European Tour 4- German Darts Grand Prix Day 1 Picks 2026 (Saturday 4th April)

The European Tour events are usually played from Friday through Sunday, but the German Darts Grand Prix takes place across Easter Weekend and that allows the organisers to use a Saturday through Monday schedule.

Some of the big Premier League names are missing this weekend- the top two are both absent and so is Gerwyn Price, but that doesn't lessen the importance of the event nor the motivation for those competing to pick up a big title.

It all begins with sixteen First Round matches played across two Sessions on Saturday before the top Seeds join the party on Sunday in Second Round action.

Sebastian Bialecki v William O'Connor: There is nothing outstanding about Sebastian Bialecki, but he is a player that is pretty consistent and that can be difficult to shake off.

He reached the Third Round at a European Tour event last month and Sebastian Bialecki put up plenty of wins across two Players Championship events held earlier this week.

The latter of those saw Bialecki reach the Semi Final and there will be some confidence within that he can keep the run going through the opening Round in Germany.

William O'Connor is over twenty places higher in the World Rankings and that may be a contributory factor to the prices for this First Round match.

However, O'Connor has been beaten in eleven of the last fifteen matches played and that includes early defeats in the last couple of European Tour events he has entered.

At his best, William O'Connor can be tough to beat, but he has not always been at his best over the last six weeks and Sebastian Bialecki is steady enough to take advantage if the Irishman is not at a normal level.

Niels Zonneveld to win & most 180s v Adam Lipscombe: Back to back strong performances at European Tour events suggests Niels Zonneveld is playing much higher than his current World Ranking.

The Darts Rankings do take some time to adjust into what we are seeing on a week to week bases and Zonneveld is a player making a move.

Early losses in the Players Championship events will not have dented the confidence too much considering the level produced and Niels Zonneveld should have enough to beat Adam Lipscombe.

The World Number 71 has won the most recent meeting between the two and Adam Lipscombe will feel he was hard done by when the draws were made for the Players Championship. He had a win on Monday and Tuesday, but was beaten in Second Round matches against Wessel Nijman and Andrew Gilding.

Niels Zonneveld may feel he is playing at the kind of level that has gotten the better of Lipscombe in recent matches and his power scoring can make the difference in this First Round match.

MY PICKS: Sebastian Bialecki @ 2.30 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Niels Zonneveld to Win & Most 180s @ 1.61 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 42-58, - 7.46 Units (97 Units Staked, - 7.69% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2026- Deontay Wilder vs Derek Chisora (Saturday 4th April)

You always want to see a prospect develop into a contender and then into a Champion, but it is going to be very difficult to match Moses Itauma going forward.

He may feel he could get into the ring with Oleksandr Usyk tomorrow, but Frank Warren and the Queensberry connections will want to see him continuing to build the resume with no rush to win a World Title while they are largely locked up by the unbeaten Champion.

That is not to say there are no options out there- the winner of the Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois fight would be a natural fight for Moses Itauma later this year, although Wardley and Itauma share the same trainer.

Fighters like Filip Hrgovic are already scheduled for fights so the July return has to be focusing on the likes of Marat Gassiev, who holds the WBA Regular Belt, or perhaps fighters like Zhilei Zhang, Martin Bakole or Guido Vianello who all are available for that date that was mentioned last weekend.

The manner of the win over Jermaine Franklin Jr will have caught the attention of more fans and right now it is very difficult to imagine a situation where Moses Itauma is not joining the elite of the Division by the end of 2026 or in early 2027.

Sebastian Fundora was also an impressive winner last weekend, but it would be very good to see him in with younger, fresher opponents in the loaded Light Middleweight Division.

Hearing Xander Zayas and Boots Ennis have agreed to face one another should force Fundora's hand and the obvious fight has to be with Vergil Ortiz Jr.

It is not a situation in which I feel Fundora is actively avoiding the younger challengers around him, but following Keith Thurman with a bout against Errol Spence Jr would be really disappointing and especially when it looks like the Champion has improved.

The only way to test that would be to test himself.

If you had stated a little under a decade ago that Deontay Wilder was travelling to London to face Derek Chisora you would have made the American a big favourite and hoped it would soon lead to a clash with Anthony Joshua.

In April 2026, both of the main event performers are considerably in decline, although it does feel like Wilder is much further gone on current form.

There is still some interest in seeing this bout with the winner likely having one more big opportunity, while the losing fighter should be hanging up the gloves.

It is part of a busy weekend of Boxing with some decent prospects and former Champions mixing things up across a number of cards in the United Kingdom and further afield.

Deontay Wilder vs Derek Chisora

Two 40 year old plus Boxers meet in a Heavyweight contest in London and it is a fight that would have meant so much at the top of the Division if it took place a number of years ago.

These days Deontay Wilder and Derek Chisora are on the final stretch of their respective careers, although the former still sounds like he harbours bigger ambitions than his opponent.

Deontay Wilder has spoken about what could come next, but Derek Chisora has openly spoken about retirement.

In a lot of cases that would mean red flags, but Chisora has regularly decided to have 'one more fight' and 'The Last Dance' was anything other than the case.

If he was to win, would you really see Derek Chisora walking away?

That is a question for another day and all eyes turn to London and see what these two fighters have left in the tank.

Make no mistake, those questions are largely geared towards Deontay Wilder who was last seen making harder than expected work of beating Tyrrell Herndon in June last year- the Seventh Round Stoppage was controversial in that Herndon still looked competitive, while Wilder had lost four of the previous five fights.

The third fight with Tyson Fury clearly took something away from Deontay Wilder who looked gun-shy in the loss to Joseph Parker before being wiped out by Zhilei Zhang. Instead of a fight with Anthony Joshua, that looked set if he had beaten Parker, The Bronze Bomber returned from a fourteen month layoff and failed to land anything serious against Parker and was beaten easily on the cards.

The Stoppage loss to Zhilei Zhang suggested his time at the top was over, but Wilder had been linked with a bout against Oleksandr Usyk and the motivation is clear- win this and he may just get the shot at the Undisputed Champion later this year.

Everything is about whether Deontay Wilder still has it in him to deliver the right hand that has brutalised so many.

Derek Chisora is in much stronger form having dropped his level since another defeat to Tyson Fury- the cards have been needed to beat Gerald Washington, Joe Joyce and Otto Wallin, but those are decent results and something that will give him confidence ahead of a meeting with this version of Deontay Wilder.

It has been seven years since Chisora last earned a Stoppage, but there is a belief that he can overwhelm Deontay Wilder with his stubbornness and willingness to push forward whenever he can. The looping shots have Knocked Down Joyce and Wallin so the power remains, but there is a danger with throwing those shots.

