EPL Weekend Betting Preview
Stoke City v Sunderland – Latest Odds HERE.
Britannia Stadium
Saturday 4th February 2012.
Martin O’ Neill, it seems, has well and truly rediscovered his managerial magic.
His Sunderland side have been transformed from relegation candidates to top six contenders and the man himself looks as if he’s enjoying every minute of it.
The Black Cats have won seven from eleven in all competitions since the Northern Irishman succeeded Steve Bruce at the Stadium of Light and the locals are lapping it up.
Next up for O’Neill’s rejuvenated charges is a trip to Stoke City and having trounced the Potters 4-0 when they met on Wearside back in September, they will not travel to the Britannia lacking in confidence.
New loan arrivals Wayne Bridge and Sotirios Kyrgiakos could both feature on Saturday, with the latter’s aerial ability likely to come in handy against a side not shy of slinging high balls into the box.
O’Neill was keen to bolster his defensive options with Titus Bramble and Wes Brown both currently sidelined, but he should have more room for manoeuvre in midfield this week with the abrasive Lee Cattermole set to return to the side having missed last week’s FA Cup clash with Middlesbrough through injury.
James McLean, meanwhile, will be looking to add to his growing reputation with another sparkling display on the wing and striker Frazier Campbell should be full of beans having marked his return from long-term injury by bagging two goals in as many games.
As for the home side, they kept their wallet firmly closed during the transfer window, with boss Tony Pulis not making a single new signing, even on loan.
Several squad players were farmed out on loan, but Pulis, it seems, believes that he already has enough personnel on board to cope with the combined rigours of the Premiership and Europa League campaigns.
Currently a place below Saturday’s opponents in ninth, the Potters have been a bit hit and miss in recent weeks, winning three, drawing three and losing two of their last eight games and have actually won as many times on the road as they have at home so far this season.
Rory Delap may come back into the starting eleven to face Sunderland, but Pulis seems unlikely to make too many other changes to the side that performed reasonably well in their midweek defeat at the hands of Manchester United.
Sunderland have lost on five of their last six visits to the Potteries, but they look a confident and well-organised unit under O’Neill and are a decent bet to complete a league double over one of their closest top ten rivals.
Prediction: Stoke City 1-2 Sunderland
Chelsea v Manchester United – Latest Odds HERE.
Stamford Bridge
Sunday 5th February 2012.
With Manchester City slipping up against Everton in midweek, the title race has been blown well and truly wide open and if Manchester United can win at Chelsea on Sunday, we just might be treated to one of the most exciting title run-ins for years.
The Red Devils are now level on points with their noisy neighbours, but with City expected to win at home against Fulham on Saturday, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side know that they cannot afford to slip up at Stamford Bridge.
United were steady if not spectacular during their midweek victory over Stoke and Ferguson will have been delighted to see goalkeeper Ben Amos keep a clean sheet.
The 21-year-old has only previously seen first-team action in the Carling Cup, but with neither David De Gea nor Anders Lindegaard managing to look at all convincing between the posts this season, the man from Macclesfield may well retain the gloves, at least for now.
Rio Ferdinand also featured against the Potters and is expected to back up for the trip to the capital, setting up a potentially awkward meeting with John Terry who earlier this week appeared in court to face the allegations of racist abuse made against him by Rio’s brother Anton.
Wayne Rooney, Phil Jones and Nani are set to be included in the starting eleven after missing the midweek win as Fergie rolls out his big guns for what is a massively significant game.
Ashley Young, however, is set to miss out again, along with Anderson and Tom Cleverley and long-term absentees Michael Owen, Darren Fletcher and Nemanja Vidic.
And what of Chelsea?
The fourth-placed Londoners come into the game a massive twelve points adrift of the reigning champions, with Newcastle, Liverpool and Arsenal all breathing down their necks in the race for the final Champions League slot.
The transfer window didn’t prompt a frenzy of activity at the Bridge, although Gary Cahill was drafted in from Bolton and winger Kevin de Bruyne arrived for a fee of around $10 million from Belgian side Genk.
20-year-old de Bruyne has been immediately loaned back to his former club and will therefore not come into Andre Villas Boas’ selection calculations any time soon and the same applies to teenage striker Patrick Bamford who was snapped up from Nottingham Forest.
Blues fans could be forgiven for being a little disappointed that there weren’t more comings and goings at the club during January because their side continues to struggle for fluency and has managed to win just four of its last ten games in all competitions.
Villas Boas’ attempted overhaul of the club was always going to take time, but progress has been frustratingly slow so far and the patience of notoriously trigger-happy owner Roman Abramovich will be sorely tested if they do not show significant improvement between now and the end of the season.
Their cause will not be helped this week by the absence of a host of first-team regulars including Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou who remain at the African Cup of Nations and Ashley Cole who is suspended after seeing red in the midweek draw at Swansea.
With Jon Obi Mikel, Frank Lampard, Ramires and John Terry all facing late fitness tests, Villas Boas will have to give some of his fringe players a run and may also hand a full debut to Cahill who was an unused substitute at Swansea.
United did manage to win in West London in the Champions League last term and have lost just once on their travels all season, but they haven’t enjoyed a victory at the Bridge in a league game since 2002.
Defeat would be a severe blow for either side, so don’t be surprised if they cancel each other out in an entertaining draw.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-2 Manchester United
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