Forgive me, but I am still trying to get over the terrible Fantasy Week I experienced as pretty much every decision I made for my team was the wrong one.
I'll get back to that on Friday when the next Weekend Football thread comes out along with my Fantasy selections for GW35, but this thread is concentrating on the Quarter Final matches to be played in the Champions League and Europa League this week.
Most of the Second Legs to come over the next three days are finely balanced and even the ties that look like there is a real advantage for one of the teams are far from over considering what we have seen in European competition throughout this season.
You can read my thoughts on the four Champions League fixtures and the two Europa League fixtures involving the English clubs below.
Barcelona v Manchester United Pick: The First Leg of this Quarter Final was an interesting game, but Manchester United had to feel disappointed they were not able to test a Barcelona team who are not as strong as previous editions. It does feel the best chance of winning the tie would have been at Old Trafford, but Manchester United have won at big away grounds in the Champions League this season including a stunning 1-3 win in Paris to make it through to the Quarter Final.
That is something that may be on the minds of the Barcelona players, but they will also know they are a much more secure team than Paris Saint-Germain from a mental point of view. Where Paris Saint-Germain have something of a reputation for being potential chokers, Barcelona are unbeaten in 30 Champions League home games and have won 27 of them.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is right to say this is a bigger challenge than winning in Paris despite the closer nature of the scoreline from the First Leg. Ultimately Barcelona are not known to blow leads like the one they have and they are a different beast at home compared with their travels.
Manchester United have won in Paris and Turin during their Champions League run and scored at least twice in both games so there is hope. The performances in recent weeks tempers some of the enthusiasm though and it would be a huge surprise if they can turn up the level after struggling in recent games to really impose themselves.
They key will be to stay in this one as long as possible and hope to exploit nerves for a team that have not reached the Champions League Semi Final since winning the trophy in 2015. It just sounds too far fetched here and as much as I would LOVE to be wrong again (like I was in the Second Leg in the last Round), I can only see Barcelona taking the lead and this time exploiting spaces that Manchester United will inevitably have to leave behind to get back into the tie.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have taken some thumping defeats in visits to the Nou Camp in the last three years and it could be the turn of Manchester United this week.
Juventus v Ajax Pick: The majority of the First Leg of this Champions League Quarter Final was dominated by Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena, but I think Juventus will be far the happier with the 1-1 draw that gives them a slight edge in the tie.
I think there will have to be some wariness of what Ajax are capable of doing when Juventus take in the 1-4 win the Dutch club had at Real Madrid in the Second Round, but being back at home should be a big comfort for the Italian Champions.
The team should be fresh with many being rested for the 2-1 loss at SPAL this past weekend and Juventus have been scoring plenty of goals at home. However they have been far from invulnerable here in the Champions League with 2 losses from their last 5 games played in this competition.
Ajax play with the freedom of youth which makes them very dangerous and they will believe they can score at least one goal that that they need to give themselves a chance of progressing. Balancing attack and defence will be the key and Ajax can't expect Juventus to defend anywhere near as poorly as Real Madrid did in the Last 16.
I do think they will have chances, but Ajax will also have to take risks and Juventus have been scoring goals for fun in front of their own fans. I do think there will be a situation where Juventus are able to expose their visitors on the counter attack to confirm their place in the Semi Final and the Ajax upsets end here.
All respect to Ajax for reaching the Quarter Final against the odds and for some of their performances to get to this Stage. However this may be just a step too far despite the draw in Bayern Munich and win in Real Madrid and I will back Juventus to win a game featuring two or more goals.
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: The First Leg was a real tactical battle between Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino, although I do think some of the criticism of the former was unwarranted. Of course he had to expect that Manchester City lost the First Leg, but it was almost a perfect performance in which Guardiola's team missed a penalty and were punished for one lapse of concentration.
A lack of an away goal is an issue here, but I think Manchester City will still be confident having had 3 straight wins over Tottenham Hotspur before the defeat last week. They were arguably the better team and Manchester City have won 12 in a row at home where they are not conceding too many goals.
It does feel like another tactical battle will develop as Tottenham Hotspur look to use the pace of the likes of Heung-Min Son and Lucas Moura to get the better of Manchester City. They will be looking to sit in and defend effectively and Mauricio Pochettino will be very much aware of how crucial an away goal could be for his team.
