Watford v Norwich: Hornets to extend top promoted club advantage

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Watford </span><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="1" oldtitle="5/4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.24</span><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> v Norwich </span></span><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="2" oldtitle="11/4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">3.70</span><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">; The Draw </span></span><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="3" oldtitle="5/2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">3.50</span><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Saturday, 15:00</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Watford</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">The Hornets did the business for Betting.Betfair last week</span> by winning at extremely generous odds of 2.92 at rock bottom Aston Villa, confirming that the 2-1 defeats to higher-ups Leicester and Manchester United were nothing to be too concerned about.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Instead, the side who have never before survived a Premier League campaign are 11th in the table, closer to the Champions League places than the relegation zone, with the 19 points in their satchel after 14 games representing a halfway mark in their pursuit of safety.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">They have <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">quite a few injury issues</span> at the moment, with Sebastian Prodl and Valon Behrami out and Heurelho Gomes and Adlene Guedioura doubts, but for as long as Troy Deeney and Odion Ighalo are fit, they won't be too stressed.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Norwich</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The Canaries deserve credit for response to a point-free October, only losing in the 89th minute to Manchester City in their final fixture of that month and then beating Swansea, narrowly missing out at Chelsea and holding Arsenal.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Given the quality of those opponents, <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">four points from four encounters</span> is probably a pretty solid return, though with Sunderland suddenly finding form, it leaves the gap between themselves and the bottom three at a not-entirely-comfortable three points.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">At least there isn't a severe injury crisis to increase any unease being felt. If Alexander Tettey makes it back this weekend, Matt Jarvis will be the sole squad member still on the sidelines, and he should be just a week or so away from a full recovery.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">Match Odds</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Don't pay too much attention to the statistic that Watford have lost three of their past four home contests because their conquerors were Crystal Palace (seventh), Arsenal (fourth) and Man United (third).</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Far more significant is the fact that they <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">haven't been beaten by a team outside the top seven</span> at any venue since being promoted, a run spanning nine matches. They have won five of their last six such games. Similarly, if you focus specifically on clashes with bottom-half comrades, their six outings have yielded four victories and two draws.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Norwich have gone six Premier League away days without success, losing the latest three, and one of those was the 6-2 humiliation at the hands of lowly Newcastle. They ended a massive 12 of their last 16 top-flight road trips pointless.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">Watford Clean Sheet</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The visitors have scored three goals in each of their most recent three collisions with Watford and two or more in all of their previous six, yet none of those squads were as defensively sound as Quique Flores' current group, which boasts the eighth best backline record in the whole division.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The Golden Boys haven't conceded in any of their four Vicarage Road showdowns with clubs eighth or below, shutting out the likes of West Ham and Southampton, who certainly haven't struggled for goals this season. <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">Odds of</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="4" oldtitle="2/1" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">3.00</span> on a clean sheet are therefore very appealing.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">It is also interesting to observe that Norwich's attacking contribution has been lacking lately despite the slight improvement in results. After nine matches, they had netted 14 times - the joint-sharpest figures beyond the top eight - but they have notched a mere three times in five fixtures since.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Recommended Bet:</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Watford to win @</span><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;"> </span></span><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="5" oldtitle="5/4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px; transition: color 0.2s;" title="">2.24</span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tYeWPWNAxMA/VmKhShh3UTI/AAAAAAAAFbk/rZC0w-bp8qw/s1600/59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tYeWPWNAxMA/VmKhShh3UTI/AAAAAAAAFbk/rZC0w-bp8qw/s400/59.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;"><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="5" oldtitle="5/4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px; transition: color 0.2s;" title=""><br /></span></span></div>

Watford v Norwich: Hornets to extend top promoted club advantage

Watford  2.24  v Norwich  3.70 ; The Draw  3.50 Saturday, 15:00 Watford The Hornets did the business for Betting.Betfair last week  by ...

