College Football Week 0 Picks 2025 (Saturday 23rd August)

The majority of College Football teams are still completing final preparations for the new season, but there are a number of teams who have been asked to play in 'Week 0' and that includes a couple of interesting Big 12 Conference rivals that will be bidding for Playoff Football later in the season.

In the main the top contenders are set to get going next week, but the game between the Cyclones and Wildcats in Dublin, Ireland has the making of a pivotal one even before the official kickoff in Week 1.

A thread with predictions for the College Football Playoff will be up and running for the Week 1 selections next week, but this thread is focused on getting the season off to a good start.

In recent years, the NFL Picks have been returning positive numbers regularly, but the College Football numbers have been pretty disappointing.

There is obviously a much higher turnover in College Football, while there are always going to be a few more mistakes compared with the professionals, although those are not going to cut it as excuses as to why there has been such a difference in the results achieved.

Setting yourself a challenge to vastly improve, while not compromising the NFL results, is not going to be easy to achieve, but it is a new year and everything begins from zero.

With that in mind, it does feel important to just build some early momentum if possible, beginning with the three selections made from Week 0.

Kansas State Wildcats vs Iowa State Cyclones Pick: The College Football is ever-changing, but the Big 12 Conference has decided against using Divisions and that means it feels very wide open at the top.

Last year four teams finished with a 7-2 record and three more with a 6-3 record and there is every chance that the Big 12 Champion is going to have more than one loss on the record. However, that will not prevent them from joining the College Football Playoff, as Arizona State did last season.

The Sun Devils were far from disgraced as the Number 4 Seed with an 11-2 record and they gave the Texas Longhorns all they could handle.

There is no getting away from the surprising season that Arizona State put together and so every team in this Conference may feel they can put together the Football needed to replicate the Sun Devils 2024 season.

However, amongst the favourites in the Big 12 this season are the Kansas State Wildcats and Iowa State Cyclones, who both had strong records in 2024, and these two teams will head over to Dublin to open the 2025 season.

Farmageddon has gone international.

The fans who will be attending this game should have plenty of fun with the Kansas State Wildcats and Iowa State Cyclones holding onto a number of starters from last season, including having experienced Quarter Backs leading the way. This will feel like a big, early opportunity to lay down a marker to the rivals in the Big 12 Conference and both teams will arrive in Ireland full of confidence.

There is always some uncertainty as to what you are going to see from any team when they open a new College Football season, but having a number of starters return is clearly a bonus. Both the Wildcats and Cyclones are led by solid Head Coaches who have stamped their authority on the respective schools and that should pave the way for a really good season opener.

Injury is a major factor in College Football and the Iowa State Cyclones were hit hard by that bug, which makes reaching the Big 12 Championship Game most impressive. The Linebacker corps looks stronger and the Defensive Line is also shored up by Domonique Orange, and it will be important for the Cyclones to show a bit more strength at stopping the run.

Last season that was a real issue for them with the team allowing over 188 yards per game on the ground, which is something that the Kansas State Wildcats will be looking to exploit in this opener. Last season the Wildcats were amongst the best teams at running the ball and they have a solid tandem playing behind Quarter Back Avery Johnson, who is much more experienced himself.

That is key for the Wildcats and Johnson could have a decent game throwing the ball against this Iowa State Secondary that has been rebuilt. His Offensive Line is going to be a work in progress and some of the new Receivers may take a bit of time getting the chemistry going with the Quarter Back, but they are facing a Cyclones team that had issues picking up Sacks in 2024 and Avery Johnson should help establish a real balance to the Wildcats play.

The Cyclones also bring back plenty of experience from last year as they bid to go one better than 2024 when losing the Big 12 Championship Game.

A lot of that experience is on the Offensive side of the ball, led by Quarter Back Rocco Becht and he is supported by a number of skill players that will make Iowa State very dangerous.

Importantly, the Cyclones Offensive Line is very experienced and that will help massively on this side of the ball. And that will be needed against this Wildcats Defensive Line, which comes into the season with a huge sense of expectation around them as they look to make Offenses that face them one-dimensional.

This battle at the Line of Scrimmage is going to be a key factor to the outcome of the game and the Wildcats have players who may have more success disrupting the passing game and slowing down the run.

Getting to Rocco Becht will be key to just protect a Secondary that may need to be bedded in, and the Kansas State Wildcats can do that, which in turn may give the edge in this Big 12 opener.

It is the Cyclones who have dominated the recent head to head in this rivalry series, including beating Kansas State by 8 points last season. However, it was the Wildcats who had the most yardage in that game and they can earn revenge in this neutral field setting with the superior work at the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball making the difference in Kansas State's favour.

Fresno State Bulldogs @ Kansas Jayhawks Pick: Consistency is never easy to find in the world of College Football and there are always those seasons where a number of experienced players have to be replaced.

For the Fresno State Bulldogs, there is also the matter of having a new Head Coach as Matt Entz takes over a team that finished 6-7 in 2024. His experience at this level is minimal, but Matt Entz won Championships in his time as Head Coach of North Dakota State, including having an unbeaten season in 2019, and there is plenty of excitement around the appointment.

This also means going through something of a learning curve for both staff and players and teams do take a bit of time to moulded into the shape the Head Coach demands. Recruitment can sometimes take a couple of years to really reap the rewards of the foundation being laid, even in the era of the transfer portal.

It is that transfer portal that has been used to bring in experience at Quarter Back with EJ Warner arriving to take over having spent time with Temple and Rice previously. His father is a Super Bowl winning Quarter Back so there are going to be plenty of eyes on Warner at Fresno State, although the previous Coaching work done by Matt Entz suggests the lean will be on establishing the run.

Putting EJ Warner in the best position to succeed is key as he is going to be playing with inexperienced Receivers, while also being guilty of throwing too many Interceptions in previous roles.

And while the Bulldogs will want to establish the run, it should be noted that they are visiting a Kansas Jayhawks team who will be expected to be near the top of the Big 12 Championship and whose Defensive Line may be the strength of the entire unit on this side of the ball. That could mean EJ Warner is sometimes forced into positions where he feels he needs to make big plays down the field, and that could lead to some early problems against a Jayhawks Secondary that has been plugged up with players signed in the transfer portal.

The 5-7 record put together by the Kansas Jayhawks in 2024 was disappointing, but this is a team that can surpass the expectations as long as they can stay healthy.

Most important will be keeping Jalon Daniels on the field having looked like he was getting back to his best at the end of last season when helping the Jayhawks win four of their last six games. The experience of Daniels could go a long way to helping Kansas challenge at the top of the Big 12 Conference and he is offers a dual-threat out of the Quarter Back position that has to be respected.

He will be tested by the Bulldogs Secondary, but it may be tough for Fresno State to match the heights of last season when playing against the pass. A new scheme will always take a bit of time to bed in, while the balance of the Kansas Offensive unit could be key to just making those Defensive Backs have to think twice about what is coming their way.

It is a big spread and EJ Warner is capable of having a big outing, but the Kansas Defensive Line may force him to make a mistake or two and the Jayhawks can secure a big home win.

Stanford Cardinal @ Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Pick: There was a time in the not-too-distant past that the Stanford Cardinal were amongst the best teams in the entire College Football landscape.

Links to those times can be found in the General Manager position which is taken up by Andrew Luck and he has appointed Frank Reich as Head Coach in a bid to help turn things around.

The previous Head Coach, Troy Taylor was easy to dismiss after allegations were made against him and the 3-9 record in 2024 was an underachievement. It has meant some palyers have decided to make use of the transfer portal, including the starting Quarter Back, and the Cardinal have been tipped to finish bottom of the ACC standings in what will feel like a transitional season.

They get the chance to open the season at Mountain West Hawaii Rainbow Warriors who have a Head Coach under some pressure to deliver.

Timmy Chang has yet to enjoy a winning season in his time with the Rainbow Warriors, but the expectation is that an experienced team can at least push into the Bowl eligibility spots. The 13-25 record over the last three years sting, but Hawaii are going to be tough to beat at home and they do have a winnable schedule set up for them here.

Limited time was spent on the field by Micah Alejado last season, but he impressed in that time and the Rainbow Warriors believe their Quarter Back can shine in 2025. He will be facing an experienced Stanford Defensive unit, but one that struggled last season and they will have had to improve significantly to slow this Hawaii team down.

Perhaps more importantly, the Rainbow Warriors have a Defensive unit that is very capable with a number of experienced bodies returning.

