NFL Week 14 Picks 2018 (December 6-10)

With teams on the brink of securing Play Off spots and others trying to fight off elimination, Week 14 is another huge week for teams around the NFL.

It should also be the start of the Fantasy Football Play Offs in most Leagues so this is going to be an important week for fans and players as we get into the final four weeks of the NFL regular season heading towards the January Play Offs.


New York Giants @ Washington Redskins Pick: The season is all but over for the New York Giants, but the team have not given up playing hard and Odell Beckham Jr said it is all about dragging others out of the post-season the rest of the way. Unfortunately for the Giants, OBJ won't be available for this game after being ruled out on Saturday although the Washington Redskins won't be sympathising with the Giants.

Injuries have helped unravel the Washington Redskins season and even though they are only a game out of the NFC East lead, it feels much bigger than that having lost three games in a row which includes defeats to the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

The bigger key is the fact that Washington are down to their third choice Quarter Back as Mark Sanchez takes over from Alex Smith and Colt McCoy who have both suffered fractured legs to end their seasons. Smith's injury sounds quite serious, but McCoy should recover fully although anyone trying to tell me Sanchez is better than asking Colin Kaepernick to play and citing 'football reasons' needs to find a new sport to follow.

It was no surprise watching Monday Night Football and seeing the Redskins barely able to move the ball against the Eagles once Sanchez came into the game. He is not going to have that long to expand his knowledge of the playbook from where it was on Monday and Sanchez is going to have another tough afternoon simply because he is not really a NFL level Quarter Back.

Sanchez won't be helped by the injuries on the Offensive Line and it is going to be very difficult for him to step back and make throws with the Giants expected to get pressure on him. The game plan will likely be leaning on the running game and keeping the Redskins in third and manageable spots, but the Giants should know this if they have done their homework and that means I expect New York to really look to clamp down on Adrian Peterson and force Sanchez to have to make the throws to keep the chains moving.

Odell Beckham Jr's absence is a big one for the Giants, but Evan Engram is expected to play which gives Eli Manning an important weapon in the passing game. The Giants have won three of their last four games, which probably frustrates the fanbase who were hoping for a very high Draft Pick, but the players for the Giants are performing for future employment so won't tank things away.

The Washington Defensive Unit are still playing well so it won't be an easy day for the Giants, but they are going to find it tough to stay motivated if Sanchez struggles as he may well do. One aspect they don't do so well is stopping the run and that may spell trouble with Saquon Barkley showing why the Giants took him as high as they did in the First Round of the last Draft and I expect Barkley to be involved massively throughout this Divisional game.

I do think there will be times when the Washington pass rush rattles Manning and he has to be careful of throwing the ball in those situations, but Eli is still some way better than Mark Sanchez. With the likely better support at Running Back, I think Manning finds a way to move the ball and keep the points coming and the Giants can cover this spread as the road favourite.

The Redskins have a poor record playing after Monday Night Football as they have gone 2-7 against the spread in the last nine in that spot, and I think the injuries have seen the season fall apart for them.


Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans Pick: Nine straight wins has seen the Houston Texans put a 0-3 record firmly behind them as they have taken complete control of the AFC South Division. At the moment they are 2.5 games ahead of the Tennessee Titans and 3 games ahead of the Indianapolis Colts and another win on Sunday would put the Texans on the brink of making the Play Offs.

There may be bigger ambitions perhaps at play for the Texans than simply playing Play Off Football in January and that may be sneaking a Bye through to the Divisional Round. They have the same record as the New England Patriots and are a game behind the Kansas City Chiefs so keeping the winning run going is very important for the Texans.

In Week 13 Indianapolis Colts laid an egg as they failed to score in a road loss at the Jacksonville Jaguars which leaves their Play Off ambitions teetering over the cliff. Andrew Luck had been in great form prior to that game, but I don't want one game to cloud over the fact that the Colts have been playing very well to get back into the Play Off picture.

These two teams played a really close one in Indianapolis which was won by the Texans in Overtime earlier this season and everything is pointing to another close one in Week 14. That makes the points with the road underdog look appealing, but Indianapolis will need Luck to be at his best for that to happen.

You have to respect the Houston Texans Defensive unit which has some quality players in it, but there are also some holes in the Secondary which I would expect Luck to exploit. If TY Hilton can't go it would be a blow to the Colts, but Luck has been well protected by his Offensive Line and I think they can give the Quarter Back just enough time to make his plays down the field much like he did in the first game between these teams.

Marlon Mack didn't have a good outing at the Jaguars last week, but I think he could have some success here as Houston look to stop the pass. Ripping off a few big runs should keep the Texans honest and allow Luck to get back to the strong passing days he had been producing prior to Week 13.

