Boxing Picks 2026- Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov (Saturday 11th April)

The run of Boxing nights featuring the top names in the Heavyweight Division began last week at the O2 Arena in London when a really poor refereeing display overshadowed the Deontay Wilder-Derek Chisora main event.

Another poor judging day in the United Kingdom will not have gone down very well with the fans and it is certainly something that promoters will have noted when thinking about bringing the fighters to this part of the Boxing world.

It hurts local talent on the 'B' side of the card as Gully Powar found out, but he raised his profile and is going to get another big opportunity to become British Champion and then progress to the world level.

A rematch has been ordered, which is the least that Powar deserved, but he should have been given the right decision by judges who continue to make poor decisions in the UK.

The main event of the night saw Deontay Wilder perhaps set up a bout against Anthony Joshua- he looked better than he has, but Wilder still looks a long way past his best and so the next fight may have to be against one of the big names in the Division before retirement beckons.

It should be the last time we see Derek Chisora in the ring, but you just never know with Del Boy.

Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov

Almost sixteen months have passed since Tyson Fury was beaten for a second time by Oleksandr Usyk and soon announced his retirement from the sport.

Like the 'boy who cried wolf', no one believed this latest retirement would last much longer than previous ones announced by Fury.

He is back and still in denial about the results of the two fights with Usyk and so a third attempt at becoming Undisputed is the ambition- Tyson Fury believes he won both previous bouts, but it felt like he was a close loser in the first one and a much more comfortable second best in the rematch.

None of that really matters now and Tyson Fury is making a return with some big money fights still on the table.

With Usyk showing little appetite for a third fight, Fury's team are focused on a long-awaited contest against Anthony Joshua, which will still garner plenty of attention in the UK at the very least. Some have suggested that the teams are already speaking about a match up in Dublin, which would be something of a surprise, but before all of that, Tyson Fury has to make sure he looks good on Saturday.

That is not going to be easy for someone who has been out on the ring for the time that Fury has, nor when you consider his last three outings.

However, this is a big step down from Oleksandr Usyk and Fury looked completely out of shape when narrowly edging past Francis Ngannou in what should have been a very straight-forward exhibition style win.

Arslanbek Makhmudov had a big reputation until being battered into submission by Agit Kabayel and was also beaten by Guido Vianello eight months later.

He has not been acting nearly as menacingly as he had been before those defeats and wins over Ricardo Brown and Dave Allen are not the kind of results that suggest Makhmudov is ready for this kind of opponent.

As with any layoff, Tyson Fury may need some time to really get going in this one, but he is not the elusive puncher of old times and instead is likely going to plant his feet and unload.

There is no doubt that Arslanbek Makhmudov is there to be hit and Tyson Fury may be able to roll through the gears in the second half of this contest once the ring rust is shaken off a little bit. The opponent is one that has been broken down before and Fury is capable of doing the same here on his return with a late Stoppage perhaps the outcome to remind fans of his qualities and capabilities in the ring.

The chief support on the card is featuring Conor Benn as his new promoters drag Regis Prograis up to the 150 pound limit for this Ten Rounder.

It will be a real surprise if there are any rehydration clauses attached to this bout and so Benn is going to be a lot bigger in the ring.

The name value of Prograis is not as high as it once was, while rumours around his fitness ahead of this bout had swirled and suggested he was going to withdraw. Even Eddie Hearn has suggested Regis Prograis was not fit enough to fight, but the American has downplayed all of those reports.

Back to back defeats to Devin Haney and Jack Catterall suggested Regis Prograis' best days at the top were over, but he has been given this opportunity.

Unfortunately it feels like he has been brought over to be Stopped for the first time and Conor Benn may be able to get this one done before halfway, even if The Destroyer is still vastly overrated.

Two Heavyweight contests also feature on the undercard with fighters looking to either take the step up towards world level, or avoid falling too far from those levels.

In a crossroads bout, two fighters who have defeats to Fabio Wardley on the resume meet- Justis Huni has not fought since his loss to Wardley in June last year, while Frazer Clarke recovered from the wipeout defeat to the WBO World Champion in October 2024 by winning one fight before losing to Jeamie TKV.

Frazer Clarke looked completely lost in that defeat to TKV, especially in the latter stages when he was fortunate to avoid being Stopped.

The Australian opponent in this one has quick hands and had Fabio Wardley in all sorts of trouble before the latter found a special punch, but Justis Huni will feel he belongs at that level considering how far Wardley has progressed.

His speed can just wear down Frazer Clarke here and Justis Huni may be more ready to finish the fight when the opportunity comes up to just get himself moving back towards the very biggest names in the Division.

The aforementioned Jeamie TKV takes on Richard Riakporhe with the British Heavyweight Title on the line.

This is a closer contest than the layers feel, but Riakporhe may just have enough to edge past the Champion.

Jeamie TKV is tough, resilient and will come to fight, but The Midnight Train should have a bit too much quality in the exchanges in his third bout at Heavyweight. He is going to have to use some of the athleticism to avoid getting caught up in clinches and have the Champion wearing him down, but if Richard Riakporhe can do that, he may have the necessary quality and accuracy to force a Stoppage.

Earlier in the day, there is a card taking place in Japan involving a couple of veterans taking on home fighters.

Pedro Guevara has only been Stopped once in a fifty fight career, but the 36 year old Mexican is only a couple of fights removed since that blowout defeat to Bam Rodriguez.

Losing to a pound for pound superstar is one thing, but Pedro Guevara is taking on 3-0 Tomoya Tsuboi in this contest.

The 30 year old is on a fast track and he Stopped another veteran, Carlos Cuadras, in Eight Rounds back in November. That was only the second time that Cuadras had been Stopped in his long career and Tomoya Tsuboi may be able to ratchet up enough pressure to do the same to Pedro Guevara.

In the main event, Juan Francisco Estrada is looking for a second win in a row since his own loss to Bam Rodriguez, although the former World Champion put up a much sterner performance than Guevara managed.

He has been inactive in recent years, which is not ideal for the 35 year old, but Estrada is expected to have too much for Tenshin Nasukawa who was beaten for the first time in November.

Juan Francisco Estrada is still highly Ranked in the Bantamweight Division and he can set up a bout with Takuma Inoue by matching the Japanese fighter and also beating Nasukawa on the cards.

MY PICKS: Tyson Fury to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.00 Coral (1 Unit)

Conor Benn to Win Between 1-5 @ 2.20 William Hill (2 Units)

Justis Huni to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.83 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Richard Riakporhe to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.00 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Tomoya Tsuboi to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.30 William Hill (1 Unit)

Juan Francisco Estrada to Win @ 1.83 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Boxing 2026: 11-23, - 9.72 Units (51 Units Staked, - 19.06% Yield)

Monte Carlo Masters Tennis Picks 2025 (Friday 11th April)

After making hard work of his Second Round win over Jordan Thompson, Stefanos Tsitsipas took all of his chances and dominated the big points in his comfortable win over Nuno Borges in the Third Round on Thursday to tick a winning selection.