They will be going up against a new Quarter Back for the Stanford Cardinal who have perhaps surprisingly chosen Ben Gulbranson over Elijah Brown, although the former has more experience at this level. In his time with the Oregon State Beavers, Ben Gulbranson started twelve games and his team had an 8-4 record, although the best successes were in 2022 and he has not reached that same level over the last two years.

Frank Reich will certainly try and set things up to be as comfortable as possible for his Quarter Back, but he may not have the longest leash after Gulbranson threw 4 Touchdown passed and 4 Interceptions last season.

The whole Offensive unit really struggled last season and it will be a challenge for the Head Coach to turn things around dramatically.

Stanford will be facing an improving Rainbow Warriors Defensive unit and one that is perhaps as strong as Timmy Chang has had in his time as Head Coach here.

Beating a Power 5 Conference team will be a huge test for Hawaii, but they are capable of doing that and already giving the hopes of a Bowl bid a boost. The road team will make things as tough as possible and Head Coach Frank Reich is deserving of plenty of respect, but the experienced Hawaii team is in its fourth year under Timmy Chang and that may see them make the big plays on both sides of the ball to earn a win and cover.

MY PICKS: Kansas State Wildcats - 2.5 Points @ 1.72 William Hill (1 Unit)

Kansas Jayhawks - 12.5 Points @ 1.80 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors - 2 Points @ 1.95 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2019 (August 23-25)

Two weeks of Premier League Football are in the books and I have to say I am feeling better about the coming season from a Manchester United perspective than I might have been after hosting Chelsea and visiting Wolves.

Some have suggested it is a sign of standards slipping that a point at Wolves is seen as a positive result, but you have to know almost nothing about football to fail to recognise the importance of the outcome of the trip to Molineux. Manchester United are a work in progress and it isn't that long ago that people were laughing at Jurgen Klopp for leading celebrations after a home draw with West Brom when he was rebuilding a squad and a culture at Anfield.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will know it is going to take some small steps to help recover United to a position they once dominated in English Football, and you can read more of my thoughts about the club here.

Those were written before the game against Wolves was played.


Last week was a really irritating one for the Weekend Football Picks which returned a loss. However I was a Paul Pogba penalty away from actually moving the season totals back into a positive number and I don't think I was wrong in backing Manchester City to beat Tottenham Hotspur considering the stats on the day.

A bit of bad luck is par for the course over a long season, but the hope is that I can at least point to that rather than poor selections if I don't turn this month around.

The Premier League is back underway on Friday this week with another live game that evening and all ten games will be played by Sunday evening.


Aston Villa v Everton Pick: There is little doubt that Aston Villa need to improve defensively if they are going to survive in the Premier League in their return to the top flight, but there have been enough positives to take from their opening two fixtures to believe they can do that.

Twelve months ago Fulham came into the Premier League after making a huge investment in the summer and Aston Villa have done something similar. However I do think Dean Smith will be able to find a way to integrate the players he has purchased compared with Fulham who were looking to make wholesale changes to their starting eleven and there have been some solid play in the final third that have seen Aston Villa creating chances.

Defensively there are gaps that need to be filled, but outside of a really poor opening fifteen minutes last weekend Aston Villa did show enough to believe they will earn plenty of points if they maintain the standards set. On another day Aston Villa would not have lost that game and I think they would be a much shorter price than they are heading into this third game of the League season.

Instead Everton are a clear favourite to win at Villa Park and this is a club that has managed to earn the three points in 3 of their last 4 visits to this ground. The Toffees have made a good start to the season with 4 points earned against Crystal Palace and Watford, but Everton were a touch fortunate last week and the potential absence of Lucas Digne is a blow.

They have been a tough team to break down and score goals against in the final weeks of last season and Everton have continued that to open this one, but both Crystal Palace and Watford have had chances. Aston Villa at home look like a team that will test Everton too and I do think there may be a lack of goals that holds Everton back even with the arrival of talented youngster Moise Kean.

Everton have only won 8 of their last 39 away Premier League games since August 2017 and last season they scored 24 goals in 19 away League games. They have already been held to a goalless draw by Crystal Palace earlier this month and I have to be wary of backing a favourite that has struggled in the final third as much as Everton have done.

Aston Villa look like a team that will create chances at home and I think they can snap what has been a poor recent record against Everton. If the home team score once I believe that will put them in a good position to avoid a defeat, even though The Villains have been poor from a defensive standpoint to open the season.

I do like the balance Marco Silva has found in his Everton team in recent months, but they are a team that are more vulnerable away from home. Aston Villa can underline that by earning at least a point in this one and I will back the home team with a start on the Asian Handicap.


Norwich City v Chelsea Pick: The opening Premier League game on Saturday comes from Carrow Road as the television cameras visit this ground as a top flight one for the first time in three years. Norwich City are coming into this weekend off a very good 3-1 win over Newcastle United last time out, while Chelsea are still searching for their first win under Frank Lampard.

Even though that is the case, Chelsea are the favourites to win this one heading into this weekend, although the price has just drifted slightly.

The layers are perhaps right in having Chelsea in that position when you think this is a team that did finish in the top four last season and have not been as bad as the results may indicate. If they can find some clinical finishing in the final third, Chelsea won't have too many issues, but the feeling is that it could be a season long problem for Frank Lampard to address.

Still, Chelsea have created some good chances and much is going to depend on their mood in any given game as to how they will perform. However, at the moment it is hard to really expect Chelsea to win comfortably and they are going into a tough ground where Norwich City have been very good over the last twelve months.

Last season Norwich City scored plenty of goals at home in the Championship, but the concern remains that they conceded too many too. Even an average Newcastle United scored here last week and I would be surprised if the home team are able to contain Chelsea with the way they approach their fixtures and the tactics used by Daniel Farke.

It will give Norwich City a chance, even against the better teams in the League, and I think this is a confident team that can pose Chelsea plenty of questions in the second live game of the weekend. Last weekend I selected Leicester City with the start at Stamford Bridge and this weekend I do think Norwich City can be backed having caused problems for Liverpool and Newcastle United already.

I have little doubt Chelsea will cause problems too, but Norwich City can upset them and keep the pressure on Frank Lampard. Both teams scoring won't be a big surprise and I would be disappointed if Norwich City are blown away considering their own levels to open up this month.

Backing the home team on the Asian Handicap looks the right play here.


Brighton v Southampton Pick: It can be very difficult to ignore results and change the way you think about a team and that will be the case for those who have been surprised by the opening results Brighton and Southampton have earned.

The Seagulls are under new guidance this season and Graham Potter has got the squad playing some good football in the first two weeks of the new campaign. They were very unfortunate to not beat West Ham United here last weekend, and Brighton have been pretty sound defensively while creating a fair few chances.

On the other hand Southampton have lost twice, but have won the Expected Goals category in both games against Burnley and Liverpool. Under Ralph Hasenhuttl Southampton have been a decent team going forward and it is only a lack of clinical finishing which has prevented them from earning at least a point from both League games played.

They continue to create plenty of chances, but Southampton have yet to find a shape that makes them tougher at the back. In 24 Premier League games, Southampton have kept just 3 clean sheets under Hasenhuttl, although the manager will be reminding his players that one of those came here at the Amex Stadium where Southampton left with a 0-1 win last season.

This Brighton team have shown a little more ambition going forward than Chris Hughton's one that Southampton last faced and I think that can make a difference for the home team. They look like they have a real creative edge, but I also think Southampton can play their part in this south coast derby with the attacking threat they have posed.

Brighton have scored in 5 of their last 8 home Premier League games so I am anticipating they can get on the scoreboard in this fixture. Southampton have not been as creative away from home as they have become at St Mary's under Ralph Hasenhuttl, but they should find a way to create some chances against a more progressive Brighton team and I think backing both teams to hit the net in this one is the right play.


Manchester United v Crystal Palace Pick: It has become very clear that any revival of Manchester United to join the top of English Football is going to come in slow steps, but the opening two Premier League fixtures in 2019/20 have perhaps shown a decent season is in the offing. No one will realistically expect a title challenge barring Liverpool and Manchester City falling way short of the standards they set last time out, but Manchester United have to believe they are good enough for a top four spot.

A win over Chelsea followed by a draw at Wolves is a good start and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has to be looking for his team to keep the momentum going when they host Crystal Palace this weekend. Last season an 11 game home winning run in League games against Crystal Palace came to an end, but Manchester United have shown some clinical finishing in the first two games to think they will do better than the goalless draw the corresponding fixture ended in.

