Hull v Watford: Hosts to keep afloat with another home win

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Hull v Watford</span><br />Saturday April 22, 15:00 BST</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Hull</span><br /><br />There was plenty of <span style="font-weight: 600;">doom and gloom</span> around Hull this season and while they enjoyed some fine results under Mike Phelan, things have really brightened up since Marco Silva was appointed to replace him as manager.<br /><br />The one key factor in Silva's success has been their form in front of their own fans. Results on their travels have still been terrible - they come into this game on the back of two away defeats - but at the KCOM it's <span style="font-weight: 600;">three wins on the spin</span> and 16 points from a possible 18.<br /><br />There are no new injury concerns for The Tigers but it will be interesting to see if they stick with a 4-2-3-1 system, or start with two forwards. Either way, <span style="font-weight: 600;">Oumar Niasse</span> will definitely play up front and he's got four goals in 12 Premier League appearances.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Watford</span><br /><br />The Hornets are safely located in 10th place on the magic 40 point mark, with their survival secured thanks to three straight victories at <span style="font-weight: 600;">Vicarage Road</span> - all of while were to nil.<br /><br />The main task for <span style="font-weight: 600;">Walter Mazzarri</span> now will be to keep his players going until the end of the campaign as traditionally, teams in this position at this stage of the season can often drop off, as their heads are full of sun, sea, sand and sangria.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Miguel Britos</span> has had a little break of his own recently due to suspension, but he is available for selection and that's good news for the manager as Craig Cathcart and Younes Kaboul are doubts.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Match Odds</span><br />Hull <span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="20/21"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">1.95</span></span> Watford <span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="7/2"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">4.50</span></span> The Draw <span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="11/4"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">3.75</span></span></span><br /><br />Just about everything is pointing towards a home win. Hull <span style="font-weight: 600;">need the points</span> as they are only two points above Swansea and there is now a yawning five point gap to Bournemouth above them. Watford on the other hand, as mentioned, have achieved their season aim.<br /><br />Then we have the recent form of the two clubs and the hosts have been <span style="font-weight: 600;">unstoppable on this ground</span> under Silva. Not only have they been winning, they've also been scoring plenty of goals as they put two past Liverpool, Swansea and West Ham, three past Bournemouth and last time out at home, they netted four against Middlesbrough.<br /><br />Watford on the other hand have fallen to <span style="font-weight: 600;">three defeats</span> in their three most recent outings on the road and they didn't even manage a goal. They did beat Arsenal at the Emirates prior to that, but that was an anomaly, as they went into that game having taken one point from a possible 18 away from home.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Over/Under 2.5 Goals</span><br />Over 2.5 Goals <span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="11/10"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.08</span></span> Under 2.5 Goals <span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="10/11"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">1.92</span></span></span><br /><br />Desperate times call for <span style="font-weight: 600;">desperate measures</span> and that has been reflected in Hull's increased scoring rate in 2017. Their last three at the KCOM have all seen over 2.5 backers collect and, in the wider picture, it's eight out of 11 at home to go over.<br /><br />This weekend's opponents <span style="font-weight: 600;">conceded four</span> at White Hart Lane when they were last in away action, but it could have been more. They haven't kept a clean sheet on their travels since a 0-0 draw at the Liberty back in October and three of their last five away games have seen the ball in the net on three occasions or more.<br /><br />A point is of no real value to Hull when you consider that their <span style="font-weight: 600;">survival</span> will depend on their results at home, and they may also fancy trying to significantly improve their goal difference.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Recommended Bets</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Hull @</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="20/21"></span><span style="font-weight: 600;"><span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="20/21"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">1.95</span></span></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; font-weight: 600; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Over 2.5 Goals @</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="11/10"></span><span style="font-weight: 600;"><span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="11/10"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.08</span></span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="11/10"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5scESMre0WqNgEXLGLXc7lexsawjLcK-cRnJNeL4EDgFR-dLf1wTlQZfg7UQvPHoriGptDTeXXjQ5ud1iBdM-r9h9eRaYmxvK13pGP8oC8AWAP1sP-Je7nFQE2tr0jKaLRPLKBowxvFU/s1600/Hull_City_vs_Watford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5scESMre0WqNgEXLGLXc7lexsawjLcK-cRnJNeL4EDgFR-dLf1wTlQZfg7UQvPHoriGptDTeXXjQ5ud1iBdM-r9h9eRaYmxvK13pGP8oC8AWAP1sP-Je7nFQE2tr0jKaLRPLKBowxvFU/s640/Hull_City_vs_Watford.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>

