Boxing Picks 2026- Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic (Saturday 29th August)

As fans continue to be frustrated at hearing the back and forth regarding the potential Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua bout, the attention should really move past two Heavyweights who have had stellar careers, but whose best days are now behind them.

Instead, fight fans should be very excited to see if Moses Itauma can move from potential to prospect to contender and now to World Champion.

There has long been an excitement around the young British Heavyweight and the fracture of the World Titles has given Moses Itauma a big opportunity to pick up a World Title.

If he can do that, Queensberry are almost certainly going to begin the long build to a monster Stadium showdown between Daniel Dubois and Moses Itauma with the former already holding a World Title and both under the same promotional banner.

However, before we begin to think about, Moses Itauma has a big night in front of him and that is the leading fight of this weekend.

There is also a very decent main event run by MVP, who are heavily promoting the female side of the sport, and both Mikaela Mayer and Chantelle Cameron are amongst the best on this side of the sport.

It should be an interesting card using the Britain vs USA angle and the hope is that the timings will mean the main events are not clashing on Saturday night.

Moses Itauma vs Filip Hrgovic

The Heavyweight Division is not as deep as some would hope and that does make it tough to determine the speed in which any prospect should be pushed forward.

Some have found the leaps too much between domestic level into world level (Jared Anderson is a case in point of recent times), but others have managed to do that and put together solid careers (Anthony Joshua).

One criticism of the AJ career is that he was having to learn on the job having become a World Champion before he was able to iron out the creases in his skills. That is a potential fear for Moses Itauma, but it is very difficult to slow down the progress when someone has been shining as much as the youngster has been.

Wins over Dillian Whyte and Jermaine Franklin Jr look solid on paper, but the former is nowhere near his best, while the latter gave Rounds to Whyte and Anthony Joshua a few years and has never kicked on from that.

Finishing both in the manner he did will have given Moses Itauma's fans a huge amount of confidence in their man, but there is no doubting that this World Title bout is against someone who will be coming in with a lot more belief than anyone Itauma has faced before.

Filip Hrgovic has perhaps flattered to deceive at the very highest level and that makes it difficult believe in him as much as he may believe in himself.

Wins over Joe Joyce, David Adeleye and Dave Allen has pushed Filip Hrgovic into this opportunity, but none of those are all that impressive and this is a big step up for him. It is certainly the biggest test since Hrgovic was beaten by Daniel Dubois in June 2024 and the worry is that the big Croatian is not going to be able to get away with those moments when he looks to take a rest within Rounds.

A bigger concern is that Filip Hrgovic is a fighter that is confident stopping punches with his face and eventually that chin is not going to be able to stand up to big shots as Joe Joyce would tell anyone.

This also brings cuts back into play, which is way Daniel Dubois forced the Stoppage against Filip Hrgovic, and the sharpness and speed of Moses Itauma should see him break down his man.

Durability is something Hrgovic can lean upon, but there is so many times you can take clean shots from big punchers and El Animal may not be able to push Moses Itauma as deep into this bout as perhaps some believe.

A mid-fight Stoppage looks most likely once Moses Itauma racks up the big shots on Filip Hrgovic and a new British headliner will be able to step into the full limelight.

It may not be the depth of undercard fans have been spoiled with in recent times, but there is a solid support to the main event in London.

Constantin Ursu is going to be defending his British Welterweight Title and he can do enough to beat Ben Vaughan, although the manner of the victory is much more difficult to determine.

There are also a number of Heavyweight fights on the undercard and 41 year old, unbeaten Albanian Nelson Hysa may be set to face one of the top British names if he can get through his bout.

He is up against an unbeaten opponent and both Hysa and Thomas Narmo have plenty of Stoppages on the record, but the older fighter may have more experience at a higher level and he can come through a firefight.

Sam Noakes improved his stock in a losing effort last year and he is another who can go through the gears and ensure a finish against veteran Denys Berinchyk who is returning after an eighteen month absence.

The MVP card is a potentially entertaining one, but the main event looks tough to call and the undercard is filled with contests that are likely to be decided on the cards, which is what the layers are going to be guarding against.

Instead, in the early hours of Sunday morning, Lester Martinez can show what he has been learning from sparring with Bud Crawford as he looks to become a World Champion in the Super Middleweight Division.

His stock has risen after a controversial draw with Christian Mbilii, who is going on to fight Canelo Alvarez, and Luka Plantic is stepping up a couple of levels.

Fighting out of the southpaw stance will make Plantic awkward, but Lester Martinez will have the time he needs to force a Stoppage as he moves through the gears.

MY PICKS: Moses Itauma Win Between 5-8 @ 3.10 William Hill (1 Unit)

Nelson Hysa Win Between 1-5 @ 2.00 Coral (2 Units)

Sam Noakes to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)

Lester Martinez to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.30 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2026: 22-40, - 15.36 Units (97 Units Staked, - 15.84% Yield)

European Tour 11- Hungarian Darts Trophy Day 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 29th August)

The Seeded players will move into the Hungarian Darts Trophy draw after the First Round was completed in Budapest on Friday and this is a European Tour event that has been able to bring together some of the best players on the Tour.

