Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2025 (Monday 18th August)

You have to believe the organisers of the new look Mixed Doubles tournament at the US Open are just as frustrated with the scheduling of the Masters events this summer as the players and fans.

That tournament was designed to be played in the week leading up to the US Open and the theory behind it is that the top players can all be involved. Looking through the draw, the top names are scheduled to play, but the Cincinnati Final being played on a Monday may mean the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are not able to join their partners in New York City and especially not with the Mixed Doubles set to begin on Tuesday.

They are young enough to play in what will feel like an exhibition setting, but a long Final on Monday may mean rest is more important ahead of the final Grand Slam of the season.

The top two ATP players meet on Monday and they are going to be clear favourites to face one another again at the US Open on the final Sunday of that tournament.

It would be the third straight Grand Slam Final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz and there would be no doubt that we have entered a new era of Men's tennis if that comes about.

Those two players go out first before the WTA Final featuring Iga Swiatek and Jasmine Paolini and then all eyes will be on the US Open with less than seven days to go before the last Grand Slam of 2025 gets underway.

Jannik Sinner - 2.5 games v Carlos Alcaraz: These two players are clearly the top two on the ATP Tour and it will take a brave person to oppose either winning the next Grand Slam at the US Open.

It was Carlos Alcaraz who beat Jannik Sinner at the French Open and that continued what had been an increasing dominance in the rivalry, but the Italian earned revenge with a very strong win in the Wimbledon Final to prevent Alcaraz from winning for a third straight year at SW19.

After losing five times in a row to Carlos Alcaraz, that win at Wimbledon feels very importsant for Jannik Sinner who has seemingly overwhelmed everyone else barring the Spaniard.

To back up that point, since the start of 2024, Jannik Sinner has lost just THREE hard court matches and he has won all three hard court Slams played in those twenty months. However, TWO of those losses have been against Carlos Alcaraz and the World Number 1 has not beaten him on this surface since October 2023 and so this is another opportunity for Sinner to lay down a marker to his fiercest rival ahead of the final Grand Slam of the season.

Despite the head to head record, Jannik Sinner's win at Wimbledon will be one that has helped him overcome the mental hurdle, especially considering he had Championship Points before losing to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open Final.

The match up is clearly a tough one, but Sinner is playing at an incredible level right now and it may be one that is difficult for Carlos Alcaraz to reach on a consistent basis.

There is nothing wrong with the way that Carlos Alcaraz is playing here in Cincinnati and on the hard courts in general, but the match feels more about what Sinner is able to do.

If the World Number 1 serves as well as he has been, he should have the majority of the Break Point chances in this Final and that is key to winning the match. Last year Carlos Alcaraz was the superior return player in the two matches played on the hard courts against Jannik Sinner and the World Number 2 will be inspired to try and lay down a marker ahead of the US Open, but Jannik Sinner showed again in Melbourne how much he has improved and he may just have the momentum to back up the win at Wimbledon by snapping the hard court run of defeats against this opponent.

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 games v Jasmine Paolini: This is a big spread for the WTA Cincinnati Final, but Iga Swiatek has come out of the tougher half of the draw and has looked much more convincing overall compared with Jasmine Paolini.

They did play out a competitive match on the hard courts at the end of last season, although that was after Iga Swiatek had served a suspension and it perhaps meant her rhythm was not quite where she would have expected.

Despite that, Iga Swiatek did end up with the victory and she has since crushed Paolini on the grass courts in the build up to Wimbledon, which was surprisingly won by Iga Swiatek too.

After the early loss in Montreal, Jasmine Paolini may not have arrived with a huge burden of expectation to carry, but this is a player who is willing to dig in and fight for everything she achieves. 2025 has not been as memorable as 2024, at least not yet, but Paolini still entered this tournament as a top ten Ranked player and wins over the likes of Coco Gauff will give her plenty of confidence.

