Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2025 (Sunday 17th August)

The scheduling at the end of this Cincinnati Masters is clearly a work in progress and it would not be a major surprise if the organisers listen to the players and change things for next year.

It is bizarre that both Men's Semi Final matches have been scheduled for Saturday and the two Women's last four matches on Sunday, especially as they are likely to have the WTA Final played first on Monday.

Things just haven't made much sense in the back to back Masters tournaments played in the build up to the US Open, and the players have voiced their criticisms, which is something that should really be taken into consideration.

The two Men's Semi Final matches look tough to call on Saturday, but there is one play from the WTA Semi Final matches to be played on Sunday.

Iga Swiatek - 1.5 games v Elena Rybakina: The defending Champion at the US Open is Aryna Sabalenka, but both Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina may be looking to lay down a marker about their intent by winning the Cincinnati Masters.

The winner of this Semi Final is going to be a big favourite to do that, but first they have to overcome a significant test.

Elena Rybakina has to also overcome a mental hurdle having suffered a number of Semi Final defeats this season, including last time out in Montreal. She has not played poorly in these matches, but ultimately it will play on the mind that she has suffered so many defeats at this stage of a tournament.

An impressive win over Aryna Sabalenka has to give Elena Rybakina a lot of confidence going into a match against the player who will be going into the US Open as the Number 2 Seed.

The one surprise about the 2025 season is how underwhelming the Iga Swiatek clay court season turned out to be, but she has been performing at a very good level on the hard courts. At the Australian Open, it took an inspired Madison Keys to win the Semi Final against Iga Swiatek, but the latter is a former US Open Champion and has been putting some fine tennis on display in Cincinnati.

Everyone will feel the power edge is with Elena Rybakina, but Iga Swiatek has an underrated serve and that can put plenty of pressure on the former.

Three straight wins on the hard courts against Elena Rybakina backs that statement up, and Iga Swiatek has dominated the number of Break Points created.

There is no doubting how well Elena Rybakina is playing, but the numbers produced by Iga Swiatek at this tournament are very impressive. A strength has been the consistency that Swiatek has found on her return of serve and that could be the key to the outcome of this match and help the Pole beat this opponent for the fourth time in a row.

If Elena Rybakina is able to bring her very best serving onto the court, she will cause problems, but Iga Swiatek has been playing well enough to win this Semi Final and cover the handicap mark set.

MY PICKS: Iga Swiatek - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 5-8, - 3.43 Units (13 Units Staked, - 26.38% Yield)

Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2021 (August 17th)

For the third tournament in succession, the Tennis Picks have produced a winning tournament and I am looking for another strong week before we head into the final Grand Slam of the 2021 season.

The First Round has begun in Cincinnati, but it will be completed on Tuesday.

We also have the beginning of the Second Round as the tournament looks to get business concluded by the end of the weekend and the rain delays have perhaps slowed things a little bit.

Hopefully it will be a clearer week for those taking to the courts as both the ATP and WTA Tour meet here for the final big event before the US Open gets underway on Monday 30th August.

Aslan Karatsev v Marin Cilic: There have been a couple of disappointing early losses for Aslan Karatsev in recent weeks at the Olympic Games and Canadian Masters and that has just slowed the momentum he earned early in the 2021 season. The rise up to World Number 22 has largely come about from a strong run in the Challenger events at the back end of 2020 followed by a very strong hard court season on the main Tour early in 2021.

Reaching the Australian Open Semi Final was a real surprise for the Russian, but he has backed up his hard court performances with a big title in Dubai. With that in mind it has been disappointing to see Aslan Karatsev end up losing to the likes of Jeremy Chardy and Karen Khachanov in the last two tournaments before really getting going.

The defeat to Khachanov is a bit more forgivable, but Aslan Karatsev will be looking for much better in Cincinnati where the faster conditions could be to his liking. When at his best, the serve can be a huge weapon for Aslan Karatsev and I think he will be looking to use that to keep the pressure on his veteran First Round opponent in Cincinnati.

Marin Cilic is not the player he was when winning the US Open and it has been a disappointing year on the hard courts so far. Like his opponent, Marin Cilic has suffered early defeats in both the Tokyo Olympics and Canadian Masters tournaments that have been played over the last few weeks and his 7-7 record on the hard courts in 2021 has to be a concern for the former World Number 3 who is now on the brink of exiting the top 40 in the World Rankings.

The serve is still an important part of the Cilic game and it will be instrumental to trying to win this First Round match, but the Croatian has not been able to produce the return of serve he could when at his best. That puts pressure on the serve and Marin Cilic has held less than 80% of the service games he has played on the hard courts and I certainly believe Aslan Karatsev has the return to put some Cilic in tough positions.

He has not been at his best in the last few months, but Aslan Karatsev can still have enough all around Tennis to beat Marin Cilic at this stage of their respective careers. It may need three sets to get it done, but I believe the Russian's superior return game can end up making the difference at a key moment and that should see Aslan Karatsev earn his spot in the Second Round.

Gael Monfils - 1.5 games v Dusan Lajovic: It has been a really difficult twelve months for Gael Monfils on the Tour, but his personal life looks to have settled down and that may spark a return to form on the court. A couple of matches were won last week in Toronto and it may give Gael Monfils to have a decent tournament in Cincinnati after failing to win a single hard court match in 2021 before heading to Canada.

The underlying numbers have not been too bad, but Gael Monfils has been on the wrong side of a number of close defeats and that has not helped him build any momentum. It is a reason the two wins in Toronto could be important for Monfils if he is going to have a strong end to the 2021 season and perhaps turn the negative momentum with his Ranking likely to plummet.

There is no doubt that Gael Monfils has to be stronger behind serve if he is going to win more matches, but there were some signs of that last week. He has held only 76% of his service games played on the hard courts this season, but Gael Monfils was only broken twice across his last two matches and will feel he has enough behind that shot to keep Dusan Lajovic at bay.

The Serbian World Number 44 has had a difficult season on the hard courts, although Dusan Lajovic was able to put a couple of wins on the board in Toronto last week. Like Monfils, Dusan Lajovic has to look at that tournament as a potential momentum shifter on his season on the hard courts and his numbers are pretty similar to Gael Monfils which makes this a tough match to call.

