Determined Reds to win big

Liverpool 1.18 v Newcastle 22.00; The Draw 8.60
Silly season is here. Chelsea, and more crucially Man City, losing at home to kick off their festive campaigns means that Liverpool now have a four point lead at the top of the table. Will the Reds ever get a better chance to claim their first ever Premier League title?
Jurgen Klopp's job is now to keep his players focused and fully motivated because so many upsets happen at this time of the year, as well as freak high-scoring games; Chelsea, Man City, and Tottenham's 6-2 win at Everton on Sunday for example.
But I personally love it, and I especially like getting stuck into the 'big boys' when they're not playing each other, because even though we know that squad rotation is likely it's the same for every club. And as we know, the squad depth amongst the big six clubs is far deeper than those at the wrong end of the table.
What it sometimes means is that a title-chasing club, even when resting two or three key players, might actually have an easier looking game than normal if their opponents have made four or five changes of their own.
Unfortunately we don't have the luxury of knowing starting line-ups in this column but I'm just going to wager how I normally do at this time of the year, and back the big boys to win easily.
There is no doubt in my mind that managers in the bottom half of the table prioritise games at this point in the season, and my gut feeling is that Rafa Benitez will have had his eyes firmly focused on Fulham and Watford rather than the games against Liverpool and Man United. Six points would have been his target from those 'easier-looking' games. He can now only get four, but I think he'll settle for that. Anything else is a bonus.
What I'm trying to say is that if Liverpool are on song, and maybe get an early goal, then it's quite easy to envisage them recording a very comfortable victory against a side that won't bust a gut to get back into it.
Klopp's men are in excellent form, they'll be determined to increase their lead at the top of the table during the festive season, and I think a price of 3.40 about them winning by scoring at least four goals is very fair.

Another United romp likely for Solskjaer

Man Utd 1.26 v Huddersfield 16.00; The Draw 6.80
I've avoided Manchester United like the plague this season, and therefore haven't really had my say on matters on and off the pitch within the club. But like most people, I thought it was pretty obvious that some of the players had stopped giving 100% for Jose Mourinho and my only surprise is that the club didn't sack him earlier than they did.
We saw on Saturday what United's extremely talented team of players can do now that Mourinho isn't there to 'hold them back'. No passing side ways or backwards, no fear of making a mistake and being publicly criticised, no hint of running out of ideas in the final third etc. United put in a superb performance and scored five league goals in a game for the first time since the Sir Alex Ferguson era.
Okay, the opposition was 'only' Cardiff, but let's not forget that the Bluebirds had won three home games on the spin going into the match, and that United have failed miserablyagainst some average teams already this term.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had been in charge for just 48 hours prior to the Cardiff romp, and that's significant I feel because it tells me that the United players tried for their manager rather than Solskjaer introducing some wonder tactics. These United players don't need to be told where the goal is and how to attack, they just didn't like to do it for Mourinho.
So I have no hesitation in backing the Red Devils to win this game by scoring at least four goals again. They are at home - where the atmosphere is sure to be special with Soljkjaer leading the team out for the first time at Old Trafford - to a Huddersfield team currently 19th in the table, who are likely to come and defend deep, and try and frustrate Solskjaer's men. I can't see it working.
If United get an early breakthrough, then a second, third, and fourth goal, and perhaps even more, could follow quite swiftly. They can be backed at 4.30 to win by scoring at least four, and I think that's a cracking price. There's no avoiding United like the plague now!

Sublime Spurs to pick off the Cherries

Tottenham 1.39 v Bournemouth 9.20; The Draw 5.50
Tottenham are my final selection to win big on Boxing Day, and I'm backing them to do so by scoring at least four goals. They'll edge towards the 4.60 mark nearer kick-off, possibly even bigger, and that's a price that really appeals.
For starters Mauricio Pochettino's men have a great record against Bournemouth. In their six Premier League meetings Spurs have beaten the Cherries by at least a three-goal marginin four of those games, they've also won 50% of their clashes by a scoreline - 5-1, 4-0, 4-1 - that would land the recommended bet.
Tottenham go into the game having scored six against Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday. It's no exaggeration to say that they could have scored 12.
Pochettino is likely to make a couple of changes, and Dele Alli could be absent after going off injured at half-time against Everton. But we need not worry about that; the Lilywhites scored three without Alli in the second half and players like Erik Lamela and Lucas Mouracan easily step in and keep the Spurs line-up very strong.
Bournemouth are enjoying a decent season but they've lost seven of their last nine matches in all competitions, and the way they approach games - usually with an attacking mentality- could play right into Tottenham's strengths.
There's also the fact that Eddie Howe's men can often throw in an absolute stinker, like when they lost 4-0 to Burnley, or be simply played off the park (0-4 to Liverpool for example).
Spurs haven been excellent on the road this term but we shouldn't forget that they scored three against Chelsea and three against Southampton in recent home wins, so it's easy to forgive their 1-0 victory over Burnley the last time they played at Wembley.
This is silly season remember, where any scoreline is possible, just like any result, but if there are to be a high number of goals in this encounter then it's Tottenham who are very likely to get them.
RECOMMENDED BETS
Back Liverpool Any Other Home Win @ 3.40 v Newcastle 
Back Man Utd Any Other Home Win @ 4.30 v Huddersfield (best bet)
Back Tottenham Any Other Home Win @ 4.60 v Bournemouth

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