Pep Guardiola will know the same and, unlike twelve months ago, I don't think he will be pushing his team for the fast start they needed to try and overturn the 3-0 deficit they had at the same stage against Liverpool last season. This time I think the manager will be looking for control and making sure his players are concentrated defensively.
Harry Kane's absence is a blow, but not a fatal one for Tottenham Hotspur. I do think the potential absence of Dele Alli coupled with Kane's absence could be a blow and Manchester City can overturn the First Leg deficit.
The home team have not been conceding too many goals at the Etihad Stadium since the three conceded to Crystal Palace back in December and I think the first priority here will be to keep a clean sheet. Pep Guardiola will always believe his team have at least one goal in them so this feels like a fixture that could potentially be balanced for a while with my selection being Manchester City to win with a clean sheet.
Porto v Liverpool Pick: It will take an almost perfect performance from Porto if they are going to overturn the deficit from the First Leg and move into the Champions League Semi Final at the expense of Liverpool. The 2-0 away defeat makes it very difficult to imagine they can do that, but Porto did create enough chances to believe they can cause problems for their opponents.
Porto have been strong at home in recent games and they have also won 6 of their last 7 games here in the Champions League. However none of the players and fans would have forgotten the exception in that run which was the 0-5 defeat to Liverpool in the Last 16 fourteen months ago.
The home team will have to take chances at some point and I think Liverpool are going to be able to exploit those on the counter attack. The visitors have to find the balance of trying to manage this fixture to conserve some energy for big games coming up, but they can't afford to allow Porto to build some momentum especially with a relatively poor away record in the Champions League.
The counter attack is going to be very important for Liverpool and I think they are good enough to win on the day, although Porto can play a part too with the chances they were able to create in the First Leg. If both teams show even a little more composure I think they will be able to combine for a Second Leg that features three or more goals on the night and that is going to be my recommendation for this fixture.
My worry would be that Liverpool score first and knock the stuffing out of their hosts and the remainder of the fixture is played at a light tempo, but both teams have looked like they are capable of scoring goals when they go forward against the other and I do think three or more will be shared out.
Chelsea v Slavia Prague Pick: The First Leg in the Czech Republic was quite a tight and competitive affair, but Chelsea's win in Prague has given them the edge and I would expect them to make it through to the Semi Final of the Europa League.
The importance of the competition may have increased after the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday, but Maurizio Sarri has long been taking it seriously and Chelsea players have enjoyed their experiences in the competition. Chelsea have won all 5 Europa League games played at Stamford Bridge this season and they have scored three or more goals in their last 4 as they have been able to make serene progression through the draw.
I would expect them to have too much for a Slavia Prague team that have just hit a poor patch of form with 2 wins from their last 5 in all competitions. Slavia Prague have also been beaten in half of their 6 away European ties this season and I do think the pressure will be on them to get forward to try and get back into the tie which can give Chelsea the chance to counter attack and finish them off.
I can see that happening in the second half as Slavia Prague begin to have to take risks and Chelsea may be able to win the Second Leg by a slightly wider margin than the First Leg. This feels like a fixture Chelsea will be able to win by a couple of goals on the day and I will look for them to cover the Asian Handicap.
Napoli v Arsenal Pick: Any time a team wins 2-0 at home in a European Knock Out tie there is no doubting the very strong position they have put themselves in, but this Arsenal team are vulnerable on their travels and Unai Emery may regret not seeing his team take more of the chances that came their way last week.
Regret will also be on the mind of Carlo Ancelotti as Napoli missed some late chances to earn an away goal to take back home and now his team are going to have to play an almost perfect game to get back into this one.
A single Arsenal goal is going to put a lot of pressure on Napoli to find the goals to get out of the tie, but the confidence will come from 4 wins in 5 European fixtures played here this season. They have kept clean sheets in 3 of those 5 games including in both of the Europa League Knock Out ties they have played and Napoli will believe a vulnerable Arsenal defence can be exposed.
Ultimately I think they are going to have to take chances and that will give Arsenal an opportunity to at least grab one away goal which should be enough to take them through. However, I think Napoli may be good enough to find the win on the day and I will back them to win a fixture containing two or more goals.
