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StefanBB

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  1. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from alexcaruso808 in Bundesliga I Predictions > Aug 19th - 21st   
    Bayer Leverkusen vs Hoffenheim
    Bayer Leverkusen will be aiming to record their first win of the season when they take on Hoffenheim on Saturday afternoon. Bayer kicked off the new Bundesliga campaign with back-to-back losses to Borussia Dortmund and Augsburg, but they were more than unfortunate not to grab something from these matches. They sit at the bottom of the Bundesliga, but the hosts want to get back to the top-four race quickly. Patrick Schick has yet to open his goal-scoring account, but the opposition defenders should have the Czech Republic international at bay. Leverkusen needs to be more clinical in front of the opponent’s net since they scored just one goal in the opening two rounds.
    TSG Hoffenheim lost to Borussia Monchengladbach, but won last week 3-2 against Vfl Bochum. Conceding three and two goals in their games is not a good sign, so they need to tighten up in this match. TSG Hoffenheim is not particularly good at tightening up, as each of their last six games ended with over 2.5 goals scored. The visitors have also been poor at away stadiums recently, failing to win any of their last five away matches. Nevertheless, they hope to capitalize on their rival’s poor form to return home undefeated. Hoffenheim boss André Breitenreiter has multiple availability issues to deal with. Ihlas Bebou (Knee Problems) and Ermin Bicakcic (Fitness) are not able to play.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    The hosts managed to beat their opponents at home just once since 2015, and they will have another tough task. We believe Hoffenheim might remain undefeated, and they shouldn’t lose by more than a goal.
    Goals Market Prediction
    Six of their last seven encounters at BayArena went over a 2.5 margin, while BTTS Yes cashed five times. Neither team has been tight in the back since the beginning of the season, and we don’t think either will keep the clean sheet.  
    Hoffenheim AH +1 @ 1.78
    BTTS Yes @ 1.50
    Correct score 2:2 @ 12.00
  2. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from alexcaruso808 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 13th - 15th   
    Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur
    There will be fireworks when Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur face each other in a highly-anticipated London derby. Chelsea kicked off the new Premier League campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Everton, where Jorginho scored the only goal of the match. Thomas Tuchel's men continue to rely on their rock-solid defense, which seems to be even stronger with the new signing Kalidou Koulibaly in the back line. The German manager should have a full squad to choose from for the local derby. The Blues look forward to keeping their backline tight and snatching a victory in front of their fans.
    On the other hand, Spurs came from behind to crush Southampton 4-1 in their opener. Despite failing to open his goal-scoring account at the weekend, Harry Kane will continue to lead the line for the visitors. The Spurs have improved their squad, and they aim high this season. They want a top-four finish again while hoping to be involved in the title race. Nevertheless, they need to show a good display against a direct contender for the Champions League ticket at the end of the season. Owing to a completely injury-free group ready to go, the Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte does not have any fitness concerns to report coming into this clash.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    It is going to be an exciting match that can easily go either way. Therefore, we won't be surprised if these two teams split points, and the Spurs might be happier with that outcome.
    Goals Market Prediction
    Four of their last six clashes at Stamford Bridge stayed under a 2.5 margin. Chelsea has been pretty solid in the back, but we don't think the Blues will keep the clean sheet. Therefore, the crowd should enjoy goals in both nets.
    Draw @ 3.45
    BTTS Yes @ 1.80
    Correct score 1:1 @ 7.00
  3. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from alexcaruso808 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 13th - 15th   
    Arsenal vs Leicester City
    Arsenal will look to build on a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace when they host Leicester City at their Emirates Stadium on Saturday. The Gunners impressed in the season opener, but they do not want to stop now. Despite failing to find the net on his official Arsenal debut, Gabriel Jesus will continue to lead the line for the capital club while there are no fresh injury worries in Mikel Arteta’s team. Arsenal’s defense has been pretty tight lately, as they conceded in only one of the last four games. On the other hand, their offense bagged eight goals in the previous two games. The Gunners are full of confidence, and they want to pick up where they left off.
    On the other hand, the Foxes played out a 2-2 draw with Brentford in the season's opening match. That draw broke their four-game winning streak during the pre-season. Although Leicester City enjoyed a 2-0 lead, they didn’t manage to convert it into three points. Brendan Rodgers continues to rely on Jamie Vardy up front, and he is likely to stick to the 3-5-1-1 formation. The likes of Harvey Barnes, Ryan Bertrand, and Ricardo Pereira are sidelined with injuries for the away team. The away side wants to bounce back and put a good display against a tough opponent.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    Although Leicester City is a tricky team, Arsenal has been excellent this summer. Therefore, we think the Gunners will continue in the same fashion and record another home victory.
    Goals Market Prediction
    Six of their last seven encounters stayed under a 2.5 margin, but we don’t believe we’ll see another low-scoring game. Both teams have been pretty productive lately, and they should produce at least three goals in total.
    Arsenal to Win @ 1.53
    Over 2.5 FT @ 1.70
    Correct score 3:1 @ 13.00
  4. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 13th - 15th   
    Brentford vs Manchester United
    The evening kick-off in the Premier League on Saturday is a 5:30pm BST start between Brentford and Manchester United from the Brentford Community Stadium. Both of these teams failed to pick up a win in their opening league game of the season. The home team will undoubtedly be delighted with their away comeback against Leicester but the away side will be holding an inquisition about how they lost at home to Brighton.
    Brentford were a team many felt might have issues this season. The term "second season syndrome" has been bounced around a fair bit in pre-season. After the first 46 minutes of their opening league game last weekend you'd have been forgiven for thinking that expectation was holding true. However, a goal each from Ivan Toney and Josh Dasilva helped the London club hit back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Leicester. Head coach Thomas Frank will be smelling blood in this game. The addition of Danish international Mikkel Damsgaard has boosted the quality in the Brentford ranks. The Bees do still have a defensive headache with both Kristoffer Ajer and Ethan Pinnock ruled out. Brentford haven't lost any of their opening home league games for the last six seasons. The team did also keep a clean sheet in 5 of their last 7 home league games of last season.