Hull v Watford: Hosts to keep afloat with another home win

Hull v Watford Saturday April 22, 15:00 BST Hull There was plenty of  doom and gloom  around Hull this season and while they enjoyed some...

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West Ham v Everton: Lukaku can propel in-form Toffees to another three points

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">West Ham v Everton</span><br />Saturday 22 April, 15:00</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">West Ham</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span>The Hammers inched a little closer to safety with last week's 2-2 draw at bottom club Sunderland, taking them to 13th on 37 points. They are nine points clear of the relegation zone with five games to play and that may be enough already, but reaching the 40-point mark would bring some comfort.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mark Noble is still suspended and Sam Byram also has to sit out the match, having been sent off at </span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sunderland. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: 600;">Cheikhou Kouyate</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> could move from midfield into Byram's right-back position, with Edmilson Fernandes continuing to deputise for Noble and </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: 600;">Havard Nordtveit</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> brought in alongside him in midfield.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Andy Carroll is out with a groin problem</span> and, with Michail Antonio sidelined for the rest of the season, Slaven Bilic will be hoping Diafra Sakho is ready to start up front.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Everton</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span>The Toffees briefly went fifth with last week's 3-1 home win over Burnley but they were overtaken again by Manchester United and Arsenal. Those two rivals have both played two games fewer than Everton but the push for a top-six finish is still on, with Everton on 57 points with five games to play (already a 10-point improvement on their final total in the last two seasons).</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Ronald Koeman</span> is set to name an unchanged starting line-up, although <span style="font-weight: 600;">Enner Valencia</span> (brought on at half-time against Burnley in a tactical switch) will be unable to play any part due to the conditions of his loan deal from West Ham.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Match Odds</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span>West Ham got into trouble with a run of six straight defeats before gaining <span style="font-weight: 600;">vital points against relegation-zone teams</span> in their last two games (a 1-0 home win over Swansea followed by their draw at Sunderland). Their only other wins in 2017 were both 3-1 away (at Middlesbrough and Southampton).</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The victory at Southampton rates as easily their best result of the season and none of their other nine wins was against a team currently in the top 11. At home, where their form has been disappointing in their new stadium, their record against the top 11 is W0 D2 L6.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Hammers' overall record against the elite top seven is W0 D2 L9, which includes a <span style="font-weight: 600;">2-0 defeat at Everton in October</span> when Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley scored second-half goals. The Toffees were in a rough patch before and after that match, which indicates they will be even harder to stop now.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Everton's strong run started before Christmas</span> and their Premier League record is W11 D4 L3 since their last defeat by one of the lower-ranking teams (3-2 away to Watford on December 10). Their only losses during that run have been against Liverpool (twice) and Tottenham.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The concern is whether Everton are clinical enough on the road. Although their last defeat by a team outside the top three was four months ago, they have drawn three out of five on the road against teams below them since then.