The 29 year old had not been showing a lot of positive form on the hard courts prior to the Cincinnati event beginning- the key this week has been the success behind theserve and Jasmine Paolini is going to have to serve well to keep Iga Swiatek at bay.

That is a huge challenge considering how well the soon to be World Number 2 is playing, although this is a different kind of test for Iga Swiatek. Previous matches have seen her get the better of bigger hitters than Jasmine Paolini, but it is the movement of the Italian that makes her tough to beat, even on a faster hard court.

Iga Swiatek is serving with more authority though and that can see her set up a few more 'easier' points and that can help ease the scoreboard pressure. Instead it may be Paolini who has to deal with that and it also will not be lost on the latter that she has struggled in the majority of matches against Swiatek.

Back to back matches of over two hours is another factor considering the ease in which Iga Swiatek has made her way through the draw and one of the real contenders to win the US Open can head to New York City with a big title in the bag. Covering will not be easy against this handicap mark, but the expectation is that Iga Swiatek will have enough Break Point chances to do that if she maintains current serving levels against an opponent that has struggled to deal with the Pole on the Tour.

MY PICKS: Jannik Sinner - 2.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Iga Swiatek - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 6-8, - 2.63 Units (14 Units Staked, - 18.79% Yield)

Cincinnati Masters Tennis Picks 2021 (August 18th)

The Tennis continues at Cincinnati on Wednesday and the Second Round matches are all set to be completed over several hours.

Andrey Rublev - 3.5 games v Marin Cilic: Early defeats in Tokyo and Toronto have been far from ideal for Andrey Rublev, but he will be looking to put down a marker in Cincinnati before the US Open begins in less than two weeks time. The Russian has won a title on the hard courts already this season and he has reached three other Semi Finals, while Andrey Rublev has previously had success at the US Open too and that should offer him plenty of encouragement.

However, with all that being said, Andrey Rublev will be under pressure to put a strong run in the books in Cincinnati to build the confidence for the final Grand Slam of the season. Roger Federer is confirmed to be missing, while Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic both could be limited and that will mean there is an opportunity for someone like Rublev in what has been the Slam with the most surprising winners during the Big Three era.

It was a close loss in Toronto last week, but Andrey Rublev is going to have to deal with another big-serving opponent in Cincinnati and that will make his life difficult. However, in previous meetings against Marin Cilic, Andrey Rublev has shown enough of an impact in the return games to be encouraged.

His own serve is a big weapon on the hard courts and that should give Andrey Rublev an edge, especially as he has managed to hold 89% of his service games played on the hard courts compared with Marin Cilic's 80% mark.

Andrey Rublev also has the stronger return game, but Marin Cilic is coming in off an upset win over Aslan Karatsev and the former US Open Champion has also been very competitive over the last month with a couple of three set defeats behind him. That competitiveness is going to be important for Marin Cilic if he is going to earn another upset on Wednesday, but the previous matches against this Russian opponent have to be a worry.

It is Andrey Rublev who has won the last three matches between these players and those have all been on the hard courts including in Miami earlier this year. Andrey Rublev has faced five break points in those three matches, but he has created thirty-five opportunities and the Russian holds a clear advantage on the numbers behind both serve and return.

That is important in his first match in Cincinnati in 2021 and I do think Marin Cilic will struggle to deal with the returning pressure. He showed admirable resilience in the win over Aslan Karatsev, but Andrey Rublev may be a level above his compatriot and he can find the breaks of serve to cover this handicap on the way through to the Third Round.

Daniil Medvedev - 4.5 games v Mackenzie McDonald: Both of these players have already enjoyed some strong successes during the US Open Series and that should mean two confident players are taking to the court on Wednesday.

While Mackenzie McDonald reached the Final in Washington at ATP 500 level, Daniil Medvedev underlined his potential as a Grand Slam winner next month by winning the ATP 1000 event held in Toronto. For a long time Daniil Medvedev has considered the hard courts to be his strongest surface and his win in Toronto after reaching the Australian Open Final earlier this season has to offer the Russian World Number 2 an immense amount of confidence.