If, and it is a big IF, Deontay Wilder is still willing to throw his shots, the opponent in front of him looks wide open to the straight down the pipe. Timing is key, and Wilder's power can still be telling if he is able to land that shot right as Derek Chisora is looking to load up over the top.

The form is with Derek Chisora, but there is little doubt he has looked tired at times in his recent wins and those are not against someone who may yet contain the kind of power Deontay Wilder carries.

You can understand why Chisora is the favourite, but there is a nagging feeling that Deontay Wilder may yet have something left and he is a big price to put together enough of an assault to win this one to force the home favourite out before the end of this contest.

The undercard may not be the deepest, but there are a couple of British fighters looking to take the step to the very elite of their respective Divisions.

Denzel Bentley has mixed in that company before after a competitive loss to Janibek Alimkhanuly in 2022, but he suffered a big setback when losing to Nathan Heaney almost a year to the day later.

Wins over overmatched domestic opponents saw Denzel Bentley get back on the right track and his win over Brad Pauls looks all the better considering how Pauls has performed since then. The 31 year old put Brad Pauls on the floor in that win in December 2024, but it has been another significant layoff for him and Denzel Bentley cannot afford to think too far ahead.

The WBO Interim World Title is on the line after the aforementioned Alimkhanuly was suspended, although Denzel Bentley's team feel like the full World Title should be on the line.

He takes on 34 year old Endry Saavedra who has only had one fight since Denzel Bentley was last out and who is stepping up his level significantly. The Venezuelan is not Ranked by the other bodies outside of the WBO and this is a big chance for Bentley to move into a position for some big fights in a wide open Middleweight Division.

Endry Saavedra hits plenty hard, but so does Denzel Bentley and the latter can win the Title in some style.

A big opportunity has also been put together for Viddal Riley who is moving up a number of levels to see if he really does have what it takes to be a big player in the Cruiserweight Division.

He is unbeaten in thirteen fights and at 28 years old Riley wants to find out whether he has what it takes to mix with the elite of the Division.

Taking on Mateusz Masternak will give him every chance of testing that.

At 38 years old, Masternak's best days are behind him, but he has won three fights in a row since losing to Chris Billam-Smith in a WBO World Title bout in 2023. Six losses on the resume have almost exclusively been against the best opponents around and Mateusz Masternak will be well known to British fans having lost a couple of those to Billam-Smith and Tony Bellew.

This has not been lost on Viddal Riley who said he wants to outdo both of those British names, but he has also been very respectful of the fighter in front of him and his 'gatekeeper' status.

He expects to win, but Riley is well aware of how tough Masternak can be and the quality of fighter he has been.

Getting through him quicker than Chris Billam-Smith would be some statement, but an injury forced that Stoppage and the only other one on the Masternak resume came in the Eleventh Round.

He's tough and it will be difficult to break him down, especially as Viddal Riley has needed the cards in three of his last four wins as the opponent level has been lifted. The last win produced by Mateusz Masternak has to be respected considering it came in quicker style than Tony Yoka was able to produce against Joel Djeko and that kind of victory will just keep Riley focused as he tries to pick up the European Title on the cards.

The top fight of the evening takes place in London, but there is a decent card taking place in Cardiff.

Boxxer are the Promoters and this is one of the cards that they are putting together for terrestrial television in the United Kingdom.

The main event features Lauren Price as she looks to move a step closer to another big, big fight- she cannot overlook her unbeaten opponent, but the home fighter should be able to defend her hard earned World Titles.

The chief support looks really interesting as the vacant British Featherweight Title is up for grabs when Rhys Edwards faces Gully Powar.

Home advantage is with Edwards who has Boxed more Rounds and has had more fights compared with Gully Powar, but the latter was involved in the WBC Grand Prix tournament and had three bouts in 2025 compared with the single outing for Edwards.

Rhys Edwards has been involved in fights that have been closest to this Championship distance set for the British Title- he had three Ten Rounders in succession before an Eight Rounder last year and Gully Powar has only been beyond the Six Round distance once before.

It could be a telling factor, while Edwards is going to be feel he has been in with the tougher competition overall.

He will also believe he is more comfortable in the kind of atmosphere, but Powar is perhaps being underrated here.

There are questions to answer- showing off a gas tank to complete a Championship fight and Gully Powar is going to have to work hard to win on 'away' soil.

However, there were some very credible signs in the WBC Grand Prix and Gully Powar is someone who looks capable of stepping up and upsetting the odds.

Credit has to be given to Rhys Edwards for the performances he has produced at domestic level, but he may need to show some pop to keep Gully Powar from driving forward and that may allow the younger fighter to come away with an upset and the British Title to take back to the Midlands.

The long weekend in the United Kingdom means there are also a couple of cards being placed in Friday and Sunday slots.

Pat Brown entered the professional ranks with a huge amount of hype behind him and he is not taking a slow route to the top of the Cruiserweight Division.

There is a real hope that Brown will eventually campaign as a Heavyweight, but the 26 year old is focusing at the top of the Cruiserweight Division for now and is already Ranked with two of the organisations. The IBF route is perhaps the best to exploit after the World Title was stripped from Jai Opetaia, but Pat Brown has to focus on continuing his development.

All of his five professional bouts took place in 2025 and none of the last four have gone beyond the Second Round.

His opponent on Friday is ten years his senior, but Vasil Ducar is plenty experienced and the hope for Brown's team is that he can offer a different kind of resistance compared with recent opponents.

Vasil Ducar is a familiar name to British fighters having taken Chris Billam-Smith, Jordan Thompson and Cheavon Clarke all to the cards, albeit all in losing efforts.

One Stoppage is on the record and that came after ten completed Rounds against Mike Perez.

This gives Pat Brown something to aim at, but also suggests him winning by Stoppage is a very short price.

Chris Billam-Smith put Ducar down a couple of times in the middle of that Ten Round win, but it may be worth backing Pat Brown to do a little better and actually break down this opponent.

The favourite option in this fight is expecting Pat Brown to win before halfway again, but he may have to take a bit more time with an experienced campaigner and backing the British fighter to end this in the second half of the fight looks worth an interest.

Two different cards are going to take place several hours and thousand of miles apart with the first of those featuring a former World Champion out in Australia.

The timing is so a solid American audience can tune in to see Tim Tszyu who has promised a big performance ahead of a rumoured bout against Errol Spence Jr in the summer.

