Saturday
Fixture: Blackburn 0-4 Arsenal
Venue: Ewood Park (Blackburn home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: With the Blackburn manager suddenly considering a move to Newcastle, this is a very unsettling time for the home side's dressing room. This on the back of a very inauspicious start, which has put into context Blackburn manager Paul Ince's rather innocuous quip pre-season that he would be happy with avoiding relegation. Arsenal, after an indifferent start, look like they have returned to being the team that has in the past whooped the likes of Blackburn year in, year out. I have no gripes in advising that Arsenal will continue their winning run.
Betting Advice: 3pts Arsenal win at 5/6 (1.83 at Bet365 and Boylesports)
Fixture: Fulham 2-1 Bolton
Venue: Craven Cottage (Fulham home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: Fulham have begun well this season, of that there is no doubt, and I did advise those pre-season ante-post pundits that Fulham will do far better than they did last season. For stats fans this is a home banker: Bolton have won just once on their last ten away trips and have not won at Craven Cottage for 56 years in all leagues. Indeed Bolton have not scored since their opening day win against Stoke, who will be lucky to stay up this season. The bookies are offering very good odds on Fulham because they take into account last season's poor showing but that just doesn't wash.
Betting Advice: 4pts Fulham win at 5/4 (2.25 at Bet365)
Fixture: Liverpool 2-1 Man Utd
Venue: Anfield (Liverpool home)
Kick-off: 12.45pm BST
Verdict: This is not a match to put your shirt on Liverpool are in no kind of form and their manager must be on a watch list for early departures. They have been lucky so far and could be found out against better opposition. That said, Man Utd are a hated rival and this is a fixture that has a tendency to surprise. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this game is how Dimitar Berbatov fits in at Manchester. I think he'll do rather well.
Betting Advice: 2pts Manchester United win at 13/8 (2.625 at Bet Direct, Stan James and Coral)
Fixture: Man City 1-3 Chelsea
Venue: Eastlands (Man City home)
Kick-off: 5.30pm BST
Verdict: Chelsea had a full first team of players on international duty in the recent World Cup qualifiers, which will obviously take its toll. And it will be a real wrench to have lost talismanic Michael Essien to serious injury in the middle of the park. What may hurt most is that Man City stole Robinho away from under their noses. But that might prove a blessing in disguise if the Real Madrid chairman is to be believed apparently the Brazilian superstar is on the verge of a nervous breakdown and in no fit state to be playing football. Whatever revolution is occurring at Man City, one emotionally distraught Brazilian does not a great team make and Chelsea should grind out their favourite scoreline, even though they have had wobbles at Man City before.
Betting Advice: 1pt Chelsea to win at 10/11 (1.90 at Bet365, Boylesports, VC Bet, Bet Direct, Stan James, Coral and extrabet)
Fixture: Newcastle 1-2 Hull
Venue: St James Park (Newcastle home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: I am going to swerve this game: it is difficult to see what kind of reaction Kevin Keegan's resignation is going to have on the players at Newcastle.
Betting Advice: no bet
Fixture: Portsmouth 2-1 Middlesbrough
Venue: Fratton Park (Portsmouth home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: They only got their first win of the season in the last round of matches, but it was a good one 3-0 away from home at Everton. That means that they are yet to win in front of their vociferous home fans, which is a statistic that is long overdue for change. It should be noted that their first two games were against Chelsea and Manchester United and they certainly weren't disgraced at home to Man Utd last time out at home. Middlesbrough have started well, but they are not so good on their travels, which lends me to believe that their longest away trip of the season (311 miles) may be fruitless.
Betting Advice: 2pts Portsmouth to win at 11/10 (2.1 at Skybet)
Fixture: West Brom 3-2 West Ham
Venue: The Hawthorns (West Brom home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: No, I can't put my finger on West Ham this season, so I believe they are worth avoiding until we can find some kind of consistency.
Betting Advice: no bet
Fixture: Wigan 1-1 Sunderland
Venue: JJB Stadium (Wigan home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: Have I told you how much I think Wigan are a very good side this season? If you consider that the only reason they are yet to win at home this season in the league is because they have only faced Chelsea and even then they were on top for long periods you will understand why I think that the odds-against price available on the home side is a gift especially against a Sunderland side that have shown that there are cracks in their façade. It doesn't help having a manager that is constantly criticising you. Roy Keane won't last long as a boss at this rate.
Betting Advice: 6pts Wigan to win at 6/5 (2.2 at extrabet)
Sunday
Fixture: Stoke 2-3 Everton
Venue: Britannia Stadium (Stoke home)
Kick-off: 1.30pm BST
Verdict: Everton are an erratic side that can't be followed.
Betting Advice: no bet
Monday
Fixture: Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa
Venue: White Hart Lane (Tottenham home)
Kick-off: 8pm BST
Verdict: Tottenham have lost their best player, they have had an appalling start to the season, but then they go out and grab a draw at Chelsea last time out. What on earth are we supposed to make of that? Aston Villa are a little easier to read: but for negative tactics they would have creamed Liverpool last time out, and should on paper have enough to beat Tottenham who have proved fallible at White Hart Lane.
Betting Advice: 1pt Villa to win at 11/4 (3.75 at Sportingbet)
