Saturday
Fixture: Sunderland 1-1 Arsenal
Venue: Stadium of Light (Sunderland home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: After last week's poor second half show, it is difficult to see how Arsenal's boss Arsene Wenger will acceptanother dropped point for the rest of the season. Although those with good memories will remember that Arsenal suffered a dip in form around this time last season. But they were struggling for goals at the time, and their confidence suffered. That doesn't seem to be the case this season, and we can put the Hull defeat down to a genuine freak result.
Betting Advice: 4pts Arsenal win at 8/13 (1.61538 generally)
Fixture: West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Fulham
Venue: Hawthorns (WBA home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: I was going to swerve this one. Fulham are worth backing at home, but West Brom are getting to grips with the Premiership and, as my tip of the three promoted teams to stay up, I have to back the home team for the win here.
Betting Advice: 1pt WBA win at 13/10 (2.3 at Paddy Power)
Fixture: Wigan 0-1 Middlesbrough
Venue: JJB Stadium (Wigan home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: It's always the way whenever you spot a good team eventually they start putting a run together and everyone's backing them. Boro have been disappoiting this season, we thought they might be. Wigan have been a revelation, we knew they would be. Home win.
Betting Advice: 3pts Wigan win at 11/10 (2.1 generally)
Fixture: Blackburn 0-2 Man Utd
Venue: Ewood Park (Blackburn home)
Kick-off: 5.30pm BST
Verdict: It's got to the point in their season where if Man Utd drop points again before the clocks change then they can probably kiss defending their title again. Which is ridiculous when you consider how early we are in the season. It's only a decade since they overturned a 12-point deficit in the last month (although that was against Newcastle, hehe). Blackburn have been playing with fits and starts, and my big worry about backing United here is that Rovers have been known to snatch the points against the Reds.
Betting Advice: 3pts Man Utd win at 8/13 (1.61538 generally)
Sunday
Fixture: West Ham 1-3 Bolton
Venue: Boleyn Ground (West Ham home)
Kick-off: 1.30pm BST
Verdict: No thank you very much. West Ham are an "avoid" bet while they copme to terms with the loss of £30m and Dean Ashton, not necessarily in that order. Bolton were unlucky against Man Utd and will win away from home more than people think they will. Best avoided.
Betting Advice: no bet
Fixture: Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa
Venue: Stamford Bridge (Chelsea home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: Chelsea have EIGHT players doubtful from the team that drew against might Cluj in Transylvania during the week, and Didier Drogba is definitely out. If they are going to lose their Stamford Bridge record this is the time against a team in form and a definite challenger for a Champions League place, or higher.
Betting Advice: 3pts Aston Villa win at 7/1 (8.0 at Bet Direct, Skybet, Stan James, Ladbrokes and Betfair)
Fixture: Man City 2-3 Liverpool
Venue: Eastlands (Man City home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: God, I'm frustrated with Liverpool. I mean, on the one side, I backed them to win the title at the start of the season because I believe they have the side now for sucha purpose. But then they play so crap, but they've been very lucky. Maybe, that's how it goes. Both Chelsea and Man Utd have won titles on the back of poor, lucky starts. Man City may win this, but they are not worth backing on merit, they don't have the side to beat Liverpool on paper.
Betting Advice: 1pt Liverpool win at 13/10 (2.3 at Sportingbet)
Fixture: Portsmouth 2-1 Stoke
Venue: Fratton Park (Portsmouth home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: Apologies for the losing bet at Chelsea v Stoke last weekend, I did not know that Rory Delap was not playing until just before kick-off. It would seem that the player rates himself as 50/50 for this match, which will make a big difference. Portsmouth are coming back to form, and should not be intimidated by Stoke's size. They're huge, but Pompey have got Crouch.
Betting Advice: 2pts Portsmouth win at 4/6 (1.67 generally)
Fixture: Tottenham 0-1 Hull
Venue: White Hart Lane (Tottenham home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: This is a no bet because Spurs are bottom for a reason and Hull beat Arsenal last week, but you still wouldn't put your house on them winning against the bottom side.
Betting Advice: no bet