He had been out in December, but Tszyu was not at his best, which is perhaps not a surprise considering he had lost three of four fights prior to that outing. Getting Ten Rounds under the belt will help and he is facing another unbeaten opponent having taken that record from Anthony Velazquez.

Denis Nurja travels to Wollongong with a 20-0 record, but he has never competed at this level and looks to be coming in to give Tim Tszyu a chance to showcase his credentials.

A relatively early night is in the offing for the Australian who can make a statement for those who believe his career may be on the downward slide.

Later on Sunday, the UK will have Sky Sports returning to Boxing with a new Promoter leading the way for the channel- Jake Paul has signed a big deal with the company and that means there will be a big showcase of women's Boxing, while Zuffa Boxing have also made a deal to have their own events broadcasted on this platform.

Caroline Dubois and Terri Harper have been involved in a fiery build up ahead of this Unification main event in the Lightweight Division.

Neither has much time for the other, but Caroline Dubois is a worthy favourite.

She has shown decent pop, even while still working under the two minute per Round limit, and Dubois looks like she is on a mission to win this one in some style.

Terri Harper, like many of the women Boxers, has been up and down the Divisions, but both of her previous defeats have been in Stoppages at the hands of Alycia Baumgardner and Sandy Ryan. She has picked up this WBO World Title by ripping it away from one unbeaten fighter and then defending against another so there is some confidence, but Harper is going to have to show some resistance.

Stoppages have been harder to come by for Caroline Dubois in recent outings- none of her last seven fights have been prior to the cards being needed. However, four of those fighters have been put down and Terri Harper may not have the resilience she will need to keep Dubois from rolling through her in this main event.

MY PICKS: Deontay Wilder to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 3.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Denzel Bentley to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 3.60 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Gully Powar to Win @ 3.75 William Hill (1 Unit)

Pat Brown to Win Between 6-10 @ 4.33 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Tim Tszyu to Win Between 1-5 @ 3.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Caroline Dubois to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.87 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Boxing 2026: 9-19, - 11.65 Units (45 Units Staked, - 25.89% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2022 (April 4th)

The end of the Miami Masters tournament means the end of the early hard court portion of the Tour in 2022.

There is no rest on the Tour though and we are going straight into clay court tennis events being played in North America, South America and Africa this week.

I will have some selections through the week with the biggest event being the WTA Charleston tournament, although the clay courts being used there are usually significantly different to the ones the players will face when they head over to Europe in the build towards the French Open.

Monte Carlo is the next big event on deck and that will begin next week, but this is a week of opportunity for players to build Ranking points and some clay court experience this season.

Yannick Hanfmann v Carlos Taberner: Both of these players will be happy to see the Tour move onto the clay courts, but Yannick Hanfmann and Carlos Taberner are Ranked outside the top 100 and that means working their way through Qualifiers to enter main ATP Tour events.

It makes matches like this one that much more important for them to try and move the Ranking into a position where they can avoid that going forward and this is an open tournament in Morocco as the clay court season begins.

Both have played plenty of clay court tennis already this season and there is little between them in terms of their numbers. Carlos Taberner and Yannick Hanfmann have serves that can be a little vulnerable on the clay courts, but the two players have been competent return players and the feeling is that there will not be much between them in this First Round match.

Over the last twelve months, Yannick Hanfmann has been the slightly superior player when it comes to holding serve on the clay courts against some of the better players on the Tour. In general Carlos Taberner has shown a little more upside and he has won a title on the surface in a Challenger event earlier this month, but it is Yannick Hanfmann who has won their previous two matches on the Tour and that may provide the mental edge in what feels like being a close match.

It has been a couple of years since these two last met and Carlos Taberner is clearly an improved player since then, while Yannick Hanfmann has to be close to being on the slide.

However, with very little between them on the clay courts, that mental edge of having a couple of wins over Carlos Taberner may help the veteran work his way through to the Second Round with a win as the underdog.

Richard Gasquet - 2.5 games v Henri Laaksonen: Two veterans will meet in the First Round in this tournament in Morocco and it is a chance to erase some difficult matches from the mind.

Richard Gasquet is coming off an unproductive time in the United States, but Henri Laaksonen has been struggling all season for form. The latter may appreciate the move back onto the clay courts a little more than Richard Gasquet, especially as the Frenchman has not really played a lot of tennis on this surface in recent years as injuries have stalled the last stages of his career.

Last season Henri Laaksonen produced some solid results on the clay, but he is going to have to step up his level after some poor results and performances so far in 2022. His serve has been vulnerable on the hard courts, while the Henri Laaksonen return has also been struggling to be as effective as he would like.

Being back on the clay should help, but it was the performance on the return which really made Henri Laaksonen a solid player on the surface over the last twelve months.

He should have some success against the Richard Gasquet serve, but I also think the former top ten player will be able to get his return going in a match like this one. Richard Gasquet has been the slightly more efficient return player in 2022 and he is someone who can be effective as a returner on this surface.

The Frenchman has beaten Henri Laaksonen in their previous meeting, which also came on the clay courts, although that match was played in July 2018 and Richard Gasquet is clearly coming to the end of his career. However, Henri Laaksonen is another veteran and that should mean Gasquet still has the quality of tennis to win a match like this and cover the handicap mark set on his way through to the Second Round.

MY PICKS: Yannick Hanfmann @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Richard Gasquet - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2021 (April 3-5)

The last international break of the 2020/21 season is over and all thoughts turn to the end of the campaign as the big trophies are dished out.

We are down to the final nine rounds of the Fantasy Football season and then we will see the European Finals played before attention will turn to the Euro 2020 tournament that has been held back one year.

The situation with the European Championships will become clearer in early April when the current twelve host Cities have to inform UEFA of whether they are able to host games as scheduled. It has been made clear that UEFA expects to see fans at the grounds for all of the fixtures and during the international break we did see the likes of Russia and the Netherlands host World Cup Qualifiers with fans inside the Stadiums.

With that in mind I have to assume London, Amsterdam and St Petersburg are certain to host games and I do think the majority of the twelve host Cities will keep their commitments. Travelling around Europe for fans is more unclear, but the Knock Out Rounds are expected to have some arriving from outside of those host Cities, although much is still down to the roll out of the vaccine across the continent.

I will get into my GameWeek30 thoughts for the Fantasy Premier League game below, but first my thoughts about how this round of League fixtures may play out.

Chelsea v West Brom Pick: The Premier League is back for a full run through the remainder of the season and the next several weeks are going to be very busy for clubs that are chasing the big prizes.

One of those is Chelsea who are still involved in three competitions and can't really prioritise any of them over the other as Thomas Tuchel looks to put an exclamation mark at the end of his first few months in charge of the club.