He won the Toronto Final on Sunday and there is not a lot of time for recovery as Medvedev arrives in Cincinnati, but this has been a good match up for him and one that can help ease him into the tournament.

Mackenzie McDonald has a First Round win under his belt in Cincinnati, but he was beaten relatively easily by Benoit Paire in Toronto. His run in Washington has to be given a lot of respect considering some of the names that were in the draw, but the American was fortunate to avoid the majority of those and did not face anyone Ranked inside the top 48 in the World before the Final where McDonald was beaten in three sets by Jannik Sinner.

The numbers produced by Mackenzie McDonald on the hard courts have to be respected, but they take a serious dip when he has been presented with a top 50 Ranked opponent. He is 3-5 in those matches on this surface and McDonald's hold percentage drops from 83% to 80%, while the break percentage falls considerably from 25% to 16%.

Now he has to take on Daniil Medvedev who has a serve that is a huge weapon on the hard courts, but also a player that is very capable of getting into the return games to build pressure on opponents. The long run in Toronto is a slight concern with the little time to recover and move onto a new tournament, but Medvedev is used to going deep in Grand Slam events and he has had two full days off before being asked to return to the court.

As mentioned before, the head to head is heavily skewed in favour of Daniil Medvedev who has won all four previous matches against Mackenzie McDonald. Their first meeting was competitive, but Medvedev has won the last three with something to spare including in a straight sets win over McDonald at the Australian Open.

Daniil Medvedev has held 86% of his service games played against Mackenzie McDonald on the hard courts, but the more impressive number is the 46% of return games in which he has broken the serve. Take out the first competitive match, and Daniil Medvedev has broken in 53% of return games against this opponent and I do feel only fatigue can prevent him from winning this one with something to spare too.

Diego Sebastian Schwartzman v Frances Tiafoe: Both of these players looked good coming through First Round matches in Cincinnati, although Diego Sebastian Schwartzman was a favourite to progress and Frances Tiafoe has upset the odds again.

He continues to be one of the more frustrating players to read on the Tour with average numbers producing average results, but Frances Tiafoe is a player that is capable of producing something special on any given day. That helped him deservedly beat Ugo Humbert in the First Round and last week in Toronto he upset Denis Shapovalov, but Tiafoe can sometimes struggle when he feels there is an expectation around him.

Frances Tiafoe has held 80% of service games played on the hard courts in 2021 and he has broken in 21% of the return games he has faced. Those numbers are nothing to write home about, but the service numbers remain steady even when the American faces competition from inside the top 20 of the World Rankings.

The problem for Frances Tiafoe is that his return is erratic at best, although he will feel he can get his teeth into the Diego Sebastian Schwartzman service games.

The Argentinian has had plenty of success on the surface in the past though and Diego Sebastian Schwartzman is also putting together a decent 2021 campaign on the surface. He may be happier on the clay courts, but Schwartzman's numbers certainly look like he could have the edge in this Second Round match in Cincinnati even on what is usually a very quick hard court.

Unsurprisingly it is the Schwartzman return of serve which makes him most dangerous and he will feel he can into the Frances Tiafoe serve in this match too. Diego Sebastian Schwartzman has broken in 36% of return games played on the hard courts and the number actually jumps to 38% when facing a top 50 Ranked opponent on the surface.

It could be the key to the outcome of this match with some swings in momentum expected.

However, I do think Diego Sebastian Schwartzman can scramble through enough service games to be able to apply the pressure on Frances Tiafoe and I will look for him to do enough to move through to the Third Round at the expense of the home player.

MY PICKS: Andrey Rublev - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Daniil Medvedev - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Diego Sebastian Schwartzman @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Karolina Muchova @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Elina Svitolina - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Garbine Muguruza - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Cincinnati Update: 2-2, - 0.68 Units (8 Units Staked, - 8.50% 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).