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even after the 1-1 draw against Manchester United in their last away game, <span style="font-weight: 600;">Koeman was critical of his players' efficiency in the final third</span> after they wasted several opportunities on the counter-attack to secure the win before United snatched a stoppage-time equaliser from the penalty spot.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If Koeman has worked on that area and got his players to be more clinical, Everton should win here. The 'if' is there until they do it but they look a risk worth taking against the ordinary and now more weakened hosts.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Over/Under 2.5 Goals</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">The Hammers show a marked bias towards over 2.5</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">goals</span> (20 out of 33, 61%) and even more so against the top seven (eight out of 11, 73%), which reflects their failure to keep a clean sheet against one of the elite clubs (in fact, all of their six clean sheets have been against teams below them).</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of the elite clubs who failed to push the score over 2.5 goals against West Ham was Everton in the reverse fixture and once again much will depend on whether Koeman's team take their chances.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">However, seven out of 12 have gone over 2.5 goals when the Toffees have scored on the road and <span style="font-weight: 600;">overall a higher score is the more likely outcome.</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">The Lukaku factor</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span>The speculation over whether Lukaku will leave Goodison Park in the summer must be troubling for Koeman, as the Belgium striker has been central to Everton's success this season. He leads the Premier League scoring chart on 24 goals and has <span style="font-weight: 600;">scored in 12 of Everton's 16 wins.</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lukaku has been a constant thorn in West Ham's side and <span style="font-weight: 600;">Opta's stats tell us he has scored in each of his nine previous appearances against the Hammers</span> for Everton (all competitions, nine goals in total).</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The latest of those goals against West Ham was the opener in the reverse fixture and overall he has scored in 11 of his 18 appearances against bottom-half teams.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That makes him a <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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">decent bet to score at</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="4/5">1.81</span> and the Anytime Wincast with Lukaku to score in an Everton win is worth considering.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Ref Watch</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br />Roger East</span> gets a relatively rare outing in the Premier League, only his ninth of the season. His first five games all had high card counts, including two sendings-off, but he has been quieter since his return to the top flight at the end of January.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Everton to win at </span><span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline: none; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative; transition: color 0.2s;" title="5/4">2.26</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline: none; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative; transition: color 0.2s;" title="5/4"><br /></span></span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWB8Z2YGHaxmUrYFtWPcVgmQG84WLGM3s56LLSUFvxaOqWjGW5_WESVU9lfBNJkCv5pOZ068ELlkvNsjbPszJK0wMzKhhznM3MMfodgYYk7_aA9BHD5S09_JE3ATpHA5xUqVfxYlG5dc/s1600/skysports-premier-league-football-everton-romelu-lukaku-ross-barkley_3931538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCWB8Z2YGHaxmUrYFtWPcVgmQG84WLGM3s56LLSUFvxaOqWjGW5_WESVU9lfBNJkCv5pOZ068ELlkvNsjbPszJK0wMzKhhznM3MMfodgYYk7_aA9BHD5S09_JE3ATpHA5xUqVfxYlG5dc/s640/skysports-premier-league-football-everton-romelu-lukaku-ross-barkley_3931538.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>