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Saturday Premier League Tipsheet: Saints to bounce back in style

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; outline: none;">Arsenal <span aria-describedby="qtip-1" class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="1" oldtitle="3/10" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">1.30</span> v Sunderland <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="2" oldtitle="13/1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">14.00</span>; The Draw <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="3" oldtitle="11/2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">6.40</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The good news for Arsenal is we're now into December; Arsene Wenger's men - as they so often do - endured a <span style="font-weight: 600;">torrid November</span>, taking just two points in the Premier League while suffering a plethora of injuries to key players.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More good news is the fact that Arsenal are just two points off the top of the table despite those poor results, however with the busy festive period just around the corner they're going to need to get players back to <span style="font-weight: 600;">full fitness</span> as soon as possible, and win home games like this one against a struggling side.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some will argue that Sunderland are only struggling in the sense that they remain in the bottom regions of the table, and that their recent form - two wins on the spin without conceding - suggests that they are on an <span style="font-weight: 600;">upward curve</span>. I'm not so sure that's true just yet.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sam Allardyce's men were quite poor at Crysal Palace last week, but they hung on and snatched a winner at the death thanks to a gift of a goal from the Eagles. And at home to Stoke last Saturday they only <span style="font-weight: 600;">grabbed the initiative</span> when the Potters had key defender Ryan Shawcross sent off, yet they still had to wait until late in the game before securing the win.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It may be a bit naive to suggest that whatever side Wenger is able to field on Saturday ought to be good enough to beat the Black Cats, but that's how I see it. Laurent Koscielny's injury isn't as bad as first feared and he should be available, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is back, <span style="font-weight: 600;">Mesut Ozil</span> is in great form, Aaron Ramsey is looking better with each game, and Olivier Giroud isn't a bad option in attack.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sunderland might be able to keep this game tight for much of the match, but I fully expect the Gunners to eventually run out comfortable winners.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recommended Bet<br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Arsenal -1 to Win @</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="4" oldtitle="1/1" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.00</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Man Utd</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="5" oldtitle="40/85" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">1.48</span> v West Ham <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="6" oldtitle="15/2" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">8.40</span>; The Draw <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="7" oldtitle="7/2" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">4.70</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You don't need me to tell you that Manchester United have become the <span style="font-weight: 600;">dullest side</span> on the planet, their recent results confirm what we all know.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since beating Everton 3-0 at Goodison Park six weeks ago United's nine games in all competitions have witnessed just 10 goals, that's an average of just <span style="font-weight: 600;">1.11 per game</span>. They've had four goalless draws in that time, and all five of their matches at Old Trafford went under the 2.5 goals mark.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So the fact that we can back <span style="font-weight: 600;">Under 2.5 Goals</span> in this fixture at even money looks extremely tempting.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously we have to consider the opposition, and for me West Ham have gone slightly off the boil recently, certainly in terms of results, two draws and two defeats from their last four matches. <span style="font-weight: 600;">Slaven Bilic</span>'s men failed to score at Watford in that spell, scored a late consolation at Spurs, and managed just a single goal in each of their two home games against Everton and West Brom.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So we can come to the conclusion that the goals have started to <span style="font-weight: 600;">dry up</span> for the Hammers too.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And if that's the case then we really have to stick with our hunch here and back Under 2.5 Goals. You just don't know where the next goal is coming from with <span style="font-weight: 600;">Louis van Gaal</span>'s side, but they defend exceptionally well and ought to be able to keep West Ham at bay. Bilic will probably set his side up to defend also, knowing that a point at Old Trafford is more than acceptable.