Weekend Football Picks 2018 (August 18-20)

Some may have felt the Premier League had never been away after seeing the top five from last season all win their opening League games of the 2018/19 season.

Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Chelsea all scored at least twice in their wins last weekend and there does feel there is a real gap that has developed between the top six and the rest of the Premier League.

I still think we will see the upsets that have been a part of the top flight of English Football over the years, but I also think those five clubs will recognise that they will need to get very close to 80 points to finish in the Champions League places and perhaps closer to 90 points to win the Premier League.

It makes any dropped points highlighted even more and that brings a pressure of its own as both Manchester United and Liverpool have to match the away wins the other three clubs have earned.


I have written a short piece about Manchester United and some of the problems surrounding the club which can be read here.


The remainder of this month is going to be a little busy for me, but I am planning to change up this thread and add some Fantasy plays going forward from September. While the majority of the thread will be focused on the Weekend Picks as it is now, I will list three or four players in the positions of Goalkeeper, Defence, Midfield and Attack who could have a big weekend.

As any Fantasy Football player knows there are a range of prices so I will try and produce a list of two lower priced options with two potentially more expensive choices ahead of each weekend. It is a new part of the thread so will take some adjustments to make it feel like I want it to, but that will begin from the first Premier League games after the September international break.

If that date changes I will update it in the coming weeks.

Now onto the Weekend Picks with the Premier League games spread from Saturday lunchtime through to Monday evening.


Cardiff City v Newcastle United Pick: The opening Premier League game of the weekend comes from Wales as Cardiff City host Newcastle United with both clubs searching for their first points of the 2018/19 season.

Last weekend both Newcastle United and Cardiff City conceded twice in defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth respectively and I imagine Rafa Benitez and Neil Warnock will be looking for a big response from the players.

You have to say that both squads look short of quality at the Premier League level, but they managers who will believe they can extract more out of their players to overachieve in the coming season. Games like this look to be vital for both and I will admit I was a little surprised Newcastle United are going in as the favourites despite being away from home.

Perhaps the layers have factored in the Newcastle United run of 5 successive wins at Cardiff City including when they last met a couple of years ago. It also should be noted that Cardiff City are one of the favourites for relegation and 3 of the 4 wins Newcastle United had away from home came against teams who finished below them including at 2 of the 3 clubs that were eventually relegated.

However there has to be a real adrenaline boost for the Cardiff City players in their first home game of the season against a team the fans will believe they can beat. The side were very good at home in the Championship and there was enough shown in the final third last Saturday at the Vitality Stadium to think Cardiff City can cause problems for this Newcastle United team.

On the other hand The Magpies should also be able to create some opportunities too and I think the layers are underestimating the chance to see both teams score.

I did lean towards backing Cardiff City with the start on the Asian Handicap as the home underdog, but Rafa Benitez showed he can get enough out of his players to win games like this last season in the Premier League and that has to be respected.

The feeling is that Cardiff City and Newcastle United both create enough quality chances to score at least once each and so backing both teams to score at odds against looked the better angle of the two I considered.


Everton v Southampton Pick: The big reason Everton were able to move away from the bottom three last season was the strong form they displayed at Goodison Park for the most part. They have been very good at home in recent years and once again reached double digits in terms of home wins in the Premier League which gives Marco Silva something to build on.

The 2-2 draw at Wolves showed Everton in good light despite being reduced to ten men and they have made some good additions to the squad which underachieved for much of the last campaign. An attacking style will get the fans very much behind Silva and the players, which is so important to this club, and Everton will believe they are ready for a much better season all around.

Richarlison made his debut in style for Everton last weekend but other new faces are not expected to be available for this fixture. That means a similar team to last weekend will kick off this fixture with the potential of Kurt Zouma replacing suspended Phil Jagielka at centre half.

