league games only scoring 2 goals during that barren run. The imminent return of striker Steven Fletcher could help remedy that but is this game too early?
This is a fascinating encounter with so much vitriol involved. Both managers are playing down the personal rivalry but it's clear it will still be evident. Birmingham are the team in form right now and the ELO ratings are backing them slightly. I'm wondering if Monk's determination to get one over on the man he claimed "snaked him" (even though I'm fairly sure Monk was guilty of exactly the same to Michael Laudrup at Swansea?) may see his spur his team on to a draw. I'd ideally like to wait and see team news but I don't have that luxury today. If Hogan plays I think Birmingham will win. If he doesn't then it's more likely to be a draw.
Draw @ 3.30 with BetVictor
BTTS @ 1.95 with Marathonbet

Scotland vs Russia
The action in Group I of the 2020 European Championship Qualifiers intensifies tonight as Scotland host Russia in a 7:45pm BST kick-off at Hampden Park. It's a potential do-or-die clash for the hosts. A loss would see them drop 6 points off the automatic qualification pace but at least they have the back-up of the play-off spot already secured from their UEFA Nations League performance.
Scotland will enter their third game under the management of Steve Clarke having experienced both a win and a defeat under their new man. Clarke saw his side snatch a last gasp victory against Cyprus at home in his opening game before experiencing his team get torn apart by Belgium in his second outing. It's still early days in his reign but the fans will be keen to see how his side performs in this crucial home game against a group rival.
Russia look like a team that has built effectively on their 2018 World Cup performance. Stanislav Cherchesov has guided his team to three consecutive wins without conceding a goal since their opening game defeat to group leaders Belgium. The worrying concern for Russia is that they've only managed 1 win in their last 4 away games. Granted, those three defeats came against strong opposition in Belgium, Sweden, and Germany. That solitary win on the road was also a 4-0 demolition against a Kazakhstan side that Scotland infamously lost to.
It's a hard one to call here. Clarke is still finding his feet after a few months in this job. Russia come here knowing a draw would be a solid result that would keep their automatic qualification hopes on schedule. Will they be tempted to strike a killer blow and try to take all three points? I think Scotland's ferocious home support could be enough to see them scrape a draw but a win is looking a little too much of a push given Russia's prolific recent scoring record and Scotland's shaky back-line.
Draw @ 3.28 with Marathonbet
Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 2.45 with Betfair

A small loss on Tuesday night which would have seen a decent profit if Braintree had held on to their 2-1 lead against 10 men. The FA Cup means we only have the 3 National League's to focus on this weekend and I have 4 bets.
Aldershot v Barrow
This match nearly didn't make the cut, but in the end I do think Aldershot are worthy of a bet on Saturday. They haven't won at home yet, but only just lost to Fylde and Bromley and then have picked up points against Halifax and Sutton. Given the way Halifax are playing that was an especially good point. This looks a reasonable opportunity to pick up 3 points at home for the first time this season as Barrow are struggling this term especially on the road where they have only picked up a point. To be fair they have had some tough away games having gone to Wrexham, Stockport and Woking and they have only lost by 1 goal on each occasion. That nearly put me off Aldershot, but I don't think there is a great deal between these two sides and Aldershot had the Tuesday off which will have helped as well. I would have them around 11/8 so the fact they have drifted to 179/100 with Marathon makes them a bet for me.
Boreham Wood v Dover
I am really keen on Dover here and they look the best bet of the weekend for me. I mentioned on Bank Holiday Monday that Boreham Wood haven't won at home since January and they duly lost to Ebbsfleet albeit they did have 10 men for most of the game. They then went to Chorley and won 3-1 in the live game, but Chorley pretty much gifted them the game so I don't think it said much about them and they then went and lost at Eastleigh on Tuesday night. Dover are having a good season and they have won all 4 away games so far. They drew at home to Ebbsfleet on Tuesday but they should have won and they look potential play-off contenders this season. To me this game has been priced up if the teams are of similar ability, but I would make Dover clear favourites for this and the 17/10 with Bet365 is well worth taking in my view.
Chorley v Stockport
As I mentioned above and on Tuesday night, Chorley look a long way short of this level at the moment and it is hard to see them getting anything out of this game. These two sides battled it out for the National League North title last year and Chorley did beat Stockport late on although they did lose the title to them in the end. This season though the two teams look miles apart. Stockport weren't great in their opening day defeat to Maidenhead, but they have done nothing but improve since and have lost just once since. They have had two good wins against Wrexham and AFC Fylde in their last two matches and they really should be beating Chorley on everything both teams have done this season. Stockport have scored in every game bar the Maidenhead one and given how leaky Chorley's defence is they should surely by adding to their goal tally here. I would make them odds on so the 6/5 with William Hill and Betway is well worth taking.
Gloucester City v Darlington
I have written on here this season about my own teams superb away from in recent seasons especially under their current manager although since they beat Kidderminster they have lost their next 3 away games. I do think they are extenuating circumstances though as all those have been on a Tuesday or Bank Holiday Monday when the players have come on the back of a tough home game. Blowing a 2 goal lead at AFC Telford wasn't great on Tuesday night, but there is cause for thinking they are a big price on Saturday. Firstly their home performances have been strong this season despite the fact they have only won one. They played well with 10 and then 9 men against Hereford, drew with Altrincham, beat Boston 3-0 and then pushed York close last week when leading 2-1 at one stage. On paper this is their easiest game so far at home and Darlington come to Evesham struggling for fit and available players. They have only managed to pick up 1 point away from home so far this season and beating bottom of the table Blyth 2-1 on Wednesday night didn't say a lot. I would make Gloucester favourites for this and I really can't understand why they have drifted out to 2/1 with Bet365.
Alderhshot 1pt @ 179/100 with Marathon
Dover 3pts @ 17/10 with Bet365
Stockport 2.5pts @ 6/5 with William Hill and Betway
Gloucester City 2pts @ 2/1 with Bet365