However, I do think Gael Monfils is the more comfortable player on the hard courts and he can only be more confident in beating Dusan Lajovic having won their only previous match on the clay courts which should favour the latter more than the former.

Dusan Lajovic has been slightly stronger on serve on this surface in 2021, but he has perhaps been a little better behind that shot than we have become accustomed to. It is Gael Monfils who has been the better returner of the two when it comes to hard court matches and I think that will be a key for the Frenchman to find a way to get past Lajovic and covering the spread on his way through to the Second Round.

MY PICKS: Aslan Karatsev @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units) 

Gael Monfils - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Ons Jabeur - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Marketa Vondrousova - 1.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2019 (August 17th)

One winner and one loser was the outcome of the Quarter Final selections made as a third match that I had picked did not take to the court on Friday.

Now we are down to the final four in both the ATP and WTA event being played in Cincinnati with all roads directing towards the US Open which is now only days away.

That is not so good news for Naomi Osaka who had to withdraw from her Quarter Final in the final set against Sofia Kenin. An awkward landing on a serve jarred her knee and the defending US Open Champion has admitted she is concerned about how well she can perform in New York City even though she will do all she can to be ready for the tournament.

It is part of a pretty disappointing last few months on the Tour as Osaka has struggled with the expectations and headlines that come with being a World Number 1 and two time Grand Slam Champion. Some even suggested she could run the table in the Slams after winning the Australian Open, but Osaka herself has kind of falling out of love with tennis and perhaps a break will just reignite the spark she had.


I am almost sure I am in for a third straight losing week on the Tour which has been unheard of in 2019 and even over the last twelve months I can't find too many examples of this happening. As I said yesterday, a part of the issue was my own poor selections despite being quite hard about the criteria that I am looking for, but those early bits of poor fortune have also hurt on the North American hard courts over the last month.

There may be a few picks from Winston Salem and the Bronx tournaments being played next week, but the main focus is going to be on the US Open which begins in the final week of August. I am going to have daily Picks throughout that tournament with the first of those likely to be out by Sunday evening.

Before I get to that, there are some Picks from the Cincinnati Semi Final matches that you can read below.


Ashleigh Barty - 4.5 games v Svetlana Kuznetsova: This week I have been close to picking Svetlana Kuznetsova on at least two occasions, but have not quite been satisfied with her marks on the handicap to actually go through with putting her down on my daily Tennis Picks threads. Ultimately the veteran has proven me wrong, although she has needed to show some tremendous resiliency to come through some of her matches including breaking the Karolina Pliskova serve down 6-3, 5-4 in the Quarter Final on Friday.

It has been a difficult twelve months for Kuznetsova who has only played twenty-two matches in total in that time as injuries have held her back. To underline the lack of tennis, her opponent in this Semi Final has WON twenty-three hard court matches in 2019 alone, but Kuznetsova has been able to dig deep and turn back the clock.

The Russian has always been a solid hard court player and she has won the US Open before as well as reaching the Final there so has to be respected. However I have to wonder how much energy Kuznetsova has left having needed over two hours to win three of her four matches in Cincinnati this week and also being forced to play in the heat of the day yesterday.

Svetlana Kuznetsova has been on the brink of exiting the tournament twice already and I do think she could be perhaps lacking something in the early match scheduled on Saturday. The return has been a big weapon for her, but now she has to face Ashleigh Barty who can get plenty out of her serve and who will be happy to drag Kuznetsova into long rallies to sap anything she does have left in the gas tank.

It has not been the best few weeks on the Tour for Barty, but the former World Number 1 has already shown she is ready to retake her spot at the top of the WTA Tour. Resiliency has been evident as she has come from a set down to win her last two matches, and Barty will feel she is returning just well enough to keep Kuznetsova under pressure in this one.

If this match was being played earlier in the tournament I would consider moving past it considering the form of the underdog, but Kuznetsova just has to be feeling the tennis. Svetlana Kuznetsova has spent almost three hours longer on court this week and her match was affected by the heat rule on Friday which tells you all you need to know about the kind of taxing conditions she also had to deal with.

I like and respect Kuznetsova a lot, but Ashleigh Barty might be picking the bones here and has been performing at a consistently higher level than her opponent. Even this week her numbers have a slight edge over Kuznetsova in terms of the serve and I think Barty will get her teeth into enough return games to cover a big mark.


Madison Keys v Sofia Kenin: There are a couple of players on the WTA Tour that seem to find a few more wins than their raw numbers would suggest. One is Maria Sakkari and the other one I am picking up on is Sofia Kenin.

They have similarities with both being fiery competitors on the court and I do think Sakkari and Kenin have the same type of mental resolve to play the big points about as effectively as any player out on the Tour. It is the only way that slightly better than average numbers can see Kenin produce a 34-17 record on the hard courts over the last twelve months and has seen the young American reach back to back Semi Finals in Toronto and Cincinnati.

Even this week I look at the Kenin performances and she has won three tight matches, although was aided by Naomi Osaka's injury in the Quarter Final when things looked to be going against her. One strong win over Zarina Diyas has given Kenin's numbers a boot, but they remain fairly unimpressive for the most part, although the number she will be concerned about most is 4-0 so far this week in terms of wins-losses.

Sofia Kenin can get some pop out of the serve, but she has been producing an average return and that is going to be tested by Madison Keys. It was Kenin who won when these two players met on the clay in Rome, but the North American hard courts is when Keys has proven to be at her best and she is having a very good week so far.

A crushing win over Venus Williams in the Quarter Final has moved Keys into this match and she has stronger numbers than Kenin both in terms of the serve and the return. Much is going to depend on the Keys racquet as her highly aggressive game is well suited to the conditions in Cincinnati and I do think she should perhaps be a stronger favourite than she is in this match.

The last twelve months on the hard courts have not been that impressive from Keys considering the standards she has previously set on the surface, and that may be part of the reason she is not a bigger favourite in this one. However I do think her levels in Cincinnati have been a step above what Sofia Kenin has produced so far and I think Madison Keys will have enough of an edge to be worth a back here.