They certainly can't take their eye off the ball in the Premier League as Chelsea look to secure a top four finish and a return to the Champions League. Contenders who are only focused on the Premier League are lined up behind Chelsea and dropping points in this fixture could be a tremendous blow for The Blues.

Chelsea are big favourites to see off a West Brom team who are slumping back towards the Championship as they sit 10 points from safety and with games beginning to run out. Sam Allardyce has tried to change the fortunes of the club, but this is a team that finds it hard to keep clean sheets and simply doesn't score enough goals.

The feeling is that both of those factors go against West Brom when they face Chelsea on Saturday and it is hard to imagine they can breach a defence which has been producing plenty of clean sheets since Thomas Tuchel took over as manager of the club.

There is a big Champions League tie coming up during the week, but Chelsea can't afford to drop the ball in the Premier League and I expect a professional performance from them. It can be difficult coming out of the international break with top clubs having players returning from all over the globe, but Chelsea should be too strong for West Brom and I think they win another game while producing a clean sheet.

Leeds United v Sheffield United Pick: Many neutrals who watch the Premier League will have enjoyed the football that Leeds United have produced this season, although fans of the club will still be wondering whether Marcelo Bielsa is going to extend his time as manager of the club.

No one will dispute the impact Bielsa has had on Leeds United and his departure would hurt a club who have finally returned amongst the elite of English Football.

For now the focus is on a strong end to the season as Leeds United look for a top half finish, but they are not being helped very much by poor playing conditions at Elland Road. The pitch is likely going to be improved in the summer with the usual break between seasons helping all involved to do that, but for now it does make it difficult for Leeds United to implement their style consistently.

They have still been threatening enough going forward and nothing is likely to change for the squad as they prepare to host their Yorkshire rivals.

Sheffield United have lost manager Chris Wilder, but the players put in a huge effort in the 2-0 defeat at Chelsea in the FA Cup Quarter Final before the international break. It shows a group that are still putting in the hard work, but a lack of quality has been hard to disguise and there will be work to do to bring this club back into the Premier League at the first time of asking next season.

That lack of quality has been particularly evident when Sheffield United have played away from home and they have lost 5 in a row on their travels. The problems have been scoring enough goals and The Blades have had a lack of cutting edge which has seen them fail to score in any of those losses and I think they will struggle to contain Leeds United in this one.

They have won on their last 2 visits to Elland Road, but Leeds United look pretty strong and confident and I think they have more about them going forward than their visitors. It should show up over the course of ninety minutes and I think Leeds United will likely win a game that features at least two goals in this one.

Leicester City v Manchester City Pick: If this match had been set a month ago it may have felt a lot more important for both Leicester City and Manchester City than it perhaps is now.

At this time Manchester City are 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League and are almost certainly going to finish the season as Champions. That gives Pep Guardiola some room to make changes to his first eleven and there is every reason to believe the Champions League game coming up on Tuesday is a bigger match for the manager to consider this week.

Even then, the squad is a very good one at Manchester City and they have kept winning games even through the changes made by the manager.

Playing at Leicester City should be a big test for the squad, but injuries are still hurting the home team who have dug deep to produce some wins of late. Brendan Rodgers will be really pleased to have seen the effort and quality in the 3-1 win over Manchester United in the FA Cup Quarter Final two weeks ago, but this is a much more difficult game for them as they look to secure a top four finish.

James Maddison could return and that would give Leicester City a huge boost, but I don't think anyone in the visiting dressing room will have forgotten what happened earlier this season. The 2-5 home loss would have embarrassed the Manchester City players and I think they will be keen to show they are much better than they were that day and it is important to note that Ruben Dias did not play for Manchester City that day.

Manchester City have won 15 games in a row away from the Etihad Stadium and I think they will want to come out of the international break and build on the momentum earned. The changes may not affect Manchester City as much as they may have done in recent seasons and I think they will prove to have a bit too much for Leicester City who had been struggling before a late goal to win at Brighton.

Leicester City have been beaten here by Leeds United (1-3), Slavia Prague (0-2) and Arsenal (1-3) since the last day of January and I do think they are going to find it hard to contain Manchester City. Beating a much changed Manchester United team was a good result, but Leicester City are still without some key players and I think the visitors earn a measure of revenge for the defeat at home earlier this season.

Of the 15 wins away from the Etihad Stadium, 13 have come by more than a single goal margin for Manchester City and I think they do the same here. They have been scoring goals for fun in recent away games and I think Manchester City will likely win here against a Leicester City team that could be down a couple of key attackers and looking to contain their visitors.

Arsenal v Liverpool Pick: Two of the three most successful clubs in English Football are struggling to earn a high enough finish in the Premier League to secure European Football next season as they get set to meet at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

Both Arsenal and Liverpool may feel their European ambitions are best realised by winning the European competitions they are currently taking part in and it could be some interesting decisions made by the managers in this fixture. There are big Quarter Final ties to come and this is a fixture out of the international break which could see Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp perhaps choose to give key players a slight rest.

It certainly brings some doubt into the game as to how the two managers will approach things, although Liverpool having had three weeks between games may wish to rebuild the rhythm between team-mates. Arsenal last played two weeks ago, but Arteta has perhaps been more likely to rotate his selections than his counterpart and that may be be the reason Liverpool are favoured.

They have certainly been better away from home than at Anfield since the turn of the calendar year, but Arsenal have played well at home in recent weeks and have been creating chances. The home team have to believe they can cause problems for a makeshift Liverpool defence and there has to be the ambition to do that, although Liverpool have the attacking players to hurt Arsenal too.

An early goal could really spark this fixture as both teams look for the three points to at least give them some momentum to take into their European Quarter Finals coming up. My feeling is that Arsenal may take the game a touch more seriously with a few more days to prepare for their Europa League Quarter Final compared with Liverpool, but the latter are also likely to still have ambitions of fighting their way back into the top four.

It should mean a decent game on Saturday night for those tuning in and I think it will be one that features at least three goals. A 2-1 scoreline either way would not be a huge surprise and an early goal could get things rolling.

Southampton v Burnley Pick: There looks to be a considerable gap between these two clubs and the bottom three, but this is still an important game for both Southampton and Burnley. The winning team can start to make preparation for the summer knowing they are very likely to be playing in the Premier League, but the losing team will be watching results nervously over the remainder of the weekend.

The momentum is certainly behind Burnley rather than Southampton even though the former is behind the latter on goal difference in the table. However, Southampton have been slumping back towards the bottom three with 10 defeats in 12 Premier League games, while Burnley have lost 1 of their last 7 League games and earned that big win at Everton almost a month ago to pull away from Fulham and Newcastle United.