I think Deshaun Watson is more than capable of staying with Luck in a shoot out, but he is perhaps going to be under more pressure than you would expect. The Colts have been able to get a fierce pass rush going and the Houston Offensive Line is not the best, although Watson is a smart Quarter Back to identify pressure and also the athlete who can escape the pocket and make plays with his legs too.

Lamar Miller has been running the ball well for the Texans, but the Indianapolis Colts have played the run well and the Defensive unit have really stepped up from where they were a year ago. There will be drives that the talent of Watson and DeAndre Hopkins will extend, even from third and long spots, but I can't see the Texans blowing out the Colts who will be looking to prove they are much better than the effort showed in Week 13.

The Colts are 4-0-1 against the spread in the last five games in Houston and they have a strong record against the spread against this Divisional rival in recent years. Houston are a hard team to oppose considering how well they have cashed in at the window in recent weeks, but I will take the points with the underdog here.


New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins Pick: The first thing you have to note is how poor a record the New England Patriots have in Miami against the Dolphins in recent years despite dominating the AFC East and much of the rest of the Conference. It's not like they have played in Miami early in the season when the focus is not quite as sharp as it will be in Week 14, but a number of the losses have come in December or January and the Patriots can't really afford to slip up in order to gain the best Play Off position.

Once again they have dominated the AFC East and a win over the Miami Dolphins will secure a Play Off spot. However the Patriots are more interested in trying to earn the Number 1 Seed in the AFC and they are currently have a record tied with the Houston Texans and a game behind the Kansas City Chiefs, although the Patriots hold the tie-breaker over the Chiefs having beaten them earlier in the season.

Winning out may give New England every chance of securing the Number 1 Seed so they will head to South Florida with a big goal on their mind. Tom Brady has perhaps shown some signs of slowing down which makes it harder to really believe in the Patriots going on and winning the Super Bowl, but he should have the right support to beat the Dolphins even in a Stadium where Brady has had his troubles.

While Brady may not be playing quite up at the level he can, the Patriots can lean on the running game in this one with Sonny Michel likely backing up the 100 yard game he had against Miami earlier this season. The Dolphins Defensive Line is strong on the ends, but they have struggled to stop the run and the respect for Brady and the passing game will likely mean Michel can produce a very big game for them.

That could open things up for Brady who has quality Receivers in Rob Gronkowski, Josh Gordan and Julian Edelman and the Quarter Back will be aware that Miami could be missing their best player in the Secondary. Brady will get a quick release when he does pass to make sure the Miami pass rush can't disrupt things and I do think the Patriots will be able to move the ball throughout the game barring them melting in the heat of Miami.

Miami will look to do that by controlling the clock and this team have been able to do that when Ryan Tannehill has been at Quarter Back. They have shown they can run the ball effectively and clamping down on the run has been difficult for the Patriots although I imagine Bill Belichick will try and take that away from the Dolphins and force Tannehill to beat them with his arm.

The Dolphins Offensive Line has had some troubles in pass protection of late which would be a concern if they are finding the running lanes harder to come by if the New England schemes are in place. Asking Tannehill to throw to Receivers who have come in to replace some of the injured starters and have consistent success may be too big an ask and I could see the New England Patriots just turning the screw in this one.

There is no doubt the Dolphins are tough to play in South Florida where teams visits and are not used to the temperatures you will find. However the Dolphins are also 4-10 against the spread in their last fourteen games against a team with a winning record and they are 6-15 against the spread in their last twenty-one games played in December.

New England are 17-6 against the spread in their last twenty-three road games and they won here two seasons ago in January so I will look for the Patriots to secure a big road win and cover this big number.


Denver Broncos @ San Francisco 49ers Pick: This may be a non-Conference game, but in a sixteen game season every game means something and that is especially true for the Denver Broncos who are making a late push towards the Play Offs.

At 6-6 the Broncos are not going to win the AFC West which is being dominated by the Kansas City Chiefs, but they are very much in contention for one of the Wild Card spots. There isn't much room for mistakes though as the Broncos know they likely need to win out if they are going to achieve their goals and they will be having to do that without Emmanuel Sanders.

Sanders has gone down with a season ending injury and a team who have traded away Demaryius Thomas to the Texans may be short at Receiver. However the Broncos have a dynamic Running Back duo with Philip Lindsay making a mockery of the fact he was not Drafted in the Seven Rounds of the Draft last year.

Lindsay and Royce Freeman should be able to get the Denver Broncos up by running the ball effectively throughout this game and I think they are going to give the San Francisco Defensive Line real problems to deal with. The Broncos Offensive Line has loved paving the way for their Running Backs and it should make Case Keenum's job that much easier when it comes to making plays through the air against a Secondary that is not that good outside of Richard Sherman.

Keenum has hardly been lighting the board up through the air, but he won't need to make huge plays if Denver are running the ball effectively, while the Quarter Back may also be given short fields if Nick Mullens is not able to have a big game for the San Francisco 49ers.