Novak Djokovic - 3.5 games v Daniil Medvedev: This is a big test for Daniil Medvedev to really see how much he has improved as well as whether he can cope with the mental pressure of taking on the very top players on the Tour. Last week a strong run in Montreal came to an end in a comprehensive defeat to Rafael Nadal while has also suffered relatively straight-forward losses to Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer on the hard courts in 2019.

Take nothing away from the young Russian though as he has fully deserved his spot in the top 10 of the World Rankings and looks to be a player that will be able to have big impacts at the Grand Slams in the years ahead. He is talented, but I also think Daniil Medvedev perhaps has a bit more resiliency than some of his peers and that should hold him in good stead, even if the very top players have perhaps been a step too far up to now.

Daniil Medvedev's numbers over the last twelve months on the hard courts have been eye-catching and there is no doubt this is a player improving. This week in Cincinnati he is perhaps playing at elite level to dismiss opponents while barely being threatened and any player holding 88% of his own service games while breaking in 48% of return games is going to be very, very difficult to get close to let alone beat.

Novak Djokovic is an elite player though and the World Number 1 has been playing at a top level over the last twelve months which has led to the US Open and Australian Open added to an overflowing collection of trophies. In Australia he beat Medvedev on his way to the title and Djokovic has held 96% of service games played this week while breaking in 32% of return games which continues his level on the surface.

On the bare face of things Medvedev has the superior numbers, but I have mentioned his issues when facing the very best players on the Tour on the hard courts. Over the last twelve months he is 2-7 in hard court matches against top 10 Ranked opponents and 1-5 when you only consider the top 5.

His numbers have taken a serious dent on both the serve and return in the matches against the top players and I do think it is going to be an issue for Medvedev in this Semi Final. A win would really give the young Russian confidence to take into the US Open where his compatriot Marat Safin made his name just under twenty years ago, but it is hard to ignore that Medvedev only holds 68% of service games played on the hard courts against the top 5 Ranked opponents he has met over the last twelve months and he has broken in just 13% of return games.

I would be disappointed if Medvedev is not more competitive than he was in a defeat to Nadal last week, but I do think this is a big challenge for him and I give Novak Djokovic a real edge. I was anticipating the layers going at least one game higher than they have so I am willing to back the World Number 1 to continue to remind the rest of the Tour that he is the player to beat at Flushing Meadows over the next three weeks.

MY PICKS: Ashleigh Barty - 4.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)
Madison Keys @ 1.90 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Novak Djokovic - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Cincinnati Update: 10-12, - 5.46 Units (44 Units Staked, - 12.41% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2019 (August 17-19)

The first round of Premier League Fixtures are in the books and it can be very easy to get carried away from one set of results and make sweeping statements behind them.

Rarely are the results alone reflective of the way a game developed and it would be foolish to read too much into those at this stage. A small sample, in this case a one game sample, is not the position from which you should ignore everything you perhaps thought before a ball had been kicked.

Wins for Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur won't have surprised too many people with all three tipped to be in the top four for much of the season, but the results achieved by Arsenal and Manchester United would have been very encouraging.

Some have already relegated Norwich City off the basis of a heavy loss at Anfield, but things can quickly change in terms of perceptions especially as The Canaries were much better than the 4-1 defeat suggested. They have a big game this weekend against Newcastle United and I do think we will see a reaction, while the other newly promoted clubs also make their Premier League bows in front of their watching faithful.

Watch out for another round of snap judgements from those you are reading on Monday morning, but that isn't all bad for those who are making selections off the basis of a deeper look into the way things have gone. Hopefully that will give me an edge going forward as I try and the best plays from the weekend.


Arsenal v Burnley Pick: You never want to read too much into an opening weekend performance, but both Arsenal and Burnley will be very happy with the results they achieved last time out.

Both teams have gotten off to winning starts, although neither was perhaps convincing enough to really deserve the full three points. That won't matter to Unai Emery or Sean Dyche who know the importance of trying to make a fast, positive start to the season after what had been an inconsistent end to the 2018/19 season.

Emery in particular would have been extremely satisfied with the defensive performance his Arsenal team put together. They earned just one away clean sheet in the Premier League last season so to match that on the opening day of the 2019/20 campaign is a huge boost, especially as they can now add David Luiz' experience to the backline.

Sead Kolasinac and Mesut Ozil could also be back, but the biggest boost would be if Dani Ceballos, Nicolas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette all can get a full week of training under their belts to be ready to make their first starts of the campaign. This is an Arsenal team who deservedly finished with the third most home goals in the Premier League last season and I do think the boost from those attacking players gives them a big edge over Burnley.

Like Unai Emery, Sean Dyche will be very pleased with an opening weekend win coupled with a clean sheet for Burnley, but this is a side who were much more vulnerable defensively when playing away from Turf Moor last season. The team is going to be settled and everyone is going to know what to expect from Arsenal and what they need to do, but Burnley conceded six goals in two Premier League games against them last season and have conceded in eleven in the last three versus The Gunners.

I expect the attacking arsenal available to Unai Emery to be a difference maker on the day, pardon the pun. Last weekend Arsenal were missing the really clever players in the final third, but I expect a number of those to be available this weekend and I think Arsenal will be able to maintain their 100% start to the new season.

12 of Arsenal's 14 home Premier League wins came by two more goals last season and 8 of Burnley's 10 away losses came by the same margin.

One concern has to be that Arsenal did struggle to see off the teams right at the bottom with narrow wins over Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town and a draw with Brighton at home, while Burnley did draw at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford. However even with that in mind I can't ignore the fact that Arsenal have had too much firepower for Burnley in their recent matches and I will back the home team to win by at least two goals on the day.


Aston Villa v Bournemouth Pick: You can't really learn a lot about teams from the opening weekend of the season especially a newly promoted team like Aston Villa who faced a very difficult away game at a club that has become a consistent top four one. While fans can have excuses for the defeat there, they will be less forgiving when hosting a team like Bournemouth who could be a rival when it comes to avoiding relegation in May.

Last week Bournemouth could only earn a 1-1 draw with Sheffield United at home as both teams gave it a good go and it was a fair reflection of the game. Defensively there remain some big questions about Bournemouth who conceded 45 away Premier League goals last season and Aston Villa will believe they are a team with enough goals in the squad to earn their points at home.