MY PICKS: Barcelona - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet Victor
Juventus to Win & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.00 Ladbrokes
Manchester City Win to Nil @ 2.45 Bet Victor
Porto-Liverpool Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Bet Victor
Chelsea - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.05 Bet Victor
Napoli to Win & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.95 Ladbrokes
Showing posts with label April 16-18. Show all posts
Showing posts with label April 16-18. Show all posts
Tuesday, 16 April 2019
Saturday, 16 April 2016
Weekend Football Picks 2016 (April 16-18)
The Premier League title race and relegation battle is really hotting up with the majority teams into their final five games of the season. Some of those issues might look a lot clearer after this weekend with Norwich City hosting Sunderland and Leicester City looking to avoid the stumble that most have expected them to take.
Maybe this will be the weekend when the Premier League title race is reignited with Leicester City facing a tough home game against West Ham United, but that will only put the pressure on Tottenham Hotspur to get a result at Stoke City on Monday night.
It should be interesting to see how Leicester City deal with things because I don't think I've ever seen a team manage their emotions at this stage of the season as well as they have, especially without the experience of a title winning mentality behind them. For a club that has not been in this position for a long, long time, Leicester City are getting through their games very effectively but this is a big game for them this weekend when you consider how their season ends with visits to Manchester United and Chelsea to come.
It was a mixed start for the picks in April as I look for another winning month to get this season turned around. Hopefully this weekend can provide a few more consistent results to get back into a positive position for the month.
Norwich City v Sunderland Pick: With games beginning to run out on this Premier League season, this live offering on Saturday lunchtime really is a 'relegation six pointer' for both Norwich City and Sunderland. The home team are in the driving seat with a 4 point lead over Sunderland in the battle to avoid relegation and the pressure is on Sam Allardyce's men to find a way to earn the three points here.
Some may look at this as a 'must not lose' game for Sunderland, but the remaining fixtures suggests this is a 'must win' for the away team if they are going to overtake Norwich City. On the other hand, I think Alex Neil would be happy to take a point now, but a win for Norwich City might effectively be enough to take The Canaries too far for the bottom three teams to catch.
It will be a tense game with both teams knowing what is at stake, but both defences have looked vulnerable which suggests we could see plenty of opportunities at both ends. Sunderland will have to show a lot more composure than they did last week against Leicester City when those chances come, especially if Norwich City are as ruthless as they were when playing Newcastle United at the beginning of the month.
The layers don't seem to believe there will be many goals between these teams, but they shared out four in the first League game earlier this season. Add in the importance for both teams to try and win the game and I can see both teams pushing in the final moments of what could be an entertaining game for the neutrals.
My gut feeling is that Norwich City might have the momentum to carry them to the three points here, but ultimately I believe a 2-1 scoreline either way is the most likely result. Therefore I am backing goals in the opening game of another big weekend in the Premier League.
Manchester United v Aston Villa Pick: You have to credit Louis Van Gaal for finding a positive result every time he has come under pressure this season, but that might not be enough to keep him in his job as manager at Old Trafford. While Manchester United are now favourites to win the FA Cup, finishing outside of the top four would be a big blow to their ambitions and so they can't afford to drop points in this one.
The next two Premier League games are at Old Trafford and gives Manchester United a chance to put some pressure on Manchester City in the final Champions League spot. The first of those against Aston Villa should result in a win for Manchester United as the former European Champions look set to be relegated with a whimper.
Aston Villa have now lost 8 in a row in the Premier League and their goal against Bournemouth last week was the first they had scored in 5 games. They have lost 4 straight away games in the League and scored just one goal in that run and I think Manchester United can win this game without too much stress.
However I wouldn't want to be in a position to back Manchester United by a few goals because of the way they have played under Van Gaal. Not many teams have been put to the sword by Manchester United in the manner they might have been under Sir Alex Ferguson but I have still found an angle to play in this match.
For the majority of the season, Manchester United have played with enough shape to earn clean sheets and I think backing the home team to win this game while keeping a clean sheet looks the best option. That is a decent price being offered and beats backing them to cover any number more than one goal in my opinion.
Newcastle United v Swansea City Pick: Depending on what has happened earlier in the day at Carrow Road, Newcastle United could be drinking in the last chance saloon on Saturday afternoon when they host Swansea City. Rafa Benitez will know his side simply have to win this game if they have any chance of getting out of the bottom three and that will especially be the case if Norwich City beat Sunderland in the early kick off.