    Manchester United are a team in crisis right now. I believe the unprofessional phrase would be that it's a sh*t show! Head coach Erik ten Hag started his reign with a 2-1 loss at home to Brighton but it was the manner of the defeat that was the most worrying. The Red Devils looked defensively fragile. New signing Lisandro Martinez looked out of his depth. Captain Harry Maguire continued his woeful form and still looks like an appalling leader on the pitch. The central midfield combination of Fred and Scott McTominay failed to deliver a performance. Then there's the impotency up front. If United lose this game it'll be the first time since 1979 that they have lost four league games in a row. The team have also lost 6 league games away from home in a row. They haven't lost 7 away league matches in a row since 1936. That is the scale of disaster United are staring at right now.
    Somehow, Manchester United come into this game as firm favourites but I just cannot muster the courage to back them. It's clear that the issues lie deep within the United hierarchy and the fact ten Hag has been told to temper his expectations in the transfer market says everything about the ambition levels being fed down from the top. The quality that United boast they should be coming away from this game with a solid win but I can't find it in myself to back them. The price on a Brentford win looks too good to turn down. Brentford are more cohesive, work harder, more fluid, more organised, and more settled than United. The Dutchman may well prove to be a decent appointment but it's not going to happen overnight.
    Brentford to Win @ 3.90 with SpreadEx
    Anytime Scorer: Ivan Toney @ 3.30 with SportNation
  5. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 13th - 15th   
    Southampton vs Leeds
    The penultimate preview for the 3pm BST kick-offs on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League is a fascinating encounter between two teams anticipated to endure tough seasons this year but who experienced contrasting emotions on the opening weekend of action. It's Southampton versus Leeds at St Mary's Stadium and the home team need a win after taking a battering last week as they go up against a visiting side looking to build on a pleasantly surprising start to their campaign.
    Southampton fans and football pundits in general have stated that this could be the toughest season yet for Ralph Hasenhuttl at the Saints. If the 4-1 loss away to Tottenham is anything to go by then they might not be far wrong. It's worth noting that it was an impressive display from an improving Spurs side but the same old defensive issues appear to be haunting Southampton this season. It had briefly looked so positive for Southampton last week when James Ward-Prowse gave his team a 1-0 lead after 12 minutes but the fightback came leaving Southampton stunned. It's now 10 opening home league games without a win for Southampton now. Southampton have also failed to win either of their opening two league games in 7 of the previous 8 seasons. The club is also on the brink of equalling a club record 6 straight league defeats. It's all very grim reading for the south coast side.
    Leeds were a team I thought might struggle under the big overhaul by head coach Jesse Marsch but the 2-1 win at home to Wolves on the opening weekend showed that this Whites team might have more to them. It was particularly commendable how they battled back from going 1-0 down after just 6 minutes to get the win thanks to a goal from Rodrigo and an own goal from Rayan Ait-Nouri. Leeds have only managed to win both of their first two league games of a season on one occasion in the last 12 years and that came back in the Championship in 2018/19. Striker Patrick Bamford could be a shout for anytime scorer having bagged a goal in each of his last three league appearances against Southampton. There is also a chance that Marsch could give a debut to winger Luis Sinisterra.
    There's a reason that Southampton fans should actually be optimistic about this game despite the historical statistics linked to their opening home game results and that is that they have won 4 of their last 5 home encounters with Leeds. Leeds have also lost 6 of their last 8 league trips to Southampton. Is this the game where it all changes? I'm not sure. Once again, I'm not convinced I can call a winner here. I wouldn't be surprised if they played out a draw.
    Draw @ 3.60 with Betfred
    Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 1.75 with SBK
  6. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 13th - 15th   
    Manchester City vs Bournemouth
    If one thing was certain from the opening weekend of games in the Premier League it's that Manchester City have a very dangerous squad spearheaded by the duo of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland. The reigning champions take on newly promoted Bournemouth in their second league game of the campaign in a 3pm BST kick-off on Saturday afternoon from the Etihad Stadium. Is this ending in any other way than a home team demolition job on their visitors?
    Manchester City looked every bit the reigning league champions in their opening game 2-0 victory away to West Ham. It's probably fair to say that with Haaland bagging both goals the Citizens didn't even step out of second gear for the majority of the game. A stark warning to the rest of the league. Pep Guardiola's side now move onto their next opponents and with it being against a newly promoted side and at home you'd think this would be a more welcoming proposition but we know Guardiola won't let his players get complacent. The team will still be without the duo of Kalvin Phillips and Aymeric Laporte but this is not a City team short in depth. City boast the impressive statistic of only losing 1 of their last 22 opening home league games of the season. The last four such games have produced an average of 5.8 goals per game. The club have scored at least two goals in each of their last 10 league matches. 
    Bournemouth will have been pleased to pull off an encouraging 2-0 win against Aston Villa at home in their first league game back in the top flight but this is a challenge on a whole new level. The Cherries saw a goal each from Jefferson Lerma and Kieffer Moore do the business last weekend with the clean sheet also being a bonus. Scott Parker will want his team to give it their best shot of being just the fourth newly promoted team in the Premier League to win their first two league games of a season with Bolton in 2001/02, Hull in 2016/17, and Huddersfield in 2017/18 being the only previous teams to have managed such a feat. Parker also has the opportunity to become the first top flight manager to beat the reigning champions with two different clubs away from home. Unfortunately, he has lost all 4 of his previous meetings with City as a manager.
    OK, so the most glaring statistic for this fixture is the fact that Manchester City have 10 wins from their 10 Premier League matches against Bournemouth which is the best 100% record in the history of the Premier League era. In fact, Bournemouth haven't won any of their 16 meetings with City. In those 16 encounters, Bournemouth have only ever led for a total of 8 minutes. That's a damning bit of form right there. My advice is to back City to the hilt and you might as well triple captain Haaland in your fantasy team this week because based on what we saw last weekend there aren't many teams that are going to stop him this season!
    Manchester City -2 @ 1.65 with Betway
    To Score 2 Goals Or More: Erling Haaland @ 2.75 with Live Score Bet
  7. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 13th - 15th   
    Brighton vs Newcastle
    The second 3pm BST start on Saturday afternoon that I'm previewing in the Premier League is a clash between two sides from opposite ends of the country that impressed in their opening weekend matches. The home side could really make a statement of intent with a win here against a visiting team that are expected to rise further up the table due to their massive financial war chest.