West Ham v Everton: Lukaku can propel in-form Toffees to another three points

West Ham v Everton Saturday 22 April, 15:00 West Ham The Hammers inched a little closer to safety with last week's 2-2 draw at bo...

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Swansea City v Stoke City: Visitors look good value against struggling Swans

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-weight: 600;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Swansea v Stoke</span><br />Saturday 22 April, 15:00</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Swansea</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Were it not for <span style="font-weight: 600;">Gylfi Sigurdsson</span> you feel that Swansea would be condemned to relegation already. The Icelandic midfielder has scored nine goals and provided 11 assists so far this season - an incredible return considering he is playing for a team in the relegation zone.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But even Sigurdsson cannot single-handedly save the Swans from the drop. <span style="font-weight: 600;">Fernando Llorente</span> had been their other key performer going forward, having scored 11 goals of his own in the Premier League, but his form has dropped significantly in recent weeks.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That has resulted in the Swans scoring just once in their last five games, having won five of the previous eight.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Paul Clement's</span> side only lost 1-0 to Watford last weekend and while Vicarage Road has become a hard place to visit in recent months, they never really looked like winning.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That result leaves them sitting in 18th place, two points off Hull City, and, with just five games left, Swansea need to seriously turn their form around if they are to survive.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Stoke</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Stoke's best run this season was the three victories on the bounce they enjoyed at the end of October, culminating in a 3-1 win in the reverse fixture of this tie. The other two teams they beat in that spell were Sunderland and Hull. Since then their form has been wildly inconsistent.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Much like fellow mid-table dwellers West Brom, the Potters have been more <span style="font-weight: 600;">ruthless</span> against the teams below them in the table while rolling over for the bigger sides. Of the seven <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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Premier League</span> games against bottom four sides this season, Stoke have won six.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The 3-1 victory over Hull last weekend ended an awful spell of four defeats for <span style="font-weight: 600;">Mark Hughes'</span> men and sees them back in the hunt for 9th spot - something they have achieved in all three seasons since the Welshman took charge.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That game saw <span style="font-weight: 600;">Xherdan Shaqiri</span> and Marko Arnautovic combining for a delightful opener - a reminder of the attractive football Stoke can play under Hughes, before Peter Crouch and Jon Walters came on in the second half to break the deadlock with the scores tied at 1-1 - a reminder of the more pragmatic approach to football Stoke took under previous boss Tony Pulis. It would be no surprise to see one or both of the latter two playing a part this weekend.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Ref Watch</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Michael Oliver will referee Saturday's game. The 32-year-old has been in charge of 38 matches this season, handing out 113 yellows (2.97 per game) and four reds - the latter of which came in a spell of just 13 games. He was also in the middle for the reverse of this fixture which Stoke won 3-1.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Match Odds</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;"><br /></span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Eight teams have visited the Liberty Stadium this season and won, which would suggest Stoke are <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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">in with a shout of a win</span></span> at odds of <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="13/5"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">3.60</span></span>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">However, with Swansea in desperate need of the points in their fight for survival - Clement describing this encounter as "the biggest game this club has had in years" - and Stoke merely meandering in mid-table you have to feel Swansea will be the more up for it and <span style="font-weight: 600;">their odds</span> of <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="5/4"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.26</span></span> reflect that.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Nevertheless, I am still tempted to think Stoke can get something from this game, owing to Swansea's travails in front of goal and the fact they have the fourth worst home record in the league. Therefore <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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">the draw</span></span> at odds of <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="5/2"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">3.45</span></span> or <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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Stoke Draw No Bet</span></span> at odds of <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="8/5"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.58</span></span> are tempting - particularly if Hughes opts to bring Crouch and Walters in from the start.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Over/Under 2.5 Goals</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;"><br /></span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">With Fernando Llorente bang out of form and Swansea having scored just once their last five matches, odds of the hosts even getting on the scoresheet look <span style="font-weight: 600;">slim</span>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Likewise the visitors. As Opta reveal, Stoke haven't scored an away goal in the Premier League since January at Sunderland, going <span style="font-weight: 600;">506 minutes</span> without a goal on the road.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While the Potters looked back in form last week against Hull - and could nick it by a goal - it is unlikely the floodgates will open. It is therefore a surprise to see <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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Under 2.5 Goals</span></span> as long as <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="5/6"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">1.86</span></span>. Certainly an attractive choice.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Recommended bets</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Stoke Draw No Bet</span> @ <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="8/5"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.58</span></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; font-weight: 600; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Under 2.5 Goals</span> @ <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="5/6"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">1.86</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="5/6"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;"><br /></span></span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84DTMHBqrTyGy0qIY-y3LSi-si_LxB2fgxjxVcwT9R3IVSisfIdjpL04ikcPWHGSZ_Ew8PhsaHriIHomb6A47N9nQN3pzpd7WaISFfyfgPxNPfvz3VNzGxfUXXSIipAR6IOoSVCqmTIE/s1600/JS103793482.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj84DTMHBqrTyGy0qIY-y3LSi-si_LxB2fgxjxVcwT9R3IVSisfIdjpL04ikcPWHGSZ_Ew8PhsaHriIHomb6A47N9nQN3pzpd7WaISFfyfgPxNPfvz3VNzGxfUXXSIipAR6IOoSVCqmTIE/s640/JS103793482.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>

Swansea City v Stoke City: Visitors look good value against struggling Swans

Swansea v Stoke Saturday 22 April, 15:00 Swansea Were it not for  Gylfi Sigurdsson  you feel that Swansea would be condemned to releg...