It has been tough sledging for Newcastle United as they have lost 6 of their last 7 Premier League games to fall into a big hole in the Premier League. They have been stronger at home, but the pressure to win this game coming from the stands makes this very difficult for Newcastle United.
They are also facing a confident Swansea City team who have won 4 of their last 6 Premier League games and who have begun to score goals for fun. They have scored at least twice in 4 of their last 6 away games in the League and Swansea City have to feel reaching that tally will be enough to avoid defeat here at the least.
This is also a fixture Swansea City have looked forward to with 6 wins from the last 7 Premier League games against Newcastle United. They have won on each of their last 3 visits to St James' Park and Newcastle United's defending in recent games has left much to be desired.
The atmosphere in the Stadium is going to depend very much on what has happened at Carrow Road earlier in the day, but this is going to be a tough match for Newcastle United regardless. The pressure to win games is huge at this time of the season for a team fighting at either end of the table and Swansea City have a little more freedom to play their football having reached the 40 point mark.
I will back the away side to continue their strong run against Newcastle United as well as in recent Premier League games. Backing them on the Asian Handicap to get something out of this game looks the right play to me.
Chelsea v Manchester City Pick: A much changed Chelsea team took to the field in their 1-0 defeat at Swansea City last weekend, but I expect a stronger team to come out at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
They will be looking to bring Manchester City back down to earth after seeing their opponents do what Chelsea couldn't in the Champions League and that is beat Paris Saint-Germain over two legs. Perhaps they will be looking to take advantage of any emotional and physical fatigue that could have set in while Chelsea had been preparing for this game, but it is a fixture that Manchester City can't ignore as they battle for a top four place.
Manchester United should have upped the pressure on their rivals with a win earlier in the day, while Manchester City also haven't been as strong away from home this season. Dealing with the pressure of a top four chase and trying to get up for a game after a big European night is tough for Manchester City, especially with another League game to come during the week.
However they have to like the fact that Chelsea have looked vulnerable defensively all season and have a number of players who are either just returning from injury, or will be missing out altogether. Those are in key defensive positions and Manchester City have the kind of attacking talent to cause plenty of problems even if they haven't been a free-scoring team away from home.
Chelsea should also have chances against this Manchester City defensive unit missing Vincent Kompany although the latter have looked a little better in recent games. Still, The Blues will be expected to push forward where they can in this one and I am expecting goals at both ends with a potential winner for one of these teams.
My gut feeling on this one is that Manchester City will be able to sneak the win and keep a firm grip on the top four, but I will back there being at least three goals shared out by these clubs for a third time this season.
Bournemouth v Liverpool Pick: The Thursday night Quarter Final win over Borussia Dortmund will likely live long in the memory for Liverpool fans and it is a big test for the players to pick themselves up from such an emotional occasion. With the Merseyside derby to come during the week, Jurgen Klopp may make a number of changes to ensure a strong team is played in that game against Everton and Bournemouth may be able to take advantage of that.
One element that won't change for either team is the way the managers will send their players out to play attacking football. Bournemouth and Liverpool will look to get on the front foot where possible and create chances in this game with nothing to lose for either when it comes to League positions.
Creating chances and scoring goals has been a feature of both Bournemouth and Liverpool games in recent weeks and that is unlikely to change here. I can see both teams scoring in this one and the fact there is nothing really on the line for either means they can push for a win to earn some momentum.
This game is not one of the live offerings on Sunday, but could be an entertaining one for those watching and I am backing at least three goals to be shared out.
Leicester City v West Ham United Pick: You can't argue with the statistic that Leicester City have only been behind for 20 minutes since Boxing Day in the Premier League. That has put them on the brink of winning the Premier League title as Leicester City have continued to find ways to win games and keep a healthy distance between themselves and Tottenham Hotspur.
They can put the pressure on their closest rivals by adding another three points on the board twenty-four hours before Tottenham Hotspur play their next Premier League game. However it will be far from straight-forward for Leicester City against a West Ham United that have to be feeling disappointed about their performance during the week.
A 1-2 home defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup ended West Ham United's last chance of silverware this season, but the players have to be chomping at the bit to prove they are better than what they showed. The Hammers have hit something of a blip in recent games which is affecting their ability to finish in one of the Champions League places, but they are a team that can score goals.