    Brighton could not have wished for a much better start to their league campaign as they humbled Manchester United by a 2-1 score in the Red Devils' own backyard. If we're being honest, 2-1 severely flattered United too. Graham Potter's side showed that despite losing Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella over the summer, his team remain a very dangerous opponent for any team in the top flight. Pascal Gross scored both of the goals for the Seagulls and he's now scored 4 goals in his last 4 games for Albion. Brighton are on an epic run in the league at the moment of just 1 loss from their last 10 league games and they have already won against Arsenal, Tottenham, and Manchester United during that stint. Unfortunately, only four teams in the top flight had a worse home record than Brighton last season.
    Newcastle are being expected to push on up from their 11th placed finish last season and Eddie Howe's men started their season off by meeting expectations with a business-like 2-0 win at home to newly promoted Nottingham Forest last weekend. A goal each from Fabian Schar and Callum Wilson helped the Magpies to get off to the perfect start but can they win on the road against a very tricky opponent here? Just the 350 miles to travel for the game. Newcastle are one of the in-form teams this calendar year so far with only Liverpool, Manchester City, and Tottenham earning more league points in 2022. They are hoping to win their first two league games of a Premier League season for the first time since 1997/98. However, they have only managed to win 1 of their last 10 first away league games of the season. 
    There is no doubt that Howe will be looking forward to this game having recorded 5 wins over Brighton as a manager which is his joint best record against any team. That said, Brighton haven't lost any of their 5 home league games played against Brighton in the Premier League. Both teams have every reason to be confident of getting a win in this one but I don't think I can separate them. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see this end in a 1-1 or 2-2 draw.
    Draw @ 3.40 with SpreadEx
    BTTS @ 1.92 with SBK
  8. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 13th - 15th   
    Arsenal vs Leicester
    We are treated to five 3pm BST kick-offs in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon and with temperatures set to soar once again it's going to be a hot one! Here, I'm taking a look at Arsenal versus Leicester at the Emirates Stadium. The home team will be looking to continue living up to the pre-season hype surrounding them against an away side that are on the brink of seeing their team torn apart at the seams by vultures.
    Arsenal have been tipped by many to "do bits" this season (as the kids say!) and their opening day display against Crystal Palace showed exactly why. The 2-0 victory was never really in doubt and Mikel Arteta has been further boosted by the return to training of Emile Smith Rowe, Fabio Vieira, and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Gabriel Jesus looked lively in the opening game and even though he didn't score he has bagged 5 goals in his last 7 league appearances against Leicester so is a fair shout for anytime scorer again this weekend. Gabriel Martinelli is another consideration for that bet having scored in back-to-back Premier League games. Arsenal did also only manage to keep one clean sheet in their last 8 home league games of last season and that came against Leicester. The Gunners did possess the 3rd best home record in the top flight last season behind only Manchester City and Liverpool. 
    Leicester continue to sleepwalk towards a season of under-achievement under Brendan Rodgers. I did hold hope that after a summer of rebuilding and strengthening that if they had to sell a couple of their big names early on in the window then they could survive. It's now mid-August and the transfer speculation surrounding the likes of James Maddison, Wesley Fofana, and Youri Tielemans is still there but none have left. The fact the club are replacing former number one Kasper Schmeichel with ex-Cardiff keeper Alex Smithies maybe suggests that the board are tightening the purse strings a bit. It's a concern with the Foxes not bringing anyone in this summer so far either. At the very least, it's poor squad management. Leicester have only managed one clean sheet in their last 26 away league games. In addition to losing Schmeichel, full back Ricardo Pereira is also unavailable due to injury. Striker Jamie Vardy could be their main hope of getting something here having scored 11 goals in his previous 14 league games versus Arsenal.
    It's worrying for Leicester that Arsenal are looking so good coming into this game but the London club have also won the last three league meetings between the two teams. Leicester also possess a terrible away record against Arsenal having managed just 1 win in their last 25 away league games against the Gunners. I'm struggling to see Leicester getting anything in this match. Something isn't right with the Foxes and this could be a long season if they don't start waking up a bit.
    Arsenal HT/FT @ 2.40 with SpreadEx
    Anytime Scorer: Gabriel Martinelli @ 3.40 with SportNation
  9. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 5th - 7th   
    Manchester United vs Brighton
    The second 2pm BST kick-off in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon is the fascinating match-up between Manchester United and Brighton at Old Trafford. These two teams experienced two contrasting games when they met in the league last season so which way will this game end up going as both teams look to deal with a number of key changes to their playing and backroom staff over the summer.
    Manchester United begin the competitive matches of the Erik ten Hag era here and the tenure of the Dutchman has not already been without its controversies. The former Ajax head coach wasted no time in shifting some deadwood out of the club with the likes of Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Nemanja Matic, Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani, and Andreas Pereira all leaving. The additions have been limited so far though. The Red Devils have brought in full back Tyrell Malacia, versatile defensive player Lisandro Martinez, midfielder Christian Eriksen, and the more bizarre arrival of midfielder Tom Huddlestone in a player/ coach role. Anthony Martial is likely to be absent for this game which is a shame given his pre-season form. It's uncertain what involvement Cristiano Ronaldo will have either with conflicting messages about his future at the club coming from ten Hag, Ronaldo himself, and the owners. United's record on the opening game of the season has been decent for a while now with the club winning 10 of their last 13 such league games. They do boast the best record for victories on the opening weekend of the Premier League with 20 wins. No pressure on ten Hag but 6 of the last 7 Manchester United managers have won their first game in charge of the club. It'll be interesting to see if Bruno Fernandes can carry his positive form from the end of last season into this one. He ended the last campaign with 4 goals in his last 5 league games.
    Brighton come into this campaign with a few people backing them to consolidate their place in the top of the table after finishing in 9th last season. Graham Potter is earning huge praise for his work with the team but he must once again deal with a couple of big departures after Yves Bissouma left for Tottenham and Marc Cucurella signed for Chelsea. The Seagulls have kept to their traditional restricted transfer budget with Julio Enciso being brought in to try and address the profligacy in front of goal issue and the other less high profile arrivals of Benicio Baker-Boaitey, Imari Samuels, and Simon Adingra coming in on a shoestring. The loan agreement to bring in Levi Colwill as part of the Cucurella deal will be a shrewd one, especially if there is a right to buy clause in there. It's probably not the best statistic for Brighton fans to read but they have lost all 10 of their Premier League games that they have played in Manchester so far. The team did lose just 1 of their last 9 league games last season and they did lose just four times on their travels in the league last season. I do think that Potter still has some transfer business left to complete before the window closes at the end of this month and that business could determine where this Brighton side finishes this season.