It should be said that the Denver Defensive unit is not up to the level of the team that won the Super Bowl for Peyton Manning, but injuries are hurting San Francisco all around and Mullens is showing why he was a third string Quarter Back.

Matt Breida is also out of action for the 49ers so the pressure may be on Mullens to push himself more than he would want to in order to keep the 49ers in this one. The pass rush is going to be something for Mullens to deal with, but he should also have some success through the air against a Denver Secondary that has not been as strong as they would have wanted.

However they have been able to turn the ball over and Mullens is having issues with Interceptions blighting his game of late and I think that makes the difference here. He will have some success, but Denver are going to make the big plays at the key times which will help them overcome the 49ers and cover what is a pretty big number for any road favourite with the hook going with the home underdog.

Denver did have a pretty poor record as a road team at the window under Coach Joseph, but they have covered in their last four road games and I think they can do that here.

MY PICKS: New York Giants - 3 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Indianapolis Colts + 4 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)
New England Patriots - 9.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Denver Broncos - 3 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Green Bay Packers - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
New York Jets + 4 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Detroit Lions - 2.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Pittsburgh Steelers - 9.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Dallas Cowboys - 3.5 Points @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Chicago Bears + 3 Points @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekend Football Picks 2018 (December 8-10)

I've been away in the early portion of December and that has meant I have not really had the time to write down my thoughts for the Premier League games that have been played.

Missing two rounds of fixtures is what it is, but I have returned now and my selections can be read below as well as my Fantasy Football thoughts in what is a busy time of the season.

Fantasy players have to worry about rotation policies of managers especially with a huge amount of games crammed into a very small period of time through to the FA Cup Third Round. Injuries build up at this point of the season and you have to factor in the colder weather in the United Kingdom at this time of the year.


Bournemouth v Liverpool Pick: The quick turnaround in the Premier League means there are likely to be more rotations from managers, but Liverpool were able to rest key players on Wednesday in their win over Burnley.

It should mean the likes of Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are available for this visit to the Vitality Stadium ahead of a vital game against Napoli in the Champions League during the week. The early kick off does give Jurgen Klopp the chance to play his strongest team as Liverpool look to move ahead of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League for a few hours at least.

While Liverpool have not been at their most convincing away from home, they have scored three times in back to back games at Watford and Burnley. The majority of the poorer performances have come in the Champions League and Liverpool should feel confident they can get the better of a Bournemouth team who just snapped a 4 game losing run in the Premier League.

Bournemouth started well but had to hold on in their 2-1 win over Huddersfield Town on Tuesday, while they have recently been beaten by Manchester United and Arsenal in League games here. The attacking mentality of Eddie Howe will always leave Bournemouth vulnerable against the better teams in the Premier League and it is no surprise that Chelsea, United, Arsenal and Manchester City have all scored at least twice against them already this season.

They have lost all of those games too and Bournemouth have conceded at least twice in each of their 3 home games against Liverpool since being promoted to the Premier League. The Cherries did recover from 1-3 down to beat Liverpool 4-3 in one of those games, but the other two fixtures here have ended in Liverpool wins and I think they can get the better of Bournemouth in this early Premier League fixture.

It should be a game featuring plenty of chances too and I will back The Reds to move to the top of the Premier League with a win in a game featuring two or more goals.

Fantasy Star: Mohamed Salah- the Egyptian should be well rested having been a substitute on Wednesday, while he has scored in 2 of the last 3 away Premier League games he has started.

Alternative: Xherdan Shaqiri- Bournemouth are a tough team, but they have lost to Arsenal and Manchester United here and Xherdan Shaqiri could playing further up the pitch if Sadio Mane is ruled out. He scored in 2 of the last 3 Liverpool League games.


Arsenal v Huddersfield Town Pick: With three League games in the space of a week it can be difficult to know when a team potentially hits a wall but Arsenal have momentum and I would be surprised if that happened to them here.

They don't have to worry about the Europa League game to be played during the week so Unai Emery can play as strong a team as he likes, although injuries are beginning to stretch the squad. Those are mainly in defensive areas and this Arsenal team have shown they can out-score opponents when feeling at their best.

Even keeping the defensive problems in mind, I am not sure Huddersfield Town are the best team to expose them. The Terriers have been in better form in recent weeks and they have not lost back to back away games in the Premier League since March, but a lack of goals continues to be a problem and I think they will find it tough to contain Arsenal here.

Huddersfield Town have forced draws at Everton and Burnley and won at Wolves this season so they should be respected. However they have conceded twice at Bournemouth during the week as they looked vulnerable defensively, while also conceding three goals in losses at Leicester City and Watford and this Arsenal team have enough in the final third to really hurt them here.

I am not sure Arsenal match the 5-0 win over Huddersfield Town from last season, but I think they win comfortably enough on the day and I will back them to cover the Asian Handicap.

