Monte Carlo Masters Tennis Picks 2025 (Tuesday 8th April)

Finishing the Miami Masters with a positive return wrapped up the first quarter of the tennis season and concluded the opening stint on the hard courts.

As mentioned at the time, the decision was made to wait until the Monte Carlo Masters before the opening clay court Tennis Picks of the season would be made and that was mainly so the events on the European red dirt would begin. There have been events in the United States, which always feel like clay courts that play a lot differently than those in the build up towards the French Open, while the ATP events last week were at the 250 level and they were events which would give us some early indication of the form of those much lower in the World Rankings.

The Monte Carlo Masters is perhaps not seen in the same light as Madrid and Rome in the preparation for the French Open, but a very solid field has come together this week. For many it will be the first clay court action for several months in a competitive environment, and that can lead to some early upsets, but the picturesque setting should mean fans will arrive at the tournament in as good spirits as most of the contenders.

Most of the First Round has been completed through the first two days at the event, although there are still some opening matches to be played on Tuesday. On the same day, the top Seeds join the Monte Carlo party and this should be another solid week on the Tour for those on the ATP side of the table.

Stuttgart will be the first big event for those on the WTA Tour with that 500 level event being played next week ahead of the Madrid 1000 events to round out the month. All eyes will be sharpening up towards that second Grand Slam of the season with the men's tournament looking pretty wide open and Iga Swiatek still being the player to beat in the women's event.

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 4.5 games v Jordan Thompson: The last two times these players have met on the Tour have been huge battles with both Jordan Thompson and Stefanos Tsitsipas working their way to a victory apiece. However, both were played on the hard courts and there feels like a big advantage in favour of the higher Ranked player when it comes to matches on the clay.

Furthering that advantage is this Second Round match being played in Monte Carlo where Stefanos Tsitsipas has really enjoyed his time.

His 22-3 record is one thing, but it should also be noted that Stefanos Tsitsipas has won the title in three of the last four years after returning to the event in 2021. The only exception was a Quarter Final defeat to Taylor Fritz in 2023, but the World Number 8 made up for that by winning the title in 2024 with wins over the likes of Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner on the way.

He was born in Greece and represents that nation, but Stefanos Tsitsipas is clearly very comfortable in Monte Carlo with this being his main home these days. That has been reflected in his level of performance at the event and since 2021, Tsitsipas has dominated most aspects of his tennis when playing at this Masters event.

The serve has been very strong, although the key to the successes that Stefanos Tsitsipas has had is the returning numbers with 37% of return games ending in a break of serve in his favour. Numbers on both the serve and return move even more in his favour when only considering matches against players Ranked lower than him and Stefanos Tsitsipas has to be seen as a strong favourite, even in his first match back on the clay courts.

A couple of disappointing efforts in Indian Wells and Miami may have knocked the confidence, but being back on the red dirt will really help Stefanos Tsitsipas.

His opponent has come through a First Round match, so is adjusted to the conditions, but you have to consider Jordan Thompson as a pretty poor clay courter. The Australian was beaten in his first match in Houston last week, and he had lost sixteen of seventeen clay court matches played on European soil before his First Round win.

Jordan Thompson can take confidence from that win, but his numbers have been really poor on the surface and going up against someone as comfortable on this surface as Stefanos Tsitsipas makes it hard to believe the former can be competitive.

The serve is a big weapon for Thompson on most surfaces, but that is not the case on the clay where patience is as important as power. Ultimately his return has also suffered with opponents capable of pushing him around the court and this may be a rare match against Stefanos Tsitsipas where the World Number 38 is unable to challenge the top ten player as he would like.

It is a big spread for a first match on the surface, but Stefanos Tsitsipas is capable of covering in surroundings where he has always felt right at home.

MY PICKS: Stefanos Tsitsipas - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

2025 Season: 68-51, + 13.08 Units (157 Units Staked, + 8.33% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2023- Shakur Stevenson vs Shuichiro Yoshino (April 8th)

The return of Anthony Joshua was perhaps not the eye-catching comeback that many hoped, but a win over a tough Jermaine Franklin was the most important outcome of the night.

We are in those days when the naysayers are louder than the fans thanks to the increasing influence of social media, but I don't think you can draw a line through the career of the British Heavyweight just yet.

Yes, it was not a performance that many expected, but sometimes you have to give credit to a fighter like Franklin who was not prepared to roll over. He did the same in a much closer loss to Dillian Whyte, a fight many believed the American won, but this was a much more one-sided result and Anthony Joshua deserves some praise for that.

I would recommend he heads back to Texas as soon as possible and gets back in the gym with his new trainer- Derrick James has some significant World Champions under his tutelage and there is every chance he will be preparing Errol Spence Jr for the monster Undisputed fight with Terence Crawford and I can only think Anthony Joshua benefits by training alongside Spence Jr and the Charlo brothers to continue his development.

Now I am not saying I would expect Joshua to beat either of the two World Champions in the Heavyweight Division, but so what? There is every chance that Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury's expected two fights would mean the eventual winner, or both, could retire, while mandatories will be called to fracture the Division once the first bout ends with a four belt holder (at least I hope they can sign quickly enough for a four Belt holder to still be the outcome of any first Undisputed fight).

Would I favour Anthony Joshua against Deontay Wilder or Joe Joyce? Probably not on the showing on Saturday, but there were one or two positive signs as he looked to have gotten through the Twelve Rounds well enough. Derrick James will be tasked with giving Anthony Joshua to let his punches go a little more, as he had been urging on Saturday night, but that relationship can only build and the trust develops the longer they spend time together, another reason I would head right back over to Texas if I was in Joshua's shoes.

It does sound like he wants to be back in the ring in the summer, either July or August, and that could depend on if we finally get the Spence Jr-Crawford bout signed off. Some have suggested that could be announced in two weeks time on the big Davis-Garcia card, but most are expecting the June 17th rumoured date to be pushed back and that may also push back any Joshua return.

Unlike some who want to see Anthony Joshua straight back in with the top four names in the Division, I think the best fight for him next is the personal rivalry bout with Dillian Whyte. I think that will allow us to see how much of the 'dog' is really left in Joshua- if he cannot get up for that fight and want to put a serious hurt on Whyte, I think it might actually be a good time to think about what he wants next.

However, I anticipate that would be a really good fight for both Joshua and Whyte as they look to become major players in the Division again. Fighting in July/August also opens the door for a third fight in 2023 for Anthony Joshua, assuming he can beat Dillian Whyte, and being more active is definitely important for him at this stage of his career.

Would the fights with the top four names mentioned be available in December? Possibly, but I also think it depends on whether the Undisputed Heavyweight fight between Usyk and Tyson Fury has been signed (I am assuming that will go on in the Middle East in the Autumn/Winter).

The Wilder fight could potentially be called as a final eliminator by the WBC, while you cannot rule out the likes of Filip Hrgovic or Otto Wallin to move into a high spot in the WBO Rankings before perhaps taking on a Joe Joyce in the first quarter of 2024. The career path will be interesting if Anthony Joshua can get through his next fight and I do think there are plenty of options available to him and his team as he looks to move back into the upper echelons of the Heavyweight Division.

It was not the most spectacular of undercards at the O2 Arena on Saturday, but some of the prospects under the Matchroom promotional team produced solid results. Fabian Wardley looks on course for some big domestic dust ups that will end up with the leading Heavyweight contender for the next generation coming out of Britain, while the likes of Ammo Williams, Campbell Hatton and Galal Yafai will be looking to take their next step up the ladder.

All of those names should be out sooner than later.

