Pick of the Bets for This Weekend
2/5/2008
Author: J Beith
For teams outside the Premiership Saturday is D-day as they play their final matches in what for many could be make or break time. In the Championship we still don’t know who will be crowned Champions, any one of five teams could be in the play-offs, and at the bottom of the table there are also five teams fighting it out to stay up. It all makes for an exciting weekend of football and gives some excellent betting opportunities that hopefully we can pinpoint for you. So let’s see what’s on offer in our league by league preview.
Our banker bet is on Sunday when Arsenal meet Everton at the Emirates. Arsenal seem to have come alive again now the pressure is off and they can follow up wins against Reading and Derby with another victory 8/11(Skybet) over Everton. Everton have only won once in their last seven games and that was against Derby. They have a small squad of players to choose from and they have looked a tired team in recent weeks. Another bet worth taking is the 6/4 (William Hill) for Emanuel Adebayor to core anytime during the match.
Blackburn can beat hapless Derby at home and while the odds of 3/10 (William Hill) don’t look great, Derby haven’t won away from home this season and so it’s worth including Blackburn in multiple bets.
After their Champions League exit to Chelsea it could be worth backing against Liverpool on Sunday. Torres is set to miss the match and without his goalscoring prowess a mentally and physically tired Liverpool may not be able to raise their game. Manchester City have won away at Old Trafford already this season and they could be ready to cause an upset here. At 9/2 (Bodog) Manchester City may be overpriced and look a bet worth taking.
Championship
Hull look an attractive betting proposition this weekend. They know a win could see them automatically promoted if other results go their way and although opponents Ipswich will be looking for three points to give themselves a chance of making the play-offs the 13/7 (Partybets) on offer for a Hull away win looks too good to miss.
With Barnsley now safe and Cardiff City having one eye on the FA Cup Final they could be good value to get an away win. Cardiff have nothing to play for and with the pressure off Barnsley they can gain revenge for their FA Cup Semi-Final defeat .It could be worth taking a chance on a Barnsley away win 11/4 (Coral).
West Brom can win the title if they win at Leicester and with the home team deep in relegation trouble a West Brom away win looks more than likely. Take the 6/5 (Ladbrokes) for a West Brom away victory
League One
One of the best bets in League One looks to be Leeds at home to relegated Gillingham. The 24/23 (Betfair) for a home win looks overpriced considering they are as short as 5/6 with other bookmakers.
Bournemouth continue to defy all the odds and with six wins on the spin have got a real chance of avoiding relegation. They travel to Carlisle to meet a home side who still have an outside chance of securing an automatic promotion place, but they have lost their last three matches and we’re going for a Bournemouth away win at 3/1 (Ladbrokes).
League Two
Chesterfield will finish just outside the play-offs this season and while they have little to play for on Saturday they should be too strong for a Notts County side who have only managed two away wins this term. At 8/11 (Paddy Power) Chesterfield look a good bet.
Dagenham & Redbridge have drawn a lot of home games this season and could be set for another when they play relegated Mansfield. Mansfield have notched up six away draws already this season and 12/5 (Bet365) looks decent value for the Draw