It was a fantastic end to August on Saturday which came on the back of a great Bank Holiday Monday and meant it was a good solid profit for the first month of the season. The games keep coming though and we basically have a full fixture list in the 3 National Leagues over the next 3 days as well as the BetVictor Northern Premier in action. I have 6 bets which all come on Tuesday.
Previews to follow
Barrow v Hartlepool
The Barrow manager continues to be frustrated by his side as again on Saturday they made costly mistakes as they lost 3-2 to Woking. They have only managed two wins so far this season and one of those was in the terrible game against Yeovil which was live on BT. Prior to last Monday I was beginning to think I had made a mistake by putting up Hartlepool ante-post, but then they won against Wrexham and Torquay and that now sees them just 2 points off the play-off places. They looked good in both wins and they seem to be clicking now. To be fair they have only lost one game since they lost their first two and that was 3-2 against Bromley who are yet to lose. Quite how they failed to score against a Chorley side who are leaking goals for fun I don't know as the other four games in their last five they have scored at least two. With Barrow struggling to keep clean sheets they should get plenty of chances to score a couple here. It is hard to see why they should be over 2/1 to gain another 3 points and they are worth backing.
Chesterfield v Hailfax
Those who were reading my previews last season will know backing Chesterfield to draw was a very profitable system for a while and amazingly they have become the draw specialists this season drawing 5 of their 8 games so far. It would also seem we are looking at a scoring draw as only once have both teams not scored in Chesterfield games this term. Halifax have really surprised me, but what a job Peter Wild has done given he came in just before the season started. They have won 6 of their 8 and only drawn 1 and are 14 points ahead of their hosts at the moment. I do think the table is lying though as Chesterfield aren't as bad as their league position suggests. I do think though a draw is a good possibility again and looks the value play here.
Harrogate v Chorley
As I mention above I have no idea how Chorley kept out Hartlepool because in their other 4 games in their last 5 they have conceded 18 goals! It was easy to see why watching them against Boreham Wood on Saturday as they looked clueless at times. The team just doesn't look up to this level and hopefully Harrogate can also put a few past them. Harrogate have had a frustrating season so far having won just two of their opening eight games. They weren't great against Dover on Saturday, but this does look like a good opportunity to get back to winning ways and they were unlucky not to take 3 points against Fylde last Monday. If Chorley continue to defend as badly as they have then Harrogate should cover the -1 handicap.
Notts County v Solihull Moors
I am going to go with Notts County again here. On the face of it losing 3-1 to Yeovil on Saturday was a poor effort, but that doesn't tell the whole story as they ought to have won. Manager Neil Ardley after the game even said the fans will go away wondering how we didn't win the game. I think they have a good chance of making amends here as Solihull seem to have forgotten how to defend. They let in two very poor goals against Eastleigh and it was the case again against Halifax on Saturday. County should get chances and although they didn't convert them on Saturday they have only failed to score in their opening game this season. They look a fair price to bounce straight back with a win.
Concord v Braintree
Two sides here that have surprised me with their starts as I thought both would struggle this season. That might still end up being the case, but both new managers will be very happy with their starts. I think the bookies have priced the game up wrong though and the 7/2 on the away side is a massive price. Concord won their first 3 games but have mainly struggled since as they picked up just 1 point from their next 4 before having a comfortable win over Welling on Saturday. It might have been a return to form, but it seems Welling were poor so they might not have had to work that hard to win the game. Braintree have a young team and that showed when they lost their first 3 games, but they have been really impressive since winning 4 of their next 5 games scoring 14 goals in the process. The other thing I like is that on Monday and on Saturday they scored late goals to win the games so they clearly don't give up. That's obviously a great trait for any team to have and they come into this Essex derby in the better form for me and the prices should be much closer together.
Witton Albion v Hyde
Hyde won for us on Saturday when thrashing Stafford 4-0 and I think they can make it 5 wins on the bounce on Tuesday night. As I mentioned in Saturday's preview Hyde look like they are going to be promotion contenders this season based on their impressive start to the season. Witton have only lost 1 of their first 4 league games, but they have had a reasonably kind start to the season and their defeat came against a good Nantwich side which suggests to me Hyde will have too much for them.
 