    This will be the first time these two sides have met in a top flight opening game of the season. Brighton not only have a terrible record in Manchester at this level but they have also lost 6 of their last 7 encounters with Manchester United in the Premier League. However, the last meeting was a resounding 4-0 win at home. It's now 14 visits to Old Trafford without a victory for Brighton and I can see that stretch continuing here. I'm expecting to see United improve on last season but they still have some deep-rooted issues that will take ten Hag more than a few months to sort out.
    Manchester United to Win @ 1.73 with Betfred
    Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 1.91 with SBK
  10. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 5th - 7th   
    West Ham vs Manchester City
    Much more at ease than the previous year when they had come close to relegation, this West Ham team perfectly raised their heads in 2021-2022 to avoid any further scares. Better still, the Londoners were able to steal 7th place in the standings, allowing them to play in the preliminary rounds of the Conference League. The Hammers want to sneak into the top four with Gianluca Scamacca, Nayef Aguerd, and Flynn Downes joining the squad in the summer. There are no injury worries in the home team ahead of the season opener, meaning that David Moyes is going to field the best possible side. Michail Antonio has been the main player of the Hammers, and in the Premier League last season, he scored ten goals and assisted his teammates eight times.
    Manchester City begins their title defense with a match against West Ham United at London Stadium. Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling, and Oleksandr Zinchenko are no longer parts of the team, but the club chiefs did well to sign Norway superstar Erling Haaland in the summer transfer window. Kalvin Phillips is likely to make his official Man City debut against the Hammers as well, while Aymeric Laporte remains on the sidelines with injury. Riyad Mahrez scored 11 goals last season and hopes for even better performances in the new season.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    It is going to be an entertaining clash since it won't be easy for the defending champions. Nevertheless, we expect them to show dominance and win by at last two goals. 
    Goals Market Prediction
    Both teams were involved in many high-scoring matches last season, and this one shouldn't be much different. We anticipate goals in both nets in this encounter. 
    Manchester City AH -1.5 @ 2.05
    BTTS Yes @ 1.83
    Correct score 1:3 @ 12.00
  11. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from waggy in Premier League Predictions > Aug 5th - 7th   
    Manchester United vs Brighton
    The Red Devils were anything but impressive in pre-season, and, no doubt, new boss Erik ten Haag faces an uphill task in the 2022/2023 Premier League campaign. As always, a man to watch in the home team will be Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, while Christian Eriksen will likely make his EPL debut with Man Utd against Brighton. 24-year-old Argentine center-back Lisandro Martinez completed a £47m move to Old Trafford earlier this summer to rekindle with former Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, whom he played under for three seasons. The home side fans hope for a good start for their team, and we’ll see whether the Red Devils can meet expectations in this match.
    The Seagulls, on the other hand, are eager to claim a major scalp on Matchday 1, but they will have to do it without key midfielder Yves Bissouma, who signed a deal with Spurs in the summer. Left-back Marc Cucurella may not be available after it was claimed that he is due to move to Chelsea for a fee exceeding £50 million, although the club has denied reports. Neal Maupay had a successful season behind him after scoring eight goals, and many teams are interested in this guy. Poland international Jakub Moder continues his road to recovery from a cruciate injury.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    Manchester United should stop its decline and enter the new campaign confidently. Although Brighton is a tricky opponent, the Red Devils should keep the perfect record against this opponent at Old Trafford and celebrate a victory in front of their fans.
    Goals Market Prediction
    The crowd at Old Trafford saw goals in both nets in three of these two sides’ last four encounters. We expect another efficient game, and neither team should keep a clean sheet.
    Manchester United to Win @ 1.68
    BTTS Yes @ 1.93
    Correct score 2:1 @ 9.00
  12. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from waggy in Premier League Predictions > Aug 5th - 7th   
    West Ham vs Manchester City
    Much more at ease than the previous year when they had come close to relegation, this West Ham team perfectly raised their heads in 2021-2022 to avoid any further scares. Better still, the Londoners were able to steal 7th place in the standings, allowing them to play in the preliminary rounds of the Conference League. The Hammers want to sneak into the top four with Gianluca Scamacca, Nayef Aguerd, and Flynn Downes joining the squad in the summer. There are no injury worries in the home team ahead of the season opener, meaning that David Moyes is going to field the best possible side. Michail Antonio has been the main player of the Hammers, and in the Premier League last season, he scored ten goals and assisted his teammates eight times.
    Manchester City begins their title defense with a match against West Ham United at London Stadium. Gabriel Jesus, Raheem Sterling, and Oleksandr Zinchenko are no longer parts of the team, but the club chiefs did well to sign Norway superstar Erling Haaland in the summer transfer window. Kalvin Phillips is likely to make his official Man City debut against the Hammers as well, while Aymeric Laporte remains on the sidelines with injury. Riyad Mahrez scored 11 goals last season and hopes for even better performances in the new season.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    It is going to be an entertaining clash since it won't be easy for the defending champions. Nevertheless, we expect them to show dominance and win by at last two goals. 
    Goals Market Prediction
    Both teams were involved in many high-scoring matches last season, and this one shouldn't be much different. We anticipate goals in both nets in this encounter. 
    Manchester City AH -1.5 @ 2.05
    BTTS Yes @ 1.83
    Correct score 1:3 @ 12.00
  13. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 5th - 7th   
    Everton vs Chelsea
    The final Premier League game of the day on Saturday afternoon is between last season's under-achievers Everton and Champions League qualification hopefuls Chelsea in a 5:30pm BST kick-off from Goodison Park. This is a big opportunity for the home team to shove a lot of the words critics have thrown at the club back down their throat but they face a stiff challenge from a visiting team beginning life under new ownership.