James Wade was the latest to withdraw, albeit after the draw was made, but that may harden Luke Humphries into favouritism for the title, although the European stages do throw up plenty of opportunities for any player that can find a way into Finals day.

Big names means big matches and those attending the Sessions on Day 2 of this tournament should be viewing some top darts being thrown.

Sixteen matches need to be completed with eight in each Session on Saturday and the positive returns on Day 1 give us something to build upon when those Second Round matches get underway.

Wessel Nijman - 2.5 games v Dave Chisnall: You can never dismiss Dave Chisnall when he is throwing his best darts, but we have not seen a lot of consistency from him all year.

Backing that up is the fact he threw four maximums in the First Round win, but also struggled with his doubling and ultimately that led to an average of below 90.

Dave Chisnall will not need to be told that he will need to be a lot better if he is going to upset the odds against Wessel Nijman, who has beaten Chizzy twice this season.

The most recent came at the World Matchplay and Wessel Nijman proved to be too consistent for Dave Chisnall in a 10-5 win.

Another strong run at Players Championship 27 backs up what has continued to be a strong year for the Dutchman and he can produce enough quality to cover this spread in a winning effort.

Chris Dobey-Tom Sykes over 5.5 180s: When these players met on the floor back in May, Chris Dobey and Tom Sykes needed to play all eleven Legs in what was a high quality affair.

On that day, Chris Dobey had eight maximums on his own, but Tom Sykes stayed competitive by producing four of his own and both players averaged over 100.

Tom Sykes has crushed Cameron Menzies in the First Round at this European Tour event and was able to produce three maximums in the seven Legs played.

The expectation for this Second Round match is seeing at least nine Legs played out and both Dobey and Sykes can pummel the treble 20 bed and help combine to rack up the maximum scoring in what could be a cracking end to the Afternoon Session.

Nathan Aspinall to win & most 180s v Ryan Joyce: The underdog may be getting better and better at putting the maximums on the board, but Nathan Aspinall will always feel he can outperform most players on the Tour when it comes to that market.

He has admitted that he has not been focusing on his darts as much as he perhaps should have been, but Nathan Aspinall is now married and that may mean refocusing.

Ryan Joyce will have to be a lot better than he was in the First Round if he is going to beat Nathan Aspinall- Joyce may have beaten Cristo Reyes, but can be thankful for a wasteful doubling day from the latter.

It should be said that Nathan Aspinall can sometimes may Legs tougher than they should be when he is slightly off the doubling and giving Ryan Joyce opportunities would be a mistake.

However, the scoring power should mean Aspinall gets to the double first and he can complete the match double.

MY PICKS: Wessel Nijman - 2.5 Legs @ 2.05 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Chris Dobey-Tom Sykes Over 5.5 180s @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Nathan Aspinall to Win & Most 180s @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Hungarian Darts Trophy: 3-0, + 3.21 Units (3 Units Staked, + 107% Yield)

College Football Week 0 Picks 2026 (Saturday 29th August)

Eight months have passed since the Indiana Hoosiers won the National Championship and that underlines the point that this is a new era in College Football.

Schools all around the country have figured the importance of being able to offer big NIL contracts to players and that means those traditional powerhouses no longer have the same advantage over others as they once did.

Conferences are deeper and much more competitive than they were and that is likely going to lead to an expansion in the Playoffs sooner rather than later, although no deal was completed to have that happen at the end of the 2026 season.

Changes to rosters have always been very common in College Football as players choose to move onto the professional level, but the NIL contracts do allow for players to stick around longer at this level and develop further before taking the leap into the NFL. It felt the case for some of the top names returning to College Football, including Archie Manning, although the schools have come together to currently ban those players who have skipped to the pro Leagues without completing College eligibility who are now pushing to be able to return to this level.

Dae'Quan Wright may have been suiting up for the Cleveland Browns, but took up an offer to play for the LSU Tigers in 2026, although it is a move that is still travelling through the legal system after the SEC stepped up and made Wright ineligible to play.

We are likely to hear how the courts decide that should be played out over the course of the season, although the NFL has made it clear that anyone who signs with a College team is not able to play in the pro Leagues this season.

Despite the new era of College Football with all of the NIL deals flying around, the usual suspects will begin the season at the top of the unofficial Rankings.

Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas all come in before the defending Champions Indiana and the Big Ten Conference has taken over from the SEC as the best at this level.

Well, that should say best at the very top, although the SEC remains a deep, competitive Conference that will see teams feast on one another having created a schedule where each teams play an additional Conference game compared with previous seasons.

Five SEC teams made the twelve team Playoff in 2025 with the Playoff Committee respecting the level of competition faced, but it is telling only one made the Semi Final.

Controversies are never that far behind, even with an expanded Playoff field, and the Miami Hurricanes being invited into the tournament and the ACC Champion missing out raised eyebrows. However, the Hurricanes made up for that by reaching the National Championship Game before narrowly coming up short against the Indiana Hoosiers.

Week 0 is a pretty quiet week as the College Football season begins, but this is an exciting time for fans and we do have an international game being played in Ireland.

Later in the season there is another being played at Wembley Stadium in London as College Football follows the NFL in expanding the game. This is a positive for the international fans, although those back home may be concerned of losing big games to places where those may not be appreciated as much as they would be in the usual setting.