Hartlepool 1pt @ 21/10 with Bet365
Chesterfield v Halifax draw 1pt @ 63/25 with Marathon
Harrogate -1 1pt @ 2/1 with Bet365
Notts County 1pt @ 17/10 with BetVictor
Braintree 2pts @ 7/2 with Bet365
Hyde 1pt @ 33/20 with Marathon

Rangers vs Celtic
Well, @dogmeister is back with a bang and he's basically covered a lot of what I wanted to say. It's the Old Firm Derby this Sunday in a midday kick-off at Ibrox and the gap between these two clubs appears to be getting smaller as another season passes. There is no denying the hostile passion that exists in this fixture hasn't mellowed so we're looking forward to classic encounter between Rangers and Celtic.
Rangers have enjoyed an excellent start to the new season. Three wins on the bounce in the league has seen them maintain a 100% record and setting the tempo in the Scottish top flight. This domestic form has coincided with Steve Gerrard's men progressing to the group stages of the Europa League after beating Legia Warsaw 1-0 on aggregate in the Play-Off Round in midweek.
Celtic are not quite experiencing an unblemished start to their season as Rangers. Neil Lennon's men have also won all three of their league games so far. It's also been done in arguably more emphatic style than Rangers have managed in theirs. However, Celtic have already experienced disappointment in Europe after crashing out of the Champions League to CFR Cluj 5-4 on aggregate. The silver lining is that they beat AIK 6-1 on aggregate to reach the Europa League group stages.
This is a tricky one to call. Rangers have won their last 5 home league games. During that run they have kept 3 clean sheets and scored 13 goals. It's impressive stuff. Celtic travel to Ibrox with a stunning record in front of goal this season having hit the net 39 times in their 12 competitive matches so far. I want to back Rangers to win because it would show that the Gers are well and truly back as a title contending team but I still think Celtic will have too much for them. I'm slightly favouring an away win but might cover myself with a draw no bet option because you can never tell with a derby game.
Celtic Draw No Bet @ 2.25 with Unibet
BTTS @ 1.86 with Betfair

Asteras Tripolis vs AEK Athens
The match that stood out for me in terms of value is the clash between 13th placed Asteras Tripolis and ante-post betting title contenders AEK Athens in a 7:30pm BST kick-off from the Theodoros Kolokotronis Stadium on Sunday night. Both teams started their league campaigns with defeats so a win here will go down well with both sets of fans but even just a draw would be an improvement in fortunes.
Asteras Tripolis managed to avoid relegation last season and it looks like it could be another season of struggles this year. Head coach Borja Jimenez saw his team only narrowly lose to Olympiakos in their opening game and they'll come into this game thinking they can catch another title hopeful on the hop. Panionios are on -6 points so Asteras are a few points off bottom but they'll want to get off the mark as soon as possible.
AEK Athens will be gutted that they started their season with a loss at home to Xanthi. The sending off cost them dearly in the 2-1 loss and they'll be desperate to bounce back to winning ways here. The defeat on away goals after a 3-3 draw on aggregate to Turkish side Trabzonspor in the Europa League Play-Off Round has also denied the club European football this season. Miguel Cardoso was sacked after the league game last week and with the managerial position vacant it's hoped that the players might play with more freedom. It almost worked in midweek as they beat Trabzonspor 2-0 in Turkey but it wasn't quite enough.
It's an interesting game and I can see why the bookies are wary about Asteras Tripolis. Their performance against Olympiakos was credible but I think their approach to the game aided them and restricted the hosts. At home, it'll be intriguing to see how they approach this. I think AEK Athens will be buoyed by the victory in midweek even though they were eliminated. I expect a narrow away win.
AEK Athens to Win @ 2.45 with Bet365
HT Draw/ FT AEK Athens @ 5.75 with Unibet
@betcatalog, @THEODORE-007, @Magic0024, and @Icongene, what do you think of the matches this week?

Club Brugge vs Genk
The Belgian First Division A gives us a humdinger of a clash this weekend when 4th placed Club Brugge face their toughest challenge to date against 6th placed Genk in a 1:30pm BST kick-off at the Jan Breydel Stadium. I will admit I have a soft spot for Club Brugge after a save I had on Football Manager with them. I bought their kits most seasons over the last 10 years so always keep an eye on them.
Club Brugge have started the season well with 3 wins and 1 draw from their opening 4 league games. The club was leading the way but has seen a couple of their games postponed so they've dropped down the table a few places. I can't find anywhere online that states why their games were postponed but assume it was the Belgian FA giving them the best chance possible to qualify for the Champions League group stage. If that's the case it's worked because they did it. It's back to the reality of domestic football here.
Genk bring a whole new test to this Brugge side. It's been an inconsistent start for Felice Mazzu's side with 3 wins and 2 defeats. This degree of inconsistency can be seen on their travels with the team losing one week to Mechelen 3-1 but then hammering Waasland-Beveren 4-0 on another week. This makes it hard to tell which Genk side will turn up here. At their best, they can tear apart any side in this division but at their worst they become their own biggest enemy.
As a fairweather Club Brugge fan I'm only going one way here. Phillippe Clement has put together a really solid team this season and it's going to take something special to stop them. Over the long term it'll be interesting to see how the team deals with competing domestically and in Europe. On this occasion, I think the buzz factor from qualifying for the Champions League will give them a boost and they should get the win.
Club Brugge to Win @ 1.80 with Blacktype
Draw (Club Brugge +1) @ 6.50 with Betfair