Crystal Palace can't be underestimated considering they won at Manchester City and Arsenal last season and also drew here, but this has not been a great start to the new season. Failing to score in both League games is one thing, but Crystal Palace barely laid a glove on Sheffield United last Sunday.

Manchester United looked much better defensively in the draw with Wolves than they did in the opening game against Chelsea. With Aaron Wan-Bissaka being familiar with the talent of Wilfried Zaha and Harry Maguire offering some leadership at the back, I do think Manchester United can contain Crystal Palace in this one and match the number of clean sheets they earned at Old Trafford in the Premier League in 2018/19 after just two home games in 2019/20.

The home team have kept clean sheets in their last 6 home games against Crystal Palace and I think Manchester United can earn one here. They will have to be careful of the Crystal Palace set pieces, but with Maguire in the back I think Manchester United will be good enough defensively and show enough attacking threat to win this fixture.

So far this season Crystal Palace have looked far from convincing in defensive areas and I will look to back Manchester United to win this fixture with a clean sheet.


Sheffield United v Leicester City Pick: This is one of two Premier League games this weekend where I genuinely could make a case for all three of the results to be the final outcome.

With that in mind I don't think anyone will be surprised that I am going to move past this fixture and instead add their stats into the books to see whether there is something we can find out about them for matches to come through the season.

Sheffield United have looked pretty good defensively despite the tactics used by Chris Wilder which sees his centre halves making overlapping runs on the wings. The concern in making sweeping statements about the defensive shape is that Sheffield United have played Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, whereas this week they take on a quality looking Leicester City team.

They have created chances too so there is definitely a real opportunity for Sheffield United to continue their strong start to the season. However I was very impressed with Leicester City in their 1-1 draw at Chelsea last Sunday in a game that a mistake proved costly for them early in the fixture.

The fightback in the second half saw Leicester City finish much the stronger, but I do have to wonder if they have enough goals in the side despite the obvious quality play of the midfield. The feeling is they are perhaps over-reliant on Jamie Vardy, but they should be good for a goal this weekend which may be enough to earn the three points if they can continue to play effectively at the back.

I just don't know how it will go and I would not pay to find out, although if I had a gun to my head I would likely select the draw.


Watford v West Ham United Pick: This is the second of the fixtures I can make a case for all three outcomes.

Watford and West Ham United have both made stuttering starts to the new season, but I would expect both to be much higher up the League table when it is all said and done in May. Out of the two teams Watford have been much unluckier and I wouldn't have minded backing them on the Draw No Bet market, but the layers have understood the situation and Watford are a strong enough favourite to avoid.

West Ham United have continued to look erratic defensively and were fortunate to earn a result at Brighton last Saturday. They will need to be much better at the back if Manuel Pellegrini is going to guide them towards a potential European berth, but at the moment neither team is easy to trust with a lack of goals a real concern.

As I have said, my edge is with Watford who perhaps have shown slightly more quality in the final third, but West Ham United look a team who will score plenty at this level too. Either way I will keep a watching brief on this one.


Liverpool v Arsenal Pick: Unai Emery has been joking that his Arsenal team 'never' want to play Liverpool, but I am not sure that is an ideal way to get his troops ready to visit a ground on which they have taken some serious punishment in recent years. While they have shown signs that they may be a little more effective defensively, Arsenal are going to be tested by a Liverpool team who have scored at least three times in 5 of their last 6 at Anfield against them.

Last season Liverpool thumped Arsenal 5-1 here and it was not a scoreline that particularly flattered the home side either. Chances were created thick and fast and Arsenal were a mess at the back.

This time both come in with 100% Premier League records, but both have been fortunate to have as many points on the board. Last weekend it would have been fairer if both Arsenal and Liverpool dropped points, but they earned narrow 2-1 wins over Burnley and Southampton respectively, albeit while looking very shaky at the back.

Liverpool have had a poor pre-season and that seems to have carried over to their League form from a defensive point of view. This Arsenal team have plenty of attacking threat to believe they can punish any vulnerabilities that Liverpool continue to show at the back, but the flip side is I am struggling to know how Arsenal are going to contain the Liverpool attack.

Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino were all playing in summer tournaments for their nations, but all three have come back looking very fresh and ready to go. They have already contributed 5 of the 9 goals Liverpool have scored in all competitions this season and I do think it will be a real test of Arsenal's supposed improvement here.

Liverpool have played Arsenal 7 times under Jurgen Klopp and it is a stunning statistic that they have scored at least three goals in 6 of those games. They have won 4 of those 6 games and I simply think they are going to out-score Arsenal again when you consider the 3 games at Anfield have ended 12-2 in favour of Liverpool since the German took over at the latter.

I do think Unai Emery will have learnt from the experiences of the last game at Anfield, but I also have to believe Liverpool's current form is enough to see off this opponent. The Gunners lost at 7 of the top 9 last season and 4 of those defeats came by two or more goal margins.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all were beaten by at least two goal margins here last season and I think Liverpool win a high-scoring fixture as well as covering the Asian Handicap.


Bournemouth v Manchester City Pick: The television cameras head to the south coast for the first of the two live Premier League fixtures to be played on Sunday and all eyes will be on Bournemouth and the approach they take to this fixture.

A few months ago Bournemouth hosted Manchester City and had almost no ambition to actually try and test their visitors and instead Eddie Howe decided a deep defensive effort was the best way to approach the fixture. The Cherries did not have ONE shot that day, on or off target, and Manchester City dominated the fixture and unsurprisingly eventually broke them down in a 0-1 win.

It could have been easier for Manchester City that day if they had been a little more fortunate in front of goal, but they were also playing under the real pressure of a title run in as they were still chasing Liverpool back then. That is not the case in August and I expect that will free up Manchester City, while I am also expecting Bournemouth to play with more courage.

That may not be an ideal approach early in the game, especially if Bournemouth continue to offer up chances to teams as they did against Sheffield United and Aston Villa. Now they play the best team in England who are going to be much more dangerous in the final third than the two newly promoted clubs, although Bournemouth have shown they can limit the damage that Manchester City do to them.

Bournemouth have not conceded more than two goals in any of their last 3 home games against Manchester City and I have to believe they are going to take a similar approach here. It makes the Asian Handicap unappealing as I don't like opposing Manchester City who have won all 6 games in the Premier League played after a draw in the last couple of seasons.

The Champions have shown they can be clinical on their day as they were at the London Stadium two weeks ago, and Bournemouth have the tendency to take at least one big home defeat to one of the top six clubs in each season they have been in the top flight.

They have been more competitive for the most part though and Bournemouth have not rolled over for Manchester City in the three games played against them since Pep Guardiola arrived on these shores. Bournemouth have lost all of those though and I expect Manchester City will leave with a win on Sunday too, although I will back them to do so in a game that features less than five goals combined.

Bournemouth don't score a lot of home goals against the top teams in general, but they also don't concede a hatful either. They have found a way to limit the damage Manchester City can produce against them in recent seasons and I think Eddie Howe will go back to that blueprint, although his team will still likely end up coming up short.

7 of the last 39 Manchester City away games in the Premier League have seen five or more goals shared out and I will look for them to win a fixture with fewer than that number produced in this game.


Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United Pick: To say Tottenham Hotspur were a little fortunate to leave the Etihad Statement with a point may be a huge understatement if the Expected Goals are looked at and I don't think many fans or neutrals will argue that point.

Mauricio Pochettino won't be too worried about that though and will be very happy with another point to put on the board as they look to remain unbeaten ahead of the North London derby to come next weekend. His Tottenham Hotspur side were very, very strong in their opening win over Aston Villa and the return of Heung-Min Son is a boost for a team who will be looking for more clinical finishing in the final third.

They will be expected to create chances against Newcastle United despite needing narrow 1-0 wins to beat this opponent in each of the last two seasons. Both of those games were played at Wembley Stadium, and Tottenham Hotspur will feel their fans can make a big difference for them in their new Stadium.

So far this season Newcastle United are perhaps not playing with the same resiliency as they were under Rafael Benitez and that is an area Tottenham Hotspur will feel they can exploit with Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane and a returning Heung-Min Son. The Magpies will have to be a lot more careful defensively than they were in the 3-1 defeat to Norwich City, while Newcastle United are perhaps lacking a goal threat.