April and May look like two hot months for fans of the sport and there are three decent cards taking place in the United States this Easter Weekend.

In reality the main events look to be showcase fights for big names looking for World Title Belts against some of the top contenders in their Division, but there are also some good, solid prospects on the undercards of those bouts.

Three cards means three different broadcasters, which can be frustrating for fight fans, but it is what it is with fighters and promoters being tasked with putting on events on weekends like these with the additional holidays in place.

Hopefully we will have plenty of excitement this weekend and the winning Boxers can go on and arrange some big fights for later this year.

Shakur Stevenson vs Shuichiro Yoshino

It is not very easy in picking what should be the top fight of the weekend, but I have settled with this one as Shakur Stevenson moves into the Lightweight Division and looks to make an immediate statement to the rest of the campaigners in the weight class.

He has long looked like being the best young prospect coming through in American Boxing, although there are a number of other names around that may suggest differently. Two of those will be on the undercard, but Shakur Stevenson was a Unified World Champion at the Super Featherweight limit before finding the weight drain too much and deciding to campaign at 135 for now.

At 25 years old there is still scope for Stevenson to move up to Light Welterweight and potentially even into the lucrative Welterweight ranks, but the next step in his career is to win World Titles in the Lightweight Division. The Devin Haney-Vasyl Lomachenko Undisputed fight set for next month will be one that Shakur Stevenson will be eyeing up and he has long campaigned to get in the ring with either of those two elite fighters, but that campaign will end abruptly if he was to lose on Saturday.

An unbeaten Shuichiro Yoshino will be the naturally bigger man, but he is fighting outside of his home country for the first time. The Japanese fighter is Ranked pretty highly by three of the four main governing bodies and Yoshino has won back to back fights against Masayuki Ito and Masayoshi Nakatani, which need to be massively respected, but this may feel another step up against a former World Champion, even if Shakur Stevenson is coming up in weight.

Fighters from Japan tend to be tough and I do think Yoshino is better than a 'hand picked' opponent for Shakur Stevenson- he has power, but I do think it will be difficult to pin down Stevenson and I am interested to see if the American is stronger at 135 pounds compared to 130 when he was feeling the weight cut.

We know that Shakur Stevenson can coast towards the end of a fight rather than really going through the gears and looking for a Stoppage, but I do think Shuichiro Yoshino will not take a backward step. That could put him in a tough position down the stretch when Stevenson should be able to pick his shots and potentially hurt an opponent, but it is hard to really determine how the favourite will go about things.

He has to look good if he is going to call out the winner of Haney-Lomachenko, while there are plenty of other quality operators in the Lightweight Division who could give Stevenson a challenge. The winner of Davis-Garcia is another potential fight, but, again, Stevenson has to show that he is worthy of going up to that kind of level and that means trying to put Shuichiro Yoshino away inside the distance.

Shakur Stevenson is a very good boxer, but putting bums on seats means entertaining and I think the come forward style of Yoshino may see him walk into something late in this one.

Two up and coming American stars are on the undercard and both Jared Anderson and Keyshawn Davis are looking to steal the headlines from Shakur Stevenson.

Jared Anderson is expected to be the next really great American Heavyweight and at 23 years old he has time on his side before he has to begin mixing with some of the biggest names in the Division. He has fought thirteen times and secured thirteen Stoppages, while work with Tyson Fury has had the Heavyweight Champion speaking glowingly about what Anderson can do in the years ahead.

Only three of those thirteen wins have needed more than Two Rounds for Jared Anderson to get the job done, while he impressed in crushing Jerry Forrest in the Second Round back in December. The veteran gave it an early go and actually looked to have rocked Anderson, but the power is real from Big Baby and I think he will have far too much for unbeaten opponent George Arias.

Eighteen wins looks good, but George Arias is much shorter than Jared Anderson and he has only forced a Stoppage seven times in those previous wins. A win over Cassius Chaney looks pretty good and will give Arias confidence, but I think Jared Anderson is much more powerful and I expect him to get rid of his unbeaten opponent within the first half of the fight.

Keyshawn Davis is taking the next step in his career as he faces a former World Title challenger in Anthony Yigit, although the Swedish fighter came up short both times.

The former is looking to get into World Title fights by the end of the year and Davis has shown he has decent power, although it is not concussive and accumulating the shots and breaking down opponents will be the approach that Keyshawn Davis will take.

He is a sharpshooter, but Yigit has shown enough toughness to force Davis into a few Rounds and the last three fights won by the American have all gone at least Five Rounds.

A second half Stoppage looks likely for Keyshawn Davis as he continues moving up the Rankings with the governing bodies and perhaps inches him closer to a potentially huge domestic fight with Frank Martin.

As tough as Anthony Yigit is, both of his losses have seen him Stopped in the Seventh Round by Ivan Beranchyk and Rolly Romero and I think Keyshawin Davis will have broken him down just after the halfway mark of this Ten Rounder.

Jesse Rodriguez vs Cristian Gonzalez

Four fights in an eleventh month period has seen Jesse Rodriguez raise his stock in the world of Boxing and Bam is back in his home town having had just over six months to just reset and go again.

A strong year had seen Bam Rodriguez move up to Super Flyweight and win a World Title, but he returns to a more natural Division in the Flyweight ranks as he looks to pick up a vacant World Title.

Unsurprisingly Bam is the favourite against Cristian Gonzalez, who has had one fight since September 2021. That inactivity has to be an issue against someone like Bam Rodriguez and I do think the Mexican's five Stoppages in fifteen previous wins suggests he may find it difficult to keep Rodriguez from overwhelming him.

I think Bam Rodriguez has some huge opportunities in front of him if he can win this fight- being associated with Eddie Hearn and Matchroom means Unifications against Sunny Edwards and Julio Cesar Martinez are on the horizon in the Flyweight Division and those will certainly attract some real attention.

He doesn't need to impress any more than he has already over the last eighteen months and the win is all that matters, but I think the home crowd are here to see something special and Bam Rodriguez can deliver. My feeling is that he is going to come out with something to prove down at a more natural weight and he may have far too much, far too early for Cristian Gonzalez who has not been in at this level and had very little competitive Rounds in the last couple of years to believe he can stay with the home town favourite.

Eddie Hearn may be dealing with one or two criticisms for the undercard he put out for the Anthony Joshua fight last weekend at the O2 Arena in London, but the show in San Antonio looks to be deeper.

After back to back tussles with Michael Soro, Israil Madrimov takes a step down in level of competition- in a Division where he is the top Ranked contender in the WBA, Madrimov may have to wait his turn before getting around to facing Jermell Charlo, who holds all four belts. A decision to change their own system and remove the regular World Title from the books has perhaps prevented Israil Madrimov from picking up a version of a Belt, but he should keep himself easily active in this one.

He is facing a southpaw, which can be awkward, but Raphael Igbokwe was stopped in the Sixth Round in his last fight with his corner pulling him out and has not been in the ring in nineteen months.

That is far from ideal and Israil Madrimov can produce a solid win.

Raymond Ford is about to enter his toughest test as a professional fighter, but I think there is a real opportunity for him to show how good he could be when he takes on Jessie Magdaleno.

The latter is another southpaw and that is not ideal for the two fighters, while Magdaleno has produced four straight wins since a loss to Isaac Dogboe. That remains the sole loss on the record, but I do think these two Boxers are at a crossroads and Raymond Ford looks keen on making a statement.

The youngster still has something to prove with a Split Draw and a Split Decision win on his resume, but Raymond Ford is learning and improving. Jesse Magdaleno has not really been in with top competition since the loss to Dogboe, while he has had long lay-offs since that defeat in 2018 with four fights in that time.