The performance was encouraging enough to think Everton can earn the three points here having won all 10 home games in the League agains teams that finished below them in the League table. You have to think that will be the case for Southampton who looked short of quality in the final third during their goalless draw with Burnley last weekend.

It was a big performance from Alex McCarthy which prevented Southampton from opening this campaign with a defeat and the goalkeeper is likely going to be very important again in this fixture. Southampton will look to make life difficult for Everton by being set up to be hard to beat, but the players look to have responded to Marco Silva in a positive way and I think Everton will earn the three points barring another early sending off like in the game against Wolves.

Everton do have a strong home record against Southampton over the years and I think they will pose enough of an attacking threat to edge out The Saints who scored just 17 away goals last season.


Leicester City v Wolves Pick: There have been some rumours that the Leicester City players are looking to get rid of another manager having downed tools for the likes of Claudio Ranieri and Craig Shakespeare over the last couple of years. It sounds like they have now had enough of Claude Puel despite the strong performance at Old Trafford in their first game of the Premier League season and that makes it tough to trust them.

Any club that have players who are willing to produce poor enough performances to ensure a manager is replaced can't really be backed to win games with the rumours around Leicester City. They were also a team that did have some difficulties getting up for games against the so-called 'lesser' clubs in the Premier League and that is highlighted by the fact that only 3 of their 7 home League wins came against teams that finished below them in the table.

Having a derby game should mean the players are well aware of the importance of playing Wolves this weekend and I am not completely convinced the rumours about the player's dissatisfaction are on point. They played with some confidence at Old Trafford and better finishing might have stolen a point against Manchester United and I expect Leicester City to fashion some opportunities against this Wolves team.

Wolves played well enough to earn a point against Everton last weekend in their return to the Premier League and they have some big ambitions. The sending off of Phil Jagielka certainly helped the Wolves cause and I think there is going to be a tough learning curve for the club early in the season as they bed in players who are not used to playing at the Premier League level.

I do think Nuno Espirito Santo will look to make Wolves hard to beat and I don't think Leicester City can take this for granted. I do edge towards the home team if they can replicate how they played at Manchester United last Friday and Jamie Vardy's return to the starting eleven will help with converting the opportunities they can create this weekend.

The derby nature of the fixture makes it a little tougher to predict too, but I am looking for The Foxes to edge out Wolves. I will back Leicester City on the Asian Handicap which will return half the stake in the event of a draw, but my feeling is that Leicester City will have just enough in the final third to win their first game of the 2018/19 season.


Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham Pick: A London derby will be played at Wembley Stadium on Saturday in the Premier League as Tottenham Hotspur fans get used to playing in the national stadium for at least a couple of months. The delay to the move to the 'New White Hart Lane' is a bother to the club in general as they have to scramble to book venues to play their League and Champions League fixtures coming up, but the players will be focused on events on the field.

They showed they can do that after a positive 1-2 win at Newcastle United last weekend and Tottenham Hotspur have some returning players to boost the squad ahead of this one. The form at Wembley Stadium was decent enough from Tottenham Hotspur, especially down the stretch, to think they won't be too bothered about having to play their next few 'home' games here.

Fulham also have some fond memories of playing at Wembley Stadium having secured their Premier League status with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the Championship Play Off Final in May. The 0-2 defeat to Crystal Palace has shown how difficult the move to the Premier League will be for any club coming up from the Championship and it will be tough for Fulham to respond with a really positive result here.

In the last couple of seasons Tottenham Hotspur have been particularly dominant when hosting clubs in the bottom half of the table. They have won 9 of 10 against those clubs in each of the last couple of years and Tottenham Hotspur have enough attacking quality to win this one with some room to spare.

17 of their 30 Premier League wins over the last two seasons have come by at least a two goal margin for Tottenham Hotspur and I think they will have a little too much for a Fulham team who are missing some key players. Fulham could play their part against a Tottenham Hotspur team who did have a couple of defensive mistakes in them last week, but I will back the home team on the Asian Handicap to win this fixture by at least two goals on the day.