We are moving into the Quarter Final Round on Friday with all four matches scheduled to be played- it was almost tempting to back Tsitsipas for a third time this week, but Lorenzo Musetti's performances have been strong enough to push back against that selection.

The feeling is that Carlos Alcaraz and Alex De Minaur will both win, but the handicap mark looks about right for both of those matches and just offers the underdog of covering, even in a losing effort.

That leaves just the one selection from the Quarter Final Round and that comes from the opening match of the day.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina - 2.5 games v Alexei Popyrin: Both of these players earned 'upsets' to take their place in the Monte Carlo Masters Quarter Final, although you have to believe Alejandro Davidovich Fokina would have been 'expecting' his win over Jack Draper more than Alexei Popyrin may have done when facing Casper Ruud.

The win for Popyrin deserves plenty of respect on this surface and the Australian has been using his serve to build pressure.

All three of Alexei Popyrin's wins have been in three sets and he has perhaps had a bit of fortune behind them when you think all three of his opponents actually created more Break Points in those defeats. Take nothing away from someone winning the big points to progress, but it is an unsustainable method and you do have to wonder if Popyrin could just run out of fuel in what is expected to be another tough clay court match.

His opponent has fallen down the World Rankings in recent months and comes into the tournament as the World Number 42, but Alejandro Davidovich Fokina is very comfortable on the clay courts. The Spaniard has also needed three sets in two of his three wins in Monte Carlo, but he has looked more convincing in his victories and that should give Davidovich Fokina some confidence to take into this Quarter Final.

The serve is not the most convincing, but Alejandro Davidovich Fokina is an effective return players on the surface.

This could be the key to the outcome of this match and Davidovich Fokina looks to have a considerable edge over Alexei Popyrin in that department. While not always being the player that can be trusted to produce his best on any given day, the Spaniard may still have enough here to win the match and cover this mark as the favourite.

MY PICKS: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Monte Carlo Update: 3-1, + 1.59 Units (4 Units Staked, + 39.75% Yield)

Monte Carlo Masters Tennis Picks 2023 (April 11th)

That was a rough opening to the clay court season.

While I will hold my hands up and say the Cameron Norrie was a poor performance and never stood a chance of recovering, the Sebastian Baez defeat to Jack Draper was incredibly frustrating.

He had three times as many Break Points as Draper, but the latter played every critical point better than the Argentine player. A match that saw Jack Draper win in straight sets also had Sebastian Baez convert 1/12 Break Points compared with Draper's 3/4 record on the day.

That is definitely a selection I would make again if I was given the numbers that they were both going to produce, but the fortune was not on the side of Baez this time.

A tough start, but it is only the start of the week. On Tuesday there is another loaded day in Monte Carlo as the First Round is completed and a few Second Round matches are scheduled to be played with more of the big names in action for the first time on the red dirt in 2023.

I will have a fuller thread on Wednesday, but time constraints means I will only place my selections below with the updated total for the tournament.

MY PICKS: Jiri Lehecka - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Miomir Kecmanovic @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Hubert Hurkacz - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Monte Carlo Update: 0-2, - 4 Units (4 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Monte Carlo Masters Tennis Picks 2022 (April 11th)

A solid week has been put in the books, but once again we have reached Monday and the Tour has moved on to fresh tournaments.

The WTA Tour will take a short break with Fed Cup matches the priority, but the ATP Masters at Monte Carlo feels like the true beginning of the run to the French Open.

This is a tournament that has plenty of matches scheduled over the first four days of the event with the Final set to be played on Sunday. Conditions look to be decent for much of the week, but it could be slightly windy in the middle of the week and wet towards the end.

I did have one pick from the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday, but that has not opened the week in the way I would have wanted, although Monday is a much busier day for the tournament as well as the Tennis Picks.

Diego Sebastian Schwartzman - 2.5 games v Karen Khachanov: The Monte Carlo Masters may be the one Masters event that players can choose to skip without affecting potential Ranking points, but it is a big event to start the clay court season for many. In most years a strong field will come together and this year's event feels no different with that point underlined by this quality looking First Round match.

Diego Sebastian Schwartzman and Karen Khachanov have had some tough battles on the Tour already and they have split four meetings two apiece. All of those have come on the hard courts, a surface you would expect to favour Karen Khachanov, but this is a match on the clay courts and I would expect Diego Sebastian Schwartzman to have enough to move through to the Second Round.

This is the first match that Karen Khachanov will be playing on the red dirt in 2022 and he has been a pretty average player on the surface since 2019. He only has a 16-15 record on the clay courts in that time and the numbers have been pretty steady, although unspectacular in that time.

Now Karen Khachanov has to face Diego Sebastian Schwartzman who had a strong Golden Swing on the South American hard courts between the Australian Open and the North American Masters events played on the same surface. The Argentine reached the Semi Final in Cordoba, before coming up short in the Final at both the Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro tournaments where the likes of Casper Ruud and Carlos Alcaraz have proved too strong for Schwartzman.

The serve is vulnerable and I do think that makes it hard to trust Diego Sebastian Schwartzman to cover a spread like this one, but he has long been a very productive return player on the clay courts. I expect that to be a difference maker for Schwartzman, especially on this surface, although both players have been able to earn plenty of breaks of serve against the other in their previous four matches.

You do have to expect the Karen Khachanov serve to have had an 'easier' time holding serve on the hard courts against Diego Sebastian Schwartzman than he has had in their previous matches. Now Karen Khachanov has to take on a player who wins a considerable percentage more points on the return on the clay than the hard courts and one who has a much stronger break percentage on this surface and I think Diego Sebastian Schwartzman will do enough to eventually cover this mark on his way past this opponent.

Jannik Sinner - 3.5 games v Borna Coric: Injuries may have seen Jannik Sinner forced to withdraw from both North American hard court Masters events played over the last month, but longer term issues have really stunted Borna Coric's career.

A twelve month absence from the Tour was ended when Borna Coric was beaten relatively early in both the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments. He missed the entirety of the clay court season in 2021 and has actually not played in a clay court event since being upset in the First Round of the 2020 Roland Garros which was played in the Autumn of the pandemic hit year.

It will take some time for Borna Coric to get used to competing on the Tour at this level again, but he will likely pick up some Wild Cards into the biggest events as he currently sits at World Number 199. The problem for Borna Coric is that he is likely to be handed some very difficult draws in tournaments he enters and that is the case here in Monte Carlo.