    Everton are being tipped to struggle once again after last season's disappointing campaign. Head coach Frank Lampard exceeded the expectations of many by steering the Toffees clear of relegation but the season ended with just 1 win from their last 4 league games and ending up in 16th place. Transfer activity hasn't exactly been inspirational over the summer with the only additions being James Tarkowski, Dwight McNeil, and Ruben Vinagre. This has proven especially underwhelming given the fact that star player Richarlison has been moved out of the exit door. The club has suffered a further blow with striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin ruled out for the opening weeks of the season and his under study Salomon Rondon is suspended. It makes it even more mystifying that Lampard hasn't moved to sign a striker. Let's face it, Calvert-Lewin is beginning to appear a little injury prone. Home form was crucial for Everton last season with the team earning 29 of their 39 points last season on home turf. The club do boast a superb opening day record though having gone unbeaten in their last 10 seasons.
    Chelsea will start life under the Todd Boehly consortium era in this game and the jury remains out on whether this will be a positive period for the club or not. The days of mega-spending under Roman Abramovich may be long gone but the new owners have already shown a willingness to back head coach Thomas Tuchel. The departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen were disappointing and the exit of Romelu Lukaku was unsurprising but a suitable number of players have been brought in to soften those losses. Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Marc Cucurella are the stand out signings so the Blues fans can't complain too much. Chelsea do possess the second best opening day record in the Premier League with 19 wins. Only Manchester United have won more. Chelsea also have an awesome away record under Tuchel with the team losing just 4 of their 28 away league games under the German. They conceded a joint low of 11 league goals away from home last season too.
    It's an intriguing statistic to see that Everton have won each of their last four home league games against Chelsea but have they ever been in such a dire state as they are now? I don't think so. I'm still not convinced that everyone is all good at Chelsea. The change of ownership was very unsettling and the transfer business hasn't exactly struck me as having a clear direction. Chelsea have notoriously missed out on a lot of players they wanted to sign. Mainly because Barcelona somehow managed to sign them instead. However, this is a team that won the Champions League just over a year ago. I just don't rate this Everton team and I think Chelsea will do enough to sneak a narrow win.
    Chelsea to Win to Nil @ 2.50 with Betfred
    Anytime Scorer: Raheem Sterling @ 3.50 with VBet
  14. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from alexcaruso808 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 5th - 7th   
    Everton vs Chelsea
    Everton managed to keep its head above the water last time, but another tough season awaits the hosts. They cannot count on Richarlison anymore, who joined Tottenham Hotspur during the summer transfer window. The Toffees raised their form during the pre-season, beating Blackpool and Dynamo Kyiv in the two most recent matches. In the new season, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is expected to show that he is a real leader. It doesn't get much better regarding selection, with just the lone fitness concern for the Everton manager Frank Lampard to contend with from an otherwise fully-primed group of players. Yerry Mina (Hamstring Injury) will not play.
    Chelsea has the ambition to enter the title race, despite not being among the biggest favorites according to the Premier League 2022/23 outright predictions. The Blues have been very active in the transfer window, securing some excellent additions to their squad. Raheem Sterling joined from Manchester City, while Kalidou Koulibaly strengthened the defensive block. Chelsea continued a spending spree with Marc Cucurella's signing, making the Spanish international the most expensive left-back. Now, it is on Thomas Tuchel to incorporate the new players into his system, and a trip to Liverpool is a good test at the start of the season.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    Chelsea is a firm favorite in this match, and they have more squad depth to return home with all three points. Although the Blues lost four times in a row at Goodison Park, we believe they will win and open the new campaign successfully.
    Goals Market Prediction
    Their head-to-head clashes in Liverpool haven't been very efficient, and we believe this one should follow the same pattern. Therefore, the crowd shouldn't see more than two goals in total.
    Chelsea to Win @ 1.65
    Under 2.5 FT @ 1.88
    Correct score 0:2 @ 8.00
  15. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 5th - 7th   
    Everton vs Chelsea
    Everton managed to keep its head above the water last time, but another tough season awaits the hosts. They cannot count on Richarlison anymore, who joined Tottenham Hotspur during the summer transfer window. The Toffees raised their form during the pre-season, beating Blackpool and Dynamo Kyiv in the two most recent matches. In the new season, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is expected to show that he is a real leader. It doesn't get much better regarding selection, with just the lone fitness concern for the Everton manager Frank Lampard to contend with from an otherwise fully-primed group of players. Yerry Mina (Hamstring Injury) will not play.
    Chelsea has the ambition to enter the title race, despite not being among the biggest favorites according to the Premier League 2022/23 outright predictions. The Blues have been very active in the transfer window, securing some excellent additions to their squad. Raheem Sterling joined from Manchester City, while Kalidou Koulibaly strengthened the defensive block. Chelsea continued a spending spree with Marc Cucurella's signing, making the Spanish international the most expensive left-back. Now, it is on Thomas Tuchel to incorporate the new players into his system, and a trip to Liverpool is a good test at the start of the season.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    Chelsea is a firm favorite in this match, and they have more squad depth to return home with all three points. Although the Blues lost four times in a row at Goodison Park, we believe they will win and open the new campaign successfully.
    Goals Market Prediction
    Their head-to-head clashes in Liverpool haven't been very efficient, and we believe this one should follow the same pattern. Therefore, the crowd shouldn't see more than two goals in total.
    Chelsea to Win @ 1.65
    Under 2.5 FT @ 1.88
    Correct score 0:2 @ 8.00
  16. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 5th - 7th   
    Crystal Palace vs Arsenal
    Crystal Palace finished the last season in the safe mid-table zone, being far from the relegation battle. The hosts hope for a similar campaign this time, but it's going to be a challenging season for them. Palace had a pretty good pre-season, losing only to Liverpool and Manchester United in nine games. They beat QPR and Montpellier in the previous two clashes, scoring seven goals to boost their confidence ahead of the season's start. Wilfried Zaha remained in the club, while Eberechi Eze missed many games last season due to injury, which greatly affected Crystal Palace's results. The Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira will be grateful to have no fitness worries whatsoever before this game, thanks to a completely injury-free group to choose from.
    The Gunners missed an opportunity to secure the Champions League ticket last season, but they don't want to repeat the same mistake this time. Arsenal had a very good transfer window, securing the signings of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko. The visitors booked six wins in seven pre-season games, demolishing Sevilla 6:0 in the latest one. Last season, Smith Rowe was the team's top scorer with 12 goals, and even better editions and new goals are expected in the future. He earned a call-up to the England national team. With an injury-free squad, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has no fitness concerns ahead of this game perfect.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    Arsenal is full of confidence, and the away side hopes for a victorious start to the campaign. We believe the Gunners will meet the expectations and return home with all three points.