West Ham United v Bournemouth Pick: Last week was a chastening experience for the West Ham United fans who have been dreaming of some very big things for their club this summer. The 4-0 defeat at Anfield may be something that other clubs experience, but it could be good for Manuel Pellegrini and his players to not be saddled with the huge expectations of the fans in their first home game of the new season.

The fans will still be expectant, but they will stay behind their team who may need some weeks to gel in together have signed a number of new players and also having a new voice to listen to in the dressing room.

I do expect better from West Ham United this weekend when they face Bournemouth at the London Stadium although they will have to show significantly better defensive desire to do that. Liverpool can cut open teams, but they were aided massively by the poor defending West Ham United produced and that is something Pellegrini would have worked on during the week.

It is important for West Ham United who will have their chances against Bournemouth but who have to be wary of the attacking intent shown by The Cherries in their win over Cardiff City last week. Bournemouth have had some success in East London at West Ham United since being promoted to the Premier League and their win last weekend will have given the players a boost in confidence to take into this fixture.

However Bournemouth have generally not been so good on their travels and they are a team who have struggled defensively in the last couple of years with at least 61 conceded in both seasons. There is enough about this West Ham United team from an attacking front to think they can get after this Bournemouth side although the fans can sometimes make it a tough atmosphere to play in.

That shouldn't be the case on Saturday with the optimism around the club and I expect West Ham United to bounce back from their defeat at Anfield. It will be a tight game at the London Stadium but I will back West Ham United on the Asian Handicap which will at least return half the stake if this game ends in a draw.


Chelsea v Arsenal Pick: The second live game in the Premier League on Saturday comes from Stamford Bridge as Chelsea and Arsenal meet in a London derby managed by two new faces.

Maurizio Sarri got off to a very good start as he guided Chelsea to a 0-3 win at Huddersfield Town, but this is a much bigger test for him against a quality opponent. The manager himself is downplaying some expectations for his team as he believes it will take a couple of months for the players to really get on board with his tactics, but Sarri is clearly looking for the players to enjoy themselves.

That is something most will get on board with much quicker than with hard taskmasters like Antonio Conte and Chelsea have the likes of Willian and Eden Hazard ready to be unleashed on this Arsenal team.

Unai Emery was given a real eye-opener as to how much work he has to do at the Emirates Stadium after Arsenal were beaten very comfortably by Manchester City. Some of the criticism of the manager has been a little over the top especially when it comes from 'tactical masters' like Sam Allardyce and Tony Adams, but Emery does deserve some of it.

He has to have know it would not be suitable for Arsenal to try and play from the back against the Manchester City high press with the players Emery could use in defensive players. That could be a real problem against Sarri and his Chelsea team if Emery has not learned a lesson and I do feel like this could be another very difficult match for The Gunners.

Last Sunday the Arsenal forwards couldn't really get into the game against Manchester City, but I do expect better from them at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea had an easy day defensively against Huddersfield Town, but I would imagine a much sterner examination from Arsenal although this does feel like a fixture that the home side should have the edge in.

Last season Arsenal managed two goalless draws at Stamford Bridge to snap a 5 game losing run on this ground. They did have some fortune in those games to keep Chelsea out, but it will offer some encouragement to the players.

However I am not sure it will be enough on the day and Chelsea can back up their strong win at Huddersfield Town by adding another victory on Saturday. With the likes of Willian and Hazard likely to force mistakes in the Arsenal defensive areas, I think Chelsea have enough to earn the victory and will back them to do that.


Burnley v Watford Pick: Over the last couple of years it has been wins over teams in the bottom half that have helped keep Burnley in the Premier League and they will be looking to make Turf Moor a tough place for teams to visit again. Sean Dyche will be very keen to see his Burnley team pick up their first Premier League win at the first time of asking at Turf Moor, but the challenge is balancing the League with the Europa League commitments.