Jannik Sinner will feel he had an underwhelming clay court campaign in 2021 and there is room for improvement. Blisters saw his tournament end prematurely in Miami, but the Italian has been practicing with Novak Djokovic here and I think he should be ready to compete.

Playing on the clay will likely mean his superior match fitness compared with Borna Coric is very important and I think that will give Jannik Sinner every chance of breaking down his opponent in this good looking First Round match. When Borna Coric last played on the clay courts, he did not return as he would have liked and I think that could be problematic for him as he rebuilds his career.

I do think Borna Coric can have success against this Jannik Sinner serve, but the younger player is an improving force and he should have enough all around game to beat an opponent who is still not quite up to full speed on his return to the Tour.

Marin Cilic - 4.5 games v Jo-Wilfred Tsonga: The last few years have been very difficult for Jo-Wilfred Tsonga on the Tour as age and injury has caught up with him and it is no surprise that he has decided Roland Garros will be the perfect place to end his career.

He is likely to take in a couple of tournaments in the lead to the last French Open of his career, but Jo-Wilfred Tsonga has slipped outside the top 200 of the World Rankings. The key for the Frenchman will be to be as injury-free as possible going into the French Open so he is able to at least complete his matches, but it has felt very clear that Jo-Wilfred Tsonga is not really able to compete at this level as he once could.

Last year Jo-Wilfred Tsonga was beaten in all three clay court matches played and he struggled both on serve and return. In those losses, Tsonga managed to hold 70% of service games played, but he was only able to break in just shy of 8% of return games played and that led to some heavy defeats.

The serve has been productive in 2022 for Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, but those have been on the hard courts and it is always that much tougher to hold on the clay courts.

Jo-Wilfred Tsonga is taking on another veteran in Marin Cilic who had a pretty disappointing 2021 on the clay courts, but who has looked strong in 2022 in the build up to the clay court season. Marin Cilic will be the first to admit he has not always found his best tennis since the Australian Open, but a couple of those losses have been against solid competitors on the Tour and I am simply doubting that Tsonga remains one of those.

Marin Cilic will feel his serving gives him enough of an edge over Jo-Wilfred Tsonga to work his way through to the Second Round without too many concerns. His return game is also significantly stronger than Tsonga's at this time in their careers and I think that helps on the way to a cover of a big spread.

These two are meeting one another for the first time since 2018, but both Jo-Wilfred Tsonga and Marin Cilic will be very familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of the other. Both previous clay court matches have been won by Marin Cilic and he has not been broken by Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in those matches, while the big Croatian has broken in 16% of return games played.

This will also be the second time they have met one another in Monte Carlo and I do think Marin Cilic can win by a slightly wider margin than the 6/3, 7/6 victory he earned in April 2015 when both were Ranked inside the top 15 of the World Rankings.

MY PICKS: Diego Sebastian Schwartzman - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Jannik Sinner - 3.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Marin Cilic - 4.5 Games @ 2.20 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jaume Munar - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Pablo Carreno Busta - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Monte Carlo Update: 0-1, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Season 2022: - 16.48 Units (444 Units Staked, - 3.71% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (April 11th)

The opening Tennis Pick of the week came back as a winner on Monday evening but nothing really appealed in strong enough fashion on Tuesday.

I am focusing on the ATP Tour so far this week and the two events in Marrakech and Houston being played on the clay courts. A part of the reason is the heavy rain in Bogota and Lugano where the two WTA events are being played which means there are going to be a number of players having to do double duty to get the tournaments back on track.

Later in the week that may have changed and there is some rain forecasted in both Marrakech and Houston, but I would expect the matches to get through the schedule as expected on Wednesday.

The reason I don't like backing players in matches where they have to play twice in a single day is that there is a chance that the focus is lost and maybe they are looking ahead to other tournaments being played. It's different in Grand Slam events or the bigger tournaments that are played, but these are not tournaments with huge prize money and Ranking points to keep the motivation as high as it could be, while the fields in Bogota and Lugano are not the most impressive as far as I am concerned either.

By the time we get to the Quarter Final matches the quality should also improved, although it may be difficult to find angles then too.


I am beginning this thread with a couple of Picks from the ATP Marrakech tournament, and I will add any selections from Houston once the order of play for Wednesday is confirmed.


Andreas Seppi - 1.5 games v Radu Albot: This First Round match has been pushed back to Wednesday to account for the players being involved in Davis Cup action this past weekend.

Andreas Seppi did lose the opening Rubber for Italy against France, but he should be well rested since then and I do think he can get the better of Radu Albot on the clay courts.

The veteran is comfortable on the clay courts, but Seppi's numbers have not been the most impressive but he showed plenty of heart and character in his battle with Lucas Pouille in the Davis Cup. Andreas Seppi has also managed to keep his World Ranking in a decent spot thanks to his performances against those outside the top 50 and his numbers are much stronger when faces those players.

That is what he will be facing when Seppi takes on Albot in this First Round match and it does have to be said that the latter has decent but not spectacular numbers on the clay. The serve has worked well for Albot but he has not returned as effectively as he would have liked and I think that is going to be a key difference between these players.

Seppi has beaten Albot on the hard courts and grass courts previously and I think he can add a clay court win over him here. It does potentially need three sets to separate these players, but I think Seppi will do enough to win the match and he should be able to cover this number even in a competitive win.


Albert Ramos-Vinolas - 4.5 games v Alexey Vatutin: In the last couple of years Albert Ramos-Vinolas has not only picked up his form on the clay courts but he has been able to go deep into some of the biggest events played on the surface.

2018 has not started as effectively as he would have liked when taking in the Golden Swing in South America in February, but Ramos-Vinolas still remains a solid opponent on this surface.

The main reason his results have not been better than they have been is down to the poorer return numbers as he has not taken the chances to break serve. That number is significantly down on the last couple of years on the Tour which has to be a concern, but I also think it is a matter of time before Ramos-Vinolas starts converting a higher percentage of break points which should see his overall break number improve significantly too.

Ramos-Vinolas dominated an overmatched Wild Card opponent in the First Round, but this time he faces Alexey Vatutin who has come through the Qualifiers to take his place in the main draw. Vatutin beat Jan-Lennard Struff in the First Round to keep his roll going but he hasn't played too many players of that quality in his career.

In fact it was only the fifth time he had played a top 100 World Ranked opponent and Vatutin snapped his run of four losses to those opponents. Vatutin had been dominated by those top 100 opponents prior to the win and he is facing someone who is very comfortable on the clay courts in this one.

As long as Ramos-Vinolas doesn't take too long getting to grips with what is coming from the other side of the net I would expect him to win and cover this number of games on the clay courts.


Nicolas Kicker - 1.5 games v Tennys Sandgren: This match has only just got to the level I want to be able to back one of the players involved in the Second Round matches scheduled for Wednesday at the ATP event in Houston.