Fenerbahce vs Trabzonspor
The league leaders are in action at 7:45pm BST on Sunday night against Trabzonspor at the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium in Istanbul. Both teams remain unbeaten after two league games so far and they'll both feel they can come into this game and take all three points. The hosts are understandably the favourites but it's far from a given against a side that only missed out on the title by 6 points last season.
Fenerbahce have won their two league games so far. Ersun Yanal's side don't have the distraction of Europe this season so they're free to focus on their domestic campaign. It's a situation that has seen the club win 5-0 against Gazisehir Gaziantep on the opening weekend and then followed it up with a last gasp 2-1 victory against Istanbul Basaksehir which showed the character of this side.
Trabzonspor started this league season well with a 2-1 win against Yeni Malatyaspor and a 1-1 draw away to Kasimpasa. The decent squad morale from league performances was further boosted by the club knocking out Greek Super League side AEK Athens on away goals after a 3-3 draw in the Europa League Play-Off Round. The club did suffer a 2-0 loss on the night which will be a slight concern but they won't dwell on that too long.
For me, this is Fenerbahce's game to lose. Trabzonspor could be a tricky challenge with the feel-good factor around the club after their European exploits in midweek. I just feel this Fenerbahce side are in great form right now and on home territory they'll be tough to take points off. I can not only see them winning this game but even possibly getting the victory by a couple of goals.
Fenerbahce -1 @ 2.55 with Coral
Fenerbahce HT/FT @ 2.55 with Coral

Arsenal vs Tottenham
The first North London Derby of the season is coming up this weekend when Arsenal play Tottenham in a 4:30pm BST kick-off at the Emirates Stadium. There is a general feeling that the gap between these two clubs is beginning to close as Unai Emery continues to evolve this Gunners side but are they in a position to rival Spurs in the league just yet or is it too soon?
Arsenal look like they are making steps in the right direction as Emery progresses with his work on the post-Wenger era squad. It's hard to tell how the new signings are going to perform over the course of the season. Two wins in their opening two games hardly got the pundits talking about a potential title chase and the 3-1 loss at the hands of Liverpool in their last game left many feeling there is still a long way to go. It's early days though.
Tottenham are also suffering from their own struggles right now. 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 defeat in their opening three league matches so far has seen Mauricio Pochettino come under fire for not approaching their games in the correct manner. It's already left Spurs 8 points off the title pace after Liverpool beat Burnley this evening. Is Pochettino's desire after last season's Champions League disappointment dying?
One of the stand-out statistics here is Tottenham's horrendous away form in the league. It's now 7 league matches on the road without a win. That is a run that includes them conceding two or more goals in 5 of those matches. It's a long way off the staunch defence Pochettino had created in previous seasons. This is a dodgy defence that will be up against an Arsenal attack that has scored at least 2 goals in 10 of their last 11 home league games. I think this could be the game where Arsenal get one over on their local rivals.
Arsenal to Win @ 2.40 with BetVictor
Anytime Scorer: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang @ 2.25 with Coral

Leeds vs Swansea
The big game in the Championship this weekend is taking place at 3pm BST at Elland Road when the top two in the league table go head-to-head with Leeds hosting Swansea. Both teams have started the season very well and the winners of this game will have a 3 point lead over their opponents at full-time. Or maybe the match will end in a draw and it'll open the door for the chasing pack to make up ground?
Leeds were the ante-post favourites with a number of bookies and pundits. Marcelo Bielsa has shown exactly why that's the case. The Whites have looked irresistible so far with 4 wins and 1 draw so far this season. Three clean sheets in their last three league wins has shown proof that the question marks aimed at the United back-line have been answered. The defeat to Stoke on penalties in the EFL Cup 2nd Round was disappointing but it's probably a distraction the team will be happy to be without now.
Swansea have defied expectations under new manager Steve Cooper so far. A thin squad is still a potential problem that could rear its ugly head as the season progresses but things are going well at the moment. The form of players such as Borja Baston and Bersant Celina has helped to turn this attacking side into a threat against any team in this division. 4 wins and 1 draw from their 5 league games including three wins on the bounce has them brimming with confidence heading into this game.
I'm anticipating this to be a thrilling encounter. Leeds have scored an average of 2 goals per game and Swansea have hit the net 11 times already this season as the division's top scoring side. My one concern is that Leeds seem to be less free-flowing at home. Is it the pressure from the home fans? Or just visiting sides sitting back? I'm tempted to back Swansea at this price but I think a draw is a more likely with not a lot separating these two sides. I'm going to sit slightly on the fence and go for the double chance.
Swansea Double Chance @ 2.45 with Marathonbet
BTTS @ 1.73 with Blacktype
 