2025 was a tough year for the College Football Picks and the last couple of years have been disappointing.

It is something that has needed some adjustments as to how picks are to be made and that will hopefully be seen in the results over the next five months.

There will be some ups and downs, but there were too many really poor weeks in 2025 and that cannot happen again, although the game is played on a field and not on paper so you also need to have that luck of the fine margins to move in the direction we would want to see.

TCU Horned Frogs vs North Carolina Tar Heels Pick: The College Football season will kick off on Saturday, but in Dublin rather than the United States, when the TCU Horned Frogs and North Carolina Tar Heels face off.

The two had contrasting seasons in 2025 with the Horned Frogs finishing with a 9-4 record and the Tar Heels at 4-8, which was most disappointing seeing as it was the first year under Head Coach Bill Belichick.

Off field distractions did not help, but it should also be pointed out that College teams do take a bit of time to implement methods of new Head Coaches. In the past, the impact may not be assessed until a couple of recruiting years to put a team together that could be competitive, but that process can be speeded up in the NIL contract era and the Tar Heels will be hoping the former New England Patriots Head Coach's reputation can do that for them.

The last recruiting class was praised, but Belichick may have hoped for calmer preparation for the 2026 season and has not been the case.

Michael Lombardi has been forced to accept administrative leave having had a complaint made against him and Bill Belichick's son, Steve, has been the Defensive Co-Ordinator, but has taken time away from the team for medical reasons.

A new Offensive Co-Ordinator is going to be asked to improve the North Carolina Tar Heels after the struggles of last season, and Bobby Petrino is very experienced at the College Football level. He is going to have a new Quarter Back leading the Tar Heels after Billy Edwards Jr earned the starting job, but the limited experience in College Football is one issue and he missed the majority of 2025 with an injury having started a couple of times for the Wisconsin Badgers before transferring to North Carolina.

Billy Edwards Jr is going to be tested by this TCU Defensive unit, even if Jacob Fields was told to leave the team after an issue with a teammate, and the problem may all begin up front with the Tar Heels unlikely to establish the run with any consistency.

That will force the Quarter Back into a tough spot as he has to take to the air to keep the chains moving and it may allow the Horned Frogs to win the battle of field position.

Last year, the Horned Frogs blew out the North Carolina Tar Heels as the road favourite and restricted the home team to just 50 yards on the ground. They are unlikely to be that stout again, but the Horned Frogs Defensive Line will feel they can win up front and that will offer them a big chance to control this game.

A new Quarter Back and a new Offensive Co-Ordinator will be coming together for the TCU Horned Frogs who are hoping to challenge for the Big 12 Championship and, ultimately, a place in the College Football Playoff.

There is a real expectation that the TCU Offensive plan will be much more balanced this season, while Jaden Craig becomes the starting Quarter Back looking to show the NFL what he can do at a stronger College level than he previously played. Jaden Craig played well with Harvard, and earned some interest from NFL scouts, but playing in the Big 12 Conference will allow the Quarter Back to put stronger film on tape.

One of the keys to the development of the Quarter Back is to avoid the big turnovers and Jaden Craig has shown plenty of ability to do that while preparing for the season, which will give Head Coach Sonny Dykes plenty of confidence. The Horned Frogs have Jeremy Payne back to give the Offensive unit balance as the leading Running Back from last year and the expectation is that TCU will have too much for the Tar Heels for a second season in a row.

It was a blowout last year and this one should be much more competitive, but TCU look like a team that will be amongst the best in the Big 12, while the Tar Heels are still growing under Bill Belichick. Being without the Defensive Co-Ordinator cannot be good news for North Carolina and a double digit win for the TCU Horned Frogs to open this season looks likely.

San Jose State Spartans @ USC Trojans Pick: There are many teams around the College Football scene who would be very happy with a season of nine wins, but the USC Trojans are expected to challenge for a place in the College Football Playoff and that has simply not happened under Head Coach Lincoln Riley.

This is the fifth season Lincoln Riley will be Coaching the Trojans and they have failed to win at least ten games since his opening season when a loss in the Pac-12 Championship Game cost the team a chance of entering the Playoff.

USC are just 16-10 in the last couple of seasons and things are not going to be easy in 2026 as they play in the loaded Big Ten Conference where the defending Champions Indiana and favourites to win the next National Championship Ohio State Buckeyes both operate.

It can be argued that the Trojans enter this season behind former Pac-12 rivals Oregon Ducks as well, but they can only focus on their own schedule for now. The next couple of months will see the Trojans have plenty of chances to prove themselves as they will be hosting both Oregon and Ohio State and playing Indiana on the road, but building momentum before that run of games in late September through to November will be the key for this Big Ten team.

Lincoln Riley is under pressure with the expectation around the Trojans who are bringing back plenty of starters and who have an experienced Quarter Back in Jayden Maiava leading the team on this side of the ball. After throwing 3700 yards and 24 Touchdowns in 2025, Jayden Maiava will be looking to lessen the turnovers having thrown 10 Interceptions last year and doing that will certainly put the Trojans in a strong position to be successful.