The layers are anticipating a close match and I have little doubt that Nicolas Kicker and Tennys Sandgren are going to provide a competitive match like when they met on the clay courts in 2017. On that occasion it was Sandgren who won in a three setter, but I think Kicker can get the better of the American in this meeting.

His numbers have been a little stronger on the clay courts although the big question is whether he can serve well enough against an opponent who has not returned the most effectively, but whose own serve will be tough to recover.

That was the only downside to Kicker's comfortable win over Donald Young in the First Round, although his own return was more effective than it has been for much of the season. There is room for improvement for Kicker who has not taken the chances as well as he usually does to break serve and that is likely going to lead to another close match.

Ultimately I think Kicker is in slightly better form than Sandgren who is still to produce a run anything like the one he had at the Australian Open. The American did play well on the clay courts last season which makes him dangerous, but I think Kicker will edge him out here and cover this number of games.

MY PICKS: Andreas Seppi - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Albert Ramos-Vinolas - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 William Hill (2 Units)
Nicolas Kicker - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 1-0, + 1.66 Units (2 Units Staked, + 83% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks 2018 (April 10-12)

Has anyone in red come down from the high of the Manchester derby on Saturday?

It was one thing preventing Manchester City winning the Premier League title at the expense of Manchester United, but the fightback from 2-0 down at half time in a 2-3 win will set Manchester United up for a fine end to the season.

The attacking football on display in the second half was night and day from what was seen in the first half and Manchester City have to be rocking mentally ahead of their Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg against Liverpool. Being 3-0 down from the First Leg won't help, and it does feel like Manchester City's season will peter out if they are unable to turn around this Champions League tie on Tuesday.

I remember how that used to feel as a Manchester United fan.

In the two seasons after winning the treble in 1999 Manchester United dominated the Premier League and won the title at a canter, but the losses to Real Madrid in 2000 and Bayern Munich in 2001 in the Champions League Quarter Finals were frustrating for both the fans and the players and ended the season abruptly from an emotional point of view.

That is going to be the case for Manchester City fans and players if they are beaten by Liverpool in the Champions League Quarter Final and some may also suggest an underachieving season despite winning two trophies.


The draw for the Semi Final in the Champions League and the Europa League will take place on Friday this week, but first we have to complete the Quarter Final ties. The four Champions League ties look very one-sided after the First Leg results, while the Europa League ties look like producing three clear winners already too.

That might mean less drama this week, but football has a funny way of surprising us when we think we have all of the answers and it could still be a memorable week in both competitions.


Manchester City v Liverpool Pick: Last week was a stunning performance from Liverpool in the first half which has given them a huge advantage in this Champions League Quarter Final. The absence of an away goal for Manchester City means they are a significant underdog to get through this tie, although the layers are confident they can salvage some pride by winning the Second Leg.

You can't deny that Liverpool have matched up well with Manchester City with the speed on the counter attack exposing the spaces that Pep Guardiola's team do leave behind.

They may also be playing them at a time of the season when Manchester City have been most vulnerable having conceded three times in back to back losses to Liverpool and Manchester United. The defeat to Manchester United would have really concerned Guardiola as his team were 2-0 up and in complete control of the match at half time but capitulated after United got back into it in the second half.

It is hard to imagine a situation where Liverpool are not able to add to the three goals they scored in the First Leg and that would make it very, very difficult for Manchester City to turn the tables in this one.

However they did show against Manchester United that Manchester City can create plenty of chances at home. Better finishing on that day would have seen Manchester City win that fixture by half time, but the concern is how poorly they have defended in the last couple of games.

Manchester City do have the quality to score the three goals they need, but Liverpool will be a massive threat on the counter attack. Ultimately I can't see Liverpool not scoring here and I think this is a fixture that will produce goals.

Last week I picked four or more goals to be shared out and had 60 minutes for one more goal to be scored. However I will go back to the same market and look for Manchester City to be a little better this week in front of their own fans, even if I think they will come up short.

Manchester City will play one way and that should leave Liverpool with chances on the counter attack and I will back at least four goals to be shared out.


Roma v Barcelona Pick: The First Leg has effectively taken this tie away from Roma but they will want to show some pride when the Second Leg takes place in front of their own fans in the Italian capital.

One problem with being down by such a large margin is keeping the fans involved in the tie when it looks like the gap is too big to bridge.

However it should also means the Roma players can perform with some freedom with nothing to lose against their more illustrious visitors.

Barcelona might just have put their remaining focus on the Champions League this season with the Spanish title almost in the bag and a place in the Copa Del Rey Final secured. However this Barcelona team does not look as strong as the one that won the Champions League in 2015 and they have struggled for performances and results away from the Nou Camp.

On the other hand Roma have played well at home in the Champions League and have won their last 3 ties here.

My fear for Roma is the fact that they are chasing this Second Leg which could see them picked off by a Barcelona team that still contains Lionel Messi. That could easily be the outcome of this one, but Roma have shown they are tough to beat at home and Barcelona have struggled for wins away from home in the Champions League over the last thirteen months.

Roma's recent form in Italy has been disappointing too, but they may just be able to challenge Barcelona in this Second Leg and give them something to think about. Backing the home team with the start on the Asian Handicap should give us a run with Barcelona not as strong as they once were, although I am looking for Roma to show plenty of pride here and not chase the big deficit they are in.


Bayern Munich v Sevilla Pick: The First Leg was the best chance for Sevilla to have a real chance of making it through to an unexpected Semi Final place in the Champions League, but defeat means they have a mountain to climb in the Second Leg.

The performance by Sevilla was a good one but ultimately the quality Bayern Munich had was too much for them and I think it is going to be much more difficult for Sevilla to try and impose themselves here.

Bayern Munich have been scoring goals for fun at home and at some point Sevilla have to try and come out and score the two goals they need.

You also can't ignore the fact that Sevilla have not been as strong away from home as they have at home and this is one of the toughest European venues for any team to visit. Bayern Munich have a really intimidating home record and the goals being scored should see them ease through to the Semi Final of the Champions League yet again.

They are being asked to cover a big handicap in the Second Leg, but Bayern Munich are capable of putting Sevilla to the sword in front of their own fans. Even in the Champions League Bayern Munich have scored plenty of goals in home wins and I think they are capable of winning this one by a comfortable margin to make a statement to the remaining teams in this competition.

Sevilla impressed at Manchester United, but this is a much different test for them and they have taken some heavy losses away from home. If Vincenzo Montella decides to send his team out with 'damage limitation' in mind it could be more difficult for Bayern Munich, but I would still expect the German Champions to be too strong on the day and win well.


Real Madrid v Juventus Pick: When you have a lead like the one Real Madrid have from the First Leg it is easy for players to lose some of their intensity in the Second Leg of a Knock Out tie.