It was a concern in pre-season with Joelinton expected to come in and hit the ground running for a team who had lost plenty of goals when selling Ayoze Perez and not re-signing Solomon Rondon. The new signing might be absent this weekend which just makes it all the more difficult for Newcastle United who are going to have to go to basics to try and make life tough for their hosts.

The new season is too early to make sweeping statements, but I do think Newcastle United are going to struggle to contain Tottenham Hotspur. The hosts created a lot of chances against Aston Villa and Newcastle United were poor defensively a week ago. A week on the training ground may not be enough time to really turn that around and I think Steve Bruce is already feeling the pressure at St James' Park.

Backing Tottenham Hotspur to beat Newcastle United by two or more goals is the selection for me here. The Magpies showed some resilience when playing the top teams away from home last season, but they have lost some key performers and Tottenham Hotspur should be able to ride the momentum from the first two weeks to earn a solid win in the second of the live Sunday offerings.


Wolves v Burnley Pick: We have seen the early Europa League fixtures being a real detriment to clubs in the Premier League and Wolves have yet to win a game in the top flight despite putting together 5 straight wins in European competition.

They haven't played badly in draws with Leicester City and Manchester United and Wolves are strong favourites to beat Burnley on Sunday. However they have to make sure they have enough rest having put in a big effort to beat Torino in Italy on Thursday evening and knowing the game with Burnley is going to be another physical challenge.

Both matches against Burnley were tough last season, but I do think Wolves have to be given an edge being at home. Defensively Wolves have been pretty good in both games played in the Premier League so far this season and they look like a team who are going to be difficult to beat.

I have to credit Burnley for the performance they produced against Arsenal last Saturday and they have not played a game in the time Wolves have had to play two competitive fixtures. It should be mean a well rested team heads to Molineux and Sean Dyche will be all too aware of the impact the early season Europa League Qualifiers can have on a squad having seen his Burnley team struggle in that spot twelve months ago.

Burnley are a team that can surprise if opponents underestimate them and they are not likely to roll over. I still fancy Wolves to win though and I think it may be another narrow, tight encounter between these teams as the home team looks to build some momentum to close out the month.

Goals may be at a premium in this one and I think backing Wolves to win a largely low-scoring encounter is the way to go with this fixture. They should have just enough quality in the final third to break down Burnley and I will look to back Wolves to win in a game that features less than four goals at odds against.

MY PICKS: Aston Villa + 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Norwich City + 0.75 Asian Handicap @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Brighton-Southampton Both Teams to Score @ 1.85 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Manchester United Win to Nil @ 2.15 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Liverpool - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester City to Win & Under 4.5 Goals @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Tottenham Hotspur - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Wolves & Under 3.5 Goals @ 2.25 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Season 2019/20 Update: 7-8-1, - 3.02 Units (32 Units Staked, - 9.44% Yield)

Fantasy Football (GameWeek 3)

GameWeek 2 turned out to be a mixed week for the Fantasy Football team I started, but the Sunday and Monday points saved what looked to be a difficult week before then.

John Lundstram not only scored the winning goal for Sheffield United, but the clean sheet added to the points the player picked up. On Monday Anthony Martial scored another goal for Manchester United and they helped my team produce 50 points in GW2 which is more than the average for the week and moves me onto 134 points for the season so far.

Joshua King was one of four goalscorers in the eleven selected, but I have to be largely disappointed with the poor returns made by the other players despite the decent overall returns.

It is still a time to largely keep faith with the squad, although I do know the Wildcard has been a popular chip through the first couple of weeks of the season and likely also in GW3. I am pretty satisfied with the squad I have right now although two transfers are available this week and I do intend to use them.

Last week I also identified some players who could make a difference to your Fantasy teams out there and I have to say I wish I had taken my own advice on some of them. Jordan Pickford earned a clean sheet, while all three strikers identified got on the scoreboard and two of them have increased their prices in the last week.

Teemu Pukki and Ashley Barnes continued their hot starts, but I think we may be moving into a position where they are being bought high and so it might be wise to not rush out and purchase either.

Below I have my latest list of players that I am tracking or considering bringing into my team this week.

Goalkeeper

Nick Pope (4.5 Million- Burnley): The only player I am listing here this week is the Burnley goalkeeper. The next two weeks look like difficult games, but Pope could be worth bringing in after that if you want to use funds to improve other positions.

Last week I identified both Adrian and Jordan Pickford in this spot. The former is still the Liverpool Number 1 despite a horrendous error against Southampton, but for how long is the question? The latter earned another clean sheet last weekend, but his price has since moved from 5.5 to 5.6 and I am not sure the next two weeks present great chances to add to the clean sheet run.

Defender

Harry Maguire (5.5 Million- Manchester United): I had the new Manchester United centre half in this spot last week and the much improved defensive performance against Wolves compared with Chelsea has impressed. The early season fixtures are still fairly difficult looking on paper, but I think Maguire and Manchester United have a good chance for a clean sheet this weekend.

Yerry Mina (5.5 Million- Everton): I've said through the first two weeks of the season that Everton are in good form defensively. Games against Aston Villa and Wolves will be testing, but I think the Colombian will provide a threat for goals as long as he stays healthy, a concern considering his record last season.

I mentioned Fabian Delph last week as a potential player to bring in considering he may be a Defender that could be playing much higher up the pitch for Everton. Until he is passed fit, I do think Delph is someone to keep on the watch list, although the difficulty of fixtures might increase by the time he returns to action.

Midfielder

Kevin De Bruyne (9.6 Million- Manchester City): The Belgian has shown fantastic form and was playing further up the pitch than I thought he would be in Manchester City's last game. I wouldn't lose faith in Bernardo Silva just yet, while Raheem Sterling is the obvious choice from the City midfield, but De Bruyne is someone I am keeping my eye on if I want to shift some cash to other areas of my team.

Sadio Mane (11.5 Million- Liverpool): Over the last eight months Sadio Mane is coming close to matching the output of Mohamed Salah and is offering a saving of 1 million to use on other members of the squad. Three goals in two starts shows Mane has picked up from where he left off and switching Salah for the Senegalese forward is a real option.

Christian Eriksen (8.9 Million- Tottenham Hotspur): Definitely not a move to make before the international break, but keep an eye on him if he stays at Tottenham Hotspur until January at least. Crystal Palace, Leicester City, Southampton, Brighton and Watford are the fixtures to come after the September international break.

Todd Cantwell (4.6 Million- Norwich City)/Marco Stiepermann (5.5 Million- Norwich City): Personally I might wait until after the Manchester City game in early September before finding the Norwich City midfielder I want to invest in, but both are playing in attacking areas for a side that is looking to take the game to opponents both home and away on early season looks.

Trezeguet (5.5 Million- Aston Villa): They might have lost both games played in the League, but Aston Villa have shown an attacking threat and Trezeguet looks like he will have an impact in the League. Aston Villa don't have the most difficult looking fixtures coming up so definitely a player I would be considering to free up funds in other areas.

None of my midfield options impressed last week as Riyad Mahrez was back on the bench for Manchester City, while Gylfi Sigurdsson has made a slow start to the campaign. This section would have looked better if Paul Pogba had scored the penalty he did brilliantly to win against Wolves on Monday evening.

Forward

David McGoldrick (5.5 Million- Sheffield United): I am not sure how many more chances he will get to lead the Sheffield United line if he can't begin to convert opportunities coming his way. However David McGoldrick is the player who has had the best stats for The Blades thanks to the huge miss against Crystal Palace and might still be a decent 'cheaper' option to pick in the squad.

Neal Maupay (6 Million- Brighton): Glenn Murray is getting the call from Graham Potter to lead the line, but the ageing forward has to be getting pushed by the likes of Florin Andone and Neal Maupay. I have little doubt the former Brentford striker can score goals at this level and the positive approach of Potter will certainly help.

Callum Wilson (8 Million- Bournemouth): Has yet to open his mark for Bournemouth this season, but Wilson has shown decent form and won't be too far from putting his name back on the scoresheet.

I placed three names in the Forward section and it really could not have gone much better for all of them. Roberto Firmino and Ashley Barnes both scored in away games at Southampton and Arsenal respectively, but Teemu Pukki was the big impact player with a hat-trick against Newcastle United which has seen his ownership increase rapidly.

My feeling is that Pukki will have chances this weekend against Chelsea and West Ham United next time out, but Norwich City then face Manchester City and it could easily also become three straight weeks without a goal for the popular pick. If you are going to pick him, I would get on him now before any further price rise and then hope he continues his hot start to the season prior to the City game.