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recommended Bet<br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Under 2.5 Goals @</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="8" oldtitle="1/1" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.00</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Southampton</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="9" oldtitle="8/15" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">1.52</span> v Aston Villa <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="10" oldtitle="7/1" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">8.00</span>; The Draw <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="11" oldtitle="7/2" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">4.50</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been a tough few weeks for Southampton, suffering three defeats on the spin, but it's certainly not a time to panic just yet.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Saints lost at home to Stoke a fortnight ago, but the Potters have been much improved away from home this term and were keeping their fourth consecutive clean sheet on the road. A loss at Man City was expected, but <span style="font-weight: 600;">Ronald Koeman</span>'s men played well in that match and certainly didn't disgrace themselves.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And up until Liverpool equalised at St Mary's in the Capital One Cup in midweek Southampton were playing some good football. The worry of course is the way Koeman's men <span style="font-weight: 600;">capitulated</span> in that game but I'm certainly willing to forgive that performance.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the main reasons for siding with Southampton in this game however is that the opposition is Aston Villa. I said after <span style="font-weight: 600;">Remi Garde</span>'s men drew 0-0 with Man City that nothing had changed - they could have lost that game 0-5 in all honesty - and that Villa were still an awful side. They then promptly lost back-to-back games, conceding seven goals in the process.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Put simply Villa struggle to keep the goals out, while at the other end they only seem to get on the scoresheet when trailing late in matches and they have a need to '<span style="font-weight: 600;">go for it</span>', like when they conceded three at Liverpool, three at Tottenham, and three at home to Watford last week.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Southampton don't worry too much about their recent form - as I say, they haven't actually played too badly - then I fully expect them to brush aside an Aston Villa team destined for relegation.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Recommended Bet<br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Southampton -1 to Win @</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="12" oldtitle="6/4" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.50</span></span> (best bet)</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Swansea</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="13" oldtitle="15/8" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.90</span> v Leicester <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="14" oldtitle="13/8" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.64</span>; The Draw <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="15" oldtitle="5/2" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">3.55</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the Match Odds market for this game began to gain liquidity Swansea were trading at around <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="16" oldtitle="7/4" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); font-weight: 600; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.70</span></span> with Leicester close to <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="17" oldtitle="2/1" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); font-weight: 600; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">3.00</span></span>, much to a few <span style="font-weight: 600;">good judges</span>' surprise I noticed when having my daily glance through Twitter.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Those good judges have obviously filled their boots as the best price you'll get on the <span style="font-weight: 600;">in-form Foxes</span> now (at the time of publication) is <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="18" oldtitle="13/8" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); font-weight: 600; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.64</span></span>, while it's the Swans who are on the drift.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why Leicester were put in as outsiders to win the game will remain a mystery; effectively the market was saying that Swansea's home advantage counted for far more than <span style="font-weight: 600;">current form</span>. Obviously, many of us disagreed.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the record, Swansea have won just one of their last 11 league and cup games, that coming against the worst side in the Premier League (Aston Villa), while Leicester sit joint top of the table after losing just one of their 14 league games this season.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And to negate the Swansea 'home advantage' angle, <span style="font-weight: 600;">Garry Monk</span>'s men haven't won on home soil since August, <span style="font-weight: 600;">Claudio Ranieri</span>'s men haven't lost on the road since they scored three at White Hart Lane in March but conceded four.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was also surprising to read that Monk doesn't believe that his Swansea side are in a relegation battle. We've got news for him, they are in a <span style="font-weight: 600;">relegation battle</span>. How are you supposed to win a fight if you don't even acknowledge that you're in one?</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all this is a match between two clubs going in completely the <span style="font-weight: 600;">opposite directions</span> at the moment, and simply on form we have to be with the away side.