That has to be the biggest concern for Zinedine Zidane in this Champions League tie although Juventus have to be feeling a little sorry for themselves too.

Much is going to depend on the Juventus attitude and you have to believe the veterans in the squad will be urging their team mates to play with plenty of pride.

However Juventus have found Spanish opposition very difficult in the last few years and have lost by three goal margins to Real Madrid (twice) and Barcelona in the last twelve months. They may also be more focused on the Italian title race now they have a huge mountain to climb in this Second Leg and Real Madrid may be looking to make another statement to potential Semi Final opponents.

Cristiano Ronaldo is in magnificent form in 2018 and he will likely lead the line again, while Real Madrid don't have to rest too many players as none are on the edge of a suspension. That should mean Real Madrid are able to dominate the Second Leg with their strong home record in the Champions League and I think Juventus could capitulate for a second time here.

Juventus were fortunate at Wembley Stadium when being outplayed by Tottenham Hotspur before stunning their hosts, but I don't think this experienced Real Madrid team are caught out.

It is tough to back a team on the handicap when you think of the lead they have, but I do think Real Madrid can win this one by a comfortable margin too and move through to the Champions League Semi Final in impressive form.


CSKA Moscow v Arsenal Pick: The First Leg has almost certainly put this Quarter Final tie out of the reach of CSKA Moscow, but they will still want to finish with some pride in the Second Leg in front of their own fans.

That won't be easy against an Arsenal team who will play a strong team in the Europa League as they look to work their way back into the Champions League and one who have the quality in forward areas to expose a slow CSKA Moscow defence.

The Gunners showed that in the First Leg as they hammered CSKA Moscow in the first half and I think they can get the better of them again.

Arsenal have won both away ties in the Europa League Knock Out Rounds so far and CSKA Moscow have been a little erratic at home in European competition. CSKA Moscow are also distracted by the battle for the top three in their domestic League and won't have been helped by the schedule makers which meant they played their last League game on Monday evening.

It may be the case that this game actually means more to Arsenal than CSKA Moscow and I think that could help the Premier League club earn another victory.

With the lead from the First Leg there is some doubts about how much Arsenal will push for the victory, but I do think they will have chances to expose CSKA Moscow on the counter attack throughout this one. The likes of Manchester United, Basel and Lyon have all won here in Europe this season and CSKA Moscow were also beaten at home on Monday night in the League and I think Arsenal can become the latest to do that.

At odds against Arsenal can be backed for a win in the Second Leg to progress to the Semi Final in comfortable fashion.


Marseille v Leipzig Pick: Both Marseille and Leipzig will understand the importance of moving through to the Europa League Semi Final as they chase a place in the Champions League for next season.

Both teams have a real battle on their hands to do that domestically so keeping their chances alive to win the Europa League is important to both teams in a tie which is in the balance.

Last week Leipzig beat Marseille 1-0 at home and that could be a huge advantage in the Second Leg which is likely to be another competitive match. An away goal would be very difficult for Marseille to overcome, but they can fall back on the fact they have won 6 of their 7 home Europa League games this season.

On the other hand Leipzig have won 2 of their last 3 away European ties including a win in Monaco which will be something they look to replicate. That should give them confidence, but Leipzig did have to play their League game on Monday night and didn't rest their key players for this Second Leg.

The schedule could play a part in this one and I do think this is going to be a really competitive fixture with very little between them.

However home advantage could prove to be the difference and I would not be all that surprised if this tie needs extra time to determine a winner. Marseille's recent form has not been the best, but they have performed well in the Europa League and I will back them to win this one.

I will take Marseille on the Asian Handicap because an away goal for Leipzig could really leave Marseille open on the counter attack. The Asian Handicap will return half the stake in the event of a draw too but I do favour Marseille enough to back them with some confidence.


Salzburg v Lazio Pick: The First Leg was a brilliant game of football with the pendulum swinging one way and then the other before Lazio were able to just earn the edge over Salzburg.

A 4-2 win means Lazio have a decent lead to take to Austria for the Second Leg, but they will remember how dangerous Salzburg were in Italy and will have to expect the same here.

For Salzburg they will still believe they can turn this tie around with the goals they have been able to produce at home, although the challenge will be finding the balance to prevent Lazio from extending their lead.

Lazio have scored at least twice in 4 straight away games in all competitions which makes them a dangerous team to take too many chances against and I can imagine this Second Leg has a similar feel to the First Leg. Both teams are likely going to give it a go and that will likely leave spaces for the other to try and exploit and both teams should play their part in this one.

The onus isn't on Lazio to get forward, but they have shown the quality to be dangerous on the break and Salzburg have to go looking for goals at some point. These teams could combine for another high scoring game as Lazio try to match Roma by reaching a European Semi Final and I will back at least four goals to be shared out on Thursday in what could be another cracking tie.


Sporting Lisbon v Atletico Madrid Pick: Scoring after one minute was the perfect start to this Europa League Quarter Final for Atletico Madrid and they dominated Sporting Lisbon for the majority of the First Leg to move into a commanding position in the tie.

The defeat Barcelona suffered from a really strong position may just have focused the players a little more to make sure they earn their spot in the Europa League Semi Final and I fully expect Atletico Madrid to do that.

The onus is on Sporting Lisbon to get forward and try and get back into this tie, but they looked some way short of the quality that Atletico Madrid bring to the table. It was almost like Atletico Madrid were content with their 2-0 lead and they could move up another gear if they needed to and I think that will likely be the way the Second Leg goes too.

This time Sporting Lisbon have to take a few more chances which should leave more gaps for Atletico Madrid to exploit and I think the Spanish side can record a third straight away win in the Europa League Knock Out Rounds.

Sporting Lisbon have to be respected for the way they have played at home in Europe this season with some tough performances against the likes of Barcelona and Juventus. However this is Knock Out Football and Sporting Lisbon have to take a few more chances in this one and I think Atletico Madrid win here to move through to the Semi Final with relative comfort.

MY PICKS: Manchester City-Liverpool Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.25 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Roma + 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.90 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Bayern Munich - 2 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Real Madrid - 1 Asian Handicap @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Arsenal @ 2.05 Bet365 (2 Units)
Marseille - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Salzburg-Lazio Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Atletico Madrid @ 1.92 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Monte Carlo Tennis Picks 2016 (April 11th)

The first clay court Masters event of the season takes place in Monte Carlo this week and it is a rare occasion when most of the big names have decided to take in an event that is not a compulsory one for Ranking purposes.

All preparations for the French Open begin this week in Monaco and it is a picturesque tournament that is clearly enjoyed by the players. It is a chance for the likes of Rafael Nadal to get his 2016 season really going on the surface he favours above others and to perhaps show there is still something in the tank for the former World Number 1.

Roger Federer also makes his return to the Tour this week having been out of action since the Australian Open although the top Seeds will receive a bye into the Second Round as is the case in the majority of Masters events.