And finally there is another World Title on the line when Murodjon Akhmadaliev defends his IBF and WBA Super Bantamweight Belts against Marlon Tapales, who is Ranked the Number 1 contender in the IBF Rankngs.

The hope was that Stephen Fulton and Akhmadaliev would create an Undisputed Champion in the Division, but Fulton has taken on a big challenge in heading to Japan to face The Monster. The fight has been postponed until July, but Murodjon Akhmadaliev is not going to allow himself to get rusty in the meantime.

Three wins in a row have pushed Marlon Tapales into this position to face the Champion for two World Titles, but he has lost three times before and been Stopped twice.

I think there will be too much sharpshooting from the Champion that will see him wear down this contender and he can produce the victory inside the distance.

On a very busy night, the last card of note this weekend is headlined by Sebastian Fundora who is still waiting for his shot at a full World Title in the Light Middleweight Division. The Towering Inferno holds the Interim WBC World Title and he has chosen to remain active while Jermell Charlo tries to get over some of the injuries that have forced him to postpone his next mandatory against Tim Tszyu.

We have seen plenty from Fundora to believe he will be in exciting fights in his career and his size is one that should see him moving up to Middleweight and potentially Super Middleweight by the time the career comes to a close.

Becoming a multiple weight World Champion is not easy, but Sebastian Fundora has shown he has the punch output and the variety to knock plenty of people over.

Brian Mendoza produced a big win as an underdog against a former World Champion in his last fight and that has given him this opportunity, but he will have to step up another level to take the Interim World Title away.

He has yet to be Stopped, but I expect plenty of close quarter exchanges and Sebastian Fundora will be looking to replicate the performance from his win over Erickson Lubin almost exactly twelve months ago. The win over Carlos Ocampo was tougher than expected, but I expect the Champion to get back to doing what he does best and Sebastian Fundora can close the show before the final bell.

MY PICKS: Shakur Stevenson to Win Between 7-12 @ 5.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Keyshawn Davis to Win Between 6-10 @ 2.62 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Jared Anderson to Win Between 1-5 @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Jesse Rodriguez to Win Between 1-6 @ 4.33 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Israil Madrimov to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.40 Bet365 (2 Units)

Raymond Ford to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 3.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Murodjon Akhmadaliev to Win Between 5-8 @ 4.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Sebastian Fundora to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.60 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Boxing 2023: 12-19, - 3.04 Units (57 Units Staked, - 5.33% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2022 (April 8th)

There was a moment when the opening selection on Thursday looked to be going the same way as some of the others this week, but the player rallied to make sure they did not blow a strong winning position.

It ultimately proved to be the start of a positive day with four of the five selections returning as winners and has given me a chance of having a winning week over the next three days. We are down to the Quarter Finals at the four events being played this week and all of the Friday selections will be placed in this thread.

Roberto Carballes Baena v David Goffin: Both of these players have produced a couple of solid victories here in Marrakech on the clay courts.

The mental edge may be with David Goffin, who beat Roberto Carballes Baena in Miami last month, but that was a match on the hard courts and the latter is a confident clay court player.

That won't surprise anyone when you think of the nation he is representing, but Roberto Carballes Baena looks to be a little underrated in this one. He has won his matches with a bit more ease than David Goffin has won his and the numbers back that up.

Overall Roberto Carballes Baena has had the better clay court numbers than David Goffin over the last twelve months and he does hold a win over the Belgian on this surface. You also have to factor in the length of time that David Goffin was on the court in his Second Round win over Pablo Andujar compared with Roberto Carballes Baena who worked his way into the Quarter Final with another straight sets win.

Both of these players have had similar serving numbers on the clay courts, but it is Roberto Carballes Baena who has looked to have the superior return game. It just feels slightly off to have the Spaniard as the underdog in this match and I think he will have the edge in the returning department in this match to edge past David Goffin.

Federico Coria - 1.5 games v Richard Gasquet: He is unlikely to reach the level achieved by his older brother on the ATP Tour, but Federico Coria has enjoyed a pretty good couple of years in his own right. The Argentine is at a career best World Ranking and is a solid clay court player who may be able to have some solid runs over the next two months.

The two wins in Marrakech have come in good style this week and Federico Coria is deserving of his spot as the favourite in this Quarter Final.

Federico Coria is getting plenty out of his serve, but he has also been playing the big points pretty well this week and that has seen him improve his break percentage compared with the rest of the season on the red dirt. The level being produced on the return is encouraging and it is a level that Federico Coria will feel he can maintain.

A few years ago Richard Gasquet would have been a real test for Federico Coria and likely would have gone into this kind of match as a significant favourite. The veteran has played well and held himself together at key moments in the ATP Marrakech tournament, but Richard Gasquet may have to step up his level if he is going to win this match.

Richard Gasquet has just about held himself together at key moments in his first two matches here, but Federico Coria represents a step up in class, especially on the clay courts.

The latter has been serving a little more consistently than Richard Gasquet in this tournament and I think that shows up here to help him move through to the Semi Final.

MY PICKS: Roberto Carballes Baena @ 2.20 Bet365 (2 Units)

Federico Coria - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Paula Badosa - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Ons Jabeur - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Ekaterina Alexandrova - 3.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

John Isner @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 5-5, - 1.46 Units (20 Units Staked, - 7.30% Yield)

Davis Cup Tennis Picks 2018 (April 8th)

The Tennis Picks have been in fine form this week with all eight picks made over the last seven days coming back as winners.

Friday was the key with five Picks from the Davis Cup ties and the Quarter Final matches at the WTA Charleston event all returning as winners and I am looking for a strong Sunday to wrap up this week.

The Davis Cup Quarter Final ties are completed on Sunday and it has been a busy day for me which means I will simply put my picks down below. Hopefully it can be a strong end to the week to put some good looking numbers down to add to the season totals.

MY PICKS: Rafael Nadal - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Fabio Fognini - 2.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
David Ferrer - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 8-0, + 14.46 Units (16 Units Staked, + 90.38% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks 2018 (April 7-8)

The 2017/18 season is fast moving towards the end of the campaign and things have begun to be settled in the English Premier League.

Not many are going to back any of the current top four falling out of the Champions League places after Tottenham Hotspur's win at Stamford Bridge last Sunday, while the Premier League title could be decided this weekend.

Even what was once a tight race at the bottom of the table is beginning to separate out with West Brom likely gone and the likes of Stoke City and Southampton in considerable trouble. There is still some juice in that battle though, and it does feel like the remaining weeks of the season in the League will be concentrating on the bottom rather than the top.

For others the FA Cup and Champions League might become the priority going forward and so you have to consider team changes for League games at this time of the season.

This weekend is a prime example of that with both Liverpool and Manchester City tipped to rest big name players for their Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg, yet both are involved in big time derby games too.

It is something to consider as we move into the Weekend Picks from the Premier League with matches taking place on Saturday and Sunday.

Everton v Liverpool Pick: The Merseyside derby opens the Premier League weekend and the big question is how much the Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg is going to be a distraction for Liverpool despite a commanding lead from the First Leg.

Jurgen Klopp has not been happy with the early Saturday kick off for this fixture, but I am not sure where he would have wanted the game placed this weekend? The television companies were obviously going to pick the game for televised selection and the Manchester derby had the late Saturday slot so it seems like just a pointless reason to complain.