Burnley also have a good record here and injuries look to be clearing up for the final push towards the end of the season. That will certainly be encouraging for their fans as they watch their team make the long trip down to the south coast, but a lack of goals is still an issue for Sean Dyche to address.

Injuries have also been a factor in the Southampton slump, but both Theo Walcott and Danny Ings may have been able to recover from knocks over the international break. Che Adams was looking good for Scotland as he made his debut at that level, while The Saints have the majority of their key players ready to go out of the break.

That has to be encouraging for Southampton fans that may be worrying about the loss of form, although they haven't really had a lot of fortune within matches. They created the better of the big chances against Brighton in a narrow defeat here and I think Southampton are going to create chances against this Burnley team whose defensive record is arguably better than it should be.

On the other hand Burnley showed in the win at Everton how dangerous they can be and have won 4 of their last 6 away games in all competitions. With 2 wins in their last 3 visits to St Mary's behind them, I have to respect what Burnley could potentially achieve here, although I do think Southampton have the superior quality overall.

My feeling is that the home team will be able to use that quality to edge past Burnley in this early Sunday kick off, although it will be far from easy. With Theo Walcott and Danny Ings likely back to offer more strength in the attacking depth, I think Southampton find the chances to earn a narrow victory as they start to ease any lingering concerns of being dragged into a relegation scrap.

Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: During his time in the Premier League Jose Mourinho has achieved plenty of positives, but before last July he had never managed a team to win at St James' Park. In 7 attempts, Mourinho managed teams had drawn 3 and lost 4 at Newcastle United, but his Tottenham Hotspur team won 1-3 here last season and they are favourites to win here again.

The performance in the 0-2 win at Villa Park two weeks was very encouraging considering it came after back to back losses to Arsenal and Dinamo Zagreb. Those losses had put the pressure on Mourinho and what many feel is an underachieving Tottenham Hotspur squad, but they victory over Aston Villa means Spurs remain in touch with a late push into the top four places.

Returning to the Champions League is key for a squad that could lose Harry Kane if they are not able to do that, while Tottenham Hotspur will also be looking for silverware when playing in the League Cup Final later this month. However, it would be foolish to overlook this fixture as they look to keep in touch with those teams above them in the Premier League table.

It could be easy to dismiss the threat Newcastle United pose, but the home could potentially have both Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson back in contention. That would give The Magpies an attacking threat that has been missing of late, although they are unbeaten in 3 at home in the League.

Even with that in mind, it is difficult to shift the memory of the last time we saw Newcastle United as they were run ragged and eventually capitulated in the 3-0 defeat at Brighton two weeks ago. They were outplayed by their relegation rivals, but it is the lack of intensity which would have really hurt Steve Bruce.

Some may have thought it would cost him his job as manager considering the two week international break that was placed at the end of March, but Bruce still has the trust of Mike Ashley. It is a big game for Newcastle United as they look to pull away from Fulham who will play later on Sunday afternoon, but they have looked defensively vulnerable and Tottenham Hotspur can take advantage.

Heung-Min Son could potentially be available for selection and that will be a boost for Spurs team that are solely focusing on the Premier League over the next couple of weeks. It means Jose Mourinho will have time to work with the players on the training ground unlike for much of the season and I do think they can back up the win over Aston Villa.

Newcastle United could cause some problems if their attacking players are available, but Tottenham Hotspur can expose their defensive shortcomings. It should lead to a tough, but important win for Tottenham Hotspur as they secure the likely two or more goals that will be needed for the three points for the fourth visit in a row to this part of the North East.

Aston Villa v Fulham Pick: Games are beginning to run out for Fulham as they battle to avoid an immediate return to the Championship and they have now played a game more than their relegation rivals while remaining 2 points behind 17th place in the Division.

That gap could have increased by the time they kick off on Sunday afternoon, but Scott Parker will try to avoid allowing other fixtures to be a distraction to his own team. Ultimately Fulham are in control of their own destiny in so much as they will be looking to win at least half of their remaining eight Premier League games and see whether other clubs can handle the pressure of doing the same.

Goals have been the issue for Fulham who play some good football to create chances, but haven't found anyone to show the clinical edge that will have made Scott Parker feel confident. It was more of the same in the 1-2 loss to Leeds United two weeks ago, but Fulham have to believe they will start getting the breaks if they continue performing at the level they have shown over the last couple of months.

Games like this one have to be viewed as 'winnable', especially as Aston Villa have lost some of their own consistency ever since the January outbreak of Covid-19 within the camp. They have not been helped by the absence of Jack Grealish who has proven to be so important to the Dean Smith system, although the England international is back this week.

He will be hugely important for Aston Villa and I do think that quality will make the home team more dangerous than they looked in the three weeks before the March international break.

However Aston Villa have been struggling defensively and have been more fortunate than strong when it comes to some of their clean sheets of late.

That has to be encouraging to Fulham and I do think it makes Aston Villa a vulnerable favourite, especially when the visitors have been better on their travels than at home this season. The first goal is going to be huge in this fixture, but I do think Fulham are capable of earning a result here which will just give the entire squad a boost in confidence to take into the remaining fixtures as they try and get out of the bottom three.

Manchester United v Brighton Pick: There were contrasting results for Manchester United and Brighton before the international break, but the two teams return to Premier League action this weekend with three points on the mind.

They are at opposite ends of the Premier League table, but Manchester United have been hit with injuries and they may still be short of attacking players coming out of the international break. Both Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford didn't take part as they were dealing with injuries, while Anthony Martial picked up a knock when on duty with France and all three could miss out.

It will leave Manchester United short of options as a busy end to the season begins with a top four place yet to be secured and Europa League commitments to manage.

Excuses can't be used though as Manchester United look to bounce back from the 3-1 loss to Leicester City two weeks ago, although they will recognise how awkward Brighton could make things. Only a VAR intervention after the final whistle had been blown helped Manchester United win 2-3 at the Amex Stadium earlier this season, but Brighton were arguably the better team on the day and that has been the story for them throughout the season.

With better finishing, Brighton would be much further up the League standings than 16th place, although back to back wins will have given them a huge shot of confidence. Those have come against Southampton and Newcastle United and moved Brighton 6 points clear of the relegation zone, but Graham Potter's side won't take anything for granted and will look for an upset here as they achieved at Anfield two months ago.

Brighton's style makes them dangerous with plenty of pleasing Football meaning a team that creates chances and will get the ball down and attacking opponents. They have already pushed Manchester United significantly and I would not be surprised if they played a part here.