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Bournemouth v Middlesbrough: Pick Cherries to win

<div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Bournemouth v Middlesbrough</span></span><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Saturday, 15:00</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Bournemouth</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Consecutive defeats against the <span style="font-weight: 600;">Premier League's</span> two best teams have seen Bournemouth's upward momentum come to a sudden stop and they need to bounce back when they host Middlesbrough.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Things change quickly in football and an unbeaten run of five games has now become a sequence of four games without a win (with the draws against Southampton and <span style="font-weight: 600;">Liverpool</span> being counted in both statistics).</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Eddie Howe has no reason to be disheartened. The away draws at Southampton and Liverpool were very good results, while most teams have lost to <span style="font-weight: 600;">Chelsea</span> and Spurs this season. Middlesbrough are much more beatable opposition and a win would see Bournemouth move to within a whisker of safety.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Howe will be without the injured Adam Federici, Andrew Surman, <span style="font-weight: 600;">Jack Wilshere</span> and Callum Wilson for Saturday's match, while Dan Gosling is a doubt.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Middlesbrough</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Middlesbrough have perhaps looked a little better since <span style="font-weight: 600;">Steve Agnew</span> took charge, but a record of two draws from five games is far from good enough to keep them in the top flight.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It looked as if Boro might be able to snatch a win in Monday's game against <span style="font-weight: 600;">Arsenal</span> having equalised in the second-half, but the Gunners were able to ride out the storm and eventually win 2-1.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Middlesbrough have now gone 15 games without a win in the league, in which they've scored a meagre seven goals. With their remaining six fixtures seeing them face the likes of <span style="font-weight: 600;">Manchester City</span>, Chelsea and Liverpool, it's impossible to imagine Boro survive.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Agnew's problems got even bigger against Arsenal, as Fabio and Grant Leadbitter both picked up injuries. They join <span style="font-weight: 600;">Victor Valdes</span> on the casualty list.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Ref Watch</span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;">Graham Scott</span> will </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">officiate. Scott refereed Middlesbrough's 2-1 loss to Tottenham earlier this season, showing three yellow cards.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <br /></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Match Odds</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: 600;"><br /></span>Bournemouth are the favourites at <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="10/11"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">1.90</span></span>, with the draw at <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="14/5"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">3.80</span></span> and Middlesbrough out at <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="7/2"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">4.60</span></span>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Before their loss to Chelsea the Cherries had won their previous two home games and with Middlesbrough in such abject form, the price for a home win is appealing.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Middlesbrough's last six defeats have all seen them going into the break behind and you can back Bournemouth to win <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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Half-Time/Full-Time</span></span> at <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="2/1"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.96</span></span>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Over/Under 2.5 Goals</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;"><br /></span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This market is very evenly matched, with under 2.5 goals the slight favourite at <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="20/21"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">1.96</span></span>and overs at <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="1/1"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">1.98</span></span>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bournemouth's last three games have all seen three goals or more, but the opposition scored eight of them. Middlesbrough have struggled to score all season, but have become a little more potent under Agnew, finding the net in three of their last five matches.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The statistics might send mixed messages, but a price close to evens for under 2.5 goals surely has to be snapped up when you consider that Middlesbrough are a team that lack of firepower, but nevertheless have defensive resolve.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">To Score</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;"><br /></span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bournemouth have two in-form forwards available at tempting prices. <span style="font-weight: 600;">Josh King</span> has scored 10 goals in his last 12 appearances and leads the market at <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="7/4"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">2.76</span></span>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Another option is King's strike partner <span style="font-weight: 600;">Benik Afobe</span>, who has found the net in the recent matches against Swansea and Liverpool. He's available at <span class="inline-odds" 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; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="2/1"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">3.00</span></span>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="font-weight: 600;">Recommended Bets</span><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back Bournemouth to win at</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="10/11">1.90</span></span><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back under 2.5 goals at</span> <span class="inline-odds" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; padding: 0px 2px 1px; position: relative;" title="1/1">1.98</span></span><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;">Back King to score at [2.75]</span></span></span></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><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; outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial; transition: color 0.2s;"><br /></span></span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE337OMMkfAy-wb5_vC4FYMOLyykEOLPuZ72qbmp6jl1fi3jO5NojZ1eS0iSvzC2k1CEmwyTX8UPkmYdGFch05BSgaNx4kQRrVD-c40NQ2MbuVW3jc1pQP8qPz1oB3qTRyT1C45vWWJOw/s1600/skysports-josh-king-bournemouth_3907652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE337OMMkfAy-wb5_vC4FYMOLyykEOLPuZ72qbmp6jl1fi3jO5NojZ1eS0iSvzC2k1CEmwyTX8UPkmYdGFch05BSgaNx4kQRrVD-c40NQ2MbuVW3jc1pQP8qPz1oB3qTRyT1C45vWWJOw/s640/skysports-josh-king-bournemouth_3907652.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <div style="-webkit-text-stroke: 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); line-height: 21px; padding-bottom: 0.5em;"> <br /></div>