Aston Villa only scored fewer than Norwich City and West Brom at home in the Championship last season and there was enough vibrancy in their attacking play at Tottenham Hotspur to be encouraged if you support them. Now they will be expected to get forward and challenge a Bournemouth team who only conceded less than two goals in 5 of their 19 away Premier League games.

However they can't afford to be gung-ho in their approach considering Bournemouth are still capable of creating their own chances in the final third. They finished as the 8th highest away scorers in the Division and Bournemouth were not unfortunate with that stat considering the chances they created on their travels.

It is pointing to a potentially high-scoring game at Villa Park on Saturday. 4 of the 6 away games Bournemouth played against teams that finished below them in the Premier League table ended with at least three goals shared out with the two exceptions both producing two goals. Last time here between these clubs we saw a game featuring three goals and I think the approach of both managers could set up this fixture to follow suit.


Brighton v West Ham United Pick: One team won 0-3 away from home and the other lost 0-5 at home, but it would be silly to think that is the way things are going to be for Brighton and West Ham United respectively.

Brighton were a touch fortunate last week to win, let alone win by such a margin. On the other hand West Ham United will know they are not going to face teams as strong as Manchester City every week and I expect a big reaction from them.

However it is The Seagulls who have won back to back home games against West Ham United since being promoted to the Premier League and so it feels this is a fixture that is worth a watching brief to add to the information we have on them. I can see all three results occurring, so I will move past this one.


Everton v Watford Pick: It was perhaps the biggest surprise result of the opening Premier League weekend when Watford's defeat to Brighton at home came through. Of course it is one thing losing, but another all together to be beaten 0-3, although the underlying statistics show that it was a harsh scoreline on The Hornets.

Javi Gracia has to pick his players up who have followed a poor end to last season with a poor start to this one. The three goals conceded to Brighton means Watford have conceded 18 goals in their last 5 in all competitions and that doesn't make for very good reading no matter which may you cut things up.

In recent years a trip to Goodison Park has been fairly productive for Watford who have been unlucky not to earn their first ever win on this ground. Last season they had to settle for a point thanks to Lucas Digne's injury time equaliser for Everton, while the season before they blew a 0-2 lead in an eventual 3-2 defeat.

Watford also led here until the 86th minute in August 2015 before having to settle for a point so Everton should have plenty of respect for the visitors.

However Everton have been in very strong form under Marco Silva in the latter stages of last season. There is still a worry that there are not enough goals in the squad despite the arrivals of Alex Iwobi and Moise Kean, but Everton fans know Goodison Park was a tough place to visit in the final months of last season having won 4 in a row here without conceding a goal.

Even Liverpool had to settle for a goalless draw as Everton followed that result in the Merseyside derby with comfortable wins over Chelsea, Manchester United and Burnley and a 1-0 win over Arsenal. Marco Silva has to believe his team are solid enough defensively to cope with Watford better than they did last season and Everton have been much better in front of goal here in the closing stages of the 2018/19 campaign.

My feeling is that we are going to see a lot better from Watford than what they produced last weekend, but I also think Everton have the edge being at home. It might need a couple of goals to earn the three points though and I think backing Everton to win a fixture with two or more goals produced is a decent looking price at odds against.

Everton's poor recent home record against Watford has to be in the back of the mind, but the home team might be playing with a little more confidence than their visitors and secure their first three points of the season.


Norwich City v Newcastle United Pick: I was hoping that the Norwich City result at Liverpool would have had the layers making this something of a pick 'em match, but instead Norwich City come into the weekend as a healthy favourite.

I considered backing them, but Norwich City have to show massive defensive improvements and Newcastle United have shown they can win games like this one in the last couple of years. It has been a key reason they have avoided the drop, but Rafael Benitez is gone and Steve Bruce will be under pressure to deliver.

I also considered backing over 2.5 goals after the way Norwich City played at Liverpool, but ultimately I feel like this is a game that could be the surprise result in the League. Newcastle United might be looking to bunker down and make life difficult for Norwich City and they might secure a positive result in a low-scoring game.

They have presented enough of a doubt to make me want to move past this one too.


Southampton v Liverpool Pick: If it was up to Jurgen Klopp I am sure Liverpool would have not travelled to Istanbul for the UEFA Super Cup between the first two Premier League games to be played in the 2019/20 season. Winning the trophy would have helped, but Liverpool won't have returned home until Thursday morning and have little time to prepare for a big League game at Southampton on Saturday afternoon.

If you simply looked at the results last week you would perhaps think Liverpool are in for a comfortable ride, but Southampton were a touch unfortunate to lose, let alone lose 3-0 at Burnley. They have been much better at home under Ralph Hasenhuttl, although Liverpool did come from behind to win 1-3 here in April.

I do think Southampton will cause problems for Liverpool who have looked rocky defensively even before Alisson went down with an injury. Now they have to rely on someone who was the backup goalkeeper at West Ham United last season and Liverpool have conceded in all 3 games they have played so far this month.

Southampton scored the vast majority of their home goals once Hasenhuttl took charge of the club and they are a team that will give it a go against Liverpool. It will take a much better effort than we have seen so far from Liverpool to keep a clean sheet and I do think Southampton have to be respected for scoring in every home Premier League game that Hasenhuttl has taken charge of.

Clean sheets were much more difficult to come by though and Southampton earned just one in the 13 games the Austrian has been in charge of at St Mary's. Last weekend we saw Southampton can be a little weak mentally if they fall behind, but I expect a much better showing this weekend and the fact that Liverpool are travelling back from Istanbul should most certainly help their cause.

It is hard to imagine Southampton keeping Liverpool out at the other end and I am going back to a market that I selected in April when these teams met and that is backing both teams to find the net.

Liverpool have been tough defensively over the last twelve months, but they have looked shaky to open this season. With the potential tiredness in the legs, I think Southampton will challenge them here and backing both teams to score looks the best approach to this fixture.


Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: By far and away the biggest game in the Premier League this weekend comes from the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City host Tottenham Hotspur so expect to hear plenty about the Champions League Quarter Final epic played between these teams a number of months ago.