    Goals Market Prediction
    Their head-to-head clashes at Selhurst Park have been a joy to watch lately, as seven of their last eight encounters went over a 2.5 margin. We anticipate another efficient game on Friday evening, and the crowd should enjoy at least three goals in total.
    Arsenal to Win @ 1.87
    Over 2.5 FT @ 2.00
    Correct score 1:2 @ 9.50
  17. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Aug 5th - 7th   
    Crystal Palace vs Arsenal
    The opening game of the 2022/23 Premier League will be an 8pm BST kick-off on Friday night between Crystal Palace and Arsenal at Selhurst Park. It's an intriguing fixture that's between two teams I'm backing to enjoy positive seasons this time around but will either team be able to take all 3 points here? Or will we see them battle it out to a draw in what could prove a nervy and cautious affair?
    Crystal Palace will be looking to build on the fine work of last season under Patrick Vieira and you can see how the former Nice and New York City FC head coach is fine-tuning his squad for this campaign. I'm keen to see how they perform without Conor Gallagher on loan because he was clearly missed when he didn't play last season. Will the signing of Cheick Doucoure fill that hole left by Gallagher's return to Chelsea? Vieira will be without a number of first team players for this game including Michael Olise, James McArthur, Jack Butland, James Tomkins, and Sam Johnstone. The statistics provide mixed reading for Palace fans. It's only 5 wins from their last 22 opening games in the top flight. However, they have only lost 4 of their last 19 home league games. That included going unbeaten for their last 6 home league matches. The last five of those saw the team keep a clean sheet. 
    Arsenal look like a potentially dangerous outfit this season. I am anticipating them to make a real push for the Champions League qualification places after the signings of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City. Both players are expected to start for the Gunners on Friday night with centre back William Saliba also set to make his first start for the club. His potential centre back partnership with Gabriel is one that the Arsenal fans have been crying out for since last season. Mikel Arteta's side have a number of injury concerns including Emile Smith Rowe but the likes of Kieran Tierney, Fabio Vieira, and Takehiro Tomiyasu should all be fit to play some part. Opening weekend games haven't gone great for Arsenal over recent times with the club losing 5 of their last 9 including the shock 2-0 loss to local rivals Brentford away last season. Defensive fragility is a concern for Arteta coming into this campaign with the team failing to keep a clean sheet in any of their last 10 league games. Could Jesus be a decent pick for anytime scorer having scored 6 goals in his last 7 league games for Manchester City before joining Arsenal and having scored 7 goals in pre-season?
    It turns out that Crystal Palace are becoming a bit of a headache for Arsenal having lost just 1 of the last 8 league meetings between the two sides. Palace will be looking to earn back-to-back top flight league wins over Arsenal for the first time in their history after winning this fixture 3-0 back in April. I'm not sure Palace will get the win but they'll certainly provide a tough challenge for Arsenal. I think the Gunners could sneak the win though. I don't feel easy about backing them mind!
    Arsenal to Win @ 1.91 with SpreadEx
    Anytime Scorer: Gabriel Jesus @ 2.80 with SportNation
  18. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from yossa6133 in Championship Predictions > May 29th   
    Huddersfield Town vs Nottingham Forest
    Huddersfield Town will hope to repeat their last result after the 1:0 success in the playoffs against Luton Town. The Terriers finished third in the regular season, being six points behind the second-placed Bournemouth. They managed to eliminate Luton Town in the semi-finals with a 2:1 aggregate win. Their most recent results show that quality has been evident in the Huddersfield Town defense. Huddersfield Town has been miserly, with the total number of goals that have flown into the back of their net during their past six matches standing at 3. The Huddersfield manager Carlos Corberán doesn’t have any fitness concerns at all before this clash with a fully injury-free squad ready to go.
    Since a loss in their previous game against Sheffield United in the Championship Play-offs competition, Nottingham Forest and their fans will hope to get a better result this time. Nevertheless, the Reds booked their ticket for Wembley after eliminating Sheffield United after the penalty shootout. Previously, they finished the regular season in 4th place, being two points behind their upcoming rivals. The numbers tell their own story, and Nottingham Forest has been scored against in 5 of their last six matches, conceding six goals overall. At the back, Nottingham Forest has been far from perfect. In an otherwise healthy group, there’s only the sole fitness issue for the Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper to be concerned about. Lewis Grabban (Hamstring Injury) won’t be playing here.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    This is going to be a very tight match, and both teams will search for their chance to get promoted. However, we think Nottingham Forrest is closer to success, and they should return to the Premier League after more than two decades.
    Goals Market Prediction
    The stake is very high in this game, and both teams should approach cautiously to it. Therefore, we don’t expect to see too many goals in this encounter, and there shouldn’t be more than two in total in 90 minutes.
    Nottingham Forest to Win @ 2.20
    Under 2.5 FT @ 1.65
    Correct score 0:1 @ 6.50
  19. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from StevieDay1983 in Championship Predictions > May 29th   
    Huddersfield Town vs Nottingham Forest
    Huddersfield Town will hope to repeat their last result after the 1:0 success in the playoffs against Luton Town. The Terriers finished third in the regular season, being six points behind the second-placed Bournemouth. They managed to eliminate Luton Town in the semi-finals with a 2:1 aggregate win. Their most recent results show that quality has been evident in the Huddersfield Town defense. Huddersfield Town has been miserly, with the total number of goals that have flown into the back of their net during their past six matches standing at 3. The Huddersfield manager Carlos Corberán doesn’t have any fitness concerns at all before this clash with a fully injury-free squad ready to go.
    Since a loss in their previous game against Sheffield United in the Championship Play-offs competition, Nottingham Forest and their fans will hope to get a better result this time. Nevertheless, the Reds booked their ticket for Wembley after eliminating Sheffield United after the penalty shootout. Previously, they finished the regular season in 4th place, being two points behind their upcoming rivals. The numbers tell their own story, and Nottingham Forest has been scored against in 5 of their last six matches, conceding six goals overall. At the back, Nottingham Forest has been far from perfect. In an otherwise healthy group, there’s only the sole fitness issue for the Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper to be concerned about. Lewis Grabban (Hamstring Injury) won’t be playing here.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    This is going to be a very tight match, and both teams will search for their chance to get promoted. However, we think Nottingham Forrest is closer to success, and they should return to the Premier League after more than two decades.