They are very big favourites to open the season with a victory over the San Jose State Spartans who finished with a 3-9 record last year having won at least seven games in four of the previous five seasons. San Jose State are overseen by an experienced and successful Head Coach in Ken Niumatalolo, but this is a team with low expectations as they continue what is a rebuilding project in the third year under this Head Coach.

You do have to respect the fact that Ken Niumatalolo will get the best out of his team and the Spartans were 'only' beaten by 31 points at the Texas Longhorns last year.

He does have a new Quarter Back in Luke Weaver after a couple of contenders were beaten out in training camp, but it should be noted that Weaver has limited experience of playing at the FBS level of College Football and certainly will not have been used to competing against team likes the USC Trojans.

Making things more challenging is that Luke Weaver and the Spartans are facing a USC Trojans Defensive unit that have a new Defensive Co-Ordinator in Gary Patterson and who are looking to show they can compete with the very top teams in the Big Ten. Players are excited to be playing in the system being run by Patterson, while his time with the TCU Horned Frogs saw the new Defensive Co-Ordinator produce a strong TCU Defensive unit year after year as the Head Coach.

This is a huge spread, but the USC Trojans opened last season with a 60 point and a 39 point win in non-Conference games and playing in Week 0 means the team have a chance to make an early statement to the rivals in a strong viewing spot.

The expectation is that the Trojans Defensive unit will be looking to really show up for Gary Patterson and that can create the turnovers and big plays to set the Offensive unit up with short fields. It could end up seeing the Trojans pulling easily clear, although there is always a concern with a spread like this one that a big lead can sometimes lead to a team coasting and allowing a backdoor cover even when dominating almost all aspects of a game.

New Mexico State Aggies @ Florida State Seminoles Pick: The end of the 2023 season will always sting those associated with the Florida State Seminoles and seeing rivals Miami Hurricanes reach the National Championship Game last year may only have added to the frustration that lingers around the Head Coach.

A 7-17 record in the last two years means Mike Norvell cannot hope that the feel-good factor of the 2023 season can keep him in charge of the Seminoles if they are not able to produce a much stronger season all around in 2026.

It also means four of the six seasons played under Mike Norvell have ended with a losing record and there is going to be little patience with the Head Coach if the Florida State Seminoles cannot build momentum into this season.

The Seminoles are big favourites opening up against the New Mexico State Aggies, but they move into 'prove it' games very quickly with the SMU Mustangs and Alabama Crimson Tide on deck. The ACC has been a pretty open Conference, but the Seminoles will need transfer Ashton Daniels to finally feel settled in the Quarter Back position having bounced from Stanford to Auburn before arriving in Tallahassee.

Florida State fans will be questioning the standard of the roster after pre-season predictions were made and the Seminoles are not expected to be one of the stronger teams in the Conference. This will not be good news for the Head Coach, but this opening game gives Florida State an opportunity to come out and make an immediate statement about what they can achieve.

Head Coach Tony Sanchez is not under the same pressure as his counterpart, but that does not mean he personally and the New Mexico State Aggies have no expectations of their own. After finishing with winning records in 2022 and 2023, the Aggies have had three wins in 2024 and four in 2025 and Sanchez is looking for the team to take the next step.

New Mexico State play in the Conference-USA and that means this is a significantly tougher opponent than one they would be playing in most weeks.

Last year, the one major school faced saw the Aggies blown out mid-season by the Tennessee Volunteers, and in 2026 they are going to be starting this season with a Quarter Back who is moving up from the FCS level, which can be challenging too.

22 Interceptions in the last couple of seasons suggests Trey Hedden could have to go through a quick learning curve at this level and Florida State may be able to create one or two short fields to really begin to pull away.

No one associated with the Seminoles is going to be looking back at 2025 with any fondness, but it should be noted that the team were able to produce two massive wins when facing lower level opponents. One was against a FCS opponent, but Florida State also crushed Kent State from the MAC and there is every reason to believe they can win in Week 0 very comfortably before heading into much tougher contests over the weeks and months ahead.

MY PICKS: TCU Horned Frogs - 8.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

USC Trojans - 38.5 Points @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

Florida State Seminoles - 30.5 Points @ 1.85 William Hill (1 Unit)

English Premier League Football Picks Game Week 2 2026/27 (Friday 28th August-Monday 31st August 2026)

By the end of this weekend, fans of those clubs playing in Europe this season will be able to plot out the schedule until the end of January with only the League Cup creating extra games and with a single Round of the FA Cup to be played.

It is an exciting time, but things can change pretty quickly for all supporters if a poor opening weekend result turns into a longer slump as expectations remain pretty fluid at the end of August.

This season the calendar has changed so there are five Premier League games, the Third Round of the League Cup and one Match Day of the Champions League/Europa League to be completed before we get into the first international break of the season.

A decision was made to make that opening break a little longer than usual as the Nations League gets underway in the UEFA Confederation, but it does mean teams have an opportunity to build some early momentum and allow new signings to settle in before they head away with international teams.

