Saturday
Fixture: Chelsea 4-0 Wolves
Venue: Stamford Bridge (Chelsea home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: Chelsea are expected to win this one by a wide margin, but Wolves are resilient and may put up a bit of a fight. That makes it likely that our resident statistical bet will get a good workout on Saturday.
Betting Advice: 1pt each of the following: Chelsea to win 1-0 at 8/1 (9.0 at Skybet); 2-0 at 11/2 (6.5 generally); 2-1 at 10/1 (11.0 at Skybet); and 3-1 at 11/1 (12 generally)
Fixture: Liverpool 2-2 Man City
Venue: Anfield (Liverpool home)
Kick-off: 12.45pm BST
Verdict: The focus over the last few weeks has been all about Liverpool, the crisis within, the crisis without, the injury crisis, the crisis-hit manager. And this has been reflected in the rather generous price for Liverpool to win this home fixture. Man City are hardly in scintillating form themselves having failed to win any of their last five league games (all draws). At the start of the run they got a respectable draw at Aston Villa, but it has been downhill since with Wigan, Fulham, Birmingham and even Burnley grabbing a point.
With Steve Gerrard set to return, this could be the welcome win Liverpool have been looking for.
Betting Advice: 5pts Liverpool to win at 19/20 (1.95 at William Hill, Stan James)
Fixture: Burnley 1-1 Aston Villa
Venue: Turf Moor (Burnley home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: Aston Villa returned to winning ways last time out when they demolished Bolton 5-1. That game was more of a bruising struggle than it looks on paper, but it showed the workrate and energy and committment that Villa bring to the table when they play away at these tough smaller clubs. Now they travel to Turf Moor for another tough test, but they should come through it well enough.
Betting Advice: 2pts Villa to win at 37/19 (2.95 at expekt.com)
THE NO BETS
Saturday
I just can't see past a draw when Birmingham entertain Fulham, but I am not confident enough to back it
Res: 1-0
Hull are being backed to beat West Ham after their win a fortnight ago, but they will struggle against West Ham
Res: 3-3
Sunderland and Arsenal will probably be full of goals, but there's no kind of price on that
Res: 1-0
Man Utd take on Everton and have another absurdly short price attached to them. Avoid.
Res: 3-0
Sunday
Bolton and Blackburn will no doubt be a fascinating tie, but not quite the humdinger the last Lancashire derby was between Burnley and Blackburn
Res: 0-2
Spurs have the beating of Wigan, but at 1/2 I'm not interested
Res: 9-1
Stoke and Portsmouth is really too close to call. I am tempted by Stoke, but not enough
Res: 1-0
