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Football Betting
North West derbies abound in the Premier League this weekend as sides from either end of the East Lancs Road face up in two mouthwatering televised fixtures.
Manchester City travel west to a horribly out of form Liverpool side looking to arrest their unexpected decline. One win in the last nine games, an exit from the Champions League beckoning and a squad that suddenly looks paper thin have left Rafa Benitez looking vulnerable although the Liverpool boss believes victory on Saturday will kick-start the Reds season.
Mark Hughes’ side have hit the skids after a promising start and although the mischievous amongst us would like to see an away win, I think it’s about time Liverpool finally pulled a performance out of the bag.
Heading in the other direction on Saturday are Everton who face Manchester United at Old Trafford. Neither team has hit the heights over recent weeks; so whilst United should win this, it may be closer than it looks.
Sunday’s fare is pretty unglamorous with Bolton Wanderers hosting Blackburn Rovers and Stoke City at home to Portsmouth. Tony Pulis’ side are good value at evens to see of the bottom side in front of their passionate home support.
In the Scottish Premier, Celtic travel to Tannadice to face an in-form Dundee United side and Craig Levein’s men are a tasty 7/2 to bet the league leaders. Rangers face Kilmarnock at Ibrox.
Elsewhere, it is the FAI Cup Final as Sligo Rovers take on first division outfit Sporting Fingal at the Tallaght Stadium. The cup and a Europa League place are on offer for the winner and with Fingal only starting life in 2008 it would be a great fairy story if they could pull off an upset on Sunday.
Football Betting
Golf Betting
A ‘race’ that began fifty one tournaments ago in China culminates this weekend on the Earth Course at the Jameirah Golf Estates. The inaugural Race to Dubai - to be crowned Europe’s top golfer - has been an intriguing affair and four men arrive in Dubai with a chance to take the title.
Rory McIlroy’s performance in the Hong Kong Open nudged him ahead of Lee Westwood in the standings and the Irishman can become the second youngest European number One by finishing ahead of his rivals this weekend. Victories for the German Martin Kaymer or Englishman Ross Fisher can also see them crowned as champions.
Golf Betting
Tennis Betting
Fernando Verdasco’s performance at the Paris Masters, and quarter final defeats for Robin Soderling and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga handed the Spaniard the final qualifying place for the prestigious ATP World Tour Finals in London beginning this weekend.
Verdasco joins Roger Federer, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin del Potro, Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko and Andy Roddick at the O2 Arena for what should be a scintillating week of tennis. The form and fitness of the leading stars has been in question over recent weeks and, considering he performed for us when tipped last week, I’m backing Djokovic to retain the title he won last November.
Tennis Betting
Rugby Betting
Watching Martin Johnson sitting with his head in his hands trying to avoid having to observe eighty minutes of the worst international rugby union I have ever seen didn’t inspire much confidence that England are building towards a team that can challenge for the 2011 World Cup. One second half score was enough to beat a side containing four amateur players and things are going to get a whole lot tougher for Johnson and his men on Saturday when New Zealand come to Twickenham.
Ireland battled well to draw with Australia on Sunday and should have an easier time of it against Fiji on Saturday as they prepare to face the Springboks in what should be the game of the series in a fortnight’s time. The Wallabies face Scotland in an intriguing match at Murrayfield.
France kicked off their autumn international campaign with a fine win over South Africa and should be too strong for Samoa. The World Champions will hope to bounce back with a good performance against Italy and Wales should see off Argentina in Cardiff.
Cricket Betting
England seemed to be progressing well in South Africa with some good victories over talented franchise sides, players in good form and a Twenty20 win over the World Cup semi-finalists. Then, along came the old England we know and love as they were utterly humiliated in the second Twenty20 match.
A five match ‘one day’ series starts this Friday in Johannesburg and continues at Centurion on Sunday. After a series thumping at the hands of Australia, the tourists found some one day form in the ICC Champions Trophy and even beat South Africa along the way. England remain brittle in the limited overs version of the game however, and the 9/4 available on South Africa to win the series 4-1 looks like good value.
Cricket Betting
Horse Racing Betting
Haydock’s Betfair Chase is always a great spectacle as the grade One three mile race attracts almost all the leading top staying chasers in Britain and Ireland. The match-up between Kauto Star and Notre Pere should be worth watching and with the likes of Madison du Berlais and Barbers Shop also in the field it promises to be a great race.
The Newton Novices’ Hurdle and Timeform Betfair ‘Racing Club’ Fixed Brush Handicap Hurdle support the main event.
Elsewhere there is a good card at Ascot featuring the Coral Scot Hurdle and Amlin 1965 chase.
Horse Racing Betting