At least the manager will be happier with a 3-0 lead over Manchester City in the Champions League Quarter Final and the 10 point lead over Chelsea in the race for the top four in the Premier League. That means Liverpool have every chance to have their most successful season for a number of years, although Everton will come into this one looking to play spoiler for their visitors.

Everton tried to fight fire with fire against Manchester City last weekend and it did not work out for Sam Allardyce like he would have wanted in a 1-3 home defeat. The fans remain unconvinced about Allardyce and it seems more and more likely Everton will be looking for a new manager at the end of the current season.

Allardyce can change some perceptions if he can lead Everton to a first home win over Liverpool since October 2010 and I would be surprised if he decides to change his approach to this fixture markedly from last week. With the away side expected to make some changes, Everton could really try and get after Liverpool and Allardyce could look to earn some big brownie points from the home fans with an upset win on Saturday.

Liverpool look short considering the likes of Mohammad Salah could be rested for the Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg against Manchester City on Tuesday. They also looked vulnerable to Crystal Palace last weekend and I do think Everton can pose problems for Liverpool, although Everton too have lacked defensive discipline and will find it hard to contain Liverpool.

Games between these teams at Goodison Park have been tight affairs in recent years, but Everton's approach could be different this time around and I think they will look to get on the front foot. That will leave spaces for Liverpool too and backing at least three goals to be shared out looks to be the call at a decent looking price.

Bournemouth v Crystal Palace Pick: This is a big game for Crystal Palace who are desperate to try and avoid the drop, but they are not going to have it easy against Bournemouth despite the home team looking like they have pulled away from any real relegation threat.

While Bournemouth are a side who will offer up chances for opponents, Crystal Palace have to respect the fact that their hosts have been scoring goals for fun in recent weeks.

Bournemouth have scored at least twice in 6 of their last 7 home Premier League games and they have won 4 of their last 6 here. While Crystal Palace did earn a clean sheet in their last away game at Huddersfield Town, Bournemouth clearly carry a much greater goal threat than The Terriers and they won't take a backwards step in this one with the way Eddie Howe approaches most fixtures.

On the other hand, Crystal Palace have scored goals away from home and are facing a Bournemouth team who have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last 10 home Premier League games. Crystal Palace themselves have scored in 9 straight away games in all competitions and this fixture looks like being one that will produce at least three goals.

Both teams should contribute to a decent game of football and the points on offer are important enough for the teams to chase. Crystal Palace would likely take a point right now, but I think the approach of Bournemouth will mean there are spaces for both teams to exploit and I will back at least three goals shared out for the second time this season between these two teams.

Brighton v Huddersfield Town Pick: There are a couple of fixtures this weekend in the Premier League which are almost 'relegation six pointers' but they do involve a couple of teams who can pull away from any relegation fears with home wins.

Both are on the south coast where Bournemouth host Crystal Palace and Brighton host Huddersfield Town on Saturday afternoon.

In both cases home wins would ease any relegation fears considerable for those teams and Chris Hughton won't ignore how important this game is for Brighton. The remaining fixture list for Brighton is really difficult and a loss would put them in a precarious position, but a win for Brighton may already be good enough to begin planning for Premier League football for another season.

Brighton have been in good form at the Amex Stadium and they will believe only a missed penalty late in the game against Leicester City prevented them winning another fixture. That came when the fixture was still goalless before Brighton were undone by Leicester City, but prior to that Brighton had won 3 straight League wins in this Stadium.

They have been creating chances and scoring goals at home and that should give them the edge against a Huddersfield Town team who have not travelled that well. Huddersfield Town have only scored 10 away goals this season and 9 of those came in their 3 away wins at Crystal Palace, Watford and West Brom.

Those results have to be respected, but Brighton are a team who show decent shape defensively and I think they will be able to do enough to contain Huddersfield Town.

The visitors also have a habit of conceding goals away from home and that is where I like Brighton's chances of earning a vital three points in this fixture. They have beaten Huddersfield Town the last two times they have visited this part of the south coast and I think Brighton's attacking intent in recent weeks has been rewarded with goals.

It will be tight at times, but I will back Brighton to win this one this weekend.

Leicester City v Newcastle United Pick: You have to begin to question the motivation of players in the weeks ahead as their ambitions for the season begin to be achieved.

There is still enough for both Leicester City and Newcastle United to try and produce their best football as they go into the final six weeks of the Premier League season. For the home team the chance to get back into European Football is a big carrot for a strong ending, while Newcastle United still need a few more points to secure their Premier League status for another season.

Both teams have been in decent form in recent weeks which does make this a slightly more difficult game to read.

However I do think home advantage should be enough for Leicester City to earn the three points even if they have drawn their last 3 home Premier League games by the same 1-1 scoreline. Having back to back wins at West Brom and Brighton will have helped the confidence of the players who are trying to finish at least 7th in the Premier League table.

I still have to offer respect for a Newcastle United team who have been difficult to beat in recent matches. They might not be as strong going forward as they would like, but Rafa Benitez keeps them defensively organised which could make it tough for Leicester City to break them down and win the fixture.

The fact Newcastle United are not quite as good away from home and their poor recent record at Leicester City is enough to back the home team for me here. The Foxes have drawn a few too many games at home in recent weeks, but they have the attacking players to find a way past Newcastle United and they have to be worth backing for the three points at the prices available.

Stoke City v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: Paul Lambert has got his Stoke City playing with a little more confidence than when Mark Hughes left the club, but it was results he was looking for rather than praise.

Unfortunately for Lambert, Stoke City have struggled for consistent results and Charlie Adam should take a large portion of the blame having missed a penalty in one game to drop two points and then being sent off after half an hour of another winnable home game.

Those points have left Stoke City 3 points from safety and with a difficult remaining fixture list and also an inferior goal difference to most above them.

It certainly looks a big task to get out of trouble and now Stoke City have to face a Tottenham Hotspur team who have handed out some real beatings to Stoke City in recent years. The fact that Tottenham Hotspur are also playing with real confidence does not bode well for Stoke City as they have won 3 consecutive games, all away from home and while scoring at least three times each time.

Harry Kane should be back to lead the line and Tottenham Hotspur look a team that could end this season in very strong form with the fixtures remaining for them. Winning the FA Cup would be the icing on the cake for Tottenham Hotspur and I think they are going to be too strong for Stoke City on Saturday in the current form they are in.

Stoke City have lost their last couple of home games in the Premier League and I think Tottenham Hotspur will wear them down. The last 4 between these teams have resulted in wins for Tottenham Hotspur each time and they have outscored Stoke City 17-1 in those games.

Tottenham Hotspur have won 3 consecutive away games while scoring at least three times each time and I will back them to cover the Asian Handicap here.

Manchester City v Manchester United Pick: The Manchester derby will always be a big game for the fans of the two clubs involved, but it is hard to get a read on how the players feel about this fixture.

Prior to the Champions League humbling at Liverpool, Manchester City would likely have been very keen to win the title against Manchester United and while that is still the case, I also think the Second Leg of the Champions League tie is going to be a huge distraction for them.

Whether they win this week or not, Manchester City are going to win the Premier League so I can see Pep Guardiola making some big changes to his starting eleven to make sure his key players are mentally ready for a huge challenge they face in the Champions League. A Quarter Final exit simply won't be good enough for Manchester City and they should be completely focused on trying to find a way to turn that tie around.

I can see a number of fringe players being given the chance in this one which makes it tough to really get a feel for a winner.

For Manchester United it can be seen as a chance to lay down the marker for the 2018/19 season by winning at the Champions elect and spoiling the party. However Jose Mourinho has also put some pressure on the players to try and finish 2nd in the Premier League table and that means I can see Mourinho picking a system where he would settle for a point if he can get it.