However Manchester United have been in decent form and Brighton are a team whose style does leave them open to be counter attacked which plays into the hands of their hosts. They have lost all 4 visits to Old Trafford since returning to the top flight, although Brighton have scored on their last 2 trips here, and I think it is likely that Manchester United will need at least two goals to secure the points here.

I think they can get those even if they are missing some of the key players in attacking areas, and a narrow home win looks to be the outcome of this fixture.

Everton v Crystal Palace Pick: There is going to be a lot of regrets in the Everton squad if they are not able to finish with at least a European spot at the end of this season with too many dropped points in matches they should not be doing so.

The last time they played in the Premier League they were beaten 1-2 by Burnley at home and that means Everton have been beaten by half of the current bottom six at Goodison Park. When you think they are only 5 points off the Champions League places, those 9 points could be pivotal in deciding the final League position although Everton are still not out of contention with a game in hand in their pocket.

It also means there is some pressure on Everton who can't afford to drop more points when they host a Crystal Palace team who have been inconsistent away from home all season. They have won 2 of their last 5 away Premier League games, but Crystal Palace have lost the other 3 and Everton will believe the potential return of James Rodriguez is a huge bonus for them down the stretch.

Crystal Palace know all about the importance of a key, creative wide player and do have Wilfred Zaha around to cause problems for their hosts. However, The Eagles have not really been consistent in the final third and I think Everton are going to get the better of this fixture when you consider the kind of chances that have been created by them even in the absence of Rodriguez.

Everton also have a strong home record against Crystal Palace having beaten them 3 times in a row here.

I do think they will have the better of the opportunities in this one and some key players have gained some rest which should see them kick on and have a strong end to the campaign. The inconsistencies of the Everton team are hard to ignore, but I think they are going to edge past Crystal Palace here and they can win this Easter Monday fixture and remain on course for a European finish.

Wolves v West Ham United Pick: The final game of the Premier League weekend comes from Molineux on Easter Monday and it looks like a potentially tight game and one I am surprised to see West Ham United favoured to win.

Of course they are much higher up the League standings than Wolves and West Ham United are chasing Champions League Football which perhaps adds to the motivation for the players. They have also been in decent form over the last couple of months, although West Ham United blew their 3-0 lead over Arsenal in the last fixture played two weeks ago.

That result means they have won 1 of their last 4 and now they face a Wolves team who have been playing better than some of their recent results may suggest. A big problem for Wolves has been the lack of a striking figure like Raul Jimenez that would take the chances that have been created and it does leave them vulnerable at time.

However, Wolves have been creating chances and they have a good home record against West Ham United since returning to the Premier League. It will be encouraging for the players with some key attacking players having some rest over the last two weeks that has been missing for much of the campaign.

West Ham United will cause problems with the speed they have in attacking areas and they are scoring goals. Defensively there have been some questions though and I expect Wolves to test the backline with the feeling that both teams may score against each other for the first time since the hosts returned to the Premier League.

A narrow win for The Hammers won't be a surprise, but it is going to be interesting to see how they handle the pressure of playing last this weekend. The likes of Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have winnable fixtures to extend the gap to the top four which would mean The Hammers need to win here to keep up with those teams.

It is a different mindset for this squad to deal with compared to recent seasons and I think Wolves will cause problems as both find the net in this game.

MY PICKS: Chelsea Win to Nil

Leeds United to Win & Over 1.5 Goals

Manchester City - 1 Asian Handicap

Arsenal-Liverpool Over 2.5 Goals

Southampton - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Tottenham Hotspur & Over 1.5 Goals

Fulham + 0.25 Asian Handicap

Manchester United to Win & Over 1.5 Goals

Everton

Wolves-West Ham United Both Teams to Score

Fantasy Football GameWeek 30

I don't know about everyone else, but the last two weeks of the international break have actually flown by a lot quicker than I thought the fortnight would.

It means the Fantasy Football Premier League is back this weekend and there are nine rounds of fixtures to be played before the end of what has been a difficult 2020/21 season.

I had considered this to be the moment to use the Wild Card and have a team set for the remainder of the season with eight transfers to just shape it week to week, but the international break did not provide the clarity that I would have liked to see. We do have an additional DGW in a couple of weeks, although only Tottenham Hotspur are involved in that one, but there are two fixtures that have yet to find a place in the schedule and I was hoping we would hear more about the potential decision to move things around in May to allow clubs to have at least one home game in front of their fans.

As I did mention a couple of weeks ago, I do have a squad that is capable of getting through GW30 with solid options sprinkled throughout the starting eleven and with a bench that is capable of coming and performing. That means I do have an extra week to see if other fixtures are re-scheduled and also a clearer indication of how manager's may be thinking of balancing their squads down the stretch as European and domestic Cup commitments have to be fitted around the Premier League.

The feeling is that the two matches left to be re-scheduled will both land in either GW36 or GW37 depending on the decision the Premier League will make about having fans attending the final two rounds of fixtures of the season. Ultimately it would be a surprise to see the Aston Villa-Everton fixture played outside of that final week without European commitments and where a Premier League game can be played, although the Southampton-Crystal Palace game is more uncertain as it will depend on whether The Saints are able to get past Leicester City in the FA Cup Semi Final in the middle of the month.

So with a Free Transfer in hand I think the decision has been pretty easy this week even if there is a feeling that I am going to be missing out on one particular angle which has gained traction over the last week.

With Stuart Dallas, Luke Shaw, Ruben Dias, Sergio Reguilon and Lucas Digne as my five options in defensive positions and four of those facing bottom half clubs, it has made the popular play of signing Marcos Alonso look like one I can't really make.

I would have had serious thoughts about Captaining the Spaniard in a home game against West Brom, especially with the potential attacking returns he could have, but I have not been convinced that he provides as many 'additional' points on what I think I can earn from my current squad to make the transfer worthwhile.

Instead I am going to replace Kasper Schmeichel with Edouard Mendy considering the fixtures Leicester City and Chelsea have respectively over the next two weeks. That looks the sensible play before any Wild Card is used, while the Captain armband is going to a boring choice in Harry Kane.

Risks might have to be taken to chase down a top 100K finish at this stage of the season, but Kane looks the right play.

Tennis Picks 2018 (April 4th)

It was a solid Tuesday for the Tennis Picks with both from the WTA Charleston tournament coming back as winners.

On Wednesday the entire Second Round is played at that event on the green clay, while the WTA Monterrey event moves into their own Second Round on the hard courts.