Besiktas vs Rizespor
OK, so after finding myself short on time due to the bank holiday weekend last week I'm treating you to two previews in this league this week. The first one up is 7:45pm BST kick-off this Saturday night between Besiktas and Rizespor at Vodafone Park in Istanbul. It's a shock to think that the away side come here in the better form and will be hoping they can continue their winning start to the season.
Besiktas have long been one of the big guns in Turkish football but the pressure is already on Abdullah Avci's side after they lost 3-0 away to Sivasspor. It means that the club is left languishing in 8th place and already 3 points behind their title rivals. The positive news is that Besiktas destroyed Goztepe 3-0 at home so it's been quite a hit and miss start to the campaign for the Black Eagles.
Rizespor couldn't have wished for a much better start to the campaign. Ismail Kartal has seen his team win both of their league games. A 2-1 win over Sivasspor and a hard-fought 1-0 victory away to Genclerbirligi have led them to 4th in the table and only off the top of the table pace on goal difference. This will be an entirely new challenge for the side as they look to make it three wins out of three.
I appreciate that Besiktas have had an inconsistent start to the season but at home they are still a dominant force. It's 7 wins in a row in the Super Lig for Besiktas on home turf and they've not lost a home league game since 11th November, 2018 in what was a 2-1 loss to Sivasspor. I'm fully expecting Besiktas to continue their winning run here with a solid victory.
Besiktas -1 @ 2.60 with Paddy Power
Besiktas HT/FT @ 2.50 with Coral
@black_baar what do you think of this week's games? Keen to hear your Turkish expertise.

Bologna vs SPAL
The Friday night game in Serie A throws up an interesting match between two mid-table sides from last season when Bologna and SPAL meet in a 7:45pm kick-off at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara. It's been a tough summer for the Bologna head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic who was diagnosed with an acute form of leukaemia back in July but it has been confirmed he'll stay in charge during his treatment.
Well, what can be said about Bologna? Mihajlovic came in midway through last season and undoubtedly turned things around after the awful tenure of Filippo Inzaghi. Mihajlovic managed to earn 30 points from the 17 games he was in charge last season to keep I Rossoblu in the top flight. The team started their Serie A campaign this season under the cloud of Mihajlovic's ill health with a 1-1 draw away to Hellas Verona. It's hard to tell how this team will settle given the current situation.
SPAL enter into their third consecutive season in the top flight of Italian football with the ambition of moving up the table and starting to knock on the door of the European places. Leonardo Semplici remains in charge and the hope is that the club will continue to positively evolve under his leadership. The opening day of action was disappointing with SPAL throwing away a 2-0 lead at home against Atalanta before losing 3-2. Granted, Atalanta finished in the Champions League spots last season but it was a classic case of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Both teams come into this tie with a feeling that they need to improve on last week's results and performances. Bologna come into this game probably the less disappointed. Their performance was arguably worthy of a win last weekend but they just couldn't get it. They have won 7 straight league games at home under Mihajlovic. In those 7 matches they scored at least twice and in 5 of those games they scored at least 3 times. This Bologna team is dangerous on their own patch and this really isn't the sort of fixture SPAL will not have wanted after last weekend. It could be a tough evening for them.
Bologna to Win @ 1.95 with Bethead
Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 2.19 with Marathonbet
@Pep004, @Magic0024, @malabgd, @four-leaf, @allthethings, @betcatalog, @sajtion, @the bastardian, @chris666, @thegeneral55, @Mindfulness, @stephen m, @teddybear3011, @jazzman02, @Bayern, @Xcout, @Valkovets, @MangoTheThird, @DonPaulo, @Franger83, @fhuefdsa, @dinero, @laprikon, @cluelessG, @Skenderbeg, @Gabosbet, @thinkpink63, @VYA, @balkan-pro, @i1_principe, @Hitch, and @scommetix, what bets are you all planning?