I would be surprised if Manchester United go gung-ho here but instead I imagine them to be focused defensively and then try and hit Manchester City on the counter attack.

It will be accepted that Manchester City will have more of the ball, but a strong defensive shape can frustrate the home side, especially if they have made a host of changes to keep the big names ready for the Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg.

That may lead to a game that perhaps underwhelms and I think we may not see as many goals as the layers believe. Goals haven't been a problem at Manchester City this season, but they did have to settle for a narrow win over Chelsea who defended in solid numbers and I expect this fixture to develop in a similar way with the likely set up Manchester United take.

Backing less than three goals to be produced in this Saturday late afternoon kick off at odds against looks a generous price.

Arsenal v Southampton Pick: You have to think that all Southampton fans were hoping Arsenal were involved in a scrap in the Europa League Quarter Final against CSKA Moscow so they were almost certainly going to be facing a second string team on Sunday.

Instead Arsenal dominated CSKA Moscow in a 4-1 home win and I think that could mean more familiar names remain on the team sheet for The Gunners.

That is not good news for a Southampton side who have lost back to back away Premier League games by the same 3-0 result and especially when you note how poorly they have played in both games at Newcastle United and West Ham United. Now they face an Arsenal team who have won 4 straight home games and scored at least three times in each of those games.

One glimmer of hope for Southampton is that Arsenal did not play well against Stoke City last weekend before scoring three late goals to beat them. However there is some real momentum behind Arsenal at the moment and I think Southampton are not playing as well as Stoke City have been so confidence is likely going to be in a weaker place.

Southampton have quality in the squad that does make them dangerous if the Arsenal players are not fully focused, but The Gunners played with confidence on Thursday and will want to keep the wins coming to get the fans behind them again.

I would expect Arsene Wenger to play a familiar looking line up and that should be enough to see off The Saints who have not looked like they believe in their ability to avoid the drop. I will back Arsenal to keep the goals coming at the Emirates Stadium and will back them to cover the Asian Handicap.

Chelsea v West Ham United Pick: In recent years Chelsea have struggled to find the consistency from season to season and this looks another year where the defending Champions have failed to reach the heights expected.

Missing out on the Champions League will be a big blow for a club trying to keep hold of the likes of Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard, but the 1-3 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur has put their participation in the Champions League on a knife edge.

With 8 points to make up to the top four, Chelsea can't afford to drop more points at Stamford Bridge and it will be interesting to see the reaction of the players. They have been accused of 'downing tools' for previous managers and Chelsea have been in poor form while Antonio Conte is likely going to move on at the end of this current campaign.

West Ham United will be hoping to take advantage of any lack of effort that Chelsea produce on Sunday as they bid to take another big step away from the bottom three in the Premier League.

However they may also be perfect opponents for Chelsea when you think of how poorly West Ham United had been playing prior to the win over Southampton last weekend. The away form has been a particular worry and West Ham United have conceded plenty of goals in recent weeks which could be exposed by a Chelsea team who had looked threatening in the final third last Sunday before their inexplicable capitulation in the second half.

That also came against a much better team than West Ham United and I expect to see a positive reaction from the Chelsea team. There is plenty of talent here and they can become the latest club to really put West Ham United to the sword, although The Hammers could play a part if Chelsea continue to defend as erratically as they have been.

The layers are still asking Chelsea to cover a big number on the handicaps which may have something to do with how poorly West Ham United have defended. However I will back Chelsea to win a game featuring three or more goals with both teams likely to have their opportunities in this one, but the feeling Chelsea are the stronger team and will not have completely given up on a top four bid.

MY PICKS: Everton-Liverpool Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Bournemouth-Crystal Palace Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Brighton @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Leicester City @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)

Tottenham Hotspur - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.98 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Manchester City-Manchester United Under 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Arsenal - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.92 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Chelsea Win & Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Boxing Picks 2017- Vasyl Lomachenko vs Jason Sosa (April 8th)

Any time a potential Pound for Pound Number 1 gets in the ring it is going to be the headline event for me and that is why I have named this thread after Vasyl Lomachenko who headlines the big fight in the United States in the early hours of Sunday morning for those of us in the United Kingdom.

Take nothing away from the card that Frank Warren has put together at the Manchester Arena though with a couple of really big fights there. The best fight of the entire night could be between the two Liams, Smith and Williams, while Terry Flanagan will not want to see Manchester lose a second World Champion in the Lightweight Division after Anthony Crolla was dethroned and then beaten again by Jorge Linares.

It should be a good night of boxing for the fans settling in and my picks are below.

Liam Smith vs Liam Williams

The potential show stealers at the Manchester Arena, and perhaps even the whole night, comes from what many are labelling a 50-50 fight between Liam Smith and Liam Williams. The two fighter should be challenging for the WBO Super Welterweight Title, but Smith is not in a position to win back the belt he lost to Saul Alvarez having failed to reach the limit in the weigh in.

That is a big blow for Smith who has openly stated that he wants to win back the belt he lost to Alvarez in Texas, that being the only defeat either man has suffered. Liam Smith has been really disappointed that so many are giving his opponent a chance in this one as he feels he has been in much better company than Liam Williams, but I do wonder if failing to make the weight says his camp has not been as good as he would have liked.

It is a reason that I can't back Smith to win this one because missing the weight can sometimes be because of reasons that affect the ability in the ring. I tend to agree with him that he has had the bigger and tougher tests than Williams and I would have been interested in backing him if he had come onto the scales and hit his mark.

Williams is unbeaten and that does count for something, while he does hold some power with 11 of his 16 wins coming by stoppage. The Smith Knock Out ratio is not as strong as Williams' but he had won eight in a row by stoppage prior to the defeat to Alvarez and this has all the needle and hallmarks of a fight that will ignite a few times during the course of the time they spend in the ring.

Both men have shown they do possess some power and I will be surprised if the judges are needed in this one. I am leaning towards Smith to show his superior experience to perhaps get this done, but I will keep things simple by looking for this fight to not go the distance at a decent looking price.

Terry Flanagan vs Petr Petrov

A few months ago there were plenty in Manchester perhaps anticipating a huge unification Lightweight fight between two men from their city. Anthony Crolla decided to take on Jorge Linares instead and Manchester now only has the one World Champion at this weight level with Terry Flanagan hoping to avoid the same fate that befell Crolla.

In all honesty, Petr Petrov is not the same level as Jorge Linares and he has losses to the likes of Marcos Maidana and Dejan Zlaticanin on his resume.

The veteran has won six in a row since losing to Zlaticanin, who was most recently seen being wiped out by Mikey Garcia, and Petrov has only been stopped once in his 4 previous losses.

Terry Flanagan might not be as known to the casual fan as someone like Crolla, who had a very good backstory as well as the power of fighting on Sky Sports behind him. However it is Flanagan who has the unbeaten record and he has a couple of solid wins on his resume that have to be respected.

A win here will really open some big doors for Flanagan in this Division with the chance to perhaps entice the winner of the Mikey Garcia-Jorge Linares fight for a huge unification. There is no guarantee that the two stand out names in this Division take that fight next, so a win here will give Flanagan a chance to offer a unification to either which would be a huge step for him.

Flanagan does have his feet on the ground so I would be surprised if he overlooks Petrov knowing a loss would really put him in a tough position to earn the big money fights. There are options outside of the other World Champions to build his name with Crolla and Luke Campbell also in the Division, and I expect a focused Flanagan to be too good for Petrov.