Even though they have played in the Premier League since the Quarter Final, both clubs know how important that tie was.

Manchester City did win the Second Leg at home and they have won 3 in a row against Tottenham Hotspur here which should give them the mental edge. The absences of Heung-Min Son and Dele Alli are real blows to Tottenham Hotspur, especially the former who scored three of the four goals Spurs managed against Manchester City in the Champions League tie.

There is a real energy about Tottenham Hotspur even without those two players, but Christian Eriksen can't begin this one on the bench if Mauricio Pochettino really wants to oversee a stand out win. Last season Tottenham Hotspur lost here as well as Stamford Bridge, Anfield and the Emirates Stadium and I do think they can't really call themselves title contenders unless they do better in those big away games.

Manchester City simply have been dominant at home over the last couple of seasons with 34 League wins from 38 played here. At the end of last season they became pragmatic in their play with a number of 1-0 results secured, but Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all conceded at least twice here and Tottenham Hotspur conceded four in the Champions League Quarter Final.

I do think this will be a good game of football with Tottenham Hotspur likely to give it a go, but they have to show a better defensive resiliency than they did in big away games last season. Those issues were perhaps not highlighted as Spurs made a strong run in the Champions League to the Final, but they had conceded at least twice here and in Amsterdam before doing the same in the Final. They also did that in the Premier League at Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea and in the League Cup Semi Final at Stamford Bridge too.

Ultimately I do think the defensive side could let them down here and I will back Manchester City to cover the Asian Handicap as they remind the rest of the Premier League that they remain the team to beat in 2019/20.


Sheffield United v Crystal Palace Pick: The television cameras will arrive at Bramall Lane for the first time in the Premier League for over a decade. Sheffield United and Crystal Palace both picked up a point on the opening Saturday of the Premier League season and so there is something for them to build on here.

This looks a really tough game to call with both clubs looking like they have positives that could see them earn the victory. A draw would not surprise, but I have to respect how well Crystal Palace played away from home last season with plenty of wins on their travels.

Sheffield United were very strong at home in the Championship and will feel their home form will determine whether they can survive in the top flight and I think it is a game that could be interesting to watch.

It is definitely a tough one to have a strong feeling about, but I think it could be an intriguing watch ahead of the Chelsea-Leicester City game in the second half of Super Sunday.


Chelsea v Leicester City Pick: Like Liverpool, Chelsea have had to do a lot of travelling in the last seven days and they would have appreciated not having to have played Extra Time and then Penalties in their UEFA Super Cup defeat on Wednesday evening. At least Chelsea have an extra day before they are due to be out for Premier League action, but the negative side compared with Liverpool is suffering a defeat in Istanbul.

After the 4-0 defeat at Manchester United, Frank Lampard would have been much happier with the performance against Liverpool. To be fair Lampard wasn't critical of the performance at Old Trafford either and the big question for Chelsea through the next ten months is whether they have enough goals to really compete for a top four place.

In the first two games they have played Chelsea have impressed with the number of chances they have created, but the finishing touch has been lacking. I also think they have a few issues at the back to deal with, while the transition from attack to defence has been very poor.

That could be a really big issue for them on Sunday when they face Leicester City who are going to look to try and frustrate their hosts and hit them on the counter attack. There is plenty of pace in this Leicester City team and plenty of quality too which makes them a very dangerous opponent off a tough fixture in Eastern Europe as the one Chelsea just faced.

Leicester City have a decent recent record at Stamford Bridge too with a single defeat in their last 4 visits and I do like The Foxes in this spot. Before the thumping at Old Trafford Chelsea looked a very short price in this fixture, but even now I can't be having them at odds on to win this game.

A start with Leicester City on the Asian Handicap means a single goal loss will return half our stake and I would be surprised if Brendan Rodgers' team capitulates here. The counter attack should give them a chance of springing a surprise throughout this fixture and I will back the visitors to find a way to the upset result here.


Wolves v Manchester United Pick: The final game from the Premier League this weekend comes from Molineux on Monday evening in what is a big couple of weeks for Wolves. While most clubs will have one game a week at this stage, Wolves are playing between Europa League commitments and Nuno Espirito Santo knows he has to manage his squad very well before the international break in early September.

Hammering Pyunik away from home in the Europa League Third Qualifying Round First Leg meant the manager could rest the majority of his first team players so Wolves will have no excuses ahead of this League fixture. Motivation should not be a problem for fans and players in the Premier League opener, but those levels can only be added to as Wolves look for a third straight win over Manchester United.

Last season they beat United twice at home in the space of three weeks and both by the same 2-1 scoreline. After a solid opener to the season I am very surprised Wolves are considered such an underdog in this fixture, but a part of the issue may be the 4-0 scoreline Manchester United produced.

It was a fantastic result against Chelsea, but the game was much closer than the scoreline suggested and this is a really big challenge for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who noted the two losses he has managed at Wolves a few months ago. Defensively Manchester United will have to be better and I do think spaces won't be as free in this fixture as they were in the win over Chelsea.

Wolves have shown their methods are very effective against the top sides and if I didn't support Manchester United I would absolutely suggest they can be backed to win this one. Last season Manchester United (twice), Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea were all beaten at Molineux while only Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur left with wins.

On the other hand Manchester United lost 4 of 7 away fixtures at the top eight clubs in the Premier League and had that loss here in the FA Cup too. They did win at Chelsea and Arsenal in the FA Cup, but Manchester United are going to need to show considerable improvement to get a result here.

I know there will be plenty who will take Wolves with the start on the Asian Handicap that returns a profit if the home team avoids defeat and I couldn't really argue against that.

However my selection is going to be on at least three goals to be shared out.

The layers have set that as an odds against shot and 12 of Wolves' 19 home Premier League games finished with less than three goals shared out last season. However 4 of the 6 League games at Molineux against teams that finished above them in the League table all produced at least three goals, while Wolves had a 2-1 win over Liverpool and Manchester United in the FA Cup here too.

Manchester United saw 5 of the 7 away Premier League games at the top eight in the Premier League finish with at least three goals shared out last season. While Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka can make an impact on them defensively, United still looked vulnerable at the back in the win over Chelsea and the clean sheet perhaps glosses over the actual performance, one that Wolves will punish if a similar level is produced.