GameWeek 3 Team

Staying with the squad from GW1 through GW2 is a positive in terms of giving me two Free Transfers and I didn't have a bad week in either, although my Captain choice has been wrong on both occasions.

Below you can see the team I am selecting for the weekend and also highlighting the transfers I have made.


The two Free Transfers were both used this week as I needed one to make the other due to the prices of the players. One was a transfer I always had in mind and the other has come about because of what I have seen through the first two weeks of the season.

First up I have made the move to replace Mohamed Salah with Sadio Mane- from day one I knew this was a realistic option for me as Mane had been in a very similar high level of form for Liverpool over the last six months of the previous season as Salah had been and being able to save 1 million for the squad was a bonus.

Three goals in his first two starts for Liverpool suggests Mane is yet to drop off from the standards he has set and he has a good record against upcoming opponents which made him the pick. I decided to keep Josh King rather than bring in David McGoldrick for a similar saving because of the fixtures both are due to play over the coming weeks.


It has opened the door for the other transfer and that is bringing in Harry Maguire for Tyrone Mings. Aston Villa are still learning at this level and I am not convinced they have a lot of clean sheets coming up, while Manchester United were impressive enough at the back last week at Wolves to make me want to invest in a defender.

This may not be a long-term choice with some very difficult looking matches to come up, but Maguire has also been targeted in set pieces and I think he may offer a threat for Manchester United. I also think United have shown some improvement defensively which could lead to more clean sheets than they managed last season.


My GameWeek 3 team is below with the changes made- it looks like a 4-5-1 formation on paper, but with the positions players have started in over the first couple of weeks, the look of the team is more of a 3-5-2 (Lundstram midfield/Martial up front).

Ederson: Man City have two clean sheets in three visits to the Vitality Stadium and I continue with my one goalkeeper policy rather than chopping and changing who I start like some do.

Virgil Van Dijk: Liverpool have not looked that good defensively and I expect Arsenal to challenge them. However you can't ignore amount of clean sheets Liverpool have had in the last two seasons and the centre half remains a threat from set pieces.

Andrew Robertson: Same reasons as above why Liverpool are a risky defensive pick at the moment, especially without Alisson in goal. Assists could be important for Robertson to make up for points lost through a lack of clean sheets.

John Lundstram: I picked the Sheffield United 'defender' as he has been playing in a much more advanced position for the club. He set up another huge chance in GW2 after a decent GW1 outing, and Lundstram backed up that positioning by scoring the winning goal. Might not get a clean sheet this week, but attacking returns potentially make up for that.

Harry Maguire: A home game against Crystal Palace was one of only two clean sheets for Manchester United at Old Trafford last season and the predominantly solid defending last week impressed me. Harry Maguire is also going to be a big target from set pieces so can always add to his points in the air.

Youri Tielemans: He hasn't had the impact I was hoping for, but Leicester City face Sheffield United and Bournemouth over the next two weeks and I will re-evaluate his position in my squad following the international break.

Sadio Mane (C): Mohamed Salah has scored in three of his four appearances against Arsenal so this may not be the best time to take the Egyptian out of the line up, especially as he can be on penalties. However he has not scored in his last three against Burnley, who Liverpool face next and Sadio Mane has looked at peak condition with three goals in two starts.

Sadio Mane has scored in four of six appearances against Arsenal and he has also scored three times in his last three against Burnley, while I am also getting on before what could be an expected price rise if he overshadows Salah again this weekend. He is also my Captain choice as someone who could be involved in multiple goals against a weak looking Arsenal defence, although Raheem Sterling has proven me wrong to have him as Vice for two weeks in a row.

Raheem Sterling (VC): The Manchester City forward has seen his price rise in back to back weeks in the game and has scored in both Premier League games played. Has a winner at the Vitality Stadium under his belt once already and it's not the time to remove Sterling from any squad.

Bernardo Silva: Riyad Mahrez had a much bigger impact in his Premier League start than Bernardo Silva, but I think it says a lot that the latter started the 'bigger' game. His price has surprisingly dropped this week, but patience is a virtue and I am sticking with the Portuguese players who came on leaps and bounds last season.

Anthony Martial: I picked him at the start of the season with the belief that he would be the Number 9 for Manchester United in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's preferred system. The Frenchman has responded with a goal in each start and facing a Crystal Palace defence that has looked far from watertight through the first two weeks of the season.

Che Adams: The underlying statistics show Che Adams is not far away from opening his Premier League account, but I am keeping a watching brief on him. At some stage I would expect Ralph Hasenhuttl will take him out of the starting line up if he can't find a way to goal soon, but I would expect Adams to have chances to score in the final two games this month.


Bench: Michael McGovern (Norwich City backup to the backup GK), Caglar Soyuncu (a chance of a clean sheet and he has impressed so far, but I prefer picking the Sheffield United player who may offer a chance of goals), Joshua King (home game versus Manchester City is a tough place to make an impact), Xande Siva (injured, cheap back up to main squad at this stage of the season).

Tennis Picks 2018 (August 23rd)

We are now just days away from the start of the main draw at the US Open and so this remains a big week for players to get some much needed wins under them.

The WTA event in New Haven featured more players who could go very deep into the draw in New York, but injury and illness have seen some of those now go into the final Grand Slam with some questions to answer.

The ATP event in Winston Salem always felt a very good chance for players to touch up their game and pick up some vital Ranking points ahead of the next Grand Slam. Generally these weeks can be tough to read with players perhaps not as focused as they could be knowing the final Grand Slam of the season is almost set to get underway, but now we have reached the Quarter Final stage of both events you would hope that everyone involved will want to pick up the title and head to New York with some momentum.

Weather permitting there will be at least one day of rest for any players reaching the Final this week before they play their First Round match in New York and so I am confident that the focus will be there for all the players involved on Thursday.


I've only had two Tennis Picks this week because it can be tough to back anyone with a lot of confidence in the final week before a Grand Slam begins. So far it has been a decent return with both of those Picks coming back as winners, but I've made good starts the last couple of weeks and faltered down the stretch which is what I am looking to avoid this week to build some momentum for the US Open.


Petra Kvitova - 4.5 games v Carla Suarez Navarro: Matches between these players have been very close over the years with both Petra Kvitova and Carla Suarez Navarro winning five of the ten matches played. They have shared wins on the hard courts despite this being a favoured surface of Kvitova, but that is much to do with the fact that the aggressive Kvitova can be frustrated by the defence of the Spaniard which leads to a lot of errors.

There has been some slippage of the Suarez Navarro return game this year on the hard courts and I do think that will have given the edge to the higher Ranked player.

The Kvitova serve remains a big weapon for the Czech player, but she can still be very inconsistent and there are times when she will go through a number of games making error after error. That is where Suarez Navarro is going to want to take Kvitova, but the decline in the returning numbers is a big problem for the Spaniard and a huge factor in her relatively poor 14-9 record on the hard courts.

One area of significance in this match is how Kvitova is feeling on the return of serve. While her numbers are decent enough, I do think Kvitova can be let down by this part of her game and she has to make sure she puts Suarez Navarro under the kind of pressure Sloane Stephens did when the American beat her comfortably in Montreal.

You don't always know what you are going to get with Kvitova, but I do think she is the kind of player who will either blow away Suarez Navarro or struggle in a surprise defeat. Recent form suggests there have been more good moments from Kvitova and I think she can edge out Suarez Navarro in a straight sets win which should see her have enough break point chances to cover the number.


Kyle Edmund - 2.5 games v Steve Johnson: In 2017 Kyle Edmund deservedly got the better of Steve Johnson both here in Winston Salem and also at the US Open and I think the British player can frank that with another win in this Quarter Final. Edmund did drop the first set when they met here at the same stage in Winston Salem in 2017, but he has won the next five sets against Johnson and he has played well enough on the hard courts to get past the home favourite again.

You can't completely ignore the poor record Edmund has had on the hard courts since reaching the Australian Open Semi Final back in January. The struggles at Indian Wells and Miami continued over the last month, but Edmund has produced two strong wins in the Winston Salem tournament which may have restored some of the confidence.

Edmund has been a little unfortunate in a couple of losses where there was very little between him and his opponent, while his serve has been effective enough to think he can keep the pressure on Johnson. There has been an improvement in the Johnson return game which has to be respected, but he struggled to deal with the Edmund serve last year and the forehand to forehand battle is likely to be won by the British player off the ground.