There are a number of teams who will be looking to produce stronger results in the second week of the Premier League season, notably Manchester United and Aston Villa, and it is the opening home fixture of the campaign for ten of the twenty top flight clubs. Fans will arrive with huge smiles, but things can turn sour pretty quickly, even at this very early stage of the season, and so it is up to the players and management staff to make sure that is not the case.

It all adds up to another important week in the Premier League, which is once again 'blessed' with a Friday Night Football match (good news for supporters who have to work being forced to travel for a game where you are almost certainly not going to be able to get public transport back home).

Crystal Palace vs Manchester City: Late goals prevented the early Enzo Maresca era as manager of Manchester City beginning with a lot of critics asking questions of the tactics employed, but the Italian will be hoping for a much more comfortable experience in the weeks and months ahead.

Manchester City did not play badly, but they were wasteful early and the defensive issues were clear to see.

A response has been to spend another big fee on another midfielder and Manchester City continue to be linked with a move for Enzo Fernandez to bolster options further.

Enzo Maresca should have a more settled midfield for this fixture, but he will be aware that Crystal Palace will be looking to recover from a disappointing loss at Everton.

The Eagles deserved more than they got, but they need this transfer window to close if only to see squad players settle down and focus on the task at hand. Being without Ismaila Sarr is a blow, but Jean-Philippe Mateta will lead the line and they should have chances.

Games between the clubs have featured plenty of goals in recent times and this Friday night offering could be another.

Fantasy: Erling Haaland is not likely to miss the same chances he did last week, but the standout play for Manchester City may be Phil Foden, despite a quiet outing. He was getting into stronger positions in the second half after tactical shifts were made and Foden still has something to prove to keep Rayan Cherki out of the team.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest: It has been a tough opening week for manager Oliver Glasner and things are not going to get easier when taking his Nottingham Forest team to Anfield.

The players may be reminding the manager that they have won here twice in a row in the top flight, but a new system is still go through teething issues and Nottingham Forest have struggled to create much in the final third in the first couple of games.

They will have seen the vulnerabilities Liverpool have in defensive areas, and Nottingham Forest can be dangerous on the counter, but a first home game of the season under a new manager should mean a decent atmosphere is created for the Liverpool players to perform.

A 2-2 draw at Newcastle United may not be a bad result in the long-term, but Liverpool will feel they created enough to earn the three points and they can get the better of this visitor on Saturday in the early kick off slot.

Fantasy: A new £100 million plus signing is set to arrive at Anfield, but the fans need to see more from the two who arrived last summer- Florian Wirtz had another 'nothing game' last week, but Alexander Isak can benefit from the chances the team should be able to create.

Bournemouth vs Everton: The key for Marco Rose is keeping hold of key players before the transfer window and he will be hoping Bournemouth may be able to bring in a couple of signings that could ease the burden on the squad.

The extra Europa League games are going to be challenging for the club, but Bournemouth fans will be very excited about the coming months.

It will be easier to remain that way if Bournemouth can put some solid Premier League points on the board sooner than later and they will feel they should have earned a positive result at Manchester City last weekend.

Everton arrive after putting two wins and two clean sheets on the board, but they were not at their best in seeing off Crystal Palace.

Work is being done to try and give David Moyes more options, but this has regularly been a tough place for Everton to visit and they need to be much more solid defensively if they are going to pick up any points this week.

Fantasy: There may be better games to target, but if Bournemouth are going to have success, Marcus Tavernier may have to maintain the form he has been producing for some time.

Coventry City vs Hull City: Two promoted clubs earned opening three points in the Premier League, but it is the Champions of the second tier who missed out.

Coventry City clearly had the toughest assignment, but it is Hull City who head into the second weekend of the season with the biggest upset having beaten Manchester United at home.

Frank Lampard will know this is a very important game for his team, but losing at Arsenal is not going to define them like a fixture like this one and that is what the players will be reminded of all week.

Both fixtures between these clubs ended goalless last season and there may be little between them again- Coventry City had been the stronger team when they met at the CBS Arena and that may see them win a tight fixture.

Fantasy: If you have selected defenders from either of these teams, there is a real opportunity to play them this weekend... The lean would be with the Coventry City defenders and Ben Thomas should retain his place in the starting eleven even after Ethan Pinnock arrived from Brentford to give the squad some Premier League experience.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United: The fans of both of these clubs may be a little unsure what to expect after the opening weekend results, although Tottenham Hotspur entered the season with the greater expectations overall.

Any team that has spent like Spurs will have raised expectations, but Roberto De Zerbi may need some time to mould the starting eleven together and facing Newcastle United has regularly been challenging in recent seasons for the North London club.

Tottenham Hotspur will sense the visitors have vulnerabilities at the back, but the pace in the forward areas makes Newcastle United dangerous and this is a fixture that tends to produce plenty of goals.

Picking a winner is not easy, but Newcastle United have enjoyed recent games at this Stadium and ultimately a 2-1 scoreline either way would not be a surprise.

Fantasy: The signings of Savinho (or Savio as he is now known) and Omar Marmoush gives Tottenham Hotspur some solid options in the forward areas, while the likes of Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro should shore them up at the back. One of the key performers in the pre-season was Mathys Tel and he may be ready to have an impact in what is looking like a potentially high-scoring fixture.