Fantasy Star: Alexandre Lacazette- he may get the start having come off the bench in the last two games and scored at Old Trafford during the week.

Alternative: Henrikh Mkhitaryan- he has been a disappointment in recent games, but should have chances against an overmatched opponent when has shown his best for either Manchester United or Arsenal.


Burnley v Brighton Pick: Last season the defences came out on top in both Premier League games between Burnley and Brighton, but there is plenty to suggest the layers may have it wrong and that this could be a much more entertaining fixture.

Neither Burnley or Brighton are defending half as well as they were during the 2017/18 season and there should be chances for both teams in this one.

Glenn Murray's potential absence for Brighton could be a real blow, but Burnley have struggled to contain teams so I would expect the away team to come here and create chances. They have scored in their last 4 away games in the Premier League and the last two at Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town have produced at least three goals.

Goals have been flowing at Turf Moor too with the home team falling off the defensive standards they set last season. Burnley have conceded plenty of chances too so it hasn't been misfortune that has hurt the team and they have been involved in some high-scoring games here including against a shot-shy Newcastle United team.

Shane Duffy's suspension should help Burnley too, and I would not be surprised if both teams score in this one. There should be chances for that to happen and recent Burnley and Brighton home/away games respectively have produced plenty of goals and these two teams can surprise by doing the same here at a very big price.

Fantasy Star: Chris Wood- Burnley need goals and Chris Wood's returning to form may be their best avenue.

Alternative: Florin Andone- came on and scored for Brighton during the week and could lead the line if Glenn Murray is ruled out. Burnley have not defended that well so Andone should have chances.


Cardiff City v Southampton Pick: Two teams at the wrong end of the Premier League table will meet in a big game on Saturday and the layers believe it could be a fixture filled with tension and they are not expecting too many goals.

I agree that it will be tense as Cardiff City are under pressure to keep producing big performances at home during a time they are struggling for results on their travels. On the other side Southampton have to be playing with little confidence at the moment and the players will be trying to impress a new manager who may not get his methods across to the squad for a few weeks.

However it should be pointed out that the two teams have been producing decent football in the final third which has resulted in plenty of goals being scored. Cardiff City came from behind to beat Wolves and they have scored at least two goals in 3 of their last 4 home Premier League games while they have not been able to keep a clean sheet in that time.

Southampton have conceded at least three goals in 3 straight away Premier League games, but they have also scored in all of those games. They created plenty of chances against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday and there is enough encouragement from both teams in the final third to believe they will be able to create chances here too.

With both defences being far from watertight, I would not be surprised to see both teams score and the 1-1 is the score that concerns me the most. The three points are very important to both teams though and I think they can keep the recent home/away respective trends going for at least one more game and combine for three or more goals here.

Fantasy Star: Victor Camarasa- looks to be on penalty and free kick duties and is the main creative force for Cardiff City who have been very good in recent home games.

Alternative: Charlie Austin- Southampton have been poor defensively, but they create chances and Austin may get his opportunity having scored this past week against Tottenham Hotspur.


Manchester United v Fulham Pick: The last time Manchester United played Fulham David Moyes was in charge of the home team and the 2-2 draw is best remembered for what felt like a hundred crosses produced by Manchester United that day as they ran out of ideas.

It was a game played in February 2014 and it may have been the real point when the fans realised Moyes was not going to be able to turn things around as Manchester United manager after struggling throughout his time with the club.

Something similar could potentially happen to Jose Mourinho if Manchester United are not able to get back to winning ways in the Premier League this weekend. As much as there was an improved feeling about the performance in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal, draws with struggling Crystal Palace and Southampton have not been what was expected and failing to beat another team in the bottom six places will make it very difficult to get back into the top four race.

Fans at Old Trafford tend to be very loyal, but this match could really be a breaking point as injuries never seem to be too far away. Anthony Martial has been huge for Mourinho in recent weeks, but he could potentially miss out here and defensively Manchester United remain a real mess with big mistakes leading to teams being able to capitalise on chances against them.

Claudio Ranieri will be hoping his Fulham team are the latest to profit from the erratic nature of Manchester United's defending, but this is a team who have scored just 5 away goals all of this season. While the Italian is looking to make Fulham tougher to beat, they were defeated 2-0 at Chelsea last weekend which means they have lost 6 in a row on their travels in all competitions and they have conceded at least two goals in 5 of those losses.

In the last three Premier League games Manchester United have created some good chances and four goals in the last couple of games has to give them confidence. There is no doubt it is hard to trust Manchester United to win a game, let alone win by a comfortable margin, but they should be able to create chances and score goals against this Fulham team.

Losing Martial would be a blow, especially as the attack looked about as fluid as any stage this season in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal, but Manchester United can build on that. It might only be a reprieve for Mourinho whose time at Old Trafford is surely going to end sooner rather than later, but I will look for the home team to secure a relatively comfortable win on the day.