There were enough key players rested for the win on Thursday which will encourage Dyche that the Burnley squad can perform well both domestically and in European tournaments this season. It is still going to be interesting to see how Burnley handle the Thursday-Sunday combination this weekend having needed extra time to beat Istanbul Basaksehir on Thursday evening, but at least that Second Leg was played at home so travelling is not a problem.

Regardless it is still a difficult test to have to play twice in a week against an opponent who will have been preparing all week for this fixture.

Watford made a strong start to the new Premier League season by comfortably beating Brighton 2-0 at Vicarage Road, but Javi Gracia will know The Hornets need to improve their away form to avoid being dragged into a relegation scrap. Last season they did win 4 away games, but those who came pretty early in the season and Watford's run of 13 away games without a win during which time they have been beaten 12 times has to be a major concern.

They were beaten at all of the clubs that finished in the top nine of the Premier League table last season and 13 losses in 19 away League games is a very poor return. Watford lost the same number of away games the season before last and Burnley have shown they have kept their strong defensive discipline from last season which will make them very tough to beat.

I have some reservations about the fact that Burnley have little time to prepare for this one, but I think Sean Dyche did pick a team on Thursday with this Premier League game in mind. The poor Watford away record in the last couple of years in the Premier League added to the fact that Burnley have beaten them twice in a row makes me lean towards the home team earning their first League win of the season.

However the potential fatigue factor means I will back Burnley on the Asian Handicap which will at least return half the stake in the event of a draw. That is still an odds against price and looks the best way to back Burnley to win their first game of the 2018/19 season.


Manchester City v Huddersfield Town Pick: The big news this week is that Kevin De Bruyne suffered a knee injury in training for Manchester City which means Pep Guardiola will have to do without a key figure for what could be up to four months. The full diagnosis will come out this week prior to the Premier League game against Huddersfield Town but for the foreseeable future it looks like Manchester City will have to do without their Belgian playmaker.

The fixture list over the next couple of months is not one that will intimidate Manchester City who still have plenty of quality to fall back upon. David Silva may not be ready for this weekend, but the Spaniard will be fresh going forward as he has called time on his international career, while Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez could could be huge influences going forward.

A home game with Huddersfield Town should be one that Manchester City enjoy, although they had two tough Premier League games against them last season. Late in the season Huddersfield Town battled for a goalless draw at the Etihad Stadium and the fixture at the John Smith's Stadium was only decided in the last ten minutes in favour of Manchester City.

It will be very difficult for Huddersfield Town to produce the same kind of defensive performance they did a few months ago in the draw here. Over the second half of the Premier League season Huddersfield Town finished with the 19th best record in the top flight, while the 0-3 home loss to Chelsea on the opening weekend underlines the kind of struggles this club could be in for.

A lack of goals has to be a real worry for David Wagner and the Huddersfield Town fans, but they can come to the Etihad Stadium with nothing to lose and give it a really good go. Set pieces will be where Huddersfield Town could be dangerous, but Manchester City finished with the best defensive record in the Premier League last season and they can make it back to back clean sheets to open the 2018/19 campaign.

Backing Manchester City to win with the clean sheet looks the best way to approach this game with the home side being asked to cover a big Asian Handicap. I considered that with the goals Manchester City have in the squad, but Huddersfield Town were only beaten by three or more goals in 4 of their 19 away games last season and instead I will look to oppose them in the goalscoring market considering their struggles there in 2017/18.


Brighton v Manchester United Pick: By hook or by crook all Manchester United fans just wanted the team to help put the poor summer transfer window behind them and earn the victory over Leicester City to open the 2018/19 season.

It was a tough night at Old Trafford but the players made a very good start and then had to battle for the victory over The Foxes.