Chelsea vs Brighton Pick: These two teams could not have asked for a better opening to the new season and that should mean a confident match is produced when Chelsea host Brighton.

The last 8 Premier League games between the teams have all ended with at least three goals shared out and this has every chance of following that trend considering some of the attacking players that will be on the pitch.

It also helps that Chelsea are still looking vulnerable at the back, while Brighton play a high-line that can be exploited by the front three that the home team are likely to employ.

An early goal could really spark the occasion, although it is a shame for Brighton that Jack Hinshelwood is unlikely to be available after picking up an injury in training.

Fantasy: You could pick any of the Chelsea front three and be pretty happy, but Maxim De Cuyper has made a strong start to the season for Brighton and may be able to exploit some of the early defensive issues that have been highlighted in the home side.

Leeds United vs Brentford: Games between Leeds United and Brentford have tended to be very competitive and with little between them and it would be a surprise if that changes on Sunday.

Opening wins with clean sheets will have done both squads very well and they have backed that up by progressing in the League Cup during the week.

Brentford have displayed some really strong firepower in the opening week, but they have yet to find the balance needed away from home under Keith Andrews and that is the challenge for the manager to meet.

We know Leeds United will be tough to beat at Elland Road, but it would not be a surprise if these two teams end up cancelling one another out.

Fantasy: In the weeks and months ahead, both Leeds United and Brentford could offer some very good Fantasy choices, but this is expected to be a tight fixture and it may be a week where a moment of magic is needed... Where that comes from is anyone's guess!

Sunderland vs Fulham: There is a real concern about whether Sunderland have enough to compete with the added commitments of the Europa League and the late goal to lose at Portman Road will feel like a bitter blow to open this season.

The record at the Stadium of Light was impressive last season, but the underlying data is a little more concerning and Sunderland have struggled to deal with Fulham in recent years.

Alvaro Arbeloa's men earned the first win of the season against Wimbledon in the League Cup, but they will need to be better defensively than they showed against Chelsea and this is yet another team that will be having to get through some growing pains.

Fulham still retain some real quality though and both of these teams may have to share the points to get off the mark in the top flight in 2026/27.

Fantasy: This is another fixture where there is little between the teams, but Gonzalo Garcia has made a strong start to the campaign and looks like he will do a very good job for Fulham. The West London club have a decent record in recent visits to Sunderland and it may be Garcia who helps them edge this one as well, if they are going to earn an edge.

Manchester United vs Ipswich Town: The big concern for Manchester United in the aftermath of the loss to Hull City is that the performances during Michael Carrick's time at the club suggested a result like that one was not too far away.

Once again Manchester United have not been able to exert their strength on a team they should beat, but the results and performances away from home have now become a serious concern with little sign that the former will be sustainable without the latter.

Manchester United are back at home this weekend and it should be said that they have generally been a lot better at Old Trafford compared with playing away from home. The numbers back that up and a reaction is expected from a squad that has enough talent to win a game like this one.

Ipswich Town have nothing to lose and an early Premier League win will have done the squad the world of good, but they are going to do well to contain Manchester United on Sunday.

Set pieces looks the best avenue for Ipswich Town after seeing fellow promoted club Hull City exploit those last week, but Manchester United have tended to be pretty comfortable at Old Trafford and that can be underlined by the final score.

Fantasy: Any time Manchester United play at home, Bruno Fernandes will stand out for fantasy purposes, but it was Bryan Mbeumo who produced the biggest threatening moments last week and he is likely going to be a focal point of the attack again.

Aston Villa vs Arsenal: Opening weekend results can lead to grand statements being made about prospects of teams going forward and you will likely hear everyone suggesting Arsenal will win comfortably at Villa Park on Monday night.

Aston Villa lost 4-0 at Brighton forty-eight hours after Arsenal opened the new season with a 3-0 home win over Coventry City and those contrasting fortunes have meant the Champions go into this fixture as big favourites.

It has been feast or famine for Arsenal when visiting Villa Park since Unai Emery took charge of Aston Villa and this is a manager who will have been working his players to extract a big reaction from them.

The gut feeling is that we will see a big reaction from Aston Villa, but Arsenal still have a lot of quality and new signing Christos Tzolis has made an early impact.

He does not shy away from getting into shooting positions and Aston Villa were hurt on the right side of the defence in the heavy defeat at the Amex Stadium. Instead of backing a winner, backing Tzolis to hit the target with what is likely to be at least two or three efforts on goal looks the best way to be involved this Bank Holiday Monday.

Fantasy: The name has already been mentioned and it is Christos Tzolis who can continue to make an early impact for Arsenal having already been involved in creating goals against Manchester City and Coventry City.

MY PICKS: Crystal Palace-Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.65 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Liverpool - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Bournemouth @ 2.10 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Coventry City-Hull City Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Tottenham Hotspur-Newcastle United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.65 William Hill (1 Unit)

Chelsea-Brighton Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.61 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Leeds-Brentford Draw @ 3.50 Bet Fred (0.5 Units)

Sunderland-Fulham Draw @ 3.40 Bet Fred (0.5 Units)

Manchester United - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.88 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Christos Tzolis Over 0.5 Shots on Target @ 1.61 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Premier League 26/27: 4-6, - 0.18 Units (9 Units Staked, - 2% Yield)

2026 World Cup: 57-45-1, + 8.63 Units (103 Units Staked, + 8.38% Yield)

European Tour 11- Hungarian Darts Trophy Day 1 Picks 2026 (Friday 29th August)

Four months remain of the calendar year and the Darts Tour is now fast approaching the World Championship that begins in December, but finishes in January, and is now considered a part and parcel of the Christmas period.