Atletico Madrid vs Eibar
OK, so Atletico Madrid half did their job for us last weekend by winning the game as we predicted but they just couldn't take the lead before half-time for all their efforts. I'm giving them a chance at 100% redemption this week by backing them again in their 6pm BST kick-off at the Wanda Metropolitano against Eibar on Sunday evening. Can they serve us well?
Atletico Madrid are one of my go-to teams when it comes to betting. Diego Simeone's side are one of the most predictable teams in European football. You know they're going to be well-organised, you know they're going to be hard to break down, and you know they've got it in their locker to get the job done. This season I think if they can keep up this habit of grinding out the results then they could seriously challenge Barcelona and Real Madrid for the title.
Eibar might be a small team by size but they are indeed the little train that could. Football hipsters around the world have got on board Jose Luis Mendilibar's side as they compete in their 6th consecutive La Liga season against all the odds. It's not been the best of starts for the side from the Basque Country with just 1 point from their two league games against Mallorca and Osasuna. Both matches would have been games they'd have hoped to take something from.
Right, so I'm going to back a standard Atletico Madrid clean sheet win. Simeone's men have looked typically solid at the back with a well-structured set-up across the pitch. That's the beauty of Atleti. You know what you're getting. Eibar have looked a little short on that clinical edge up front. If they've struggled to score against the teams they've faced so far then I can't see that improving against this staunch Atletico back-line. A comfortable home win with a clean sheet for me.
Atletico Madrid to Win to Nil @ 2.05 with BetVictor
Atletico Madrid HT/FT @ 2.30 with Coral
@Pep004, @Magic0024, @betcatalog, @malabgd, @AndreBR, @Xcout, @four-leaf, @sajtion, @Arkadi Manucharov, @Jamesboaz, @RealUnited, @allyhibs, @jazzman02, @Mr.Paul, @notanotherdonkey, @Marek76, @freestylerx, @DonPaulo, @fhuefdsa, @laprikon, @Gabosbet, @Dr. Florida192, @thinkpink63, @MarioDunav, @EuroDream, @vicsuna, @i1_principe, @dinero, @Sterphyle, @SPACEGHOST87, @Odyssey, @i1_principe, and @derbent, are you all betting on these games this weekend?

Airbus UK vs Caernarfon
My pick of the previews for this week in this thread is the game that is going to be shown live on S4C in Wales at 8pm BST on Friday night from the Hollingsworth Group Stadium in Broughton between Airbus UK and Caernarfon. Neither team is in the best of form right now with both sides sitting in the bottom four and without a win in the league but maybe one side can pick up their first 3 points of the season here.
Airbus UK are finding life back in the Cymru Premier very hard. Steve O'Shaughnessy's men have lost all three of their league matches so far and sit bottom of the league table with a goal difference of -4. The Wingmakers will feel this is a big chance to pick up their first win of the season but it's already feeling like this could be a long and tricky season for the club with a return to the second tier looking likely.
Caernarfon have gained a reputation in Welsh football for boasting one of the most committed and passionate fan bases in the domestic league. It doesn't seem to matter if they are playing home or away. They very often have the loudest and most entertaining fans at their games. Allan Bickerstaff has seen his team fail to win a game so far but they've picked up two draws already so they're proving tough to beat. 
I'm afraid that even though I think Airbus UK will be up for this one with the game on live television I just think the league position of this Caernarfon side isn't just right now. Their only defeat this season was 1-0 away to reigning champions TNS. I can see them taking all three points and making light work of an Airbus UK side that will no doubt huff and puff but once again fall short.
Caernarfon to Win @ 2.25 with Bet365
Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 1.78 with Marathonbet

Watford vs Wolves
The second FA Cup Semi-Final is coming up on Sunday afternoon at 4pm from Wembley Stadium when Premier League mid-table clubs Watford and Wolves go head-to-head. Both clubs have their own fair share of history but winning the competition this season would be up there with some of their greatest moments of all-time.
Watford have had a season that has defied the odds. Many, including myself, thought they may struggle under Javi Gracia this season. The Hornets are currently 9th in the Premier League with top flight status already assured for next season and a potential date with the FA Cup Final still up for grabs.
Wolves have enjoyed equal levels of success. Nuno Santo's newly promoted side were tipped by many to thrive in the top division of English football but few saw the number of big name scalps they would take along the way. It was the shock defeat of Manchester United in the previous round that helped them reach this stage of the competition after all. Not a bad bonus to add to their 8th place in the Premier League.
It is Wolves that hold the advantage quite heavily in FA Cup meetings between these two sides. Watford have only managed 1 win in the last 7 meetings in this competition and that came in a 3-0 victory back in February, 1980. The positive is that Watford did win the previous meeting between these two sides earlier in the season.
Santo is expected to name John Ruddy as his keeper for this game ahead of regular number one Rui Patricio. Ruddy has held the gloves in every round so far. Is it an unnecessary gamble by Santo or is it even a gamble at all? Watford are also hoping Roberto Pereyra passes a late fitness test to play.
I was initially going to back a score draw with one of these sides prevailing after penalties. However, I think Wolves could once again suffer from being undone by a team they're expected to beat. This whole season could have been even better for Wolves if they'd defeated the lower placed sides as much as the top six. For every win over United, Chelsea, and Tottenham, there has come a defeat to the likes of Huddersfield, Cardiff, and Brighton. I think Watford could sneak this one over 90 minutes.
Watford to Win @ 3.16 with MarathonBet
BTTS @ 1.90 with Bet365

Well, both of our sides have given decent accounts of ourselves against City over the past week! Unlucky on going out. Hope you have enjoyed the experience and continue to do so tonight. Try to leave London in one piece! 