Ultimately the three points were most important although the Paul Pogba relationship breakdown with Jose Mourinho is a concern for the dressing room harmony. The comments made by Pogba after the win over Leicester City have led to further headlines during the week that the two men are barely on speaking terms at the moment and it does feel Manchester United could be one poor result away from things spiralling out of control.

That is a real concern when you consider backing Manchester United to win any game at the moment, but I do think they can get some revenge for an embarrassing 1-0 defeat at the Amex Stadium back in early May. With the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Ashley Young and possibly Jesse Lingard back, Manchester United have a group of players who should be good enough to win games like this even though they were beaten in this Stadium last time they visited.

On that occasion Manchester United had two or three very good chances to lead before Brighton scored with a rare foray into the final third and the home team will have to be a lot better than on the opening weekend to beat Manchester United again.

Brighton were comfortably beaten by Watford last weekend and they barely created anything of note in the fixture. They have been a much better team at home in the Premier League, but 3 of their 4 home losses last season came against sides who finished in the top five.

Generally those clubs had a little too much quality for Brighton and I do think Manchester United would have been another to win here if they had scored first at the Amex Stadium in early May when the chances came their way. This time they will have Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku at the end of those and I do think the dressing room are still on the same page as the management staff at the moment.

There is no denying Brighton can make life difficult for an opponent if they get the chance to dig in and not fall behind too early, but they have to be a lot better than last week. I am not sure their new signings will have bedded in just yet, and I do think Manchester United will find a way to win here.

All 4 of Brighton's home losses came by two or more goals last season and Manchester United won half of their 10 away wins by the same margin. I will back Manchester United on the Asian Handicap which will give us a full payout if they win by two or more goals, but still provide a positive return if Manchester United win by a single goal margin.


Crystal Palace v Liverpool Pick: It can be very easy to overreact to performances and results from the opening weekend of any domestic League campaign, but Liverpool fans won't feel they are doing that after the encouraging 4-0 win over West Ham United. This is a season in which the Liverpool fans have to genuinely believe they win the Premier League title and they can make a statement by winning at Selhurst Park.

While Crystal Palace have not exactly made this ground a fortress, the atmosphere should be very good on Monday night and Roy Hodgson has got the players pulling in the same direction.

The former England and Liverpool manager is well organised and you have to expect his Crystal Palace team to follow the instructions set out for them. They have been very good under Hodgson's guidance and even the losses to Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester United here were very unfortunate considering Crystal Palace led in the latter two of those before succumbing to late goals.

With Wilfried Zaha in the line up, Crystal Palace will try and hit Liverpool on the counter attack after frustrating them on the other end of the pitch, but keeping Liverpool out is not going to be easy. The front three have already settled into the new season and the addition of Naby Keita to the midfield was huge for them.

Even with that in mind I have to respect how improved Crystal Palace have been under Hodgson and I do think they can pose some real problems for Liverpool. I certainly expect better from Crystal Palace than West Ham United produced last weekend having gift wrapped a couple of the Liverpool goals and I also think Crystal Palace have a bit more going forward than The Hammers showed.

Like I said last week, it is hard to imagine Liverpool not scoring and I do think both clubs will be on the scoreboard this Monday. The last 8 between these clubs at Selhurst Park have featured both teams scoring, while 12 of the last 14 overall have also done the same.

I did consider backing Crystal Palace with the start on the Asian Handicap which looks a big number, but ultimately I just leaned towards both teams scoring a little more and will back that to be the outcome of this one.

MY PICKS: Cardiff City-Newcastle United Both Teams to Score @ 2.20 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Everton @ 1.91 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Leicester City - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Tottenham Hotspur - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
West Ham United - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Chelsea @ 1.85 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Burnley - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester City Win to Nil @ 1.61 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Manchester United - 0.75 Asian Handicap @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Crystal Palace-Liverpool Both Teams to Score @ 1.75 Bet365 (2 Units)

August 2018/19 Update: 6-2, + 8.10 Units (16 Units Staked, + 50.63% Yield)