For all the clean sheets that Leicester City have managed, they have ridden their luck at times while Sunderland created enough last week to think West Ham United will have their opportunities in this one. Defensively West Ham United might give Leicester City a few chances too and this might be the third time this season that these teams face one another and produce at least three goals.
Both teams have some quality in the forward areas and I think they will show that on Sunday as they combine for a high-scoring game. It could also be the stumble that Tottenham Hotspur are hoping Leicester City produce as West Ham United are more than capable of winning here when on top form, although I will simply be looking for goals out of this fixture.
Arsenal v Crystal Palace Pick: This is a big game for Arsenal who are trying to stave off the two Manchester clubs when it comes to finding their way into the Champions League. Finishing 3rd is also essential to avoid having to play a Champions League Play Off in August when a large number of players will have played in the European Championships in the off-season.
They might be facing Crystal Palace at the right time with the latter perhaps looking ahead to the FA Cup Semi Final now their Premier League future has virtually been assured.
Now the pressure is off when it comes to winning the title, Arsenal have been able to put together some better results although they looked vulnerable defensively at West Ham United last week. However the attacking side of things has begun to gel together again and Arsenal have dominated Crystal Palace in recent games.
The Eagles are a very good counter attacking team which makes them dangerous, but the fact their players could be looking ahead to Wembley Stadium next week might mean they are not at 100% in terms of commitment. That could mean Arsenal are able to have control for much of this Premier League game and I think that could see them come through with a fairly comfortable win on the day.
That will keep Arsenal on the right path when it comes to finishing at least in the top three as they look to put together the wins in a busy week ahead.
MY PICKS: Norwich City-Sunderland Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.25 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Manchester United Win to Nil @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Swansea City + 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)
Chelsea-Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.90 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Bournemouth-Liverpool Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Leicester City-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.95 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Arsenal - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Season 2015/16: 129-168-2, - 8.49 Units (652 Units Staked, - 1.30% Yield)
Maybe this will be the weekend when the Premier League title race is reignited with Leicester City facing a tough home game against West Ham United, but that will only put the pressure on Tottenham Hotspur to get a result at Stoke City on Monday night.
It should be interesting to see how Leicester City deal with things because I don't think I've ever seen a team manage their emotions at this stage of the season as well as they have, especially without the experience of a title winning mentality behind them. For a club that has not been in this position for a long, long time, Leicester City are getting through their games very effectively but this is a big game for them this weekend when you consider how their season ends with visits to Manchester United and Chelsea to come.
It was a mixed start for the picks in April as I look for another winning month to get this season turned around. Hopefully this weekend can provide a few more consistent results to get back into a positive position for the month.
Norwich City v Sunderland Pick: With games beginning to run out on this Premier League season, this live offering on Saturday lunchtime really is a 'relegation six pointer' for both Norwich City and Sunderland. The home team are in the driving seat with a 4 point lead over Sunderland in the battle to avoid relegation and the pressure is on Sam Allardyce's men to find a way to earn the three points here.
Some may look at this as a 'must not lose' game for Sunderland, but the remaining fixtures suggests this is a 'must win' for the away team if they are going to overtake Norwich City. On the other hand, I think Alex Neil would be happy to take a point now, but a win for Norwich City might effectively be enough to take The Canaries too far for the bottom three teams to catch.
It will be a tense game with both teams knowing what is at stake, but both defences have looked vulnerable which suggests we could see plenty of opportunities at both ends. Sunderland will have to show a lot more composure than they did last week against Leicester City when those chances come, especially if Norwich City are as ruthless as they were when playing Newcastle United at the beginning of the month.
The layers don't seem to believe there will be many goals between these teams, but they shared out four in the first League game earlier this season. Add in the importance for both teams to try and win the game and I can see both teams pushing in the final moments of what could be an entertaining game for the neutrals.
My gut feeling is that Norwich City might have the momentum to carry them to the three points here, but ultimately I believe a 2-1 scoreline either way is the most likely result. Therefore I am backing goals in the opening game of another big weekend in the Premier League.
Manchester United v Aston Villa Pick: You have to credit Louis Van Gaal for finding a positive result every time he has come under pressure this season, but that might not be enough to keep him in his job as manager at Old Trafford. While Manchester United are now favourites to win the FA Cup, finishing outside of the top four would be a big blow to their ambitions and so they can't afford to drop points in this one.