A key for Johnson is going to be getting more out of the serve which remains a big weapon for him. The percentage of points won behind serve on the hard courts have declined over the last four seasons, but Johnson still has a decent enough number to hold between 82% and 86% of games per season in that time. That is a huge number, but Edmund did play very well against Johnson in their two hard court matches twelve months ago and I think he can do the same here against a player who had lost all three hard court matches played over the last month before putting two wins together here in Winston Salem.

I have to respect the fact that their numbers are very similar on the hard courts in 2018, but those two wins Edmund earned last year have to be a factor here. Neither player has faced a tougher opponent than the one standing across the other side of the net on Thursday, but Edmund looks to be on the stronger form all around and I will back him to beat Johnson for a third straight time and also to cover this number.


Pablo Carreno Busta v Hyeon Chung: The higher Ranked player is the underdog in this match and I can see why that would be the case, but I think the prices have shifted to a point where Pablo Carreno Busta can be backed to move through to the Semi Final.

Hyeon Chung is most definitely on a path up the World Rankings and he has the potential to be a Grand Slam winner. This season he has made the Australian Open Semi Final and backed that up with a couple of solid runs at Indian Wells and Miami, but the consistency has not quite been there over the last month on the return to the hard courts.

Part of the issue has been the recent return from injury for Chung and he has come through his two matches in Winston Salem in tight matches. The numbers during the last month have just not quite reached the overall numbers produced in 2018 on this surface and Chung is holding at less than 80% while his return game has really struggled.

You would think he could get back on track against someone like Pablo Carreno Busta whose serve is perhaps one of the weaker ones in the top 50 of the World Rankings. However that is more a perception than a reality with Carreno Busta who has reached the Semi Final at the US Open in 2017 and the same stage in Miami earlier in 2018.

Carreno Busta played well in Cincinnati last week too and his 15-6 hard court record in 2018 is a very good one. On the serve the Spaniard is holding almost 85% of his service games which is significantly better than what he has produced in previous years on the hard courts, although I do wonder if it is a level he can maintain.

However you can add those numbers to the decent return ones and Carreno Busta has every chance of the upset against an opponent who has not found his best tennis consistently over the last month. The Spaniard has played well this past week but has to lift his game a little more to win a match like this one.

I do think it is going to be a close one regardless and it could come down to one or two points in the final set to determine who is able to move through to the Semi Final. With that in mind, there looks to be a real disparity in the odds and I will back the underdog in a two horse race who has played the slightly better tennis on this surface in the last few weeks.

MY PICKS: Petra Kvitova - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Kyle Edmund - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Pablo Carreno Busta @ 2.37 Boyle Sports (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 2-0, + 4.20 Units (4 Units Staked, + 105% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks 2017 (August 22-24)

We are into the final week of domestic football around the European Leagues with the next set of World Cup Qualifiers beginning at the end of the month.

Some teams will be desperate to put a win or two on the board to build some momentum, while others want to put an exclamation mark at the end of fixtures for the month.

This week we have the Second Round of the English League Cup being played as well as the Second Legs of the Champions League and Europa League Play Off Rounds. That means the excitement should be building for the Group Stage draw for the two competitions as the top teams begin to plan out the next three months of playing domestic and European football side by side.

As a Manchester United fan of course the excitement is being back in the Champions League with the team secured in the second pot for the draw. That means there is a chance of landing one of the big Champions from the top European Leagues, but importantly United will get a chance to avoid the likes of Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain who all join the team in the second pot.

It could have been a really tough draw if United had slipped into the third pot, but that fate has been left to Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, if they complete their win over Hoffenheim.

I am looking forward to that on Thursday night, but before we get to the Champions League draw there are plenty of football matches to get through this week.

The weekend proved to be a really difficult one for the football picks but early in the season that can happen. There are still a couple of big weeks to go this week which can turn things around and hopefully that will begin this week with the Champions League, Europa League and League Cup Second Round matches to be played.

Astana v Celtic Pick: As an actual competitive tie, you would have to think Celtic’s 5-0 home win over Astana has given them more than one foot into the Group Stage of the Champions League this season. There is still the Second Leg to be played, but Celtic simply haven’t been beaten by this kind of margin too often in their history and Astana are not Barcelona (who did beat Celtic 7-0 at the Nou Camp last season).

Pride is about all that is at stake for Astana who are unbeaten in 19 home games in all competitions and in their last 14 home European ties as they get set to enter the Europa League Group Stage. They will want to show they are better than the performance at Celtic Park six days ago, but the chance of turning this tie in their favour looks long gone.

Despite the defensive injuries that Celtic have been dealing with, Brendan Rodgers has shown he can put together a solid enough team to make life difficult for Astana. There is almost no need for Celtic to come out of a tough defensive shell in this one and try and hit Astana on the counter attack, and that may make for a tight Second Leg.

I do think Rodgers will make changes to his starting eleven to keep players fresh even at this early stage of a new season. His approach away from home in the Champions League over the last thirteen months has been good enough to help Celtic make it into the Group Stage two years in a row and it would be a surprise if he changes that.

Since Rodgers has come in, Celtic have suffered narrow defeats at Lincoln Red Imps and Hapoel Be’er Sheva, drawn 1-1 at Astana, Borussia Monchengladbach and Manchester City, and then beaten Linfield and Rosenborg without conceding.

Goals have been in short supply in those games for both Celtic and the opposition with the game at Barcelona the exception to the rule. Only once in the 7 games mentioned above have Celtic conceded more than a single goal away from home, while they haven’t been as free-scoring as they are in Scotland with only one of those games seeing Celtic score more than once.

With the tie in the position it is, I don’t think Celtic will take too many risks and Rodgers will look to make his side tough to beat and hit Astana on the counter. Of course there is a chance Astana leave gaps late in the game that can be exploited, but they have shown they have been tough to beat at home in European competition.

Goals have been at a premium in Celtic away European games under Rodgers, while 5 of the last 7 Astana home European games have seen more than two goals shared out. The layers may have overestimated this Second Leg following the trend of the first and I will look for fewer than three goals shared out in the Kazakhstan capital at a decent price.

Nice v Napoli Pick: Go back a few years and backing an Italian side away from home in a European game they didn’t need to win would have been a foolish decision. However I think the Italian mindset is much more positive these days and no team underlines that point more than Napoli who are fantastic to watch going forward.

In all honesty Nice may just be glad to get back home only 2-0 down in this tie having been outplayed for long periods last week in Naples. Poor finishing cost Napoli a bigger lead, but they will be all the better having had two games under their belt before the Second Leg on Tuesday.

The winning momentum has continued for Napoli who have won both games played this season to make it 7 in a row in all competitions going back to the end of the 2016/17 campaign. That is a huge positive for Napoli who have the pace and precision in the final third to punish their hosts once Nice get into a position where they have to chase the game.

All respect has to be given to Nice having finished behind Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain last season, but they have not opened this season in good form. Snapping an 8 game run without a win with a 2-0 win over Guingamp here this weekend will help the players, but Napoli are far better than Guingamp and very dangerous in the final third.

I will admit I thought Napoli may be priced up at odds against here, but Nice’s form has contributed to the price. Chasing the deficit is likely to occur at some point and Napoli have won 5 of their last 8 away European ties to show they do have what it takes to win on the road.

The exceptions have been losses in Villarreal and Real Madrid and a draw in Besiktas in that time, but all three of those sides would be considered superior to this Nice one. Wins in Dynamo Kiev and Benfica in the Champions League Group Stage last season shows what Napoli can do and I am going to look for them to punish Nice on the counter attack and help themselves to a third consecutive win to open the new campaign.

Sevilla v Istanbul Basaksehir Pick: When this tie was drawn in the Champions League Play Off Round, it felt that the First Leg in Turkey was going to be the key for Istanbul Basaksehir if they wanted to stun Sevilla and make it through to the Champions League Group Stage. The 1-2 home loss in a rainstorm has put the Turkish club in an incredibly difficult position even if Sevilla don’t look as strong as last season.

The experiences Sevilla have had helped in dealing with the conditions last week and being at home should give them a clear advantage. The onus is on Istanbul Basaksehir to search for at least two goals to give themselves a chance and that should play into the hands of the hosts.

Key players and Jorge Sampaoli have departed Sevilla this summer and the 1-1 home draw with Espanyol perhaps underlines what is expected to be a tougher season than they have experienced for some time. However they showed they still have enough quality in the final third to hurt Istanbul Basaksehir who come into this one having conceded three goals in both away games played this season.

