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Football Betting
Liverpool’s season continue to lurch from drama to crisis and their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal on Sunday was their sixth Premier League defeat of the season. They travel to Portsmouth this weekend who have shown more resilient signs under coach Avram Grant. Pompey have some appeal at 9/2.
An unexpected win at the Emirates announced Hull City to the Premier League in 2008. Much has happened since that match, however, with Arsenal looking like genuine title challengers and Hull embroiled in a battle for Premier League survival. Arsene Wenger’s side should find this match much easier than last season.
Two wins on the spin for Wolves have dragged Mick McCarthy’s team out of the relegation zone. They have a great chance to make it three wins out of four in the Premier League on Sunday as they host Burnley at Molineux. Owen Coyle’s side are not good travellers and this could be a vital win for the home side at evens.
Dean Ashton’s premature retirement and Carlton Cole’s injury have left West Ham perilously short of firepower and, if I am honest, Gianfranco Zola faces an uphill battle to keep his team in the Premier League, especially after their defeat to Bolton. Chelsea’s form isn’t brilliant but I expect them to see of the Hammers at 2/5.
Forest will look to continue their terrific Championship run with a home victory over Preston at 3/4 in Saturday’s live teatime game. Newcastle can cement their place at the top of the Championship table with a home win over local rivals Middlesbrough.
In Scotland, Celtic take some good recent form to Tynecastle to face a struggling Hearts side. Back Tony Mowbray’s team at 8/13.
Football Betting
Golf Betting
After Pablo Martin’s terrific win at the Alfred Dunhill Championships last weekend, the Spaniard joins the field at this week’s South African Open at the Pearl Valley Golf Estates.
South African players have dominated this event in recent years, winning the last eight consecutive Opens. Last year’s winner Richard Sterne is the 13/1 second favourite behind fellow local Charl Schwartzel.
Denmark’s Anders Hansen can make history this weekend as he bids to become the first player from the Northern Hemisphere to win the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit. He is 14/1 to win the Open and remain ahead of Schwartzel at the head of the money list.
Golf Betting
Rugby Betting
The Heineken Cup once again takes centre stage this weekend. The pool matches reverse last weekend’s match-ups and so the leading European teams get an immediate chance to settle scores.
As predicted here, Leicester lost a high-scoring match against our tip for the title, going down 40-30 to Clermont Auvergne. The Tigers host the talented French side at Welford Road and sitting in third place in Pool 3 they really need a positive result on Saturday.
Munster sneaked a vital 24-23 win over Perpignan to leapfrog Northampton to the top of Pool One. The 4/1 favourites for the Heineken Cup will need another solid performance in France to cement their top spot.
Reigning champions Leinster have a tough challenge in Pool 6 with rivals London Irish recording a stunning win in Brive on Saturday. Whilst the Exiles will look to do the double over the French side, Leinster had a comfortable win against the Scarlets in Wales on Saturday and should triumph in the return leg.
Elsewhere, a close Pool 4 sees Ulster face Stade Francais looking to build on their 23-13 win over the French team on Saturday.
Rugby Union Betting
Cricket Betting
England’s four Test series against South Africa begins in Centurion this week with Andrew Strauss’ side looking to build on their Ashes triumph ahead of the 2010 Ashes series in a year’s time. England won their last Test series in South Africa under Michael Vaughan and go into this series in great heart after becoming the first international team to beat the Proteas in a one day series on their own turf.
England have injury concerns over one or two of their strike bowlers but if they can be patient against a talented South African top order, they might surprise a few people against the world’s leading ranked Test side. England are 11/4 to win the series.
Cricket Betting
Horse Racing Betting
There is some good quality racing on offer this weekend at Ascot where their Christmas meeting takes centre stage. Saturday’s main event is the Long Walk Hurdle, a Grade One race which will pit the superb Cheltenham World Hurdle winner Big Buck’s against the impressive Haydock winner Diamond Harry. Big Buck’s is the 4/7 ante-post favourite.
The Ladbroke is a two mile handicap hurdle run over two miles that is likely to be run at a decent pace. Harry Tricker and Stravinsky Dance lead the ante-post betting.
The supporting card features the Sodexho Prestige Silver Cup (a three-mile slog around the galloping course) and the Rundle & Co Championship Standard - a listed bumper.
Horse Racing Betting