Before we get to the World Championships, there are some important events to be played and the European Tour will take centre stage across the next three weekends.

The floor events are now coming to a close with just six of those remaining before the field for the Players Championship is confirmed and that will mean there is some pressure on Luke Littler- he has dominated all of the big events played this year, but Littler needs to have a couple of very strong runs in the two Players Championship events left in Leicester if he is going to earn a spot at the Players Championship Finals after competing just twice on the floor all year.

Luke Littler is missing in Hungary this weekend, as is Gerwyn Price, but a solid field has come together for the eleventh European Tour event of the season.

As is the norm for these European Tour events, the First Round will be played in two Sessions on Friday before the Seeded players join and complete the Second Round across two Sessions on Saturday.

A busy Sunday will then be played out to determine the Champion of the Hungarian Darts Trophy as players look to pick up their form ahead of a very busy, competitive, and hugely important final four months of the season.

William O'Connor to win & most 180s v Samuel Price: Any player who has Qualified to take part in any European Tour event has to be respected, but Samuel Price has shown little recent form on the floor.

Earning his Tour Card earlier this season shows the kind of level Samuel Price can reach, but his first appearance on the European Tour ended in a one sided loss. The World Number 135 has also struggled for consistency in his time on the Tour, but this is all a learning curve for Samuel Price who can use that to build a much twelve months.

Early defeats in the Players Championship events played earlier this week can only have dented any confidence Samuel Price may have had ahead of this trip to Hungary.

William O'Connor showed a bit more consistency, and had been producing the stronger numbers and he can edge this First Round contest.

The Irishman is regularly a big maximum hitter and can complete the match double in this match, while that will also help William O'Connor make amends for an early loss in his last European Tour appearance.

Krzysztof Ratajski v Callan Rydz: These two players met a few days ago on the floor and it ended in a win for Krzysztof Ratajski, although Callan Rydz will feel he played well enough to have produced a more competitive scoreline than the 6-2 defeat may have felt.

It is the third time Ratajski has gotten the better of this opponent in 2026 and all of those wins have been in Players Championship settings.

Callan Rydz only earned his place in this tournament after Gerwyn Price made a decision to withdraw, but his recent form has to be a little concerning.

Motivation of playing in front of a big crowd in the Evening Session should inspire a player who has a huge amount of potential to fulfil, but Callan Rydz will have to find a way to ruffle the feathers of a steady opponent.

This has not happened so far this season and Krzysztof Ratajski regularly enjoys his time on the European Tour and can move into the Second Round.

Joe Cullen - 1.5 legs v Adam Leek: He has dropped down to World Number 31 after more inconsistent results, but Joe Cullen should have enough to beat Adam Leek who has been struggling.

The latter did earn an upset over Ross Smith in the World Series events played Down Under, but Adam Leek failed to back that up and he returned to Europe to lose his opening match at both Players Championship events played this week.

It means Adam Leek has lost eight of the last nine matches played and confidence will be dented.

Joe Cullen is not always in the most confident mood when he steps onto stage and can quickly lose faith in his darts, but he is also a heavy scorer when at his best. The two performances at the Players Championship tournaments played earlier in the week were underwhelming, but Cullen can do just enough to edge this First Round match.

MY PICKS: William O'Connor to Win & Most 180s @ 2.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Krzysztof Ratajski @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Joe Cullen - 1.5 Legs @ 1.66 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 117-151, - 20.87 Units (265 Units Staked, - 7.88% Yield)

Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2026 (Sunday 23rd August)

Three wins from the four Semi Final matches played will have just given the Cincinnati results a boost, but two more matches remain and two winners are the goal.

Both favourites look capable of doing that in the ATP and WTA Finals to be played on Sunday, but you can read the selections and the reasons for them below.

Arthur Fils - 2.5 games v Frances Tiafoe: The likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner may have been missing, but there were plenty of big names playing in Cincinnati over the last week and so credit has to be given to both Arthur Fils and Frances Tiafoe for navigating the draw and reaching the Final.

It is a big match for both, especially ahead of what could be a wide open US Open.

Both have earned top 10 wins to reach the Final and so they have gotten through some hard work to reach this stage, but it is Arthur Fils who has impressed that much more than Frances Tiafoe.

His numbers have been really impressive in Cincinnati and Arthur Fils has previously beaten Frances Tiafoe on a United States hard court and there is every reason to believe he can do that again.

The serve has been important for both players, but there had been one or two signs in the Semi Final that Tiafoe has perhaps begun to be worn down after a long week.

Arthur Fils remained impressive in his straight sets win over Flavio Cobolli and his current level looks like it is going to be guiding right to the biggest title he has earned in his young career.