The next two Premier League games are at Old Trafford and gives Manchester United a chance to put some pressure on Manchester City in the final Champions League spot. The first of those against Aston Villa should result in a win for Manchester United as the former European Champions look set to be relegated with a whimper.
Aston Villa have now lost 8 in a row in the Premier League and their goal against Bournemouth last week was the first they had scored in 5 games. They have lost 4 straight away games in the League and scored just one goal in that run and I think Manchester United can win this game without too much stress.
However I wouldn't want to be in a position to back Manchester United by a few goals because of the way they have played under Van Gaal. Not many teams have been put to the sword by Manchester United in the manner they might have been under Sir Alex Ferguson but I have still found an angle to play in this match.
For the majority of the season, Manchester United have played with enough shape to earn clean sheets and I think backing the home team to win this game while keeping a clean sheet looks the best option. That is a decent price being offered and beats backing them to cover any number more than one goal in my opinion.
Newcastle United v Swansea City Pick: Depending on what has happened earlier in the day at Carrow Road, Newcastle United could be drinking in the last chance saloon on Saturday afternoon when they host Swansea City. Rafa Benitez will know his side simply have to win this game if they have any chance of getting out of the bottom three and that will especially be the case if Norwich City beat Sunderland in the early kick off.
It has been tough sledging for Newcastle United as they have lost 6 of their last 7 Premier League games to fall into a big hole in the Premier League. They have been stronger at home, but the pressure to win this game coming from the stands makes this very difficult for Newcastle United.
They are also facing a confident Swansea City team who have won 4 of their last 6 Premier League games and who have begun to score goals for fun. They have scored at least twice in 4 of their last 6 away games in the League and Swansea City have to feel reaching that tally will be enough to avoid defeat here at the least.
This is also a fixture Swansea City have looked forward to with 6 wins from the last 7 Premier League games against Newcastle United. They have won on each of their last 3 visits to St James' Park and Newcastle United's defending in recent games has left much to be desired.
The atmosphere in the Stadium is going to depend very much on what has happened at Carrow Road earlier in the day, but this is going to be a tough match for Newcastle United regardless. The pressure to win games is huge at this time of the season for a team fighting at either end of the table and Swansea City have a little more freedom to play their football having reached the 40 point mark.
I will back the away side to continue their strong run against Newcastle United as well as in recent Premier League games. Backing them on the Asian Handicap to get something out of this game looks the right play to me.
Chelsea v Manchester City Pick: A much changed Chelsea team took to the field in their 1-0 defeat at Swansea City last weekend, but I expect a stronger team to come out at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
They will be looking to bring Manchester City back down to earth after seeing their opponents do what Chelsea couldn't in the Champions League and that is beat Paris Saint-Germain over two legs. Perhaps they will be looking to take advantage of any emotional and physical fatigue that could have set in while Chelsea had been preparing for this game, but it is a fixture that Manchester City can't ignore as they battle for a top four place.
Manchester United should have upped the pressure on their rivals with a win earlier in the day, while Manchester City also haven't been as strong away from home this season. Dealing with the pressure of a top four chase and trying to get up for a game after a big European night is tough for Manchester City, especially with another League game to come during the week.
However they have to like the fact that Chelsea have looked vulnerable defensively all season and have a number of players who are either just returning from injury, or will be missing out altogether. Those are in key defensive positions and Manchester City have the kind of attacking talent to cause plenty of problems even if they haven't been a free-scoring team away from home.
Chelsea should also have chances against this Manchester City defensive unit missing Vincent Kompany although the latter have looked a little better in recent games. Still, The Blues will be expected to push forward where they can in this one and I am expecting goals at both ends with a potential winner for one of these teams.
My gut feeling on this one is that Manchester City will be able to sneak the win and keep a firm grip on the top four, but I will back there being at least three goals shared out by these clubs for a third time this season.
Bournemouth v Liverpool Pick: The Thursday night Quarter Final win over Borussia Dortmund will likely live long in the memory for Liverpool fans and it is a big test for the players to pick themselves up from such an emotional occasion. With the Merseyside derby to come during the week, Jurgen Klopp may make a number of changes to ensure a strong team is played in that game against Everton and Bournemouth may be able to take advantage of that.
One element that won't change for either team is the way the managers will send their players out to play attacking football. Bournemouth and Liverpool will look to get on the front foot where possible and create chances in this game with nothing to lose for either when it comes to League positions.
