Leicester 1.77 v Brighton 5.40; The Draw 3.85

I really fancy Tottenham to beat Chelsea at an odds-against price this weekend - see the Betting Battle for reasons why and other recommended bets - but as they're playing on Sunday afternoon I can't include them in this column.

But thankfully we have some decent teams kicking off at 3pm and the one I really like in the Match Odds market is Leicester City.

From the moment the game started at the Emirates Stadium last Friday I always fancied the Foxes to get something out of the match. They looked very lively from the word go and Jamie Vardy was a constant threat. I was almost justified in my confidence when they led 2-1 and 3-2 but they fizzled out in the last 15 minutes under a barrage of Gunners attacks.

But I saw enough in that performance to believe that Leicester will comfortably be a mid-table side - at worst - this season and I'm happy to back them to record their first win of the season against newly-promoted Brighton.

It's hard to judge the Seagulls on last week's defeat to Manchester City. They were simply outplayed, barely looked a threat, and actually deserve credit for staying in the game as long as they did. But Chris Hughton knew what type of game he was in for and he set his side up accordingly. I just wonder if he'll be more adventurous at the King Power Stadium, and if Brighton do enjoy more possession than they enjoyed last week then we all know how dangerous that can be against Leicester.

I'm not dismissing Brighton lightly by any means, as Hughton will know how good the Foxes are on the counter attack and that he must minimise the amount of space afforded to Vardy behind the backline. But if Leicester get their noses in front in plenty of time - and I fancy they will - then Brighton might get caught out once or twice more as they chase the game.

Recommended Bet
Back Leicester -1 @ 21/10 (Sportsbook)

Liverpool 1.37 v Crystal Palace 10.50; The Draw 5.60

As we saw so many time last season Liverpool simply can't be relied upon when they're a huge odds-on price and even if you fancy them to win then it's best to look to profit elsewhere in other markets.

Liverpool's odds-on backers saw early evidence of exactly what I'm talking about last Saturday when they failed to land the odds against Watford, and even traded at 1.04 in-play before conceding that last-gasp equaliser.

Put simply, Liverpool just look vulnerable at the back, whoever the opposition, and for that reason I think Dan Thomas is onto a winner with his Both Teams to Score selection in the aforementioned Betting Battle. But I really like Jurgen Klopp's side going forward and I don't think there'll be many games this season when they don't get on the scoresheet.

At home to a Crystal Palace side that conceded three to Huddersfield last weekend I fancy Liverpool to get on the scoresheet two or three times at least, and at the prices the player I like is Sadio Mane.

The Senegal international had last season cut short due to injury but was still good enough to be named in the PFA Team of the Year and also receive Liverpool's Player of the Season accolade after scoring 13 goals in a highly promising start to his Anfield career.

And the 25-year-old started this season in similar fashion, scoring a quite brilliant goal at Vicarage Road last week. He's 13/10 to score at anytime in this game, and that makes more appeal than the 5/4 quote about Mo Salah and the 11/10 price available for Roberto Firmino.

Recommended Bet
Back Sadio Mane to Score @ 13/10
 (Sportsbook)

Stoke 4.60 v Arsenal 1.88; The Draw 3.95

Rather like Liverpool, Arsenal weren't exactly the epitome of a rock solid defensive unit in their season-opening against Leicester last week, but I definitely feel - with the personnel each club has currently - that the Gunners have the potential to be stronger at the back.

It just seemed that they weren't expecting the Foxes to be so high energy, and maybe Vardy not to be so on his game. Admittedly, Arsenal's defending for Vardy's third goal left a lot to be desired however.

Arsene Wenger's men face Stoke on Saturday afternoon, and this is a fixture that they've generally struggled in during recent years. Prior to last season's victory at the Bet365 Stadium, Arsenal had won none of their six previous visits to the Potteries. Four of those six games ended with scorelines of 0-0 (twice), 1-0, and 1-1, and that's the wager - Under 2.5 Goals - I have a hunch for here.

My personal view is that this is the weakest Stoke side Mark Hughes has had at his disposal for quite a few seasons, and even though Jese Rodriguez has been brought in on loan this week the likes of Saido Berahino and Peter Crouch (when they start) in attack shouldn't really frighten any defence.

Stoke managed just one shot on target at Everton last Saturday, that coming with almost the very last kick of the game, and I just don't see them troubling Arsenal enough to support the Over 2.5 Goals option at odds-on.

Arsenal are very capable of scoring two or three themselves of course, but given their recent record at Stoke I fancy Wenger's men will be more than happy to just consolidate last week's victory with a low-scoring, dull win.

Recommended Bet
Back Under 2.5 Goals @ 2.16

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