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recommended Bet<br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Leicester to Win @</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="19" oldtitle="13/8" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.64</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Watford</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="20" oldtitle="6/5" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.20</span> v Norwich <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="21" oldtitle="14/5" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">3.80</span>; The Draw <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="22" oldtitle="13/5" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">3.60</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watford's win at Villa Park last Saturday, their third win in five matches, took them up to 11th in the table, nine points above the relegation zone. A victory here could move <span style="font-weight: 600;">Quique Flores</span>' men into the top half of the table, and it will definitely move them nine points above Norwich who currently sit just outside of the drop zone.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So for the Hornets this is a huge game; to move upwards into the <span style="font-weight: 600;">top half of the table</span> when most people expect newly-promoted clubs to be heading downwards at this stage of the season would act as a huge boost going into the festive period.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's been quite evident in recent games that Watford have discovered a way to hit the back of the net, almost two per game since they lost 3-0 to Arsenal. <span style="font-weight: 600;">Troy Deeney</span> has four to his name in his last five games while strike partner <span style="font-weight: 600;">Odion Ighalo</span> has scored three. As anyone will tell you, having a successful strike partnership at this level, at any level in fact, will usually bring about success.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Success for Flores' men is simply to stay in the league, and that is something I believe Watford will <span style="font-weight: 600;">comfortably achieve</span>, unlike Norwich.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Alex Neil</span>'s men are doing nothing more than okay at the moment, though perhaps they'll take a lot of confidence from their decent performance against Arsenal in a 1-1 draw last Sunday. But you sense it will be one step forward, two steps back if they follow a point against the Gunners with a defeat at Watford, and therefore there's a lot of pressure on the Canaries to take something from this match.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Watford thoroughly deserve to be favourites to win this encounter however, and given that Norwich have kept just <span style="font-weight: 600;">one clean sheet</span> all season I'd make the home side close to even money here, so the <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="23" oldtitle="6/5" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); font-weight: 600; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.20</span></span> about a home victory makes plenty of appeal.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recommended Bet<br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Watford to Win @</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="24" oldtitle="6/5" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.20</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">West Brom</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="25" oldtitle="4/1" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">4.80</span> v Tottenham <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="26" oldtitle="20/21" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">1.94</span>; The Draw <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="27" oldtitle="13/5" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">3.65</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">West Brom beat Arsenal 2-1 in their last home game but I'm not so sure they'll have it all their own way against another <span style="font-weight: 600;">north London</span> side.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tottenham are on the longest unbeaten run in the Premier League - 13 games currently - and sit just two points behind the top four, and just four point off top spot.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What has been very impressive is the fact that once again Spurs are mixing domestic football with the <span style="font-weight: 600;">Europa League</span>, only this time they seem to have embraced their busy schedule rather than get bogged down by it. They are also beating the teams they ought to beat, like Villa, Bournemouth, and West Ham in recent weeks, while draws against Arsenal and Chelsea show that they are the real deal.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Mauricio Pochettino</span> has assembled one of the most youthful sides in the country, and the high intensity and tremendous work rate he has instilled in them is paying dividends.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So Spurs are in form, and so is <span style="font-weight: 600;">Harry Kane</span>. The Lilyhites have won three and drawn one of their last four matches at the Hawthorns, scoring 10 goals in the process, while Kane has scored nine in his last seven matches and scored twice in Tottenham's 0-3 away win over the Baggies last season.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My preference would be to side with a Spurs win in the Match Odds market but West Brom can be very good on their day and have the ability to match most sides at this level. I'm expecting an<span style="font-weight: 600;">entertaining affair</span> however, and if that turns out to be the case then I like the chances of Kane maintaining his excellent goalscoring form.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I_RLCbfImO8/VmFjF_rVKcI/AAAAAAAAFbU/bp4htZDbxn8/s1600/57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I_RLCbfImO8/VmFjF_rVKcI/AAAAAAAAFbU/bp4htZDbxn8/s400/57.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <br /></div>