Fantasy Star: Marcus Rashford- I am fairly critical of Rashford the footballer, but he has been lively for Manchester United and may be the source of inspiration in this one. That is especially true if Anthony Martial is ruled out as expected.

Alternative: Chris Smalling- clean sheets have not been United's strength this season, but they have managed a couple at the end of last month at Old Trafford and Fulham have been goal-shy to say the least.


West Ham United v Crystal Palace Pick: Both West Ham United and Crystal Palace are searching for some consistency which would help them put some positive runs together and move clear of the relegation battle that is building up behind them. They were both involved in 3-1 results this past midweek, but West Ham United come into this with a victory behind them while Crystal Palace were beaten.

You would think home advantage is going to be very important for West Ham United considering they have won 2 of their last 3 games here and scored at least three times in both wins. Losing Marko Arnautovic is a blow, but there are still some quality players in the final third that can expose a Crystal Palace team who have lost 5 of their last 6 away games and who were exposed defensively by an opponent with ten men a few days ago.

Roy Hodgson is searching for answers, but Crystal Palace have work to do defensively against an opponent who have been scoring plenty of goals in recent games outside of the 0-4 home defeat to Manchester City.

Scoring goals has been something of a problem for Crystal Palace, but they are creating chances and the feeling is they can turn things around. It would be nice to have options in the forward areas, but Wilfried Zaha remains the main focal point of the attack and Roy Hodgson does need him to step up some in this fixture.

I do think there will be enough chances to see at least three goals shared out between West Ham United and Crystal Palace and recent fixtures between them have seen 6 of the last 8 finish with three or more goals scored. The home team are missing a few more quality attacking players than Crystal Palace, but they showed they can still score goals by burying six in their last couple of games.

The 1-1 could be the most dangerous scoreline to prevent three goals being shared out, but I will back the over here.

Fantasy Star: Javier Hernandez- it was Lucas Perez who took the headlines on Tuesday, but Hernandez got two at Newcastle United last week and can lead the way without Marko Arnautovic this week.

Alternative: Andros Townsend- Crystal Palace need goals and Wilfried Zaha is usually double marked meaning Andros Townsend could have more chances to add to the goal he got last Saturday.


Chelsea v Manchester City Pick: The big game in this round of Premier League fixtures comes from Stamford Bridge where two of the top four teams meet on Saturday afternoon.

The defending Champions Manchester City definitely come into this fixture in a lot better form than Chelsea who have lost 2 of their last 3 Premier League games to Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves.

However you can't deny that Manchester City don't look as good without Sergio Aguero as Gabriel Jesus has just hit a wall. It was the Jesus misses which had Pep Guardiola shaking his head and also was the main reason Manchester City didn't close out Watford before the home team rallied in the final ten minutes.

Aguero is a serious doubt for this fixture and he is the man who has scored four of the last five goals Manchester City have managed at Stamford Bridge so is clearly going to be a loss for Guardiola's men. The other goalscorer in that run was Kevin De Bruyne who scored the winning goal here last season and he is also looking like he could miss out on Saturday which may raise some doubts.

However I think Chelsea are lacking some confidence of late and they have perhaps been fortunate to beat Arsenal and draw with both Liverpool and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge this season. They couldn't ride out the storm at Wembley Stadium versus Tottenham Hotspur recently and Chelsea will really need Manchester City to be off their game if they are going to beat them.

It was Aguero's goals that helped Manchester City beat them in the Community Shield, but there are players in form for the visitors that can help make up for the Argentinian's expected absence. Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez ran rings around Watford and Raheem Sterling is well rested so I am not anticipating too many issues for Manchester City who should be able to expose the defensive problems Chelsea have been having of late.

Any team with the attacking mentality set out by Maurizio Sarri and with players like Eden Hazard and Willian have to be respected, but Chelsea may not really believe they can win a game like this one. They have lost three in a row to Manchester City and been beaten handily each time and I don't think you can make much of a case to oppose the defending Champions winning a fourth in a row against this opponent this weekend.

Even with the absences Manchester City look the more confident team and I will simply back them to win at Stamford Bridge where both Manchester United and Liverpool could have done when Chelsea were in much better form than they are right now.

Fantasy Star: Raheem Sterling- rested fully during the week and has been the goal-threat for Manchester City. He could replace Gabriel Jesus as the Number 9 in this one with Sergio Aguero expected to miss out.

Alternative: Aymeric Laporte- I fancy Manchester City here and they have found a way to keep clean sheets against Chelsea in three straight games.


Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: From next season seeing a late Saturday evening Premier League game is going to become the norm over the course of the campaign, but it is rare to see that kick off at the moment. However this weekend we have Leicester City hosting Tottenham Hotspur in that slot following the big game at Stamford Bridge and it may be a fixture that can provide plenty of entertainment of its own.