There were plenty of chances created in the Premier League game between these clubs here when Manchester United were unfortunate to lose considering chances they created. I expect both to do the same here and it should be the fourth consecutive fixture between these clubs that finish with at least both teams scoring.

I do think that both teams won't want to settle for a draw so we should see plenty of attacking football here and I will back at least three goals to be shared out for a third consecutive game at Molineux between Wolves and Manchester United.

MY PICKS: Arsenal - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Aston Villa-Bournemouth Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Everton & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.10 Coral (2 Units)
Southampton-Liverpool Both Teams to Score- YES @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Manchester City - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Leicester City + 0.75 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Wolves-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.15 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Season 2019/20 Update: 4-4-1, - 0.18 Units (18 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)

Fantasy Football (GameWeek 2)

I am sure I was not the only one out there that decided to make a last minute change to their Fantasy Football team in GW1 before the deadline meant we could no longer make unlimited changes.

My decision to move out Diogo Jota in favour of Joshua King didn't have the impact I desired, but I still finished with 84 points in GW1 thanks to Raheem Sterling's huge performance at the London Stadium.

Mohamed Salah, Anthony Martial, Ederson and Caglar Soyuncu all added multiple points, but it was the Sterling hat-trick that really motored the points forward.

Without a doubt the biggest disappointment was Bernardo Silva being left on the bench by Pep Guardiola. Riyad Mahrez had a big game which puts pressure on Bernardo, but I would be surprised if the Portuguese midfielder is not in the line up this weekend.

Below I will show you the team I am going with in GW2 having decided I will hold my transfers until next weekend when I will be able to make two.

However before that I will identify some players that you may feel could be targeted if you are thinking of making some changes this week.

Goalkeeper

The injury to Alisson would have had many fantasy managers ripping out their hair just minutes into a new season, but most will be looking to transfer the Liverpool goalkeeper out now he is expected to miss the remainder of the month.

He is the joint most expensive Goalkeeper in the game so plenty of options are available to replace him.

Adrian (4.5 Million- Liverpool): In usual circumstances I am guessing most would make the like for like change, but Jurgen Klopp's warning about an injury suffered by Adrian on Wednesday evening is a big concern. I would rather wait for Adrian than bring in Andy Lonergan as another change would need to be made very quickly and it would likely result in a hit to the the points tally.

Jordan Pickford (5.5 Million- Everton): A strong set of games to open the season and Everton have actually been a solid team defensively for months under Marco Silva. They have kept clean sheets in their last 5 League games here and Watford, Wolves and Sheffield United are the next three visitors. With away games at Aston Villa and Bournemouth in between those home games, Pickford has to be a big shout.

Defender

I have to admit I would be a touch concerned about the way Liverpool have opened this season defensively and there may be better options out there. Players I am monitoring are below.

Fabian Delph (5.5 Million- Everton): A potential player who will be playing much further up the pitch than his defender status in the game would suggest. I have mentioned Everton's run of clean sheets and the fixtures that are in front of them, plus it would give me the chance to reinvest funds elsewhere if removing a Liverpool defender.

Harry Maguire/Aaron Wan-Bissaka (5.5 Million- Man United): The clean sheet against Chelsea was a boost and both could offer some attacking threat too.

However I would keep a watching brief on the way United perform defensively even though the fixtures look decent on paper. Might be worth bringing in one next weekend for the remaining August fixtures against Crystal Palace and Southampton.

Midfielder

Riyad Mahrez (8.5 Million- Man City): After Leroy Sane was ruled out for the next several months, it was interesting to see Mahrez get the nod in one of the three forward spots. His performance against West Ham United won't be ignored by Pep Guardiola and I am going to have a watching brief as to the kind of main starting line up that the Spaniard will be using.

Paul Pogba (8.5 Million- Man United): While the European transfer window is open you do wonder if Paul Pogba will try and force a move out of Old Trafford. I doubt that at this stage, but until then I will keep the Frenchman on my watch list. It is a blow that he is seemingly off penalties this season.

Gylfi Sigurdsson (8 Million- Everton): A third Everton player is on the list thanks to their strong early set of fixtures. The Icelandic midfielder scored 13 goals last season and came closest for Everton at Crystal Palace last week.

Forward

Ashley Barnes (6.5 Million- Burnley): They are not a fashionable team but I had Barnes on my solid performer list for much of last season, especially at this price. The August fixtures are far from easy, but from September I think Barnes will be joining my team as Burnley get set to face Brighton, Norwich City, Aston Villa, Everton and Leicester City between games against Liverpool and Chelsea.

Teemu Puuki (6.5 Million- Norwich City): Scored last week so showed he can take his form up a level. Norwich City look like an attacking team and Puuki could have chances in the next few weeks to add to his total. Definitely a player worth considering.

Roberto Firmino (9.5 Million- Liverpool): If you find space for a third Liverpool player after removing a defender, Firmino could be the man to target. Looked in hot form in the first three games played and looks a source of goals and assists.

GameWeek 2 Team

Like I said, I am holding onto my squad this week with the knowledge that I can make two transfers next week. I had put a Fantasy squad together that I did not want to change in the first couple of weeks and the injury to Alisson has perhaps meant a change in having multiple Liverpool defenders. I have a feeling they won't be able to keep Southampton out this weekend and then face an attacking Arsenal team before a trip to Burnley.

However I don't like making snap judgements on a team and so I want to see how they perform this week before deciding on moves to improve the squad with multiple transfers in GW3 or GW4.

The eleven I am starting with this weekend is below:

Ederson- Manchester City had two clean sheets against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League last season and Ederson has been picked as my firm Goalkeeper considering the back up is a cheap option who won't start.

Virgil Van Dijk- a threat from set pieces even if Liverpool concede.

Andrew Robertson- another Liverpool defender despite my feeling that Southampton will score this weekend. Andrew Robertson always an attacking threat and assists are a big part of his game.

John Lundstram- Sheffield United defender who started much higher up the pitch and created a couple of good chances for his team. Home game with Crystal Palace is a chance for what may be a rare clean sheet for The Blades.