Saturday Premier League Tipsheet: Saints to bounce back in style

Arsenal  1.30  v Sunderland  14.00 ; The Draw  6.40 The good news for Arsenal is we're now into December; Arsene Wenger's men - a...

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Stoke v Man City: Potters offer value as leaders travel to Britannia

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Stoke v Man City</span><br />Saturday December 5, 12:45 KO<br />Live on BT Sport 1</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Stoke</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm finding it difficult to place exactly where Stoke are at right now, or indeed where they are going under <span style="font-weight: 600;">Mark Hughes</span>. It's become fashionable to say that they've improved since <span style="font-weight: 600;">Tony Pulis</span> was replaced, and perhaps they have, at least aesthetically. But they still remain<span style="font-weight: 600;">inconsistent </span>and nothing more than a comfortable mid-table side.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On the flip side, perhaps there is no shame in being a mid-table club playing out the season comfortably clear of the relegation zone throughout. Throw in the occasional cup run - case in point being this season's <span style="font-weight: 600;">Capital One Cup</span> - and you're the envy of 90% of football league clubs in the country.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I guess my point is that I don't see any reason to wax lyrical about what Hughes has done at the Britannia since joining the club. For me they're still in a very similar position to what they were before Pulis was harshly ushered out of the door.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Potters come into this game on the back of a 2-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday in midweek, but were previously beaten 2-0 by Sunderland at the Stadium Of Light following a pair of <span style="font-weight: 600;">1-0 wins against Chelsea</span> and Southampton.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Manchester City</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">City also booked their place in the Capital One Cup semi-finals in midweek after they beat Hull 4-1 at the Etihad. That result made it back-to-back victories for the Citizens following a run of three games without a win, having moved back to the top of the <span style="font-weight: 600;">Premier League</span> table with three points against Southampton at the weekend.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Similarly to Stoke, I'm not quite sure how to take Manchester City right now. One week they can look world-beaters, then the next paupers. For me, the defeat to Liverpool a few weeks ago really exposed <span style="font-weight: 600;">Manuel Pellegrini's</span> weaknesses as a manager. I find that when he comes up against a side that know how to counteract City then he doesn't have a plan B, and he often simply relies on his big players to put in big performances. Poor Champions League results being another case in point.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">City also come into this game having only kept two clean sheets in their last 15 matches and with only one win on their last seven Premier League visits to the Britannia.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Match Odds</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a difficult one for me, because at the prices I can see how either side could be considered a value bet. If City get it right and play as they can then they could well win this one comfortably and make odds of <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="1" oldtitle="5/7" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); font-weight: 600; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">1.70</span></span> about the league leaders look particularly generous.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But then Stoke are also more than capable of beating City on their day and if everything clicks for them and the visitors aren't up to task then <span style="font-weight: 600;"><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="2" oldtitle="5/1" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">6.00</span></span> about a home win</span> could look huge.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In conclusion though, I'd much rather take a bet that I am unsure about at odds of <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="3" oldtitle="5/1" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); font-weight: 600; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">6.00</span></span> than I would one at odds of <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="4" oldtitle="5/7" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); font-weight: 600; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">1.70</span></span>. Therefore I'm sticking my neck on the line and going for a home win here.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Over/Under 2.5 Goals</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By contrast, picking out a bet on the goals market doesn't require too much deliberation. Stoke have scored fewer goals than every other team in the Premier League, while no team outside the top six has conceded fewer.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Each of the Potters' last nine matches have had two goals or less, and <span style="font-weight: 600;">15 of their 18</span> matches in all competitions this season have failed to breach the 2.5 goal barrier.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition, four of the last five head-to-heads have also had Under 2.5 goals. And so it is with little hesitation that I suggest a bet on Under 2.5 Goals here at odds of <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="5" oldtitle="11/10" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); font-weight: 600; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.10</span></span>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Recommended Bets</span></span></div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; font-weight: 600;"></span></span><br /> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">1pt Back Stoke to win @</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="6" oldtitle="5/1" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">6.00</span><br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1e1e1e; outline: none; transition: color 0.2s initial initial;">3pts Back Under 2.5 Goals @</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1e1e1e; outline: none; transition: color 0.2s;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;"> </span></span><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="7" oldtitle="11/10" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1e1e1e; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px; transition: color 0.2s initial initial;" title="">2.10</span></span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PBvLyN7HVao/VmFilyv_dlI/AAAAAAAAFbM/aiJJtUOZluM/s1600/56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PBvLyN7HVao/VmFilyv_dlI/AAAAAAAAFbM/aiJJtUOZluM/s400/56.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <br /></div>

