Football
Hidden amongst the final League One and Two fixtures and Sunday’s Premier League action is the 131st FA Cup Final, scheduled for 5.15pm this Saturday.
Chelsea face Liverpool in the Wembley showpiece and the Blues are the 7/5 favourites. There has been a marked change in fortune since the appointment of Roberto di Matteo and I fancy the former Cup Final goalscorer to lead his team to victory in this one. Liverpool’s form in 2012 has been largely woeful and they can be backed at 2/1.
The battle for the Premier League title continues this Sunday with two vital matches. Manchester City can all but seal the title with a win at Newcastle and I fancy Roberto Mancini’s side to prevail, even though they are only 4/7 to do so. Manchester United need to rattle a hatful of goals past Swansea and are 175/1 to secure the 8-0 win they need to catch up City’s goal difference.
There’s a relegation six pointer on Monday night as Blackburn host Wigan. Roberto Martinez’s team have been in sparkling form over recent weeks and can be backed at 15/8 to relegate Rovers.
Golf
It is 100 years since the first Reale Seguros Open de España, won by former Open Champion Arnaud Massy of France in 1912. There’s a strong Spanish contingent in the field this week including Alvaro Quiros who won the tournament when it last visited Real Club de Golf de Sevilla in 2010. Quiros can be backed at 22/1.
Francesco Molinari and Nicolas Colsaerts are the joint 16/1 favourites while I like the chances of Miguel Angel Jimenez at 22/1.
The PGA tour heads to Quail Hollow this week for the Wells Fargo Championships. Phil Mickelson has never missed the cut around this course and has six top ten finishes here. He can be backed at 10/1. Rory McIlroy is the 7/1 favourite from Tiger Woods at 8/1.
Jim Furyk is a previous winner of this tournament and the in-form 41 year old is available at 22/1.
Cricket
The Clydesdale Bank 40 begins this weekend with some intriguing fixtures. There’s a repeat of last year’s final on Friday as Surrey welcome Somerset. Scotland face reigning champions Surrey on Sunday while Gloucestershire play the Netherlands.
The IPL also continues this weekend with matches at Kings XI Punjab, the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Tennis
There are three tournaments across Europe on the ATP Tour this week. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is the 5/2 favourite for the BMW Open in Munich with Mikhail Youzhny and Marian Cilic also in the field. Juan Martin del Potro is the clear 8/11 favourite for the Estoril Open from Richard Gasquet and Stanislas Wawrinka while David Nalbandian is the 9/4 favourite to win the Serbia Open.
The WTA tour is also in Portugal for the Estoril Open this week. Maria Kirilenko is the 7/2 favourite from world number 18 Roberta Vinci at 9/2. Kaia Kanepi won the first WTA tournament of 2012 and is available at 5/1.
Italy’s Sara Errani is the 6/5 favourite to win the Budapest Grand Prix.
Rugby League
It’s the 13th round of fixtures in Superleague this weekend. League leaders Huddersfield face a tricky away trip at the Catalans Dragons on Saturday and could be leapfrogged by Wigan if they beat Hull KR.
Third place Warrington should win their home tie with Salford on Sunday while there’s an interesting looking Yorkshire derby on Saturday as Hull play Leeds.
Rugby Union
It’s the last round of regular league fixtures this weekend with play-off places still up for grabs.
Northampton are the favourites to take the final play-off berth in the Aviva Premiership and can beat Worcester to secure fourth place. Exeter can still catch the Saints but they will need to win at Saracens. Leicester play Bath and league leaders Harlequins travel to Sale.
There’s also a massive match at the bottom of the table as the bottom two face each other in a relegation decider. Wasps need to avoid defeat to relegate Newcastle.
There are also play-off issues to be decided in the RaboDirect Pro12. Fifth place Scarlets can still make the play-offs but they need a good win against Cardiff Blues and to hope that fourth place Glasgow lose at home to Connacht.
Munster play Ulster and Leinster travel to the Newport Gwent Dragons.
Horse Racing
The highlight of Saturday’s racing comes from Newmarket with the 2,000 Guineas. Run over a mile, this is the first of Britain’s five classic races this year and Camelot is the clear 11/8 favourite. Top Offer is available at 7/1 with Born to Sea at 8/1.
The 1,000 Guineas follows on Sunday and also features a clear favourite. Maybe has been backed in to 13/8 from Discourse and Lyric of Light at 7/1.
Elsewhere, there is racing on Saturday from Doncaster, Goodwood, Hexham, Uttoxeter and Thirsk.