After a pretty poor start to the season in terms of how the picks were going, the last few weeks have been much more positive and I am close to getting back into a winning position. There is still work to do to make sure the right picks are being made, but I am hoping the clay court season can help move back into the black and get this season moving in the right direction ahead of the French Open.


Richard Gasquet - 3.5 games v Nicolas Almagro: When you think of these two players, the immediate feeling is that Nicolas Almagro is the stronger clay court player. However that might have a lot to do with having a bias towards Spanish players on clay courts and the layers are right to not underestimate Richard Gasquet who has had some strong results on this surface.

It is still no surprise to see that Almagro's best results over the last few seasons have come on the clay courts and this is a dangerous First Round match for Gasquet. Almagro did reach the Final in Buenos Aires, but otherwise he has had some early losses on the clay courts this season and I do think he is short of the level of a couple of years ago following his return from an injury.

He is still good enough to give Richard Gasquet plenty to think about when he is serving well, but the Spaniard has been a little up and down with his performances all season. That is where Gasquet can take advantage if he is serving well, but this should still be a very good match to watch, especially when they both go toe to toe from the backhand wing.

I am looking for Gasquet to just have a little more out of his returning game than Almagro in this one and that should lead to a few more break points. If he can play those effectively, I believe the Frenchman will battle through to the Second Round behind a 76, 63 win on Monday in what looks the pick of matches to watch.


Grigor Dimitrov - 4.5 games v Filip Krajinovic: Grigor Dimitrov reached the Quarter Final here in Monte Carlo last season but it is going to take some effort for him to do the same in 2016. Inconsistent performances from day to day continue to hurt Dimitrov and prevent him from making a significant leap in the World Rankings, but he should still have too much for Filip Krajinovic who has come through the Qualifiers to reach the main draw.

The Serbian player remains outside of the top 100 in the World Rankings although that could change at the end of this tournament. It is a big gap for him to bridge when he faces Dimitrov and Krajinovic has not had a lot of success at this level and that has a lot to do with the serve which is not the biggest weapon.

I do think Krajinovic will have some joy on the return of serve though as Dimitrov can be erratic behind his own serve, but ultimately I think the Bulgarian will have a little too much quality for him. It will likely need a couple of breaks of serve in each set to get over this number as I can't see Dimitrov having a match where he is not giving Krajinovic some chances too.

However I do think Dimitrov will prove to the better player on the day and the clay should allow him to have enough success in the return games to come through 64, 63.


Guido Pella - 2.5 games v Pierre-Hugues Herbert: This is an interesting First Round match and I do think Guido Pella might be a little underrated in this one against the Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Of course the latter will be confident having come through the Qualifiers to reach the main draw, but Herbert has not really produced his best tennis on the clay in the past.

There is plenty to like about Herbert's game as he possesses a decent serve and is capable off the ground. I do think his movement can be an issue and that is probably a big reason he struggles on the clay courts where he has to extend rallies and really work the point out.

That will be difficult against Pella who has reached the Final of a main Tour event on the clay courts in 2016 and whose lefty serve can be an issue for opponents. I do think Pella is yet to reach his full potential, but he should be more comfortable on the clay courts and can make a big improvement to his current World Ranking in the next two months.

This match will come down to which of the two players is able to dictate behind the first serve the best. However I also can't ignore the struggles Herbert has had on the clay courts in the past and the difficult way he has come through the Qualifiers could also play a part in this one. After a tight first set, I expect Pella to take control and eventually come through with a 76, 63 win and a place in the Second Round to take on Andy Murray.

MY PICKS: Richard Gasquet - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Grigor Dimitrov - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Guido Pella - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Season 2016: - 13.60 Units (614 Units Staked, - 2.21% Yield)
Season 2015: - 21.81 Units (1812 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)
Season 2014: + 45.05 Units (1586.5 Units Staked, + 2.84% Yield)

Season 2013: + 21.74 Units (1251.5 Units Staked, + 1.73% Yield)

Season 2012: + 49.21 Units (855 Units Staked, + 5.76% Yield)

Season 2011: + 82.02 Units

Tennis Picks 2015 (April 11th)

Weather permitting, the tournaments in Houston, Casablanca, Charleston and Katowice will be coming to a close this weekend and the ATP Tour can begin to focus on the first big event of the clay court season.

The draw for the tournament in Monte Carlo was made on Saturday morning and the drop in Rafael Nadal's Ranking does mean that he is Seeded for a Semi Final against Novak Djokovic. These two are the clear favourites to win the French Open at the end of May and matches between them will give each to put a phycological marker down on the other.

However, Nadal has failed to win in his last two appearances at Monte Carlo as his previous unblemished record on the clay courts have shown some chinks in the armour. The Spaniard also has a much tougher path through to the Semi Final with some dangerous players in his section.

Roger Federer is the Number 2 Seed in Monte Carlo next week and he is another that might have hoped for an easier introduction to life back on the clay courts. Stan Wawrinka, the winner here last season, is a potential Quarter Final opponent for Federer.

The Masters at Monte Carlo will begin on Monday with this weekend set for qualifying there.


Madison Keys - 4.5 games v Lucie Hradecka: Lucie Hradecka needs to be given credit for reaching the Semi Final here, but she really should have been knocked out by Caroline Garcia in the Third Round. She escaped through power and some big mistakes from her opponent, but the former element is going to be matched by Madison Keys who I feel is the much stronger player in this match.

There is no doubting that Madison Keys is destined for the top of the women's game and the natural replacement for Serena Williams as the top American player when the latter hangs up her racquet. Keys might not be most comfortable on the clay courts, but the one in Charleston is not playing like the slower European clay courts and that has helped Keys dominate all of her matches so far this week.

Keys is yet to lose more than four games in any of her three matches this week and while Lucie Hradecka needs to be respected for her comfortable win over Sara Errani, fatigue may also be a factor. Hradecka had to come through the qualifiers here so has had to play plenty of tennis, but that might have given her the confidence to come through some tough moments in the draw already.

I can't imagine there will be too many long rallies in this one, and it might be a case of first-strike tennis, but I think Keys has more about her game and I like her to reach the Final after a 63, 64 win.


Andrea Petkovic - 2.5 games v Angelique Kerber: These two compatriots haven't met for four seasons, but it was Andrea Petkovic who won the last three matches between them and might be able to continue that run.

Andrea Petkovic has been in good form over the last couple of months and has openly talked about finally bringing her production in practice onto the competitive court. That has seen her pick up a title in Antwerp and reach a Quarter Final in Doha and Semi Final in Miami which will give her confidence to take into the clay court season.