Stoke v Man City: Potters offer value as leaders travel to Britannia

Stoke v Man City Saturday December 5, 12:45 KO Live on BT Sport 1 Stoke I'm finding it difficult to place exactly where Stoke are a...

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Reading v QPR: Hoops the value to step up play-off push

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Reading v QPR</span><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Thursday, 19:45<br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />Live on Sky Sports 1</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Reading</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A disappointing 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest last week despite taking an early lead illustrated the Royals inconsistency and once again the topsy-turvy nature of the second tier. Manager <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Steve Clarke</span>, who turned down an approach by Fulham to move to Craven Cottage, knows his side have a good record at home this season though, with their <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">only loss</span> coming at the hands of high-flying Derby.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Despite some disquiet among fans at their recent form and tactics, as well as Clarke's willingness to consider leaving the Madejski Stadium, they are currently just a point off <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">sixth-place</span> and if they can start picking up some points on their travels, should be right in the midst of the battle for play-off places in the New Year. Skipper <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Paul McShane</span>, who picked up a nasty facial injury at Forest, and Gareth McCleary, who missed the trip with a hamstring problem, are both likely to miss out here.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">QPR</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Charlie Austin</span> came off the bench to score with his first touch at home to Leeds on Saturday and earn Rangers a first win in five games and a first for interim manager <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Neil Warnock</span>. Victory keeps them within touching distance of the play-off spots (they are just five points off sixth-placed Birmingham) and a good run during the busy <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">festive period</span> will have them right back in the mix.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Austin's fitness will be key to that with the latest indications that, despite likely interest from Aston Villa and others in January, he is happy to stay at Loftus Road until he becomes a free agent at the end of the season. The other factor will be the Hoops' away form - they have won just two and lost <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">six times</span> in their nine games on the road this season.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">Match Odds</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The Royals home form means they aren't much better than evens here at <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="1" oldtitle="11/10" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">2.14</span></span> with Rangers<span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="2" oldtitle="14/5" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">3.85</span></span> if you think they can get a first away win since the <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">end of August</span>, while the draw's available at <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="3" oldtitle="5/2" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">3.50</span></span>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Although these prices are probably about right it's the visitors that I'm interested in. Influential but injury-plagued midfielder <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Alejandro Faurlin</span> was Man of the Match in the win over Leeds and having been eased back to full fitness, if he and Austin can both start regularly Warnock's side have the ability to match any side in this division.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">There's a suspicion that Reading's recent results have <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">flattered them</span> a bit - wins by a single goal over struggling Charlton and Bolton and a lucky 2-2 draw against Huddersfield making up three of their last four games at the Madejski. In that period they've also been beaten at Fulham, Cardiff and Forest - hardly the division's shining lights.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Warnock knows exactly what you need to do to get results at this level and I'd like his men onside here - the <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="4" oldtitle="9/5" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">2.82</span></span> available in the <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">draw no bet market</span> catches my eye and that's the first recommended bet.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">Over/Under 2.5 goals</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Unders is <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="5" oldtitle="5/7" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">1.71</span></span> and overs <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="6" oldtitle="5/4" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">2.30</span></span> with the market reflecting the fact QPR have tightened up considerably at the back after they had the worst defensive record in the division by mid-October. Each of their <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">last five games</span> has actually featured under 1.5 goals and Austin's winner over Leeds was their first goal for four and a half matches.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Warnock has said that he doesn't think there are too many goals in Rangers' side - slightly surprising when you look at the talent he has at his disposal - and is therefore setting them up to give nothing away and hope to nick something or rely on his star striker's quality in the opposition's penalty-box.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">That might change a little following Saturday's much improved performance and the Royals do have goals in their side with <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Nick Blackman</span> on nine for the season so it looks a market to give a swerve on this occasion.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">To Score</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Backing Andre Gray and Daryl Murphy in this market over at the Sportsbook has paid dividends in recent weeks and I'm going for the <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">hat-trick</span> with Austin. Now back to full fitness it's hard to argue with the assertion that he is a Premier League striker playing in the second tier.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Only a great save from Leeds keeper Marco Silvestri denied him a double and the former Burnley man has netted <span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">eight times</span> in 13 appearances (11 starts) this season, which makes the <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="7" oldtitle="85/40" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title=""><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">3.10</span></span> available about him getting on the scoresheet here look good value.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" /><span style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Recommended Bets</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0.5em; text-align: justify;"> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;">Back QPR draw no bet @</span><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;"> </span></span><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="8" oldtitle="9/5" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px; transition: color 0.2s;" title="">2.82</span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a7CUUm5WtSU/VmAQqcNGHWI/AAAAAAAAFa8/7ifkzyJaGtY/s1600/53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a7CUUm5WtSU/VmAQqcNGHWI/AAAAAAAAFa8/7ifkzyJaGtY/s400/53.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; transition: color 0.2s;"><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="8" oldtitle="9/5" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px; transition: color 0.2s;" title=""><br /></span></span></div>