At some point Istanbul Basaksehir have to take a risk and I think that is when Sevilla will begin to pick them off and create chances to win the Second Leg. Istanbul Basaksehir showed enough last week to think they could be a threat if Sevilla are a little complacent, but I think Sevilla have enough experience in recent years to know how to handle the lead they have.

Sevilla have won 4 of their last 5 home European ties and I think they may be able to pick Istanbul Basaksehir off the longer the game goes on. That should give them every chance to cover the Asian Handicap on their way to the Champions League Group Stage draw on Thursday.

CSKA Moscow v Young Boys Pick: Since reaching the Last 16 of the 2011/12 Champions League competition, CSKA Moscow will be looking for a fifth consecutive Group Stage appearance. The last four have proven too difficult for CSKA Moscow who have finished 4th in their Group each time, but they have made it through the Qualifiers before and look set to do that again this season.

A 0-1 win in Switzerland puts CSKA Moscow in a commanding position in this Play Off Round tie and they get set to host Young Boys on Wednesday. Recent home games in the Champions League have not been the best for CSKA Moscow, but the majority of those have been played against teams considerably stronger than the opposition they will be facing in the Second Leg.

Young Boys have plenty of experience in their third straight year in the Champions League Qualifiers and aggregate wins over Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kiev deserve the respect they should get. However in both ties Young Boys overturned First Leg away deficits to get past the Ukrainian teams and things are different having lost the home Leg of this tie.

This is simply not a team who has travelled well in Europe with Young Boys losing 7 of their last 9 away European ties. That includes heavy losses in their last 5 away Champions League ties where they have conceded at least twice in each.

In this one Young Boys don’t have to rush to look for the away goal they gave up last week, but I do think at some stage they will have to commit men forward. That is because I believe CSKA Moscow will have the majority of the play considering they have been better at home.

CSKA Moscow did have to ride out the storm in Switzerland and perhaps are fortunate to be in front, but now they are there I do think they complete the aggregate win on Wednesday. There could be chances to win the game late on as Young Boys are perhaps pushed into a position to chase the game and I will look for CSKA Moscow to secure a second straight Qualifier win by being victorious in both Legs.

Liverpool v Hoffenheim Pick: A 1-2 away win in a European knock out tie is a very positive result and one that will give the returning home team every belief they have one foot in the next Round. However Liverpool will know it could have been all so different in Hoffenheim last week and Jurgen Klopp will have to ensure there is no complacency in the squad.

Hoffenheim missed an early penalty and then had the bulk of the first half chances but could not show the composure in front of goal they needed. Liverpool were much more clinical and they will appreciate their position as Hoffenheim can’t really afford to dig in at Anfield for the same length of time Crystal Palace were able to on Saturday.

At some point Hoffenheim have to find at least two goals to give themselves a chance, but there has to be a concern with the high line played last week. A similar line may give the likes of Mohammad Salah, Sadio Mane, Robert Firmino and possibly Daniel Sturridge plenty of room in which to operate and create chances.

Once Liverpool got in front last week they did look dangerous when going forward and I think that will be a real problem for Hoffenheim in the Second Leg. With the positive approach, Liverpool can play with the pace in the final third to expose their visitors and I do think the English club are going to be too strong.

It was the home form that helped Hoffenheim reach the Champions League Qualifiers with their 4th placed finish in the Bundesliga, so losing 1-2 at home is a huge blow for their chances. As much as you can point out Hoffenheim having the 3rd best away record in Germany last season, you can’t ignore they won just 5 of 17 away games.

Only 1 of those came against a team that finished in the top 7 in the Bundesliga and 2 of their 4 away League defeats came against teams that finished above them.

Liverpool may be missing Philippe Coutinho, but they have tended to play well against the top clubs. Last season they beat Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Arsenal and Everton here with both Chelsea and Manchester United escaping with draws. That shows how tough it will be for Hoffenheim who I believe missed their only real chance in the tie in the First Leg last week.

As Hoffenheim get a little desperate, Liverpool’s pace in the final third can exploit spaces as they began to last week in the First Leg. I think that leads to an impressive Liverpool win on the evening and gives them momentum to take into the big Premier League game against Arsenal on Sunday.

Accrington Stanley v West Brom Pick: Anyone who invests too much of their bank on the League Cup early Rounds has to question themselves with the uncertainty surrounding team selection throughout the Leagues a minefield to negotiate.

However I do think a small interest is warranted on an in-form Accrington Stanley side with the start on the Asian Handicap against the hot starting Baggies from the Premier League. The back to back wins for West Brom seems to have heavily influenced the price here as they look plenty short to win considering Tony Pulis’ previous lack of success in the Cup competitions.

He did reach the FA Cup Final with Stoke City in 2011, but generally Pulis’ aim is to make sure his players are ready to compete in the Premier League and get to the 40 point mark. The League Cup is a distraction early in the season for the manager and last season Northampton Town from League One beat West Brom in this Round.

Accrington Stanley also put pay to Burnley this time last season and have beaten 3 teams from higher Divisions at home in the League Cup over the last twelve months. That includes a win over Preston North End in the First Round and I think the home side can make life difficult for West Brom.

I might be being a little disrespectful to the Pulis League Cup record at his last three clubs, but I have no doubt the fixture against Stoke City on Sunday is taking priority. With Accrington Stanley scoring goals for fun at home, I will look for the League Two club to keep this competitive but restrict stakes to a minimum unit.

Brighton v Barnet Pick: There looks to be little doubt that Chris Hughton will be making wholesale changes to his Brighton team with the Premier League taking priority over any potential League Cup run. However that doesn't mean Hughton is going to be willing to throw away this competition, while the fringe players who get an opportunity have to take this chance to show they are good enough to be considered for Premier League starts.

Brighton are in a position where they will be keen to put a first win on the board in the 2017/18 season and try to use that to build some momentum. Lose this and then the tough game at Watford will be one that Brighton wouldn't be able to afford to lose and head into the international break with a poor August behind them.

On the other hand Brighton have to think a win here may give them squad a confidence boost before the trip to Vicarage Road.

Playing lower League opposition at home will give Brighton every chance to put their first win on the board even if the wide changes are made to the starting eleven. Barnet have made a decent start to the season which will give them belief, but they are a League Two club who struggled in 2017 before this month.

This is a team that has lost plenty of games away from home in recent months and I think Barnet may struggle to just cope with a squad of players that is at the very least a strong Championship one. If they were home perhaps Barnet could have sprung a surprise, but being at the Amex Stadium I would expect Brighton to win this one by a couple of goals on the night.

With the changes expected in the home team, I would again keep stakes to a minimum though.

Leeds United v Newport County Pick: A chance to have a really good Cup run is not really what the Leeds United board will be interested in if it affects the way the side perform in the Championship. In previous years that would not be the case, but more and more we have seen the clubs outside the ‘elite’ of English Football decide to rotate squads for these early League Cup Rounds.

That should be the case for both Leeds United and Newport County in this Second Round tie, although the former will make more of those changes than the latter.

It may make Leeds United vulnerable to a surprise defeat, but the squad showed their depth in dismissing Port Vale in the First Round. With an unbeaten run to protect, Thomas Christiansen will be picking a team he believes is capable of winning this match and I think Leeds United may be able to do that.

All credit has to be given to Mike Flynn for engineering an incredible escape from relegation for Newport County at the end of last season. The confidence he has given the players has been evident this month and Newport County did stun Southend United in the First Round.

However this is a much different challenge for Newport County and the additional quality Leeds United have should eventually prevail. I expect Newport County to have their moments, but Leeds United may be able to take control in the second half as they did against Port Vale, and that could see them win this and cover the Asian Handicap.

I would keep stakes to a minimum simply because of the up and down nature of the League Cup, but Leeds United to win by a couple of goals on the night is my selection.

Cheltenham Town v West Ham United Pick: The television cameras will arrive at the LCI Rail Stadium on Wednesday in the hope that they may capture a real 'giant-killing' in the Second Round of the League Cup. The consecutive losses suffered by West Ham United in the Premier League may make them vulnerable, although Cheltenham Town are hardly in the best of form themselves.

However Cheltenham Town had won 4 in a row at home before the loss to Swansea City Under 21 last week and the side will be hoping to expose the unfamiliarity the likely West Ham United starting eleven will have with one another.