Only 13 of his 32 wins have come by stoppage though and Petrov has shown some durability particularly in going the distance against Zlaticanin who is considered a big puncher. Maidana did stop Petrov, but Flanagan may just put on a solid boxing display and win this one by a wide margin on the cards and keep himself in a position to earn the big fights in the summer and beyond.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Michael Hunter

Some may already consider Oleksandr Usyk the best Cruiserweight in the world (probably not those in the Sky Sports studio and the machine fully behind Tony Bellew) and he has made it clear he wants to unify the Division before moving on to bigger fights at Heavyweight. It took Usyk just 10 fights to win the WBO Cruiserweight Title which surpassed the number of fights it took legendary Evander Holyfield to do the same, and Usyk is making his second defence this weekend.

He has plenty of amateur success to build upon as the 2012 Gold Medal winner at Heavyweight (Anthony Joshua won at Super-Heavyweight) and ultimately Usyk does feel his Division is going to be fighting alongside the big boys.

Usyk won't be taking anything for granted when defending against Michael Hunter who is going to receive the home support and is yet to suffer a loss in the professional ranks. Hunter has the reach advantage, but his CV does not really inspire and we are going to learn a lot about Hunter and what he is capable of at the end of this fight.

I do think the gap he needs to bridge is going to be too much and Usyk has stopped 10 of his 11 professional opponents. Usyk has shown he can box and fight and he will likely need a little time to work out what Hunter is bringing to the table.

I believe Usyk is the superior fighter with a bigger future in the pro ranks and I expect he will show that by wearing down the American over the course of the fight. It might take a couple of Rounds to simply see what Hunter is bringing, but Usyk can start sharp shooting from the southpaw chance and just grind down his opponent.

Usyk has won 10 fights by stoppage and 7 of those have come in the 'second half' of the scheduled Round those fights were set to go. I think Hunter will hold his own for a while, but Usyk can stop him between 7-12 Rounds after working things out through the first half of this World Title fight.

Vasyl Lomachenko vs Jason Sosa

There is so much to admire about Vasyl Lomachenko who would top the list of many fans Pound for Pound Rankings. A stellar amateur career has to be respected, and you could be forgiven for forgetting that Lomachenko is having just his ninth professional fight on Saturday as he is already a two weight World Champion.

One thing nagging at Lomachenko has to be the sole loss to Orlando Salido when beaten on a Split Decision in just his second fight. Some have suggested that Salido will be his next opponent if Lomachenko can defend his title on Saturday and then the Ukrainian would likely move up weight to join a Division featuring Mikey Garcia and Jorge Linares.

First things first, Lomachenko needs to defend his title against the tough Jason Sosa who has shown he can produce plenty of power and has upset favoured opponents in the past. However this might be another step up for Sosa especially if Lomachenko is as sharp as he was in dismissing the challenge of previously unbeaten Nicolas Walters last time out.

Walters is a common opponent for both as his previous fight had been a Decision Draw with Sosa. Boxing isn't a sport where you can make judgements solely on how a fighter has performed against common opponents, but Lomachenko's complete and utter domination of Walters will have raised eyebrows of even his biggest supporters.

Lomachenko has the sharp shooting to wear down fighters and I think that is the likely situation for Sosa. The latter is really tough and getting him out of there early would be a surprise, but I can see Sosa taking more and more punishment as the fight wears on which will leave the referee or his corner in the position to make a decision for him.

That will likely happen some time in the latter half of the fight and I will back Lomachenko to earn another stoppage win with this one coming some time between 7-12 Rounds.

MY PICKS: Liam Smith-Liam Williams Fight to Go the Distance- NO @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Terry Flanagan by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Oleksandr Usyk Win Between 7-12 @ 3.10 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Vasyl Lomachenko Win Between 7-12 @ 2.88 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekend Football Picks 2017 (April 8-10)

The last week in the Premier League will have seen three rounds of fixtures played and that is going to begin to separate teams and also make it clear how well the goals from back in August can be achieved.

Heading into Easter Weekend is always a big time in the domestic football calendar as this is the time of the season that has regularly become a key moment in determining where teams stand going into the final weeks of the campaign. There are two rounds of football fixtures to get through over the course of the Easter Weekend and things will most definitely look a lot better in determining the top four, the bottom three and many of the places in between.

Fixtures come thick and fast at this time of the season too with the European Champions League and Europa League Quarter Finals played over the next two midweeks before the FA Cup Semi Finals and then a few catch up games in the Premier League all before the end of the month.


Last week I wrote a small piece about Manchester United prior to the two home draws with West Brom and Everton which can be read here.


The midweek Premier League picks were a lot better than the first picks of April and I will look to back that up over the next three days before we move into the Champions League and Europa League Quarter Final First Leg ties played on Tuesday through Thursday next week.


Tottenham Hotspur v Watford Pick: The absence of Harry Kane was supposed to stifle any Tottenham Hotspur title challenge, but the players have responded in a positive way and have shown some real determination to win their last 3 Premier League games. Coming from behind to win at Swansea City in the way they did is a real positive for Tottenham Hotspur and they can close the gap to 4 points on leaders Chelsea if they can open the weekend with a victory.

White Hart Lane has proved to be a very happy hunting ground for Tottenham Hotspur over the last few months and they have won 13 in a row here in all competitions. Tottenham Hotspur have scored at least twice in 12 of those games and I do think the home team will have too much for a Watford side who have put in a big effort to record back to back League wins this past week.

The Hornets had to play with ten men for the final 25 minutes of their win over West Brom on Tuesday and I do wonder if that will affect the players fitness on Saturday. Watford have also struggled away from home for much of the season and have lost 8 of their last 10 on their travels while they have been beaten in 7 of their last 9 away Premier League games and 5 of those have come by at least a couple of goals.

Playing at home has been a very positive experience for Tottenham Hotspur this season and I do think they are going to be too strong for the visitors. They are playing a Watford team who have not scored in 5 of their last 7 away Premier League games and I would expect the home team to come out with plenty of confidence and create enough chances to win this one with some comfort.

There has to be some respect given to Watford who won at Arsenal, but they have lost by at least a couple of goals at Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United this season. I would expect Tottenham Hotspur to keep their momentum going this weekend and record a comfortable three points at White Hart Lane while covering the Asian Handicap line.


Manchester City v Hull City Pick: There have been some criticisms of Pep Guardiola in the last couple of weeks with the feeling that Manchester City have underachieved, but that is harsh when you think of the fixture list they have just negotiated. Draws with Liverpool and Arsenal in games Manchester City had chances to win, and defeats in Monaco and Chelsea which could have gone another way suggests those criticisms are perhaps not warranted.

Failing to beat Hull City in the Premier League on Saturday is going to be a bigger issue for Manchester City and their top four aspirations though and that makes this a big game for them. It is just as important for Hull City who have fought their way out of the bottom three this past week with back to back wins over West Ham United and Middlesbrough, but those results have come at home.

It has been a much different story for Marco Silva's team on their travels where they have lost 12 of their last 13 in all competitions and only scored 3 goals in that run. Getting enough of the ball to create opportunities to score might be an issue for Hull City this weekend too and Silva may opt to play a team who can try and contain Manchester City for as long as possible.

That is a tough ask, but Stoke City managed to do that recently although that is the only game at The Etihad Stadium in which Manchester City haven't scored this season. The feeling might be that Hull City have nothing to lose in this fixture with the expectation that they won't earn anything, but I do think they will look to defend in numbers and try to capitalise on any mistakes the home team make.