Sheffield Wednesday vs Aston Villa
One of the more intriguing matches in the Championship on Saturday afternoon is the 3pm kick-off between Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa at Hillsborough. It's a battle of two sides that are in the midst of a fine run of form. Will either side prevail victorious or will they cancel each other out?
Sheffield Wednesday have looked like a rejuvenated side since Steve Bruce entered the building. The Owls are undefeated in the 11 league games under the former Manchester United defender. It's a spell of results that has taken them up to 11th in the table and just 4 points outside the play-off places.
Aston Villa are enjoying their own purple patch. Dean Smith appears to have finally got things clicking. The Villains have served us well when we've tipped them to win generally this season. They are currently sat in 6th place but risk dropping out of the play-offs if they fail to win here.
The head-to-head record cannot separate these two sides. It's four wins each in their last four meetings. Bruce will come into this game with his former employers having won five straight games in the league. Wednesday have also lost 4 of the last 5 home matches against Villa.
I'm not sure there is much difference between these sides. I feel Smith is further along the process with Villa than Bruce is with Wednesday. However, home advantage could be enough for the Owls. I'm reluctant to back a winner here so the draw with both teams to score seems like the best option.
Draw @ 3.45 with Unibet
BTTS @ 1.80 with Betfred

Southampton vs Liverpool
The Premier League title race enters another chapter tonight when relegation battlers Southampton host title challengers Liverpool in an 8pm kick-off at St Mary's Stadium. Will we see the Reds move back to the top of the league table or could they hand Manchester City a serious advantage by dropping points?
Southampton enjoyed a new manager bounce under Ralph Hasenhuttl back in December but just 2 wins in the next 9 league games followed. The Saints have since won 3 of their last 4 league games to help lift them away from the drop zone and give their fans serious hope of staying up this season.
Liverpool can move to the top spot again with a win here. Jurgen Klopp's side have won their last three league games in a row but they did ride their luck in their most recent victory over Tottenham. A similar gung ho approach might not prove successful this time around for the Reds.
The head-to-head record really doesn't look good for Southampton. Liverpool have an 8-0 aggregate lead over their past three league meetings. Southampton have also failed to score in each of their last five league meetings with Liverpool. It's now just 1 win in 10 league matches against Liverpool for Southampton.
I've been swaying about what outcome to back all week on this one. Southampton will provide a stern challenge for Liverpool but I just think the Reds are so dangerous in attack this season that they should sneak a tight win. I just wouldn't be surprised if Southampton held on for a draw given their current form. So I'll stay clear of an outright and just back a low-scoring game.
Total Goals Scored Under 2.5 @ 2.32 with Blacktype
Total Corners Over 9.5 @ 1.75 with Betfair
@Mindfulness, @Pep004, @MaliMisko12, @betcatalog, @sajtion, @godofhorses, @Tiffy, @waynecoyne, @The Sexless Innkeeper, @Magic0024, @malabgd, @Duke_Tm, @dogmeister, @Arkadi Manucharov, @derbent, @fat, @allyhibs, @6avin24, @discipline, @the bastardian, @Bronxie, @Bett, @KikoCy, @teddybear3011, @markus808, @allthethings, @Kenton Schweppes, @vasilli07, @Dylan Lynch, @neilovan, @JKos, @zemo91, @kulikTS, @mrclubbie, @Judeksi, @Henind666, @Teodore, @kilkenny1, @newjack, @PokerWolf1, @Dave1X2, @real55555, @jazzman02, @Ameer13, @Gedkip, @mcsilks, @MangoTheThird, @Roy The Boy, @DonPaulo, @Duckets, @yossa6133, @sjuesju, @dylanphan, @thfc, @Dboston, @Dr. Florida192, @money44, @1moregoal, @ggm31v, @EuroDream, @ndanmak, @cummins91, @vicsuna, @abigail, @Carovie, and @AndreBR, what bets are you guys all thinking of backing this week?