Being at home should mean we get a big effort from Leicester City as they try and knock off one of the top teams in the Premier League and give their own ambitions a boost. In recent weeks Leicester City have been difficult to beat, but they have struggled to turn draws into wins and I do worry about them going forward without Jamie Vardy.

At least they could be facing a Tottenham Hotspur defence that has not looked as strong as in recent years. Only 2 of the last 10 Tottenham Hotspur games have ended with a clean sheet for Spurs and they were fortunate to only concede the once to Southampton during the week.

Keeping the momentum going is how well Tottenham Hotspur have performed going forward and I think that is going to be important for them here. They have scored two or more goals in 6 of their last 8 away games in all competitions, but Tottenham Hotspur may need those goals considering they have conceded two or more goals in 3 of their last 5 on their travels too.

As mentioned, Leicester City have not exactly been firing in front of goal and could be without Vardy here, but games between these clubs have tended to lean towards the higher-scoring part of the spectrum. 6 of the last 7 League games hosted by Leicester City against Tottenham Hotspur have ended with three or more goals shared out and the exception was a 1-1 draw in the 2015/16 season.

For all my concerns about the lack of goals in the Leicester City team, they have scored in all but one League game here and I think the teams could provide some evening fireworks here.

Fantasy Star: Harry Kane- boring choice here but Kane has absolutely feasted on Leicester City over the last three games against them and can continue that here.

Alternative: James Maddison- Leicester City will be looking to take advantage of Tottenham Hotspur if they are distracted by the big Barcelona game coming up. With Jamie Vardy likely absent, James Maddison will be the key to unlock a porous Tottenham Hotspur defence.


Newcastle United v Wolves Pick: The live Sunday offering from the Premier League comes from St James' Park where Newcastle United and Wolves meeting for the first time since both clubs played in the Championship a couple of years ago.

Both teams will be looking at fixtures like this one and circling it as one they need to win if they are going to achieve the goals they have set for themselves this season.

The form guide points to Newcastle United as being the most likely winner of this fixture, but Wolves had a big win during the week and perhaps have deserved more than they have earned over the last month. Losses at Brighton and Cardiff City will have hurt, but Wolves should have some confidence restored from the way they bounced back against Chelsea during the week.

And as much as I am respecting the results Newcastle United have earned in recent games, it can be said they have been a little lucky at times. In home wins over Watford and Bournemouth, Newcastle United would have been beaten on another day and they are still struggling for consistent attacks.

Wolves have looked good going forward, but they are still missing a clinical finisher in the final third to put an exclamation mark on the good work they are producing up to that point. Raul Jimenez has been a good signing, but he isn't a finisher as such although he has been an integral part of a large majority of Wolves goals.

The Mexican did score on Wednesday though and he might be ready to put a strong run together in front of goal and I think Wolves can be backed on the Asian Handicap here. I had already circled that as a potential play prior to the win over Chelsea so I am hoping they haven't been given an overconfidence, although I look at Wolves as being the better team in the final third of both ends of the pitch and that can see them produce an important victory at St James' Park on Sunday.

Fantasy Star: Raul Jimenez- been amongst the goals of late and is a key part of Wolves attacks that have resulted in others scoring too.

Alternative: Solomon Rondon- the on loan striker has been scoring goals and is going to be the key for Newcastle United if they are going to upset their visitors.


Everton v Watford Pick: Better finishing from the Everton players would have seen the team pick up a lot more than the single point they have earned over the last ten days against Liverpool and Newcastle United in the Premier League. A bad error from Jordan Pickford cost Everton the chance of earning a result at Anfield with a goal conceded deep into injury time, while they should have beaten Newcastle United here last Wednesday.

Both teams will have had a chance to get some rest into the legs as soon as this game was moved to Monday Night Football and I do think Everton are worthy favourites.

They are creating chances and you have to believe they will begin to put more of the quality opportunities away in the coming weeks. It is important for Marco Silva to oversee a win ahead of the big test of visiting Manchester City in the Premier League next weekend, but Everton should be able to control things in this one and do that.

You can't draw a line through Watford who have been able to pick up some surprise results this season and showed they are fighting hard for the team in almost coming back to grab a surprise result against Manchester City last time out. However they are in a poor run of form which has seen the team beaten in 4 of their last 5 Premier League games including the last 3 in a row and Watford have a really poor record at Goodison Park over the years.

I don't think that will really bother a new group of players, but Watford don't tend to enjoy a lot of fortune here and I think they will need to ride out some rough patches if they are going to get a result against Everton. I know Newcastle United escaped with a point, but they did escape narrowly and I think Everton win this one with the likelihood they need two goals to do that.

Fantasy Star: Richarlison- playing his former club and scored last week. Richarlison can't be any more confident or motivated.

Alternative Star: Yerry Mina- Everton have been better defensively and the Colombian is a huge threat from set pieces.