Coco Gauff- 1.5 games v Jessica Pegula: Two compatriots, and very good friends, will compete for the Cincinnati title and this is a chance to lay down the perfect marker ahead of the US Open.

Both Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula have enjoyed considerable success at the home Grand Slam, which begins next weekend, and they will be expecting to go very close to winning the title in New York City.

Coco Gauff has done that before, while Jessica Pegula has come up narrowly short and the top of the draw looks pretty wide open with these two firmly amongst the favourites.

It is Jessica Pegula who has the head to head lead, but Coco Gauff has won three of the last four matches, including a big Wimbledon Quarter Final win.

Jessica Pegula had won the first three hard court matches between the pair, but Coco Gauff rallied for consecutive wins before the former came through a competitive match in Riyadh at the WTA Finals last November.

Tactics have been switched up by Coco Gauff here with a desire to get to the net where she can and it is the World Number 4 who has produced the stronger numbers in Cincinnati.

However, Jessica Pegula can state she has come through the tougher path to reach the Final, although you do have to wonder if the three set Semi Final win in a match that lasted almost three hours will be a factor here. That makes it consecutive tough wins for Jessica Pegula and with the limited rest, it could just give Coco Gauff the edge to secure this title.

It should be noted that Gauff played the last of the four Semi Final matches on Saturday, but it turned into a pretty routine win in a little over an hour and recent head to heads between the players have just been edged by the lower Ranked of these two high-quality players.

MY PICKS: Arthur Fils - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Coco Gauff - 1.5 Games @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Cincinnati Update: 20-20, - 3.18 Units (36 Units Staked, - 8.83% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2026- Rolando Romero vs Teofimo Lopez (Saturday 22nd August)

There has been a lot of back and forth about the conditions for the Tyson Fury fight against Anthony Joshua and I cannot be the only person who is getting bored of all the talk.

In reality, it feels like this might be more 'exciting' than the fight judging by the last performances produced by both, but we just need to hear an announcement about what is going to happen either way.

At least this weekend there is a decent main event over in the United States and that comes after some British action in London.

Rolando Romero vs Teofimo Lopez

These two fighters have been involved in plenty of big nights throughout their careers and the WBA Welterweight World Title is going to be on the line when Rolly Romero defends against Teofimo Lopez.

Earlier this year, The Takeover failed to materialise when Lopez was beaten very comfortably by Shakur Stevenson, but he has chosen to move up in weight and bid for another World Title.

If you are going to be critical of Teofimo Lopez, you would have to say the inconsistent performances have been a blight on his career and the loss to Stevenson suggests he is not quite at elite level. However, Teofimo Lopez has been able to raise his level to beat a number of very solid fighters and that makes him the right favourite in this bout.

Credit has to be given to Rolly Romero for the win over Ryan Garcia, although plenty will have criticised the performance produced by the latter back in May 2025.

That is also the last time Romero has been out in the ring and the lack of activity is one issue.

The other is that Rolly has not really ever been an elite fighter and his two losses to Gervonta Davis and Isaac Cruz back up that statement. Beating Ryan Garcia is a creditable win, but you have to factor in the level produced by the opponent and it is unlikely that Teofimo Lopez will drop as significantly.

A bigger question is whether Teofimo Lopez can follow the likes of Davis and Cruz and force a Stoppage? Rolly Romero is pretty predictable with the way he approaches his boxing and Lopez has a left hook that looks like it will be tailor-made for this bout.

Four years have passed since Teofimo Lopez last produced a finish, but he should have his opportunities in this one and backing him to do so is worth an interest.

On the undercard, Yoenli Hernandez should continue his path towards the top of the wide open Middleweight Division.

Winning on Saturday should mean Hernandez is fighting for a World Title next time out and he should be too big and too strong for Francisco Daniel Veron who is moving up from the Light Middleweight Division with a solid looking 17-1 record.

However, the one step up at that weight saw Veron dropped and beaten by Brandon Adams on the cards and Yoenli Hernandez has shown he has the power to go through the gears to force a Stoppage here.

In London, a couple of the Matchroom prospects can continue the development with solid wins.

George Liddard is further along than a mere prospect as he fights for the European Middleweight Title having already been a British Champion.

The 33 year old Italian Dario Morello arrives with a decent looking 26-1 record, but he is fighting outside of his home country for the first time and this feels like a step up compared with the usual level of opponent.

It is also telling that he has been dropped early in each of the last two fights in 2025 and is heading out for a maiden outing in 2026 and George Liddard may have enough pop to produce a decisive win.

The same is expected from Jimmy Sains who is fighting for the Commonwealth Middleweight Title that was vacated by George Liddard as he continues to chase his stablemate.

He has shown plenty of power and Tom Cowling may not be able to keep Sains from coming forward and showing leather.

The underdog has a decent record, but this is the first time he is fighting over Twelve Rounds and Tom Cowling could struggle to contain Jimmy Sains who can go through the gears and find a way to get this one done inside the distance.

MY PICKS: Teofimo Lopez to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 5.50 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Yoenli Hernandez to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.72 Coral (2 Units)

George Liddard to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jimmy Sains to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Boxing 2026: 21-37, - 10.80 Units (89 Units Staked, - 12.13% Yield)