Saturday
Fixture: Middlesbrough 1-1 Arsenal
Venue: Riverside Stadium (Boro home)
Kick-off: 12.45pm GMT
Verdict: The bookies are beginning to ease up on Arsenal, who have been under sustained pressure over the last month and a half. While I still feel that they are not going to make it into the top four this season a position I have maintained since before the start of the season they have the wherewithal to take a bit of pressure off themselves here against a Boro side that make far too many mistakes.
Betting Advice: 1pt Arsenal win at 4/5 (1.8 generally)
Fixture: Aston Villa 4-2 Bolton
Venue: Villa Park (Villa home)
Kick-off: 3pm GMT
Verdict: Aston Villa should take a lot out of their gutsy win at Everton last week, and they will be told in no uncertain terms by boss Martin O'Neill that that win will be worth absolutely nothing if they do not follow it up against lowly Bolton. They've let us down a lot this season, but now is the time to start reaping returns.
Betting Advice: 7pts Villa to win at 7/10 (1.7 at totesport, BlueSq and 888sport)
Fixture: Liverpool 2-2 Hull
Venue: Anfield (Liverpool home)
Kick-off: 3pm GMT
Verdict: Liverpool are no value against a team that continue to surprise in this league. I am going to have to drop my belief that they can still go down. But don't be afriad to back Hull to lose more than they win in the second half of the season.
Betting Advice: 2pts Liverpool to win at 2/5 (1.4 at Boylesports, BlueSq, 888sport)
Fixture: Man City 0-1 Everton
Venue: Eastlands Stadium (Bolton home)
Kick-off: 3pm GMT
Verdict: Everton are good on their travels, while Man City are erratic. The head says Everton but the heart has a few words to say about a side fighting for their careers before the January sales.
Betting Advice: no bet
Fixture: Stoke 0-0 Fulham
Venue: Britannia Stadium (Stoke home)
Kick-off: 3pm GMT
Verdict: Although Stoke continue to garner points through their long throw, proving categorically that most managers (read ex-players) are just plain dumb, Fulham are in rip-roaring form and have a memory of what it is like to play in the lower leagues. Which doesn't make them immune, but makes them aware of the solitary danger. That may be enough.
Betting Advice: 1pt Fulham to win at 2/1 (3.0 generally)
Fixture: Sunderland 4-0 WBA
Venue: Stadium of Light (Sunderland home)
Kick-off: 3pm GMT
Verdict: Sunderland are still poor, even though they can now understand the man in charge in the dressing room and are not scared witless. West Brom continue to be a disappointment at this level. Avoid.
Betting Advice: no bet
Fixture: Wigan 3-0 Blackburn
Venue: JJB Stadium (Wigan home)
Kick-off: 3pm GMT
Verdict: Wigan are one of the most physically capable sides in this division and a win for them on Saturday is likely to send Paul Ince to the dole office. Which is unfair because Wigan are a very good side. But, if you're in trouble, nothing is ever placed in perspective.
Betting Advice: 3pts Wigan at 11/10 (2.1 at Bet365, Betfred and Coral)
Fixture: Spurs 0-0 Man Utd
Venue: White Hart Lane (Spurs home)
Kick-off: 5.30pm GMT
Verdict: Spurs are in great form and are too good to make this a shoo-in for the champions.
Betting Advice: no bet
Sunday
Fixture: Portsmouth 0-3 Newcastle
Venue: Fratton Park (Everton home)
Kick-off: 1.30pm GMT
Verdict: They are not firing on all cylinders, but there is a hint that Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe are forging the kind of strike partnership that will pay dividends in the long run. They should score against a leaky defence like Newcastle who suffer so far away from home.
Betting Advice: 3pts Portsmouth win at 11/10 (2.1 generally)
Fixture: Chelsea 1-1 West Ham
Venue: Stamford Bridge (Chelsea home)
Kick-off: 4pm GMT
Verdict: Chelsea are a poor price, although they should beat a West Ham bereft of confidence. But the derby has not been factored in. Which is unfortunate.
Betting Advice: no bet