It has been a very good week for Angelique Kerber too, but this is a rare highlight in the 2015 season which has been three months of disappointment to be brutally honest. It is the first time that Kerber has won back to back matches this season since Sydney before the Australian Open and confidence has to be in a much better place, although it can't be expected to be fully restored.

The week has been a tough one for Kerber, but battling through those matches will stand her in good stead over the remainder of the season. However, she is facing Petkovic in this Semi Final who has a real solid belief in where she is at and I think that makes the difference in this match. I think it will be tight with breaks of serve in both directions, but Petkovic can battle into the Final after a 63, 46, 75 win.


Jack Sock v Kevin Anderson: Both Jack Sock and Kevin Anderson had to twiddle their thumbs for hours waiting for the Houston thunderstorms to pass before booking their place in the Semi Final on Friday. Out of the two players, Kevin Anderson had to put in a much bigger emotional and physical effort to see of Jeremy Chardy in three sets and I do wonder if that has taken something out of the big South African.

The serve will remain a big weapon to get Kevin Anderson out of trouble and shorten the points to keep the physical strength up, but Jack Sock has been producing some impressive results since beginning his 2015 campaign.

Sock began his season at Indian Wells after injury and he reached the Fourth Round there before a Third Round appearance in Miami heading into this week. The American has produced some solid tennis to move through the draw here without too many concerns and he should give Anderson plenty to think about.

The backhand has always been the big weakness in the Sock game, but Anderson is much more likely to get involved in forehand to forehand rallies and that might suit the American. I do think the physical effort Anderson put in last night will play a part in this one and that is why I believe Sock, who has shown decent form, can win this as the underdog in three tight sets.


Fernando Verdasco - 1.5 games v Sam Querrey: It might have been a late start for Sam Querrey on Friday, but he quickly got through the challenge of Feliciano Lopez and now takes on the defending Champion Fernando Verdasco in the second Semi Final in Houston.

It has been a very good week for Querrey so far, but it has to be said that Verdasco has been in very strong form and clearly is enjoying being the defending Champion here. The Spaniard has hit the ball very well off the ground and has been serving well and he will need to do both of those against Querrey if he is going to progress to the Final for the second year in a row.

Verdasco will have to continue to serve well if he is going to put Querrey under pressure because the latter's major weapon is his own serve and earning a cheap way through those games. The fear for Verdasco is throwing in a sloppy service game like he did in the win over Teymuraz Gabashvili, because it will be much harder to recover going a break down in this match.

The American does have the head to head advantage over Verdasco and he has played well this week, but I think the defending Champion is playing with a lot of confidence and can come through 76, 67, 64.

MY PICKS: Madison Keys - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Andrea Petkovic - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Jack Sock @ 2.15 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Fernando Verdasco - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 6-5, + 0.96 Units (22 Units Staked, + 4.36% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks 2015 (April 11-13)

The Manchester derby will take centre stage over the next three days as another round of Premier League fixtures are played.

With that in mind, you can read my list of 10 names that are likely to take over as manager of Manchester City this summer.

I have also made a list of 5 ways Louis Van Gaal has turned around some of the criticism that he had begun to receive a month ago and those can be read here.

Finally, in preparation of the second Manchester derby of the season, I have compiled a list of 10 games which have taken place over the last five years which have had an important impact at both clubs which can be read here.


Southampton v Hull City Pick: This game is a big one for Hull City as they look to do enough to avoid finishing in the bottom three of the Premier League, but it is going to be very difficult considering five of their last seven games are against teams in the top seven of the Premier League.

Out of those games, the trip to St Mary's might be the 'easiest' considering the lack of consistency that Southampton have produced in recent weeks. However, the Saints have won consecutive home games which includes a fairly routine win over another struggling team in Burnley.

The lack of goals is a major reason Southampton have slipped off the top four pace, but they still have enough quality to hurt a Hull City team that didn't play well in defeat at Swansea last weekend. The return of Curtis Davies and Andrew Robertson will perhaps make Hull City a little more solid at the back, but the pressure of the situation could also lead to more mistakes.

Southampton don't concede a lot of goals at home too and that could lead to them having the edge in the game. Ronald Koeman will be hoping the 2-0 win over Burnley may see them turn a corner with their struggles in front of goal in the last couple of months, and I do think the home team can win by a couple of goals this weekend.


Sunderland v Crystal Palace Pick: It took something quite special to win the Tyne-Wear derby for Sunderland last week and those priceless three points may be key in helping the side avoid relegation. It was a vital victory on a weekend where both Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City had won and Burnley had also earned a point, although the 29 points earned by Sunderland are not enough on their own.

There will be hope they can use the momentum of the success of last week to propel them to a second win at the Stadium of Light in seven days, but Sunderland have to be careful of the Crystal Palace team that are coming to town.

Sunderland have failed to score in 5 of their previous 6 home games in all competitions before the win over Newcastle United and they had lost to the likes of Queens Park Rangers and Aston Villa. That isn't the most inspiring set of results and Crystal Palace will be heading to the North-East with plenty of confidence themselves having beaten Manchester City 2-1 at home on Monday night.

The Eagles have won 4 of their last 5 Premier League games and Crystal Palace have won 6 of their last 7 away games in all competitions. They have won games at Burnley and Leicester City in that time, two teams that have been struggling against relegation, while Crystal Palace have had impressive other wins at West Ham United and Stoke City.

Alan Pardew has gotten the best out of Glenn Murray up front, but he has been well supported by the likes of Yannick Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha and that pace will give Sunderland plenty to worry about. As well as Sunderland did in their win over Newcastle United, I don't think confidence is fully restored in the home side and going a goal behind might be a tough position to recover from.


Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa Pick: You have to give Tim Sherwood some credit that he has managed to reinvigorate the goalscoring ability of Aston Villa and especially Christian Benteke who had been struggling earlier this season. While the Belgian has already scored four goals this week, the defensive problems continue to trouble Aston Villa and they have conceded six goals in the last couple of games.

Those issues will be tested to the full by Tottenham Hotspur who might have failed to score in their last two away games, but who have scored at least twice in 6 straight Premier League games. Spurs have needed to do that because they have been poor defensively themselves and they haven't kept a clean sheet in that run of games, while they have conceded at least two goals in their last 3 games at White Hart Lane in the Premier League.

Sherwood is not someone who will ask his Aston Villa team to take a backward step and I think he will want them to express themselves at the club where he was the manager last season. He clearly believes Aston Villa have to score goals with their problems at the back and Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping Harry Kane can win the battle of the two in-form strikers that will take to the field on Saturday.

Games between these teams have been entertaining and I think both teams will create their chances in this one. There have been plenty of goals scored in recent games at White Hart Lane and Aston Villa seem to have found something going forward so I will back there being at least three goals in this one.