Bournemouth v Middlesbrough: Pick Cherries to win

Bournemouth v Middlesbrough Saturday, 15:00 Bournemouth Consecutive defeats against the  Premier League's  two best teams have se...

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Football Bet of the Day: Nancy no match for Marseille

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Nancy v Marseille<br /> Friday 19:45</strong> (Live on BT Sport 3)</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> Only one attack was on top in Sweden yesterday. Elfsborg's 3-0 win over Orebro means we're leaving it late to pop the cork on some profit this week.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But there's no better place to pop corks than <strong>France</strong>, where tonight's sole <strong>Ligue 1</strong> game is catching our eye. After recently taking just four points from a possible 33, Nancy are in serious danger of relegation.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The <strong>Thistles</strong> could really use a result then, but might not get it at home to sixth-placed Marseille tonight. The hosts have lost all four previous games at <strong>Stade Marcel Picot</strong> against other top-six sides.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The visitors haven't been great on the road this term (W3-D5-L8), but their three wins have come against the three teams now just below Nancy in the relegation zone. Unbeaten in six at home and away, <strong>Rudi Garcia's</strong> men can close the gap to the top four this evening. </span><br /> <br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> <strong>Recommended Bet<br /> Back Marseille @ <b class="inline-odds" title="11/10">2.08</b> v Nancy</strong></span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><br /></strong></span> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApwjZ0C1b1cXXDi6eisuoD1pl2DFf0VYU1b_LQchL8SKMM_nlbXddafWvNSvD2zKZmeWNibK3xfepnssKPH2JyIWWDT5F-OeQzNVSAwpe5kVbD0m6zP8Y-NPtdiKWmFGQZCWdHzpoGMs/s1600/landau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApwjZ0C1b1cXXDi6eisuoD1pl2DFf0VYU1b_LQchL8SKMM_nlbXddafWvNSvD2zKZmeWNibK3xfepnssKPH2JyIWWDT5F-OeQzNVSAwpe5kVbD0m6zP8Y-NPtdiKWmFGQZCWdHzpoGMs/s640/landau.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><br /></strong></span>

Football Bet of the Day: Nancy no match for Marseille

Nancy v Marseille Friday 19:45 (Live on BT Sport 3) Only one attack was on top in Sweden yesterday. Elfsborg's 3-0 win over Orebro m...

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Norwich v Brighton: A Friday night thriller fancied in Norfolk