Making wholesale changes can be tough, but West Ham United have a deeper squad this season and a strong enough team should still take the field. Slaven Bilic will have read his name being linked with the sack at the London Stadium and he won't want to increase the pressure on himself by being knocked out of the League Cup by a League Two club.

Playing away from home can be difficult, but West Ham United have been one of the better away teams in the Premier League despite the losses suffered so far in August. Against a lower League team West Ham United should be able to produce the first win of the new season and ease some of the pressure on Bilic.

Cheltenham Town will cause problems for the Premier League club, but I think eventually West Ham United will have too much and I will have a small interest in them winning and covering the Asian Handicap.

Huddersfield Town v Rotherham United Pick: Four months ago Rotherham United and Huddersfield Town were playing in the same Division, but one was promoted and one relegated at the end of the 2016/17 season.

It is the promoted team, Huddersfield Town, who will get to host this Second Round League Cup tie and David Wagner has made it clear that he would like to have a Cup run or two this season. While I expect changes to the starting eleven, Wagner should have a decent team out on the field and one who should be confident of getting past Rotherham United.

The Millers have been really poor away from home at the beginning of this season to continue from where they left off last season. While Rotherham United can play with a little less pressure away at a Premier League club, I think the difference in quality will be telling and Huddersfield Town can make it three wins in a row.

The changes expected to David Wagner's starting line up is an obvious concern, so keep stakes to a minimum. However I do think Huddersfield Town can cover the Asian Handicap in their move through to the Third Round.


Dynamo Kiev v Maritimo Pick: The goalless draw in Portugal was almost ideal for Dynamo Kiev who would have preferred to have earned an away goal, but who are in control of the tie in general. The expectation is that Dynamo Kiev will prove too strong in the Second Leg as they return home where they have been a strong team to open the new season.

The side have won all 5 games played here in all competitions and Dynamo Kiev have scored 17 goals in that time while scoring at least twice in all games and at least three times in their last 4. That goalscoring power is going to be a real concern for Maritimo who have have failed to win any of their last 10 away games in all competitions.

The bigger concern for the Maritimo fans has to be the fact they have scored 5 goals in those 10 games, while they have failed to find the net in 7 of them. That includes both away games played this season and I think Dynamo Kiev will end up having their chances to pull away for another relatively comfortable home win.

Experience is on the side of Dynamo Kiev who have played in the Group Stage of the Champions League in the last two seasons and who have played in one or the other Group Stage in 11 straight seasons. I fully expect them to make that 12 times in a row on Thursday too.

As Maritimo chase the game, I can see Dynamo Kiev proving effective enough on the counter attack to win this one with at least a two goal margin and earn their place in the Group Stage draw which will take place on Friday.


Zenit St Petersburg v Utrecht Pick: The 1-0 loss in the Netherlands makes this a slightly more awkward Second Leg for Zenit St Petersburg having failed to secure an away goal last week. That means Utrecht will feel than an away goal of their own will put them in a very strong position in the tie and leaves things nicely balanced.

Zenit St Petersburg at home are rightly a pretty strong favourite to win when you consider recent European games here as well as their form at home. The home loss in the Third Qualifying Round has to be seen as a blip considering Zenit St Petersburg had a healthy lead from the First Leg, and this is a club with a lot more experience than their visitors.

Not many would have picked Utrecht to get to this stage when paired with Lech Poznan in the Third Qualifying Round and even fewer would have suggested Utrecht as the team to Qualify for the Group Stage. However this is a team who have come together to make a strong start in the Dutch top flight and confidence isn’t an issue.

What is potentially a problem is the lack of recent European experience for the squad of players and dealign with the Second Leg in the right way. While they played well away from home for much of last season, Utrecht were beaten comfortably at PSV, Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar and also conceded three times in a loss in Ajax.

Their hosts are comparable to those teams, including Zenit St Petersburg beating AZ Alkmaar 5-0 here in the Group Stage last season, and I think this might be a test too far for the Dutch club.

Zenit St Petersburg have to find the right balance as they can’t afford to give up an away goal, but I think their European ‘know how’ helps them achieve that. 3 of their 4 home Europa League wins last season came by at least two goals and I will back Zenit St Petersburg to cover the Asian Handicap in this one as they move into the Group Stage.


Athletic Bilbao v Panathinaikos Pick: At 2-0 up and with the game entering the final third, Panathinaikos looked to be in a very strong position to earn arguably their best win in recent European years. Unfortunately for them, the side were unable to cope with the mental pressure that brings and Panathinaikos were beaten 2-3 in Athens by Athletic Bilbao.

That result means it is going to take a special effort for Panathinaikos to turn things around on Thursday and I do think this is a task beyond their capabilities.

The problems come from trying to find the right balance between attack and defence as Panathinaikos need to score at least twice here. Send too many men forward and Athletic Bilbao should be able to pick them off on the counter, but wait too long and this tie may be over before Panathinaikos have really given it a shot to try and get back into things.

It is a difficult position for a manager to be in, especially against an Athletic Bilbao team who have played so well at home. They have won 5 straight home European games and Athletic Bilbao have scored 17 goals in that time which shows how dangerous they can be.

Athletic Bilbao don’t need to win to move into the Group Stage, but Spanish teams tend to play an attacking brand of football and I imagine Athletic Bilbao will do the same. There is every chance they can overwhelm Panathinaikos again, but this time without being 2-0 down before they get going.

I will look for Athletic Bilbao to win this one by a couple of goals and clear the Asian Handicap in the Second Leg.


Shkendija v Milan Pick: The tie is done as a competitive affair but Milan have every chance of making it 4 wins out of 4 in the Europa League against an overmatched Shkendija team.

There will be pride on the line for the home team having been beaten 6-0 in the San Siro last week, but the attention may already have shifted to the Macedonian domestic League where Shkendija may be favourites to win the title.

Shkendija have played well at home and should be backed by a passionate crowd, but on the field I do think they are overmatched. I wouldn't be surprised if Milan give some of their fringe players a chance, but they should still be defensively sound enough to win here and earn another clean sheet too.

That can be backed at odds against and I do think it is worthy of a small interest.

I wouldn't go in much harder than that simply because Milan will likely make changes and have such a lead that there could be some complacency in the performance. They should be too good, but restricting the investment is the smart way forward as Milan earn their place in the Group Stage draw on Friday.


Hajduk Split v Everton Pick: After winning the First Leg 2-0, Ronald Koeman will likely be extremely angry if Everton were to go out before the Europa League Group Stage draw. It will take a professional performance from Everton to make sure they don’t have any hiccups here against a tough Hajduk Split team who likely have a lot more to show than they did last week.

At home Hajduk Split have an 11 game unbeaten run to protect having won 8 of those, while they have won 5 home European games in a row. However Hajduk Split have been beaten in the Play Off Round of the Europa League in the last 3 seasons and they are just 1-1-1 in their home games in that stage of the competition.

The increased level of competition has proven too much for Hajduk Split and they are likely to encounter a well organised Everton team that will look for a killer away goal on the counter attack. There is some pace further up the pitch for Everton, but a lack of goals has been evident so far as they have only scored more than a single goal in 1 of 5 games in all competitions.

That did come against Hajduk Split, but Everton are unlikely to be pushing for a dominant win but instead will want to contain what the home team can do. Defensively Everton have looked sound even though their run of 4 consecutive clean sheets ended at the Etihad Stadium on Monday.

Unfortunately for Hajduk Split, they don’t have the same firepower Manchester City can call upon and I can see Everton being relatively comfortable on the night. Weathering the early storm will be key to take away the players confidence and tone down the supporters, but doing that should give Everton every chance to control the match and ease through.

It should be about being well organised for Everton and doing that should see them come through in a low-scoring game. I will be looking for two or fewer goals to be shared out between the teams in the Second Leg.

MY PICKS: Astana-Celtic Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Napoli @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Sevilla - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

CSKA Moscow @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

Liverpool - 0.75 Asian Handicap @ 1.84 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Accrington Stanley + 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Brighton - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.92 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Leeds United - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.01 Bet365 (1 Unit)

West Ham United - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.90 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Huddersfield Town - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)
Dynamo Kiev - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.81 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Zenit St Petersburg - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.78 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Athletic Bilbao - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.01 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Milan Win to Nil @ 2.30 Paddy Power (1 Unit)
Hajduk Split-Everton Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.73 Bet Fred (2 Units)

August Update: 17-22, - 8.64 Units (64 Units Staked, - 13.5% Yield)