    Goals Market Prediction
    The stake is very high in this game, and both teams should approach cautiously to it. Therefore, we don’t expect to see too many goals in this encounter, and there shouldn’t be more than two in total in 90 minutes.
    Nottingham Forest to Win @ 2.20
    Under 2.5 FT @ 1.65
    Correct score 0:1 @ 6.50
  20. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from StevieDay1983 in Champions League Predictions > May 28th   
    Liverpool vs Real Madrid
    Liverpool is hoping to win again following the 3:1 Premier League triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Although they were close to snatching the title in the final round, their quadruple dream fell apart with Manchester City's 3:2 win over Aston Villa. It's been seldom in recent times that Liverpool has shown defensive steel. The facts show that Liverpool has been scored against in 5 of their previous six games, leaking six goals in the process. Nevertheless, the Reds are in positive momentum, and they want to make the final step toward winning the Champions League. The Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp does not have any fitness worries at all ahead of this match, owing to a completely injury-free squad available to choose from.
    In their previous game, Real Madrid drew 0:0 in the La Liga tie with Real Betis. However, that draw didn't bother them much since Los Blancos had already secured the La Liga title. A run of resolute displays by the Real Madrid defenders has seen their' goals against' tally amounting to 3 from their past six fixtures in total. Over that same period of time, their forwards have scored 14. Real Madrid had a tough road to the finals, eliminating PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City in the process. Owing to a completely healthy squad available to choose from, the Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has no fitness worries whatsoever before this game.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    It is going to be an exciting game, and both teams have equal chances of winning the competition. Nevertheless, Real Madrid has been real comeback kings in the Champions League this season, and we believe they deserve to be rewarded with a win in this one.
    Goals Market Prediction
    Both teams have very talented offenses, and it should be a quite efficient match. Karim Benzema and Mo Salah will lead their sides in the final third, and we don't think either team will keep the clean sheet in this encounter.  
    Real Madrid to Win @ 3.80
    BTTS Yes @ 1.62
    Correct score 1:2 @ 12.00
  21. Like
    StefanBB got a reaction from harry_rag in Champions League Predictions > May 28th   
    Liverpool vs Real Madrid
    Liverpool is hoping to win again following the 3:1 Premier League triumph over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Although they were close to snatching the title in the final round, their quadruple dream fell apart with Manchester City's 3:2 win over Aston Villa. It's been seldom in recent times that Liverpool has shown defensive steel. The facts show that Liverpool has been scored against in 5 of their previous six games, leaking six goals in the process. Nevertheless, the Reds are in positive momentum, and they want to make the final step toward winning the Champions League. The Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp does not have any fitness worries at all ahead of this match, owing to a completely injury-free squad available to choose from.
    In their previous game, Real Madrid drew 0:0 in the La Liga tie with Real Betis. However, that draw didn't bother them much since Los Blancos had already secured the La Liga title. A run of resolute displays by the Real Madrid defenders has seen their' goals against' tally amounting to 3 from their past six fixtures in total. Over that same period of time, their forwards have scored 14. Real Madrid had a tough road to the finals, eliminating PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester City in the process. Owing to a completely healthy squad available to choose from, the Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has no fitness worries whatsoever before this game.
    Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
    It is going to be an exciting game, and both teams have equal chances of winning the competition. Nevertheless, Real Madrid has been real comeback kings in the Champions League this season, and we believe they deserve to be rewarded with a win in this one.
    Goals Market Prediction
    Both teams have very talented offenses, and it should be a quite efficient match. Karim Benzema and Mo Salah will lead their sides in the final third, and we don't think either team will keep the clean sheet in this encounter.  
    Real Madrid to Win @ 3.80
    BTTS Yes @ 1.62
    Correct score 1:2 @ 12.00
  22. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Europa League Predictions > May 5th   
    Rangers vs RB Leipzig
    The second game in the Europa League Semi-Final second legs is our next preview with Scottish Premiership team Rangers hosting Bundesliga club RB Leipzig in an 8pm BST kick-off on Thursday night from Ibrox. It's a narrow 1-0 advantage for the away side coming into this game so it's all to play for. Will the home team turn this tie around in front of a passionate home crowd or will the nerves get to the players?
    Rangers stand on the brink of reaching their first major European Final since 2008. Giovanni van Bronckhorst has history against him with only four teams from the last 17 ties where a team has lost the first leg of a Europa League Semi-Final have they gone on to progress to the Final. The Glaswegian team have reached the Final in 4 of their last 5 Semi-Final ties. It will undoubtedly be an emotional night for the club with long-time club servant Jimmy Bell sadly passing away this week. What a way it'll be for the team to pay tribute to the club icon if they pull off a win to progress here. James Tavernier is a shout for anytime scorer with his 5 goals scored at home during this competition more than any other player has scored at home.
    RB Leipzig are in the hot seat to progress at the moment but the atmosphere at Ibrox will be slightly less welcoming than when they played in front of their home fans at the Red Bull Arena last Thursday. Head coach Domenico Tedesco will be satisfied that his team came away from that game with a win but with away goals irrelevant this season will a single goal advantage be enough? The club don't have fond memories of playing in Scotland having suffered a 2-1 defeat to Celtic in their last visit to the country back in the 2018/19 Champions League group stage. This is a chance for RB Leipzig to reach their first major European cup Final as a team. Christopher Nkunku could be a shout for anytime scorer having bagged 10 goals in this competition so far with only Karim Benzema (14), Robert Lewandowski (13), and Sebastien Haller (11) scoring more in European competitions so far this season.
    A single goal from Angelino was enough to seal the 1-0 win for RB Leipzig in the first leg but this might not be so straightforward this time. I still feel that RB Leipzig could steal the win as Rangers push on to get that elusive goal needed. I think given what Rangers need to do to get back in this tie and RB Leipzig's tendency to be involved in high-scoring games we could see a belter here.