Youri Tielemans- it is a tough away game at Stamford Bridge for the Leicester City midfielder, but Chelsea have looked far from watertight. He plays in an advanced position and will be key to any upset Leicester City earn here.

Mohamed Salah (C)- the Egyptian has scored in the Premier League opener and has looked very threatening in all three games played for Liverpool. Hard to ignore his claims to be Captain considering he scored in both League games against Southampton last season.

Raheem Sterling (VC)- hat-trick to open the season and almost the first choice on the Manchester City team-sheet. Has scored twice in two of the last three home Manchester City games against Tottenham Hotspur.

Bernardo Silva- missed out last week, but I think Bernardo will be back in action this weekend and always involved in either producing or scoring goals. Expect a big game in response to Riyad Mahrez' performance last week.

Che Adams- he had his chances last week for Southampton and could be the biggest threat to a Liverpool team that may be down to a third choice goalkeeper. I do believe he is a striker who will score goals at this level.

Josh King- I made a last minute decision to pick King ahead of Diogo Jota. It didn't work out last weekend, but he should have space to operate in against an attacking Aston Villa team and is one of the top choices for penalties.

Bench- Michael McGovern (Norwich City back up), Tyrone Mings (could have a clean sheet chance, but Bournemouth have a strong attack), Caglar Soyuncu (Chelsea have looked good going forward, clean sheet unlikely), Xande Silva (West Ham back up).

United Corner- Avoiding Third Season Syndrome (August 17th 2018)

United Corner- Avoiding Third Season Syndrome

Let's face facts, that was a pretty miserable summer transfer window for Manchester United and I don't think anyone would have been that surprised when hearing the reports of Jose Mourinho's discontent at the club.

It is his third season at Manchester United after all and his 'football heritage' suggests this is the time when it all goes wrong for Mourinho as fans, players and, most importantly, the decision makers at club begin to lose their belief in the manager.

This is a huge season for Mourinho to change the narrative on his career and see if he can get even more out of his squad of players who finished a huge way behind rivals Manchester City last time around. I can feel for the manager in some ways as there are some clear gaps in the playing squad that need to be filled with the right wing and the full back positions looking like particular weaknesses.

However I don't think Mourinho has any right to be complaining about not being allowed to spend a fortune on yet another centre half when big money signings like Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof have not been given the opportunities they should have. While some belief those two are not good enough to play at centre half for Manchester United, I simply don't think either has been given enough time and it might have made more sense for Mourinho to have played them together down the stretch once the Premier League title had long gone.

Injury might have been a factor for Bailly, but Lindelof was fit and he has showed he has plenty of potential in his performances for Sweden over the last twelve months. We know what we have in Phil Jones and Chris Smalling (and not much if you ask me) but Mourinho persisted with two players who are clearly some way short of the level required at a club of this size.

The rubbish Mourinho insisted on telling the media that he would only play those who could be going to the World Cup made even less sense with Smalling no where near Gareth Southgate's plans while Lindelof was going to start for Sweden. Players coming into the Premier League have regularly needed time to discover their best form so the board had every right to not want to spend a big price on defenders like Harry Maguire and Yerry Mina who may not be much better than Lindelof and insist the manager gets more out of the pieces he has in those defensive pressures.

It was a blow missing out on another attacking player though as I think that could have helped bridge some of the gap to the top. I know many who really rate the likes of Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford, but personally I think both need to improve significantly to really help United take the next step while Anthony Martial doesn't seem interested to fulfil his obvious potential.

That means more pressure on Alexis Sanchez to deliver having underwhelmed since being signed from Arsenal, while Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba also have to improve in the coming season.

Things have not been helped by what has been an obvious falling out between Pogba and Mourinho and there are all sorts of signs that United are going through what Chelsea did three years ago in the months leading up to the second sacking of Mourinho at Stamford Bridge.

Jose Mourinho has to have learned that the power is with the players these days and his constant digging of all and sundry in the press is getting tiresome. The shot at Antonio Valencia in the days after his pre-season injury shows no player is safe, but it looks like the decision to undermine Pogba's performances at the World Cup has gone against Mourinho.

However while United win the boat will not be rocked too much... Or so I would hope!

The problem is really going to develop if United lose and it was so important they managed to beat Leicester City by hook or by crook on the opening weekend of the season. Jose Mourinho seems determined to blame anyone but himself whenever United underachieve but this time I can see the dressing room completely turning on the manager.

I think Mourinho is smart enough to see there will only be one winner if he continues to pick a fight with someone who is liked as much as Pogba is in the dressing room and in the boardroom, but I also have a real belief that he will be looking for a way out if United hit a poor patch of form.

That means it is critical for this club to keep the wins coming and keep the problems from escalating into something that could see the club implode in the 2018/19 season. Finishing out of the top four would be a huge blow to the stature of Manchester United and how they are perceived by other clubs, but that is a real fear for me if they suffer a poor result and things reach a head between the manager and the players.

Beating Leicester City has at least settled the fans even if the reports suggest Pogba and Mourinho have had a second falling out over the past few days. You can't help but worry when you see how things have ended for Mourinho with Chelsea (twice) and Real Madrid but Manchester United can at least put those issues to the back of the minds for the fans if they can put another three points on the board at Brighton this weekend.

This is not going to be easy but United have more players returning to the fold after their World Cup exploits and there were some positives from the win over Leicester City that does make me believe all is not completely dark around Old Trafford. Fred and Andreas Pereira were both comfortable on the ball and it certainly helped United look like they could play with a little more tempo than they produced for much of the season, while both were happy to take the ball in tight places and then move it FORWARD.

Pogba's goal and performance was a boost, and the return of Lukaku this weekend and likely Ashley Young to come in at right back may just give United a team good enough of winning at the Amex Stadium.

It is definitely something to build upon, but everything could come crashing down if United lose here like they did a few months ago.

After the trip to Brighton Manchester United face their first really big test of the season as they host Tottenham Hotspur on Bank Holiday Monday. Having some momentum to take into that fixture will be important for the club else it could be a long eight days between games with more reports likely coming out of the unhappiness of key players as well as Mourinho's own discontent with the board.