That does mean plenty of matches are scheduled on the day, but I can only find one match that convinces me of a player to pick with the rest of the matches to take note of for future tournaments on the clay courts in the next two months.


Kiki Bertens - 3.5 games v Aleksandra Krunic: Over the last couple of seasons Kiki Bertens has built her World Ranking off the back of strong clay court results and she was a dominant winner in the First Round.

Her numbers have been impressive on the clay courts with strong serving backed up by solid returns and she looks like someone who can go deep into all the events she enters in the next couple of months.

I would expect Bertens to put plenty of pressure on Aleksandra Krunic who has a decent clay court record, but has struggled once the level of opponent has ramped up on this surface.

The win in the First Round over Bethanie Mattek-Sands looks good on paper, but the American is off a big injury and this is a big step up for Krunic when she faces Bertens.

Krunic has a decent return but that is going to be tested by how well Bertens can serve on this surface, while her own service numbers when facing players Ranked in the top 100 on the clay courts have not really been good enough.

Last year Bertens lost just four games in a convincing win over Krunic.

This time it should be closer, but I still think Bertens can be backed to win and cover the number of games being asked of her and I will back the Dutchwoman to move into the Third Round with a break more in each set of a straight sets win.

MY PICKS: Kiki Bertens - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-0, + 3.52 Units (4 Units Staked, + 88% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks 2018 (April 3-5)

It is still a little sore looking at the Champions League Quarter Final line up and wondering how Manchester United are not a part of the last eight in the competition this season.

Hopefully the football on the pitch will help me move on with some quality looking fixtures to come on Tuesday and Wednesday before some good looking ties in the Europa League Quarter Final with those four ties set to play their First Legs on Thursday.

At this moment you would have to say that there looks to be a couple of clear winners in both the Champions League and Europa League Quarter Finals and then a couple of ties which look pretty finely balanced.

We will have a different view by Friday morning once the First Leg matches are in the books.


Juventus v Real Madrid Pick: This looks to be a quality Champions League tie in the making and I am not surprised that the layers are finding it difficult to separate Juventus and Real Madrid in the First Leg.

Both teams will have their ambitions from the First Leg, but you have to think Juventus must believe they are going to need a lead to take to the Spanish capital next week.

That should perhaps enable a very good game of football to develop with the way these two teams end up matching one another.

I would have to expect Juventus will play an attacking brand and try and force the lead, but that may also leave them a little open for the counter attack. Real Madrid showed in Paris Saint-Germain they still pose a real threat going forward, but they are a team that can be vulnerable defensively and it should mean Juventus have their own successes going forward.

Defensively Juventus have not looked as strong as previous years though and I think that is where Real Madrid will also play their part in an exciting fixture.

The last 10 Real Madrid away Champions League games have featured three or more goals shared out, while 4 of the last 6 Juventus home Champions League ties have done the same. The 2-1 scoreline from 2015 when these teams last played here is a real consideration for the outcome of this tie, and the last 3 times Juventus have hosted Real Madrid there have been at least three goals scored each time.

At odds against I do think the layers are underestimating the chance of seeing goals in this one.

With the two teams approach to the fixture, I think Real Madrid and Juventus will combine for three or more goals in this one and I will back that to be the outcome of this one at odds against.


Sevilla v Bayern Munich Pick: The Champions League Quarter Final matches look to be decent ties, but there are a couple of them where there looks to be a clear winner.

One of those is Bayern Munich in their Quarter Final against Sevilla and I don't believe the German Champions will make the same mistakes Manchester United did in both Legs of their Last 16 tie against Sevilla.

The First Leg is still intriguing with Sevilla showing toughness at home and they will have been encouraged with the way they played for large parts of the 2-2 draw with Barcelona on Saturday. They led 2-0 that day and will believe they can trouble Bayern Munich, although I do worry about a team who have conceded as many home goals as Sevilla have of late.

Sevilla have also drawn 3 of their 5 home Champions League ties this season and were 0-3 down to Liverpool in one of those which again would concern me if I was a fan of the Spanish club.

Bayern Munich are also playing as well as any team remaining in the competition and they have been very strong on their travels in the Champions League. The side have won 5 of their last 6 away games in the Champions League including the last 3 in a row and they have been scoring goals for fun in recent weeks which will encourage them to come to Sevilla and express themselves.

They have scored at least twice in each of their 5 away wins in the Champions League over the last twelve months including a 1-2 win at Real Madrid before going down in extra time last season. With the attacking options Bayern Munich have at their disposal, I do expect they will break down this Sevilla team who have conceded at least twice in 3 of their last 4 home games which is not a good look.

The away side are short enough in the prices, but they are just under odds against to win a game which features two or more goals and I do think Bayern Munich could hit that number themselves. They likely need to score at least twice to win here, but I do think Bayern Munich can do that and I will back them to secure a First Leg lead which sets them up for passage through to the Semi Final.


Barcelona v Roma Pick: It feels like it would be a pretty big surprise if Barcelona are not able to beat Roma in the Champions League Quarter Final over the next seven days even if I remain a little unconvinced about how strong this current Barcelona side are.

This has been a season in which Roma have overachieved in the Champions League but they have to be respected for some of the performances they have produced.

The stand out performances came against Chelsea in the Group Stage, but Barcelona may be a tougher prospect for a group of players who will remember the 6-1 defeat here in the Group Stage two seasons ago.

Roma have also been beaten at Atletico Madrid this season and they have been a poor travelling team in the Champions League. Now they have to face a Barcelona team who have won plenty of games at home both domestically and in the Champions League and who will have the majority of the ball in the First Leg as they look to build a lead to take to the Italian capital next week.

I do think Barcelona will come away with a lead and I think the control of the ball will restrict the chances Roma are able to create.

While I am not convinced Barcelona are as strong defensively as other teams in Europe, they have been good enough at home to earn plenty of clean sheets. Barcelona have only conceded 1 goal in 4 Champions League games here this season, while they have conceded just 2 goals in 12 at home in all competitions.

Barcelona may be able to play well enough to contain Roma in this First Leg too having beaten Italian Champions Juventus 3-0 in the Group Stage. Their visitors have already failed to score once in a defeat in Spain this season and I am going to back Barcelona to win this one with a clean sheet at odds against.


Liverpool v Manchester City Pick: All eyes in England will be on this Champions League Quarter Final as the two representatives remaining in the competition from the Premier League play one another.

Liverpool and Manchester City have already produced two high-scoring games in the Premier League and there is every chance the Champions League tie over the next seven days will also feature plenty of goals.