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Norwich v Brighton</strong><strong><br /> Friday, 21st April, 19:45<br /> Live on Sky Sports 1</strong></span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><br /> Norwich</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>Norwich</strong>'s slim hopes of securing a play-off spot were extinguished on Easter Monday despite a solid performance when <strong>winning 3-1 away at Preston</strong>. It's now mathematically impossible for the Canaries to squeeze into the top-six rendering their campaign effectively over.<br /> <br /> Interim boss <strong>Alan Irvine</strong> will hope his audition for the permanent role continues in the same vein as that Deepdale date but since Alex Neil was sacked, the hosts' results have been rather unremarkable and inconsistent (<strong>W3-D1-L3</strong>).<br /> <br /> Midfielder<strong> Alex Tettey</strong> missed the Preston match and will be assessed here whilst centre-half <strong>Timm Klose</strong> was also absent and appears unlikely to return to the team on Friday evening.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> <strong>Brighton</strong><br /> <br /> A fifth successive triumph <strong>secured Brighton's place in the top-flight</strong> of English football for the first time in 34 years. Albion overcame Wigan 2-1 at the Amex on Easter Monday and can now wrap up the title by bagging a sixth win on the spin here.<br /> <br /> The Seagulls partied hard after clinching promotion and enjoy a seven-point buffer over second-placed Newcastle so there's a danger of '<strong>After the Lord Mayor's Show</strong>' creeping into their psyche. But it's hard to imagine<strong> Chris Hughton</strong> allowing his team to lose focus on his first trip back to Carrow Road.<br /> <br /> <strong>Sam Baldock </strong>remains sidelined and centre-backs <strong>Shane Duffy and Connor Goldson</strong> are likely to miss the rest of the season. Oliver Norwood, Jiri Skalak and Jamie Murphy will be among those hoping for recalls.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> <strong>Match Odds</strong><br /> <br /> <strong>Brighton</strong> are looking to achieve a league double over <strong>Norwich </strong>for the first time since the 1951/52 campaign - and head to Norfolk having picked up just a sole success in 16 league visits (W1-D7-L8). Nevertheless, the Seagulls did thrash the Canaries 5-0 when the two teams locked horns earlier this season.<br /> <br /> Norwich's <b class="inline-odds" title="6/4">2.48</b> record in front of their home supporters has invariably been good. But the hosts have claimed only <strong>two victories in six here</strong> and their defensive vulnerability always concerns when they take on the division's leading lights.<br /> <br /> City have returned just <strong>W1-D3-L8 </strong>in their 12 meetings against the Championship's top-seven with the Canaries conceding at least twice in nine of those encounters. <br /> <br /> Brighton <b class="inline-odds" title="2/1">3.00</b> have bagged<strong> seven triumphs in eight </strong>and with the promotion pressure lifted, could be well capable of rubbishing the odds on offer. I'll take the insurance offered by a punt on the<strong> Draw No Bet </strong>market instead with Albion available to support at <b class="inline-odds" title="6/5">2.20</b>.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> <strong>Over/Under 2.5 Goals</strong><br /> <br /> Norwich have been the division's <strong>great entertainers</strong>, with the Canaries scoring 76 goals (only Fulham have scored more) and conceding 66 goals (only relegated Rotherham and relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest have conceded more).<br /> <br /> The hosts' matches were averaging 3.20 goals per-game during Alex Neil's reign but that number has soared to 3.80 during Irvine's brief spell in charge and I'd fancy the Championship's <strong>top scoring home side </strong>to make their mark here.<br /> <br /> However, City can't be trusted to keep things tight at the back and with Brighton failing to keep their own sheets clean in six fixtures played at fellow top-eight sides this term, backing another <strong>goal-heavy game</strong> suits.<br /> <br /> <strong>Over 2.5 goals </strong>is a fair enough price at <b class="inline-odds" title="8/11">1.75</b> and it is a bet that has paid out in 70% of Norwich's league games, including in 11 of their 12 meetings with the current top-eight teams in the division.</span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /> <strong>Recommended Bets</strong></span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Back Brighton draw no bet @ <b class="inline-odds" title="6/5">2.20</b><br /> Back Over 2.5 Goals <b class="inline-odds" title="8/11">1.75</b></span><br /> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b class="inline-odds" title="8/11"><br /></b></span> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfe1oPiqa-3Dy3WnK7kw9pEfCNkaSWCpgTglUUVR73-cUjdfNl3FWyy0yVASu5sBQugiIetmM0eKTsq3HkUWe1H-dTlZtal42Ui_YW97sJxRQTqtgcIWYW1kYyRHhCpzsW5azh_wVm5U/s1600/Norwich-vs-Brighton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVfe1oPiqa-3Dy3WnK7kw9pEfCNkaSWCpgTglUUVR73-cUjdfNl3FWyy0yVASu5sBQugiIetmM0eKTsq3HkUWe1H-dTlZtal42Ui_YW97sJxRQTqtgcIWYW1kYyRHhCpzsW5azh_wVm5U/s640/Norwich-vs-Brighton.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br />

Norwich v Brighton: A Friday night thriller fancied in Norfolk

Norwich v Brighton Friday, 21st April, 19:45 Live on Sky Sports 1 Norwich Norwich 's slim hopes of securing a play-off spot were ...

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