Burnley v Arsenal Pick: This is the fifth straight game that Burnley will be taking on a side that is based in the top seven of the Premier League and picking up four points from a possible twelve is not a bad return for a side battling against relegation. However, games are running out for Burnley to try and make their escape from the bottom three and they have to continue earning points even in the face of an in-form Arsenal visiting Turf Moor.

Burnley did beat Manchester City and draw with Tottenham Hotspur in their last two games at home and they have kept clean sheets in both, but Arsenal are expected to pose a different challenge. Both City and Spurs were not in the greatest of form heading into games with Burnley, but Arsenal have won 7 of their last 8 away games in all competitions including the last 5 in a row.

Prior to their last two results, Burnley haven't exactly been watertight at home and Arsenal have plenty of attacking options to cause problems. I don't want to dismiss Burnley so I do have to say Arsenal look short enough for this live game on Saturday evening, but I think backing the away side to score either two or three goals at odds against might be a decent option.

Arsenal have scored either two or three goals in 7 of their last 8 away games with the only exception coming in a 2-1 loss at Tottenham Hotspur. They are also playing with the confidence to close the gap on Chelsea at the top of the Premier League even if a real title challenge is perhaps beyond them at this stage of the season.

The Gunners scored three times in the last 20 minutes in a 3-0 home win over Burnley earlier this season and I don't think they allow Burnley to get away without being posed the questions in defence that both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur failed to do.


Queens Park Rangers v Chelsea Pick: A late Christian Benteke goal pushed Queens Park Rangers back into the bottom three during the week, but there were plenty of positives to take out of that game following the win over West Brom last Saturday. The players have spoken of their desire to ride that momentum into this West London derby on Sunday and they clearly feel they can trouble Chelsea.

However, Chris Ramsey is going to have to find the right balance between attack and defence against the pace of the forward players that Chelsea will look to employ on the counter-attack. While Queens Park Rangers have begun to score goals and will feel they can threaten the Chelsea defence, they also have to be aware of former player Loic Remy who will be leading the line for the away side.

Queens Park Rangers will likely have a tough time escaping the bottom three if they can't improve a defence that has conceded plenty of goals, including at least two goals to the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Everton at Loftus Road over the last couple of months.

Chelsea will look to become the latest to do that as they have scored at least twice in 4 of their last 5 away games in the Premier League, but it is their own vulnerability at the back that Queens Park Rangers will look to expose. Hull City scored twice against Chelsea in a recent game at the KC Stadium and Charlie Austin and Bobby Zamora can both cause problems in this one.

Games between Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road have been tight affairs in recent seasons, but this one looks like it could buck the trend. Last week Super Sunday was a let down for those who like seeing goals, but this game could provide at least three as both teams look to get forward to win the game.


Manchester United v Manchester City Pick: Over the last few seasons, games between Manchester City and Manchester United have been key ones when it came to deciding the Premier League title winners. This season is very different in that regard with both teams off the pace set by Chelsea, but this is still a huge game considering the top four ramifications it could have.

The losing team in the Manchester derby could find themselves being put under pressure by Liverpool on Monday evening when it comes to Champions League places.

The momentum is with Manchester United who have been producing some quality football in recent games and who have won 5 straight Premier League games. Louis Van Gaal isn't backing down from the reigning Champions either considering how well Manchester United have played at Old Trafford, especially the fact they have scored plenty of goals here.

However, Van Gaal is smart enough to know that this is going to be anything but a straight forward game for Manchester United considering the quality that Manuel Pellegrini has at his disposal. Manchester City might have lost again on Monday, but they had enough chances to win the game at Selhurst Park and you have to think they won't be as wasteful again.

Manchester City also have enjoyed playing at Old Trafford in recent years with 3 straight wins in the Premier League, including two by wide margins.

I can see both teams having their chances to score considering how vulnerable Manchester City have been at times and the manner in which Manchester United have performed. On the other hand, Manchester City can create plenty themselves and this could be yet another entertaining Manchester derby for the neutrals.

The last six games between these teams at Old Trafford have seen at least three goals shared between them. Picking a winner is tough, but backing there being at least three goals again between these teams looks the call.


Liverpool v Newcastle United Pick: Some of the tempo has come out of the Liverpool play in recent games which has been identified as the reason behind their losses against Manchester United and Arsenal by Brendan Rodgers. The playing surface at Anfield has also come in for some criticism by the manager, but Liverpool have to put that all to one side as their last chance to get into the top four in the Premier League begins this week.

Liverpool have to win their final seven games in the League and hope Manchester City or Manchester United slip up- the former has been in poor form of late and dropping a lot of points, while the latter still has a difficult fixture list to negotiate.

The loser of the Manchester derby on Sunday will be the team that Liverpool can begin to target, but they have to win on Monday if there is any hope left that Champions League football can return to Anfield for a second season in succession.

They might not have been able to pick a better opponent than Newcastle United- the Magpies look to be safe from the relegation battle, but don't have a lot to aim for in the remainder of the season and were beaten by Sunderland yet again last weekend.

Injuries have hurt Newcastle United defensively and John Carver is not getting the right response from his players, while they have suffered some heavy defeats in recent away games. Both Manchester City and Everton crushed Newcastle United and an early goal for Liverpool, who have won 8 of 9 at Anfield against these visitors, could lead to another collapse of sorts from the Magpies.

An extra day rest between the game at Blackburn Rovers and this one should only benefit Liverpool and I fancy them to win by a couple of goals at least.

MY PICKS: Southampton - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.93 Bet365 (2 Units)
Crystal Palace @ 2.75 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Tottenham Hotspur-Aston Villa Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.73 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Arsenal Total Goals: 2-3 Goals @ 2.05 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Queens Park Rangers-Chelsea Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.73 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Manchester United-Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Liverpool - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.17 Bet Victor (2 Units)

April Update: 4-3, + 1.70 Units (14 Units Staked, + 12.14% Yield)

March Final: 30-18, + 30.66 Units (88 Units Staked, + 34.84% Yield)
February Final: 20-24-2, + 3.19 Units (75 Units Staked, + 4.25% Yield)
January Final: 10-22-1, - 10.54 Units (57 Units Staked, - 18.49% Yield)
December Final: 25-19-1, + 18.70 Units (81 Units Staked, + 23.09% Yield)
November Final: 17-21, - 0.59 Units (69 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)
October Final: 8-18, - 14.79 Units (47 Units Staked, - 31.47% Yield)
September Final: 12-18, - 2.28 Units (41 Units Staked, - 5.56% Yield)
August Final: 8-22, - 19.92 Units (51 Units Staked, - 39.06% Yield)

Season 2014/15: 130-162-4, + 4.43 Units (509 Units Staked, + 0.09% Yield)
Season 2013/14: 164-185-3, + 15.84 Units (577 Units Staked, + 2.75% Yield)
Season 2012/13: + 4.42 Units (415 Units Staked, + 1.07% Yield)