Creating chances and scoring goals has been a feature of both Bournemouth and Liverpool games in recent weeks and that is unlikely to change here. I can see both teams scoring in this one and the fact there is nothing really on the line for either means they can push for a win to earn some momentum.
This game is not one of the live offerings on Sunday, but could be an entertaining one for those watching and I am backing at least three goals to be shared out.
Leicester City v West Ham United Pick: You can't argue with the statistic that Leicester City have only been behind for 20 minutes since Boxing Day in the Premier League. That has put them on the brink of winning the Premier League title as Leicester City have continued to find ways to win games and keep a healthy distance between themselves and Tottenham Hotspur.
They can put the pressure on their closest rivals by adding another three points on the board twenty-four hours before Tottenham Hotspur play their next Premier League game. However it will be far from straight-forward for Leicester City against a West Ham United that have to be feeling disappointed about their performance during the week.
A 1-2 home defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup ended West Ham United's last chance of silverware this season, but the players have to be chomping at the bit to prove they are better than what they showed. The Hammers have hit something of a blip in recent games which is affecting their ability to finish in one of the Champions League places, but they are a team that can score goals.
For all the clean sheets that Leicester City have managed, they have ridden their luck at times while Sunderland created enough last week to think West Ham United will have their opportunities in this one. Defensively West Ham United might give Leicester City a few chances too and this might be the third time this season that these teams face one another and produce at least three goals.
Both teams have some quality in the forward areas and I think they will show that on Sunday as they combine for a high-scoring game. It could also be the stumble that Tottenham Hotspur are hoping Leicester City produce as West Ham United are more than capable of winning here when on top form, although I will simply be looking for goals out of this fixture.
Arsenal v Crystal Palace Pick: This is a big game for Arsenal who are trying to stave off the two Manchester clubs when it comes to finding their way into the Champions League. Finishing 3rd is also essential to avoid having to play a Champions League Play Off in August when a large number of players will have played in the European Championships in the off-season.
They might be facing Crystal Palace at the right time with the latter perhaps looking ahead to the FA Cup Semi Final now their Premier League future has virtually been assured.
Now the pressure is off when it comes to winning the title, Arsenal have been able to put together some better results although they looked vulnerable defensively at West Ham United last week. However the attacking side of things has begun to gel together again and Arsenal have dominated Crystal Palace in recent games.
The Eagles are a very good counter attacking team which makes them dangerous, but the fact their players could be looking ahead to Wembley Stadium next week might mean they are not at 100% in terms of commitment. That could mean Arsenal are able to have control for much of this Premier League game and I think that could see them come through with a fairly comfortable win on the day.
That will keep Arsenal on the right path when it comes to finishing at least in the top three as they look to put together the wins in a busy week ahead.
MY PICKS: Norwich City-Sunderland Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.25 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Manchester United Win to Nil @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Swansea City + 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)
Chelsea-Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.90 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Bournemouth-Liverpool Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Leicester City-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.95 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Arsenal - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
April Update: 5-5, - 1.24 Units (20 Units Staked, - 6.2% Yield)
March Final: 22-17-2, + 9.06 Units (80 Units Staked, + 11.33% Yield)
February Final: 30-23-2, + 20.82 Units (105 Units Staked, + 19.83% Yield)
March Final: 22-17-2, + 9.06 Units (80 Units Staked, + 11.33% Yield)
February Final: 30-23-2, + 20.82 Units (105 Units Staked, + 19.83% Yield)
January Final: 19-13, + 17.56 Units (61 Units Staked, + 28.79% Yield)
December Final: 15-23, - 9.32 Units (64 Units Staked, - 14.56% Yield)
November Final: 11-19-1, - 12.94 Units (51 Units Staked, - 25.37% Yield)
October Final: 16-25, - 13.51 Units (79.50 Units Staked, - 16.99% Yield)
September Final: 29-30-3, + 4.18 Units (117.5 Units Staked, + 3.58% Yield)
August Final: 16-31-1, - 24.34 Units (94 Units Staked, - 25.89% Yield)
Season 2015/16: 129-168-2, - 8.49 Units (652 Units Staked, - 1.30% Yield)
Season 2014/15: 159-208-5, - 20.22 Units (647 Units Staked, - 3.13% 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)
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