    RB Leipzig to Win @ 2.10 with QuinnBet
    BTTS @ 1.79 with VBet
  23. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Europa League Predictions > May 5th   
    Eintracht Frankfurt vs West Ham
    The Europa League Semi-Final second legs are here this week and it's Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt hosting Premier League team West Ham in an 8pm BST kick-off on Thursday night from the Commerzbank-Arena in our first preview. The home team come into this game with a 2-1 lead from the first leg so the visiting side have it all to do if they're to turn this tie around and reach the Final.
    Eintracht Frankfurt will be delighted that they came away from the London Stadium in the first leg last week with a victory. Ansgar Knauff gave his team the perfect start opening the scoring in the first minute and Daichi Kamada sealed the 2-1 score in the second half. Away goals don't count in this year's competition so the job is far from done. The German side are unbeaten in their 11 Europa League matches although they did lose 1-0 at home to Real Betis in the last 16 after regulation time to send the tie into extra-time. That is a warning from the past for these players. Head coach Oliver Glasner has built a team that knows how to score so that could set them up well here. Die Adler have scored in each of their Europa League games so far this season.
    West Ham face a monumental challenge here but David Moyes will ensure his players believe they can do it. The Hammers had their chances to score more goals in the first leg but it's a shame Michail Antonio's goal wasn't enough to save them from defeat. The London club suffered a narrow 2-1 loss at home to Arsenal on the weekend so that has made it 4 matches without a win in all competitions for West Ham now. Away form is also a worry for West Ham right now with the team losing 6 of their last 7 matches played on the road. It'll be interesting to see if the team's need to push for a goal will see them change approach from their usual set-up in away games of a more cautious strategy. Maybe this could actually see them play more to their attacking strengths.
    I'm not optimistic for West Ham here. Eintracht Frankfurt showed why they have reached this stage of this competition this season and I felt that if West Ham wanted to stand any chance of reaching the Final then they needed to get something, preferably a win, at home. The German side walked away with the aggregate lead though and I think it'll just prove too much for West Ham to come back from.
    Eintracht Frankfurt to Win @ 2.62 with SBK
    Total Goals Scored Over 2.5 @ 1.90 with Bet365
  24. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Champions League Predictions > May 3rd & 4th   
    Real Madrid vs Manchester City
    The second Champions League Semi-Final 2nd leg taking place this week comes at us on Wednesday night at 8pm BST when newly crowned La Liga champions Real Madrid look to continue their journey towards a fifth trophy win in this competition in 9 seasons against Premier League leaders Manchester City at the Bernabeu. Can the away side hold on to their slender 4-3 aggregate lead?
    Real Madrid have returned to being the great entertainers of European football with their attacking approach to games helping head coach Carlo Ancelotti to become the first man to win the top flight league title in each of the big five European leagues of Spain, England, Italy, France, and Germany. He's also managed to look like an absolute don during the celebrations of each one as well. Los Blancos might be a goal down in this tie but they'll have every belief they can claw it back with away goals not an issue here. Real Madrid's matches in the knockout stages so far have seen a total of 21 goals scored in 5 games. Striker Karim Benzema has led the charge on that front with 9 goals in the club's last 4 knockout matches and 18 goals in his last 13 games across all competitions. The fans will be wary though that Real did lose at home to Chelsea by a 3-2 score after extra time in the last round.
    Manchester City are still on track for a double this season with Pep Guardiola's men top of the Premier League and ahead on aggregate in this tie. The Citizens were simply mesmerising in the first leg and will probably feel disappointed that their lead over Real Madrid isn't larger. It's now 4 wins on the bounce for City with 16 goals scored during that run so they are also showing that their attacking prowess shouldn't be questioned. The first leg was the first time in 9 games in this competition that City conceded more than 2 goals. Guardiola's side have already eliminated one club from the Spanish capital city when they beat Atletico Madrid by a 1-0 score in the Quarter-Finals. The fact that City have also kept 4 clean sheets in their last 5 knockout games in the Champions League should give their back-line confidence that they can get another shut out to progress to the Final.
    It is Manchester City who have won the last three meetings between these two sides but Real Madrid look more threatening that ever before with the combination of Luka Modric and Benzema proving to be irresistible at the moment. I still feel City have the stronger squad and even though we could see a classic that could go all the way to penalties here I think City may have enough to sneak through.
    Real Madrid Draw No Bet @ 2.50 with SpreadEx
    Anytime Scorer: Karim Benzema @ 2.30 with Sporting Index
  25. Like
    StefanBB reacted to StevieDay1983 in Premier League Predictions > Apr 28th - May 2nd   
    Manchester United vs Brentford
    The Premier League has one game left to play on this May Bank Holiday weekend and it's Manchester United versus Brentford in an 8pm BST kick-off on Monday night from Old Trafford. This is a must win game for the home team if they want to keep their realistic hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League alive and they have a great chance to do it against a visiting team who are probably all but safe from relegation now.
    Manchester United currently sit in 6th place but are 8 points off the pace of the top four with just 3 league games for them to play. You can probably say the chances of them playing in next season's Champions League have already gone really but failure to win here would basically seal that fate. Ralf Rangnick was this week confirmed as the new Austrian national team manager and that immediately has me wondering how focused he'll be on this game knowing he won't be in this role next season. It's now just 1 win from their last 6 league games. Defensive woes continue to plague the Red Devils with the team conceding in their last 9 matches. There is hope for the team in top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo though. He has scored 18 goals in 18 games played against newly promoted sides in the Premier League.
    Brentford will be delighted that they have hit the magic 40-point mark but with the team down in 14th position and 8 points clear of relegation they probably won't breathe easy until the maths makes safety official. The Bees are undefeated in their last 4 league games so they are intent on finishing this season strongly. Defensive stability on the road has remained patchy though with the team conceding in each of their last 14 away matches. However, both teams have scored in each of their previous 5 away league games. Thomas Frank will want to get his team mathematically safe as soon as possible so I can see them going all out here to try and get something.
    When these two teams met earlier in the season at the Brentford Community Stadium with Manchester United prevailing as 3-1 winners, it was the first time the teams had met in the league since 1947. It is 6 matches unbeaten in this fixture for United now with Brentford last winning back in 1938 in the FA Cup. I can see United getting a win here and I think it makes sense to back Ronaldo to score.
    Manchester United to Win @ 1.76 with SBK
    BTTS @ 1.72 with SBK
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