Football
The battle to avoid the drop from the Premier League continues this weekend with a vital game at Molineux. Struggling Wolves welcome Bolton and after Wanderers’ win over Blackburn last weekend, there’s some value in the visitors at 19/10.
Wigan are 6/4 to give their survival hopes a boost with a win over Stoke while QPR are 5/1 to beat Arsenal at Loftus Road.
Manchester City can keep up the pressure on neighbours United with a win over Sunderland at 1/4, while Sir Alex Ferguson’s side are just 2/5 to win at Blackburn Rovers on Monday evening.
Newcastle are 9/5 to beat Liverpool in Sunday’s early kick-off while Swansea are an attractively priced 13/2 to win at Tottenham.
Golf
After two successive top six finishes on the European Tour, Matteo Manasssero is again the favourite for this weekend’s event. Manassero is 15/2 to for the Sicilian Open at its new venue of the Verdura Golf & Spa Resort. The 18 year old leads a 16-strong Italian challenge in Sicily, alongside former Tour winner Emanuele Canonica (150/1) as well as many of the country’s young pretenders such as 2011 Challenge Tour graduates Andrea Pavan (66/1) and Federico Colombo (250/1).
Raphael Jacquelin is the reigning champion and can be backed at 33/1.
Lee Westwood is the 10/1 favourite for the Shell Houston Open having finished T11 and T8 at Redstone on his last two visits. Reigning champion Phil Mickelson can be backed at 12/1 while Keegan Bradley is worth watching at 18/1 having finished in the top 25 in each of his eight starts this year.
Cricket
Ahead of England’s second Test against Sri Lanka which starts on Tuesday there’s just one international fixture this weekend.
Afghanistan play the Netherlands in Sharjah in the ICC World Cricket League.
Tennis
After Roger Federer’s unexpected defeat to Andy Roddick earlier this week, Novak Djokovic is the clear favourite to retain his ATP Sony Ericsson Open title in Miami. His biggest challengers are, as ever, likely to be second seed Rafael Nadal and fourth seed Andy Murray who are set to meet in the semi-final.
I tipped Murray each way at 11/2 before the tournament and the Scot can reach the final.
Victoria Azarenka is the player to beat in the women’s event, and has a perfect 26-0 record in 2012. The Belarusian has won all four tournaments she has played this year and her closest challenger is once again expected to be Maria Sharapova who she beat in the final in Indian Wells a couple of weeks ago.
The Williams sisters have both reached the quarter finals and could pose a threat, with Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieska Radwanska also challengers.
Rugby League
Warrington climbed to the top of the Superleague table after their 22-20 win over Wigan last weekend. The Wolves face a tricky tie at home to St Helens this Friday evening after Saints reacted to the sacking of coach Royce Simmons by thumping reigning champions Leeds 46-6 at Langtree Park last time out.
Second place Huddersfield lost at Hull KR last week and face another tough match this week when they visit Leeds Rhinos. Hull can continue their climb up the table by beating cash-strapped Bradford while Wigan face an awkward clash against Salford.
Bottom club Castleford play Hull KR while the London Broncos take on Wakefield.
Rugby Union
The Irish clubs have dominated the RaboDirect Pro12 this season and the match of the weekend sees the top two go head to head. Leinster lost for only the third time in the league this season when they went down 23-22 at home to the Ospreys this weekend, so Munster can close the gap on the leaders with a similar performance and result.
The Ospreys can stay in third place by beating Treviso on Saturday while Glasgow can follow up their 29-6 win over Aironi with a home win over the Cardiff Blues. Fifth place Ulster welcome bottom club Aironi while Connacht travel to the Newport-Gwent Dragons on Friday.
In a twist of fate, the top two also meet this weekend in the Aviva Premiership. Indeed, Saracens can leapfrog Harlequins at the top of the table with a win over their rivals on Saturday. Third place Leicester have a straightforward home tie against Worcester on Friday evening and Northampton travel to Bath on Saturday.
Horse Racing
The racing highlight of the weekend is the one mile Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster. Eton Forever is the 5/1 favourite for the first leg of the Spring Double, with Fury available at 7/1 and Cocozza an 8/1 chance.
There’s also some spectacular racing on Saturday from Dubai. So You Think is the 3/1 favourite for the Dubai World Cup from Smart Falcon and Game On Dude while Ambitious Dragon is the 4/1 favourite for the Dubai Duty Free.
Elsewhere there is racing on Saturday from Kempton, Uttoxeter and Stratford-on-Avon.