Manchester City vs Cardiff
OK, this we finally come to the one game us Cardiff fans have truly feared this season. Our away game against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium tonight that kicks off at 7:45pm and to say there's a level of expectation that we'll get battered is probably down playing it a bit. However, there are pockets of us that blindly feel we might not get rolled over as much as people think.
Manchester City need a win to move back to the top of the Premier League table and after 7 straight league wins it's understandable why the bookies are pricing Cardiff at 40.00 to win this game. City have also only conceded 2 goals during that run of victories so it's hard to see where Cardiff can pick up a point.
Cardiff suffered a controversial (we say controversial but we were basically screwed over) defeat to Chelsea on the weekend. It showed the team is still very much fighting for their lives. Neil Warnock has been told his job is there for him next season no matter what if he needs it. I'm not sure he'll stay. I think he'll give it everything between now and the final game though. I think the club is once again at a crossroads. The players can either feel sorry for themselves and just go through the motions or they can get back up and continue to fight until the last game. I think it'll be the latter but even all the fight in the world might not be enough here.
The last time Cardiff took a win away from Manchester City was back in 1961. That was their only victory in their last 20 trips to Manchester City. To make matters worse, Manchester City have scored at least four goals in each of their last four league wins against Cardiff.
My head says we'll lose 4-0 or 4-1. There is a little quiet part of me that thinks we'll give them a real go. They battered us at home in the previous meeting this season but when we played them in the FA Cup last season we really gave them a scare. The long-term absentees of Sol Bamba and Callum Paterson are huge blows but I think it's giving others to thrive. We might not win this game but don't give up on us yet.
Manchester City -3 @ 2.30 with Ladbrokes
Anytime Scorer: Bernardo Silva @ 2.80 with Coral

Swansea vs Brentford
The extended Championship thread throws us one last preview this week with the focus being on mid-table duo Swansea and Brentford in this 7:45pm kick-off at the Liberty Stadium tonight. Promotion and relegation now appear out of the question for both sides but there's still pride and progress contributing towards next season to play for.
Swansea fans will no doubt have mixed feelings about this season. It could have been a far more positive season with off-field turmoil leaving a dark cloud over the club but things certainly could have been a lot worse. Graham Potter has worked miracles with a skeleton squad and it has to be asked what could have been if the Swans board had actually backed their manager with a transfer kitty in January. The club is in 15th place so the rebuild begins now.
Brentford continue to show glimpses of evolution under Thomas Frank but consistency is still the problem. It's now three league games without a win and no goals scored in those three matches. The Bees are just a couple of places above Swansea in 13th place but only the most optimistic of fans will feel they can make a late push for the play-offs with the club 9 points off the pace.
The Swans have won their last six matches against Brentford across all competitions. Brentford have also lost 5 of their last 6 away matches against Swansea. The hope for Brentford fans is that Swansea are currently on their worst run of four straight defeats in all competitions since May 2018 when they suffered five losses in a row as they dropped out of the Premier League.
I think this is a game where Swansea could turn that losing streak around. Brentford are awful on the road with just 2 wins from their 19 away league games this season. Swansea are unbeaten at home in the league since 28th December, 2018. I'm backing the home win.
Swansea to Win @ 2.55 with Bet365
Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 1.68 with MarathonBet

Roma vs Napoli
The fixtures in Serie A throw up some fascinating clashes this weekend. One that sticks out for me is the top-of-the-table clash between Roma and Napoli in this 2pm kick-off on Sunday at the Stadio Olimpico. The title has realistically gone for these two sides but qualification for next season's Champions League is very much still up for grabs.
Roma are positioned in 5th place but are 31 points behind league leaders Juventus. The club brought in Claudio Ranieri to replace the outgoing Eusebio Di Francesco at the start of the month. Results haven't really improved with Ranieri suffering a disappointing 2-1 defeat to SPAL in their last game. The team from the capital city are 4 points behind 4th placed AC Milan with a game in hand so a win here would be a huge boost to their Champions League hopes.
Napoli continue to thrive this season but are still 18 points behind Juventus. Carlo Ancelotti's side have lost just 1 of their last 10 league matches. A win here will put them in a strong position to qualify for next season's Champions League but a loss would throw all that into disarray.
The away side have based their impressive season on strong home form with their only defeat coming against Juventus. Their away form hasn't been as good. Roma have also only lost once at home this season. If this game was under Di Francesco then I'd fancy Roma to get something but I'm not sure Ranieri can out-manage Ancelotti. I'm backing at least a draw for the away side.
Napoli Draw No Bet @ 1.71 with MarathonBet
Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 1.82 with Matchbook

Lens vs Le Havre
Due to the inconvenience of my match on Friday night and my son's birthday celebrations over the weekend I've been forced to hold off on writing a preview in this section until today. Therefore, Ligue 2 gets some focus this week with Lens taking on Le Havre in a 7:45pm kick-off at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis tonight.
Lens are situated just outside the promotion play-off places in 6th place. A dream return to Ligue 1 is still very much on the cards with the club now just 1 point outside the play-offs and 8 points behind the automatic promotion spots with a game in hand on the teams around them.
Le Havre may also still harbour hopes of gatecrashing the play-offs. Oswald Tanchot's men are in 9th place and 7 points behind the play-off pace. They also possess a game in hand on the teams around them so a victory here would certainly re-ignite their hopes of pushing on up the table.
The away side are unbeaten in their last three matches so could provide stern opposition for Lens here. Philippe Montanier's side suffered a disappointing loss to Ajaccio last game. It'll be interesting to see how they bounce back from that. I'm torn between a draw and a home win. Lens have still been convincing at home having not lost since 22nd December, 2018 so I'll back that.
Lens to Win @ 2.20 with Unibet
Lens HT/FT @ 3.70 with 888Sport