Hull City did score in a defeat at Liverpool earlier this season, but they have failed to score in away games at Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton in the Premier League since then. The last 4 of those have been under Marco Silva and Hull City have lost 3 of the fixtures and I do think Manchester City have enough quality to breach the Hull City defences.

The most likely scenario is that Manchester City will win this game with a clean sheet like the majority of the other top seven teams have done against Hull City. You can back that at odds against and it looks a better option than backing the home team to cover a two goal Asian Handicap with Silva's organisation preventing heavy defeats for The Tigers.


Middlesbrough v Burnley Pick: Not many will be surprised that the oddsmakers are not giving anything away when it comes to the expectation of this Premier League fixture not being one of the higher scoring ones of the weekend. Middlesbrough's goal struggles have been well documented all season, while Burnley have only produced 9 away League goals themselves, but this game could potentially surprise.

I know Burnley ended up in a goalless draw at Sunderland in their last away game, but Burnley had scored in 7 consecutive away Premier League games prior to that. 6 of those 7 games had ended with at least three goals shared out as Burnley have struggled defensively on their travels, but the question is whether Middlesbrough can take advantage.

Middlesbrough scored twice at Hull City in a 4-2 defeat on Wednesday, but that was the first time they had scored twice in a Premier League game since the middle of December. Steve Agnew has shown he is willing to play two up front and it would be a surprise if he was to change tact on Saturday when Middlesbrough almost 'must win' this home fixture.

That does also mean Middlesbrough are perhaps a little more vulnerable defensively, while the team might be wearing down mentally as they have only had 2 clean sheets in their last 9 Premier League games. They have conceded in 3 of their last 4 Premier League games at The Riverside Stadium and both teams could surprise with the potential chances they could create in this fixture.

The home team have to try and get forward in this one and that may lead to spaces for Burnley to exploit and get back to scoring goals in away Premier League games. It does look like both teams can get on the scoreboard in this one and backing at least three goals to be shared out at a big price could surprise this weekend.


Stoke City v Liverpool Pick: The late Josh King equaliser at Anfield on Wednesday night has dented the Liverpool bid to make the top four in the Premier League, but they have the points on the board which will put pressure on Arsenal and Manchester United to respond. It was a disappointing 2-2 draw with Bournemouth and Liverpool now head on their travels at tough looking back to back away assignments at Stoke City and West Brom.

The first of those comes at The Bet365 Stadium although Liverpool have a good recent record here with 3 wins from their last 4 visits. They are also potentially playing Stoke City at the right time as this team have failed to score in their last 2 games and have lost 3 Premier League games in a row.

Stoke City conceded late in a 1-2 home loss to Chelsea last time out here, but Stoke City had been unbeaten in 8 home Premier League games prior to that. They have held both Manchester United and Everton in that run and this is going to be a difficult test for Liverpool who have not won any of their last 5 away Premier League games.

Those failures include a draw at Sunderland and defeats at Hull City and Leicester City which continues to push the theory that Liverpool don't appreciate playing the 'lesser lights' of the Premier League. Being without the likes of Adam Lallana, Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane is a blow for Liverpool too, while Philippe Coutinho might not be 100% at the moment.

That only makes this fixture more difficult than the oddsmakers may believe and I am not sure why Liverpool are odds on to win this fixture. Poor recent away form coupled with Stoke City being better at home than perhaps most appreciate makes The Potters look an attractive team to back to avoid defeat.

It took a really late Chelsea goal to earn the three points here last time out, but Liverpool might not be playing with the same belief away from Anfield than they do in front of their own fans. The strong record at Stoke City in recent years does worry me in opposing Liverpool, but this side should not be odds on to win here and I will back Stoke City to earn something from this fixture.


West Brom v Southampton Pick: Recent weeks have not seen West Brom produce their best football as the players have perhaps just taken their eye off the ball having put together a really strong first six months of the season. However they have continued to play well at The Hawthorns where West Brom have won 5 of their last 6 Premier League games including a 3-1 victory over Arsenal.

If they had been in better form over the last three weeks, backing West Brom to win this game as the underdog would have been appealing. That would have especially been the case when noting Southampton had lost 4 of 6 away Premier League games, but those exceptions came in victories at Sunderland and Watford prior to a narrow loss at White Hart Lane.

The Saints have definitely been the team showing more overall than West Brom have been, but they remain an inconsistent outfit. The potential return of Manolo Gabbiadini could be huge for Southampton as the Italian has shown he can finish off the chances that they tend to create, especially with more consistency than the likes of Shane Long and Nathan Redmond provide.

Games between West Brom and Southampton have not been full of entertainment in recent seasons, but the last couple of games might have changed that trend. West Brom have shown more attacking verve at The Hawthorns as they test teams from set pieces and crosses from open play and that has led to them scoring at least twice in 4 of their last 6 here.

The Baggies have conceded in 4 of those games too, while Southampton have seen 6 of their last 7 away Premier League fixtures end with at least three goals produced. Southampton have scored in their last 4 away games in the League, but they have also conceded at least twice in 3 of their last 4 on their travels.

Both teams have the chance to play with some freedom knowing they are clear of the relegation zone and playing for positions in the top half of the table. I am anticipating more goalmouth action than the oddsmakers are and they can make it 3 League games in a row between them which have produced at least three goals shared out.

It does look like Saturday will be a good day to play football and I am going to back this fixture to surprise the oddsmakers with at least three goals the outcome at odds against. I do think there will be the chances created to hit that number and I will be hoping that both West Brom and Southampton have brought their shooting boots into the fixture.


West Ham United v Swansea City Pick: Dealing with the tension and pressure of a relegation fight is going to be the key in determining which of these teams is able to perform well enough to earn the three points on Saturday. It is a big three points on offer with West Ham United knowing they can put a big gap between themselves and Swansea City in the bottom three with a victory, while a Swansea City win drags The Hammers into a real relegation dogfight.

The Swansea City players have been playing with the threat of relegation surrounding them for much of the season and that should mean they are able to settle into this fixture. The same can't be said for West Ham United who have always seemingly been clear of the bottom three, but who will have their home fans on edge in this fixture, especially if they were to fall behind.

The first goal is going to be so important for West Ham United in that regards, but defensively they have not looked capable of holding on to leads. Last weekend they were beaten at Hull City despite scoring the first goal and the same happened at Bournemouth.

However West Ham United do tend to score goals and they had scored at least twice in 3 Premier League games in a row before the 3-0 loss at Arsenal. That result does mean The Hammers have conceded at least twice in 6 of their last 7 Premier League games including the last 5 in a row and Swansea City have shown they can score goals too.

Swansea City have conceded at least twice in 9 of their last 10 away games in all competitions including their last 6 in a row, but they had also scored in 5 consecutive away Premier League games before the 2-0 loss at Bournemouth.

The last 2 times they have met at West Ham United have produced at least four goals each time and the last couple of games between these teams have ended with at least five goals shared out. While the tension and importance of the game could make this one a tight affair, both West Ham United and Swansea City are better going forward than they are defensively.

The three points should mean both Slaven Bilic and Paul Clement will push to secure the win and I can see both teams scoring during the ninety minutes. Picking a winner is much more unclear, but I am expecting one of the teams to score at least twice and backing at least three goals to be shared out between West Ham United and Swansea City is my pick.


Bournemouth v Chelsea Pick: The Premier League is still firmly in the grasp of Chelsea, but it is going to be interesting to see how they react if Tottenham Hotspur can keep putting the wins on the board. That will be tested over the next two weekends with Chelsea kicking off after Tottenham Hotspur have played at White Hart Lane.