Both Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola will recognise how well the other's team have played when it comes to the attacking side of the game and both have to feel the biggest weakness of Liverpool and Manchester City are both in defensive areas.

I would be surprised if those vulnerabilities are not attacked in both Legs of this Champions League Quarter Final and I don't think either manager can play for a draw with the way they have defended at times. Both Liverpool and Manchester City have some tremendous attacking options which should be able to create chances against their defensive opponents and I am expecting to see at least four goals here.

Games between Liverpool and Manchester City at Anfield have produced plenty of goals in recent seasons including the 4-3 win for Liverpool back in January. That result has to give the home team confidence even though they are the home underdog and I think Liverpool have to be respected in this one.

Both managers will still approach this Quarter Final First Leg with the same philosophy that has worked well for them in the Premier League this season and so anything other than goals would be a real surprise. I expect to see plenty of attacking threat throughout this First Leg and I don't think either team will settle for a narrow win if they have got some momentum behind them.

With attack likely to be an important part of the game for both teams throughout this one, I will look for this to be the third game in the 2017/18 season between Liverpool and Manchester City that has at least four goals shared out.


Arsenal v CSKA Moscow Pick: This is arguably the best of the remaining seven teams that Arsenal could have faced in the Europa League Quarter Final, but anyone taking CSKA Moscow for granted could be in for a big surprise.

While Russian teams have not been the best of travellers in recent seasons, CSKA Moscow have shown some toughness this season and they have won 4 of 7 away European games. That includes wins at Benfica and Basel in the Champions League Group, but the most impressive victory came at Lyon in the Last 16 of the Europa League when CSKA Moscow overturned a 0-1 home defeat from the First Leg.

They also led at Old Trafford before losing 2-1 to Manchester United back in December and CSKA Moscow have to be respected against an Arsenal team that are still some way short of being in top gear.

It may be a positive for Arsenal fans that despite being a little below their best that their team have won 4 in a row in all competitions. They have won their last 3 at the Emirates Stadium while scoring three times each time against Watford, AC Milan and Stoke City although the absence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a real loss for the side.

Arsene Wenger has managed to rest some key players now and the return of Alexandre Lacazette is a bonus for his team and I do think Arsenal will have enough to win this one.

However I think CSKA Moscow have shown they can cause problems for teams with the pace they have and I think the Russian side will give themselves every chance of earning their place in the Semi Final. That will begin by at least earning an away goal at the Emirates Stadium and backing both teams to score at odds against looks a big price when you consider how well CSKA Moscow have been playing themselves.

Since CSKA Moscow entered the Champions League Group Stage, 4 of their 5 away European ties have ended with both teams scoring. Arsenal have conceded in 3 of their 5 home Europa League ties and both teams scoring at odds against looks the call in this one.


Atletico Madrid v Sporting Lisbon Pick: Just because a team looks to be the clear favourite in any competition they enter, there is still some hard work to do to make sure all the goals are achieved and that is true for Atletico Madrid who are five matches away from winning the Europa League.

A manager like Diego Simeone is unlikely to allow his players to become complacent and Atletico Madrid are rounding into magnificent form with 13 wins in 15 games in all competitions.

The First Leg at home looks a very good chance for Atletico Madrid to put themselves into a strong position in this Quarter Final. They have won 8 in a row at home in all competitions and kept clean sheets in each of those games, while Atletico Madrid have won 3 European home games with clean sheets in those too.

They could be facing Sporting Lisbon at the right time as the Portuguese team have lost half of their last 6 games in all competitions. Defeats in 3 of their last 4 away games has to be a concern for Sporting Lisbon who will try and frustrate Atletico Madrid and then hit them on the counter attack.

Sporting Lisbon are just not quite as good on their travels as they are at home and defeats in Barcelona and Juventus show they can struggle to compete at the level on which Atletico Madrid usually operate.

Scoring an away goal will be difficult for Sporting Lisbon in this Stadium and I think Atletico Madrid have found some real consistency going forward which makes them very dangerous. They have scored 18 goals in their 8 straight home wins and I think they are going to be earn a way into a very strong position at the end of this First Leg.

I will back Atletico Madrid to win by a couple of goals, at least, on the night at odds against.


Lazio v Salzburg Pick: For most people Lazio will be a clear favourite to get by Salzburg in this Europa League Quarter Final, but I think this has the making of a tough tie for them.

While they may play at a higher level more consistently, Salzburg have shown they can step up in the Europa League and beating clubs from Spain and Germany as the underdog will have given the players confidence. The success against Borussia Dortmund in the Last 16 was a particularly strong result for Salzburg and they have the makings of a team that can upset the odds for a third straight Round.

Salzburg have been unbeaten for a long time which will have given the players more belief in what they are trying to achieve, while they have proved tough to beat at European level with a run of 10 away ties without a defeat behind them.

Lazio have been strong at home, but they have drawn 2 of their last 3 Europa League ties here, while they had not won any of 4 home games prior to the win over ten man Benevento. While I accept Lazio are a tough team to beat, this could be a First Leg where Salzburg are able to do enough to secure a result to take back home.

It would be a surprise if Salzburg were able to win here, but they have played well enough to become the third team in four visits to Lazio to leave with a draw. I think that is worth a small interest in this First Leg of this Quarter Final in a tie where Lazio are odds on favourites to have a lead before the return in Salzburg next week.


Leipzig v Marseille Pick: Both Leipzig and Marseille are in a position to finish in the Champions League places domestically but both will also feel this is a Europa League Quarter Final tie they can win and move a step closer to earning their Champions League spot by winning this competition.

Both Leipzig and Marseille play a good brand of football and I do think there will be goals when they meet in the First Leg in Germany.

Leipzig have shown they have a team that can create chances against any they face, but they have also been defensively vulnerable and I expect that will show up here.

The only concern for me has to be the poor form Marseille showed away from home before the win in Athletic Bilbao. They hadn't been scoring many goals away from home in the Europa League, but they do come into this First Leg in decent form which eases those concerns.

I expect to see both teams have their opportunities in this one and I would expect the tie to be in the balance when they resume in the south of France next Thursday. With the kind of attacking players on show I will look for Leipzig and Marseille to combine for at least three goals in the First Leg.

MY PICKS: Juventus-Real Madrid Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Bayern Munich Win & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.83 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Barcelona Win to Nil @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Liverpool-Manchester City Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.75 William Hill (2 Units)
Arsenal-CSKA Moscow Both Teams to Score @ 2.10 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Atletico Madrid - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Lazio-Salzburg Draw @ 3.75 Bet Fred (1 Unit)
Leipzig-Marseille Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)