That whole situation is overshadowing everything at Manchester United at the moment, but winning games is the best remedy for getting everyone back onto the same page.

Right now performances are not a massive concern for me, United just have to show enough to suggest improvements are not far away and also have to keep winning games. The fixture list certainly gives United the chance to really put themselves in a good position in the League table by the time November comes around (remember Mourinho said we will know who are title contenders when that month comes around) and at the moment winning games is all teams want to do as players continue their recovery from their World Cup exploits.

A bit more positivity from Mourinho will also ease the feeling that this partnership between the manager and United is heading towards a terrible conclusion. It seems someone has got in his ear about that in the last ten days or so, but the best way to keep everyone happy will be continuing to win games.

Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2018 (August 17th)

I have to say that I feel a little unlucky over the last couple of weeks with some of the Tennis Picks really letting me down late in matches.

Thursday it was more of the same in what is turning a positive week into a negative one.

Angelique Kerber had a set and a break lead before losing her match, Caroline Garcia served for the match and the cover and had a number of chances for a double break in the final set but somehow also managed to lose her match.

Both Novak Djokovic and Marin Cilic may still have chances to cover, but the latter has been so much stronger than Karen Khachanov and the only difference has been that Cilic has gone 0/6 on break points over three games while his opponent is 1/1.

That is a killer, but there is still time for 'Lady Luck' to return to my side of things.

The rain looks like really making it very difficult for the tournament organisers to produce the perfect end to the Cincinnati Masters. We are expecting the remaining Third Round matches to be completed on Friday and those winners will be playing their Quarter Final matches later in the evening, but the weather doesn't look that great to be honest and I would be surprised if this event is back on track by the end of the day.

Simona Halep - 3.5 games v Ashleigh Barty: Winning the French Open could be the start of something special for Simona Halep and I do think she is going to go very deep into the US Open tournament especially if she is given the right draw. The World Number 1 won the Montreal Premier Event last week to show she is in good nick on the hard courts and Halep has been good enough to produce top runs in back to back weeks at the Canada/Cincinnati Premier Events.

In each of the last three seasons Halep has reached the Semi Final in both the Canada and Cincinnati Premier Event and all the rain this week will have given her time to recover physically from a tough week in Montreal. The numbers have also been very impressive on the hard courts and some could argue that Halep's consistency on this surface in 2018 makes her the player to beat, especially now she has won her maiden Grand Slam.

The return is what makes Halep particularly dangerous as she keeps the pressure on her opponents and I do think think it will be very difficult for Ashleigh Barty to make this much more competitive than when they played last week in Montreal.

As much as I like the improvements made by Barty, she won just five games in the Semi Final loss to Halep in Montreal and you can see her numbers take a sharp decline when she has faced top 20 Ranked players on the hard courts. The sample size is clearly not going to be the biggest, but it is enough for me to think Barty has perhaps found her ceiling at this moment of her career.

Barty's serve is one that can be attacked by opponents especially of the level of Halep and I do think she will be put under immense pressure throughout this match. Perhaps if it had been played on the same day as Halep completing her Second Round win it would have been closer, but I think the World Number 1 will prove to be a little too well rounded for her Australian opponent.

The Barty numbers on the hard courts slip in terms of points won behind first and second serve and on the return when she has faced top 10 opponents in her career on the hard courts. That is something of a mental block she needs to overcome, but Halep is playing too well to let that happen here and I will back her to move through with some relative comfort.

Petra Kvitova - 3.5 games v Elise Mertens: 2018 has been a positive year for Elise Mertens who has made some moves up the World Ranking, but she hasn't always been able to compete with the very best players on the Tour. The win over Sloane Stephens in the Third Round will give the Belgian some confidence on a surface on which she can be inconsistent, but Mertens knows she may have to be even better when she faces Petra Kvitova.

A 20-8 record and strong numbers on both the serve and the return of serve have to be respected from Mertens, but the win over Stephens was only the second in six matches against top 20 Ranked players. The first serve has not been as effective when she has played the better players on the Tour and Mertens has also not had it quite so comfortable on the return which has made it tough to win those matches.

Kvitova has had two very good wins in the Cincinnati draw, but I am surprised by her poor record in this tournament in recent years. You would think Kvitova would be very happy in the quick conditions you tend to find here, but perhaps 2018 is the year in which she actually backs that feeling up with a good result.

2018 has been a solid year for Kvitova on the hard courts too and she can bounce back from a disappointing showing in Montreal.

It is the return of serve which will be key for Kvitova having improved her numbers on that side of her game compared with 2017. I will admit it can be hard to trust Kvitova the minute you get to some of these bigger spreads as she can be so up and down with her aggressive brand of tennis, but I think she can dictate the points and make Mertens feel uncomfortable and ultimately move through to a Semi Final here.

Madison Keys - 3.5 games v Aryna Sabalenka: One of the most improving players on the Tour has had a strong run in Cincinnati to back up her performance in Montreal and Aryna Sabalenka has to be full of confidence.

It will be tough to keep that run going having needed three sets to edge out Caroline Garcia which means Sabalenka has needed to go the distance in all three matches she has played in the main draw this week.

For a young player I wouldn't be too concerned about the physical fatigue but it must be tough emotionally and now she has to face a big server in Madison Keys who had a big win on Thursday.

Keys used the big serve to great effect in coming back from a set and a break down to beat Wimbledon Champion Angelique Kerber, although I will admit it can be hard to trust the big hitting but inconsistent American.

However the form has looked good this week and you would think Keys will be very comfortable in the conditions on a North American hard court. If she serves well I would imagine she keeps Sabalenka under pressure as Karolina Pliskova did earlier this week, but the key for the youngster is continuing to play the big break points on her own serve as effectively as she has.

Personally I think that has to come back towards the mean at some point and I will look for Keys to have a little too much for Sabalenka in this Quarter Final.

MY PICKS: Simona Halep - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Boyle Sports (2 Units)

Petra Kvitova - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Boyle Sports (2 Units)

Madison Keys - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Boyle Sports (2 Units)

Cincinnati Update: 8-7, + 2.56 Units (30 Units Staked, + 8.53% Yield)