MY PICKS: Liverpool & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.85 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Arsenal - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Burnley-Brighton Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.45 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Cardiff City-Southampton Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.20 Sporting Bet (2 Units)
Manchester United - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
West Ham United-Crystal Palace Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester City @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Leicester City-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Wolves 0 Asian Handicap @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Everton & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.20 Boyle Sports (2 Units)

Boxing Picks 2017- Vasyl Lomachenko vs Guillermo Rigondeaux (December 9th)

Boxing has been criticised in recent years for not making the big fights the fans want to see, but Saturday night is one for the purists.

This is the first time two time Olympic Gold Medal winners will face one another in the Professional ranks and it has all the makings of one of the most intriguing fights in recent years.

However the purists can't fill out seats like the casuals can once they get behind a boxer and that means Vasyl Lomachenko and Guillermo Rigondeaux have to settle for the smaller Arena at Madison Square Garden. I would love to have been in New York to attend this fight, but it will have to be recorded and caught up with on Sunday morning.

It is a long night of Boxing which begins in London and the return of James DeGale after being out of the ring for the best part of eleven months, while Stephen Smith challenges for a World Title in Las Vegas as he takes on tough Franisco Vargas.

It should be a good night highlighted by the Lomachenko-Rigondeaux fight.

Daniel Dubois vs Dorian Darch

It might be irritating to Daniel Dubois that he is being compared with Anthony Joshua all of the time, but he may want a word with Frank Warren who continues to link the two unbeaten British Heavyweights together.

Dubois is still a novice in terms of experience, but he has had some strong sparring sessions with the top Heavyweights in the United Kingdom including openly telling the media that he has knocked down Joshua in sparring.

That coupled with his strong start to the professional career has the fans beginning to get excited about Dubois and what he is able to do in the Heavyweight ranks. The destruction of AJ Carter was really impressive and there is no doubting the power Dubois has.

However he won't be able to escape the comparison with Anthony Joshua when taking on Dorian Darch who was stopped in the Second Round by the current Heavyweight Champion in his fourth Professional fight. Dubois himself has stated he isn't concerned about making a statement, but you have to think he would love to get Darch out of there in the First Round, although the Welshman has shown toughness.

It took Ian Lewison Four Rounds and Eddie Chambers Three Rounds to beat Darch and there is the AJ Second Round win. You have to think Frank Warren is itching for Dubois to get this done a little quicker, but it may be worth a small interest for the young Heavyweight to match the Joshua Round.

There is no doubting the power Dubois possesses, but he is still a little raw and Darch may be able to get through the first three minutes before being tagged. Most will expect the First Round finish, but Dubois can still impress with a Second Round win and plenty of positives to take into 2018.

Francisco Vargas vs Stephen Smith

I love most of the Smith fighting brothers from Liverpool who have all achieved big things in the world of Boxing, although World Titles have mainly been a step too far. Stephen Smith gets his chance to earn a third shot on Saturday in Las Vegas having lost to Jason Sosa and Jose Pedraza in World Title shots before and even Smith himself has suggested this may be his last chance.

It could be argued that Francisco Vargas is the toughest opponent Smith has faced since Lee Selby, but the Mexican is coming in off a brutal loss. Vargas has also been through a really difficult run of fights and at 32 years old you do have to wonder how much is left in the tank.

We have seen before that these dogfights can break a fighter and see all the Rounds catch up with them very quickly and unexpectedly. That has to be Smith's best hope as he will try and box the bigger man, but I am struggling to see how the Liverpudlian can hold off the aggressive Vargas throughout this fight.

Vargas is taller, has the bigger reach and he will feel he can break down Smith the longer the fight wears on and that is my feeling for how it will play out. Smith has only ever been stopped by Lee Selby, but he was down early in the World Title loss to Sosa and late in the loss to Pedraza.

I think Vargas hits harder than both and I feel he will be able to pounce on Smith in the second half of the fight once he hurts him. Smith will be brave and it may take his corner to decide the outcome, but I will back Vargas to score the second half stoppage.

Orlando Salido vs Miguel Roman

When two Mexicans enter the ring to face one another you can already guess it will be a high intensity dogfight from pretty much the opening seconds of the fight. I doubt Orlando Salido vs Miguel Roman goes any other way and it could be a lot of fun for the fans tuning in.

Salido remains the only fighter to put a blemish on the resume of Vasyl Lomachenko and there was a real feeling that those two would have a rematch this month. Instead Lomachenko looked for a career defining fight with Guillermo Rigondeaux although I am sure Salido will be looking for that rematch if both fighters win on Saturday.

He can't overlook Miguel Roman who has been in with some tough company too and will be hoping that an upset of Salido opens up some big fights for himself at the Super-Featherweight Division.