Reading v QPR: Hoops the value to step up play-off push

Reading v QPR Thursday, 19:45 Live on Sky Sports 1 Reading A disappointing 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest last week despite taking an ...

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Lazio v Juventus: Coral’s cracking combined XI of Serie A stars

<h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Coral’s combined XI for Italian giants Lazio and Juventus</span></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ahead of Friday’s fascinating fixture between <span style="color: #004191;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box;">Serie A superstar sides Lazio and Juventus</span></span>, Coral present a combined XI featuring the best fit and in-form picks from these Rome and Turin teams.</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With both giant clubs jam-packed with talent but struggling to live up to last season’s splendor, read on to find out who made our final cut…</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Formation: 4-3-3</span></h2> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)</span></h2> <div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still by far the best choice in net, there are few Serie A stoppers that can hold a candle to sturdy Buffon, a mainstay for the Old Lady, though Juve back-up Norberto Neto is certainly no slouch. But this world class custodian is not about to give up the number one jersey just yet, having kept three clean sheets in a row across all competitions.</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Right back: Stephan Lichtsteiner (Juventus)</span></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With Juventus currently playing wingbacks, steady Lichtsteiner is facing a battle with Juan Cuadrado for his spot, but still got the nod for the biggest battles against AC Milan and Manchester City. The reliable right back can produce at both ends of the pitch.</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Centre back: Andrea Barzagli (Juventus)</span></h2> </div> <div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Evergreen Barzagli continues to be an experienced evergreen rock alongside the next player in our XI, beating out younger peer Leonardo Bonucci. You may notice that Juve defenders dominate this defence, but with good reason, as the Italian champions have conceded just 11 times this Serie A term, with Lazio leaking double that.</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Centre back: Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus)</span></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What needs to be said about this master of the defensive arts? Still one of the world’s best, crafty Chiellini typifies the traditional Italian defender and is perhaps still the most stand-out star in this XI, overshadowing attacking quality.</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Left back: Senad Lulic (Lazio)</span></h2> </div> <div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Somewhat of a ‘Jack-of-all-trades’, Lulic can play in numerous positions, but has nominally been a marauding wingback for the Eagles this season. Though, as Patrice Evra and Alex Sandro continue to battle for a starting berth in Turin, the underrated attacking exploits of Lulic get our nod here, with our backline, unlike Lazio’s, solid enough to accommodate.</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Defensive midfield: Lucas Biglia (Lazio)</span></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deep-lying dictator Biglia has been linked with some of the biggest clubs across the globe, following some precise passing performances. So, including the tenacious technician here is a no-brainer, with Biglia the man to bring balance.</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Central midfield: Claudio Marchisio (Juventus)</span></h2> </div> <div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Usually, the power of Paul Pogba would make him first on the teamsheet, but the Frenchman is banned for this upcoming clash, meaning Marchisio steps into the fold. Reliable, with a nose for goal and tactically astute, this Old Lady academy product should keep things ticking over nicely.</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Central midfield: Stefano Sturaro (Juventus)</span></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another Turin-reared talent gets the slot alongside Marchisio here, as starlet Sturaro has risen to prominence this campaign, to become a key cog for Juve. A goal last time out only heightened the fuss around this all-action midfielder.</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Right wing: Antonio Candreva (Lazio)</span></h2> </div> <div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Intelligent and tricky, wide schemer Candreva (<span style="color: #004191;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">7/2 with Coral to score anytime</span></span>) can be the brains and inspiration in this outfit, as the Italy international complements a clubmate who pops up later on this list perfectly, with threat provided from both flanks.</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Centre forward: Mario Mandzukic (Juventus)</span></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Juventus may have snapped up striking starlets Alvaro Morata and Paulo Dybala, but the poaching pair have had their struggles this season. To replace Carlos Tevez, then, Juve needed a formidable frontman, and in goal machine Mandzukic they have just that. Three goals in his last four shows the Croatian (<span style="color: #004191;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.298039); background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">9/2 to net first versus Lazio</span></span>) is cranking into gear.</span></div> <h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 0.375em; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Left wing: Felipe Anderson (Lazio)</span></h2> </div> <div> <div style="-webkit-font-feature-settings: 'liga' 1, 'dlig' 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24.5455px; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Admittedly, Anderson has not hit the heights of last season yet, but the Samba star is still causing a stir, and could add much needed movement and lightening pace to this attack. The adaptable Brazilian is able to bamboozle defences on his day, and has four league goals plus two assists this season.</span></div> </div> <div> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KYt8Up0QQaU/VmAQgya2F9I/AAAAAAAAFa0/eYKU9Xh8nQM/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KYt8Up0QQaU/VmAQgya2F9I/AAAAAAAAFa0/eYKU9Xh8nQM/s400/16.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div> <br /></div>

Lazio v Juventus: Coral’s cracking combined XI of Serie A stars

Coral’s combined XI for Italian giants Lazio and Juventus Ahead of Friday’s fascinating fixture between  Serie A superstar sides Lazio an...

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Football Bet of the Day: Another vintage Bordeaux away game

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">SC Bastia v Bordeaux</span><br />Wednesday 18:00</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Angers 0 Paris St-Germain in France last night. And we're probably the only ones who are pretty<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-weight: 600; transition: color 0.2s;">chilled out about that</span>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We wouldn't mind a few goals from across the Channel tonight though. In the last year or so, 10/18 of SC Bastia's <span style="font-weight: 600;">Ligue 1</span> home games have delivered Over 2.5 Goals. When they've conceded at <span style="font-weight: 600;">Stade Armand Cesari</span>, the record is 8/10 with Over 2.5 Goals.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tonight, <span style="font-weight: 600;">Ghislain Printant's</span> men are missing their suspended captain and prime defensive midfielder, Yannick Cahuzac, while regular centre-half Sebastien Squillaci is also doubtful.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Willy Sagnol's</span> Bordeaux have struck seven times in their last five away games, with 4/5 going Over 2.5 Goals in total.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recommended Bet<br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Over 2.5 Goals @</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="1" oldtitle="8/5" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.56</span> in SC Bastia v Bordeaux</span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q7jx_WUqsjI/Vl7AavQ6vkI/AAAAAAAAFak/KDkR4dgrNtA/s1600/50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q7jx_WUqsjI/Vl7AavQ6vkI/AAAAAAAAFak/KDkR4dgrNtA/s400/50.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <br /></div>

Football Bet of the Day: Another vintage Bordeaux away game

SC Bastia v Bordeaux Wednesday 18:00 Angers 0 Paris St-Germain in France last night. And we're probably the only ones who are pretty ...