The first of those tests could come at The Vitality Stadium on Saturday if Tottenham Hotspur have beaten Watford at home earlier in the day as most would expect them to do. Bournemouth have been playing with a little more confidence of late and have earned credible draws at Manchester United, Southampton and Liverpool, but get the chance to host the League leaders in this one.

Eddie Howe will set his team up to play in one way and that is to try and take the game to Chelsea which should be music to the ears of Antonio Conte. There is little doubt that Chelsea don't mind playing on the counter attack and they will find some spaces to exploit against a Bournemouth team who had conceded at least twice in 8 of 9 home games including the last 6 in row before the 2-0 win over Swansea City.

Goals haven't been a big problem for Bournemouth who have scored at least twice in 4 of their last 6 home games and who are facing a Chelsea team who have kept 1 clean sheet in their last 5 away games in all competitions. In fact Chelsea have conceded in their last 4 away Premier League games and Bournemouth have the pace in the final third to become the latest to get on the scoreboard against them.

This could be an exciting game for the neutrals in the late Saturday afternoon slot and I do think there will be goals shared out. The last 2 Premier League games between these teams have seen at least three goals shared out in both and I will back there being at least that number when they meet on Saturday at The Vitality Stadium.


Sunderland v Manchester United Pick: This game might have had significantly more importance at the top and bottom of the Premier League table if both Sunderland and Manchester United had earned more points from the first two rounds of Premier League fixtures this past week. For Sunderland the losses at Watford and Leicester City have put them on the brink of heading into the Championship, while Manchester United could only earn 2 points from a possible 6 at Old Trafford to just stay out of reach for the top four places.

It will be a heartbreaking time for Sunderland who are not only going to be relegated, but will be passed by rivals Newcastle United going the other way. It has been a long time coming for Sunderland and I am not sure they have enough for a miracle recovery after failing to score in 6 straight Premier League games.

They have not scored in their last 4 at The Stadium of Light and will be facing a Manchester United team who have played better on their travels than at Old Trafford in the Premier League. Manchester United might continue to produce too many draws at home, but they have won 5 of their last 6 away games and their last 4 away wins have all come by at least two goals.

Sunderland have lost 3 of their last 5 at The Stadium of Light and all of those losses have come by at least two goals. The fans are not happy and Sunderland look a team who are struggling too much in the final third and their best hope is to try and drag Manchester United into a scrap.

However I was impressed with the way Manchester United performed in the North East a few weeks ago when beating Middlesbrough 1-3 at The Riverside Stadium prior to the international break. Manchester United created plenty of chances in that one and this is a huge game for the players if they really believe they can force their way into the top four.

The lack of confidence in the home squad is a real worry for Sunderland and Manchester United fans will feel their side owe The Black Cats something after watching those fans celebrate a Manchester City title winning goal in May 2012. It might not be the confirmation of Sunderland's relegation, but Manchester United can put another nail in the coffin and I will look for them to win here by a couple of goals at least as Stoke City, Southampton and Manchester City have managed in recent visits.


Everton v Leicester City Pick: The second of the live Premier League games on Sunday comes from Goodison Park and both Everton and Leicester City are in strong form that they could produce a very entertaining affair. Everton have been playing very well at Goodison Park where they have won 6 Premier League games in a row and have scored at least twice in each of those games.

Leicester City themselves have won 6 in a row in all competitions, although only 1 of those games have come away from The King Power Stadium. The Foxes have scored at least twice in every game since sacking Claudio Ranieri after struggling in front of goal prior to that and Jamie Vardy looks to have a new lease of life.

The question for the Leicester City players has to be how much focus has been taken away from them by the upcoming Champions League Quarter Final First Leg which is being played on Wednesday. They look to have secured their Premier League future with their run of 5 League wins in a row, and the players might feel it is all in on the Champions League the rest of the way.

Craig Shakespeare will be preaching the need to retain momentum to take into the game at Atletico Madrid during the week and I do think Leicester City can play their part against an Everton team missing key defensive figures. With Everton looking to get on the front foot at home, Leicester City should have counter attacking opportunities that they exploited last season and can cause problems.

Everton have won games and scored goals for fun at Goodison Park though and I would expect them to create their own opportunities. 7 of the last 9 overall between Everton and Leicester City have produced at least three goals shared out, while the last 7 in a row at Goodison Park has reached that total.

6 of the last 7 Everton home games and 5 of the last 8 Leicester City away games have also hit that total and I will back at least three goals to be shared out in the second live game on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League.


Crystal Palace v Arsenal Pick: There is a belief that exists that Sam Allardyce gives Arsenal many problems as a manager, but that seems to be one pushed by the media and you might be surprised to hear that Arsenal have won 10 of their last 11 games against an Allardyce managed side.

Last season Allardyce did help Sunderland to a goalless draw with Arsenal at The Stadium of Light, but he had managed in 4 consecutive home losses to The Gunners prior to that result.

Crystal Palace are in very good form at the moment, despite the loss at Southampton, and they should be well rested for the visit of Arsenal. On the other hand, Arsenal have lost 5 of their last 7 away Premier League games and that run includes a 3-3 draw at Bournemouth (where they trailed 3-0) and a 3-1 loss at West Brom.

The Eagles have won back to back home League games, but those have come against Watford and Middlesbrough and this is a much bigger test for them. However they will feel they can exploit some of the vulnerabilities in the Arsenal squad, although the defensive injuries for Crystal Palace has to be a big concern for Allardyce.

Those injuries are just big enough to look for this game to end 2-1 either way though and I am going to back at least three goals to be shared. The last two games Allardyce has managed against Arsenal have seen the 'under' come in, but prior to that there had been 12 straight games with at least three goals shared between the teams.

Both teams should be good enough to score at least once in this one, and there have been at least three goals shared out in the last 7 away Arsenal League games. Both teams have also scored in 9 of the last 10 Arsenal away Premier League games while the last 2 at Selhurst Park between these teams have ended with 1-2 scores for Arsenal.

The three points that are available on Monday are important enough for both teams to try and win the game until the very end of the night and I will back at least three goals to be the outcome of this fixture.

MY PICKS: Tottenham Hotspur - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.73 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester City Win to Nil @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Middlesbrough-Burnley Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Stoke City + 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.92 Bet365 (2 Units)
West Brom-Southampton Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.38 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
West Ham United-Swansea City Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Bournemouth-Chelsea Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester United - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.04 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Everton-Swansea City Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.85 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Crystal Palace-Arsenal Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.67 Bet Victor (2 Units)

April Update: 9-8, + 0.80 Units (34 Units Staked, + 2.35% Yield)

March Final: 39-40-3, + 6.64 Units (157 Units Staked, + 4.23% Yield)
February Final: 31-50, - 29.34 Units (157 Units Staked, - 18.69% Yield)
January Final: 32-47-1, - 30.88 Units (164 Units Staked, - 18.83% Yield)
December Final: 38-40, - 7.93 Units (153 Units Staked, - 5.18% Yield)

November Final: 40-38-3, + 5.76 Units (159 Units Staked, + 3.62% Yield)
October Final: 29-41-2, - 21.23 Units (139 Units Staked, - 15.27% Yield)

September Final: 43-28-1, + 35.17 Units (133 Units Staked, + 26.44% Yield)

August Final: 31-38-2, - 9 Units (124 Units Staked, - 7.26% Yield)

Season 2016/17: 243-272-9, - 57.45 Units (1029 Units Staked, - 5.58% Yield)

Season 2015/16: 133-174-2, + 0.89 Units (669 Units Staked, + 0% 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)