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Southampton v Liverpool: Reds to again flaunt their away excellence

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Southampton </span><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="1" oldtitle="7/4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1e1e1e; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.74</span><span style="color: #1e1e1e;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> v Liverpool </span></span><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="2" oldtitle="2/1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1e1e1e; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.94</span><span style="color: #1e1e1e;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">; The Draw </span></span><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="3" oldtitle="12/5" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1e1e1e; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">3.35</span><br />Wednesday, 19:45<br />Live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 5</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Southampton</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ronald Koeman's topsy-turvy second season has entered its second "turvy" cycle, as after the Saints scrubbed out a shaky start and returned to 2014/15's seventh place courtesy of an eight-game unbeaten, they undid that progress with successive defeats for the first time all campaign.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They have been <span style="font-weight: 600;">formidable so far</span> in the Capital One Cup, dismissing MK Dons 6-0 away and then sinking Aston Villa 2-1, but they were similarly sharp en route to the quarter-finals last term, turning over Millwall, Arsenal and Stoke on their travels only to then fold against Sheffield United.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Their attempt to avoid such a fate against superior opponents this year must be conducted without Fraser Forster, Florin Gardos and Jay Rodriguez, while they may also be without captain Jose Fonte, who hobbled off in the first half of Saturday's 3-1 reverse at Manchester City.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Liverpool</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jurgen Klopp's figures as Reds boss - P10 W6 D3 L1 - are pretty impressive in isolation, yet become even stronger when you wipe out the three draws at the dawn, one of which was against Southampton at Anfield, as they have won six of their last seven encounters in all competitions.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Three DFB-Pokal final appearances in the past four years and a quarter-final exit at Bayern Munich in the exception show that Klopp <span style="font-weight: 600;">takes any opportunity</span> to secure a trophy seriously. Indeed, Nathaniel Clyne and Roberto Firmino were among his starters at home to Bournemouth in the previous round.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is primarily long-term absentees that he will have to make do without at St Mary's, though there are plenty of those, including Jose Enrique, Jon Flanagan, Joe Gomez, Mamadou Sakho, Jordan Rossiter and Danny Ings. Philippe Coutinho is a doubt too after missing out against Swansea.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-weight: 600; transition: color 0.2s;">Match Odds</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Southampton lost to four of their seven top-eight companions on the south coast in 2014/15, including Liverpool in February, and have earned one point from 12 when welcoming anyone who isn't in the bottom six this season, <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-weight: 600; transition: color 0.2s;">so it is a shock that the visitors are rated</span> <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="4" oldtitle="15/8" style="background: rgb(255, 184, 12); padding: 3px 2px 1px;" title="">2.92</span>outsiders.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sure, Koeman's side drew on Merseyside in October, but it is on the road that the Reds truly flourish. Despite facing one of the Premier League's toughest ever away opening sequences - Stoke, Arsenal, Man United, Everton, Tottenham, Chelsea, Man City - they have been beaten just once, shutting the north London pair out and most recently triumphing 3-1 at Stamford Bridge and 4-1 at the Etihad.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Across the board, Klopp's squad <span style="font-weight: 600;">haven't been defeated in six fixtures</span> beyond their backyard, seizing maximum points from the latest three, and they have netted five times without reply over their last two trips to St Mary's.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-weight: 600; transition: color 0.2s;">Next Goal</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Liverpool have broken the deadlock in four straight meetings with Southampton, utilising a different first scorer each time to show off their versatility. However, you don't have to worry about spotting the goal-getter too much as <span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="5" oldtitle="11/10" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1e1e1e; font-weight: 600; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px; transition: color 0.2s;" title="">2.14</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-weight: 600; transition: color 0.2s;"> </span>odds on any of the guests grabbing the opener are enticing enough. They were 1-0 up in four of their last six away clashes.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Recommended Bet:</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: 600; outline: none; transition: color 0.2s;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-weight: 600; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Liverpool to win @</span><span style="color: #1e1e1e;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-weight: 600; transition: color 0.2s;"> </span></span><span class="inline-odds has-qtip" data-hasqtip="6" oldtitle="2/1" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #ffb80c; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #1e1e1e; font-weight: 600; outline: none; padding: 3px 2px 1px; transition: color 0.2s;" title="">2.94</span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AQfDMzl4e0k/Vl7AHnS38BI/AAAAAAAAFac/ABCkZJyvfAA/s1600/49.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AQfDMzl4e0k/Vl7AHnS38BI/AAAAAAAAFac/ABCkZJyvfAA/s400/49.JPG" width="400" /></a></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: 1px; color: #1e1e1e; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <br /></div>

Southampton v Liverpool: Reds to again flaunt their away excellence

Southampton  2.74  v Liverpool  2.94 ; The Draw  3.35 Wednesday, 19:45 Live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 5 Southampton Ronald Koeman&...

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