It does feel like Salido is a step too high for Roman who has plenty of wins behind in recent years, but who was beaten by Takashi Miura, a tough Japanese fighter of a similar standing to Salido.

Salido has the size advantage and the tougher Rounds behind him which can prove to be a critical determining factor when things do get tough. It should be a lot of fun however long it lasts, but Salido has been speaking like he wants to make a real statement here and I think he will be coming out swinging looking for the stoppage.

After an intense battle Salido may get a chance to get that as the fight goes on although the obvious pick is the veteran winning by a wide points margin. I just think he is trying to prove he is still amongst the elite and will want to match Miura by stopping Roman and that could be the outcome later in the fight.

Vasyl Lomachenko vs Guillermo Rigondeaux

This is an absolute monster fight in the world of Boxing but you wouldn't know it by the limited mainstream media that will likely cover the fight.

However for all Boxing fans around the globe this is a chance to find out who the best of the lighter weights is and the man who may be put at the top of any 'Pound for Pound' list being compiled after Saturday.

Both Vasyl Lomachenko and Guillermo Rigondeaux have been quality amateur fighters with two Gold Medals won at Olympic Games before turning pro. Only one fighter has got the better of Lomachenko, while Rigondeaux is unbeaten, but what these two have achieved i the professional ranks with limited fights under their belts has been pretty amazing to see.

Out of the two Lomachenko has been more active and has some real quality wins in the last couple of years. While Rigondeaux has made easy work of anyone he has faced, he too has a couple of real quality wins under his belt although the inactivity and going up a couple of weight classes really does go against him.

The Cuban has had just three Rounds completed in two years compared with Lomachenko who has had five fights and beaten the likes of Roman Martinez and Nicolas Walters in that time.

The styles should match up nicely with the Rigondeaux defensive masterclass going up against Lomachenko's ability to attack from all angles and wear down fighters to the point that they can't even get up off their stool to complete fights. It is going to be so much fun to see how these two adapt to each other, but I am leaning towards Lomachenko having the heavier consistent shots and being the naturally bigger man at this weight.

For all the skills Rigondeaux has displayed, he has been knocked down by Nonito Donaire and Hasashi Amagasi in a couple of his stand out fights. At this weight I do wonder if he is going to be able to take the same type of shots and I think Lomachenko has shown he has the cumulative effect to wear down opponents which may be how he comes through this one.

The other factor is that Rigondeaux may have to be more aggressive than he is used to in this fight which could lead to mistakes in the second half of the contest. Usually he has dominated the early Rounds to build a lead, but if he can't do that against Lomachenko then the pressure will be on Rigondeaux to change his style and try and take the fight to the Ukrainian.

Being out of the comfort zone is tough for any boxer and I think that is where Rigondeaux will come unstuck. No one should criticise him for the chance he has taken to take on Lomachenko, but I think the younger and bigger man can find a way to stop another opponent.

The last six fighters Lomachenko has faced have been stopped with the last three retiring on their stools. I don't believe Rigondeaux will allow himself to quit, but I do worry about his inactivity and the referee may be forced to step in late in this contest to allow Lomachenko to pick up another stoppage win.

MY PICKS: Daniel Dubois Win Second Round @ 4.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Francisco Vargas Win Between 6-10 @ 3.10 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Orlando Salido Win by KO, TKO or Disqualification @ 3.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Vasyl Lomachenko Win Between 7-12 @ 3.20 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Weekend Football Picks 2017 (December 9-10)

It's a difficult time for the players and the managers with games coming as quickly as they do over the next few weeks.

The top teams are literally playing every few days which makes managing the minutes and finding the right rotations so important. December can prove to be a pivotal month at the top and bottom of the Premier League when you think how many League points are on offer so rotation for rotations sake is not good enough if the points aren't being earned.

This weekend is a huge one as far as the Premier League title race is concerned- a win for Manchester City at Old Trafford might already put Pep Guardiola's men in such a strong position in the Premier League that it might be almost impossible to reel them back in, but a Manchester United win really could open up a new title race.

The Manchester derby is going to be a huge game to round off the latest Premier League round of fixtures, but teams will be back in action on Tuesday/Wednesday before another big weekend of football next week.

A pivotal time to say the least.


The Last 16 of the Champions League was confirmed this past week and the draw for the Second Round will be made on Monday morning.

The five English clubs all made their way through to the Second Round, although only Chelsea failed to win their Group which means they already know they have to face one of Besiktas, Paris Saint-Germain or Barcelona in the Second Round.

Three of the four Group Winners will be looking to avoid both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid as the top second placed teams in the Last 16 draw, although Tottenham Hotspur cannot be paired with the current European Champions having finished above them in the Group.

Personally I would accept Manchester United being paired with any of the potential opponents outside of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Juventus are a tough prospect, but they don't look as strong as previous editions and I would make Manchester United narrow favourites with the Second Leg to be played at Old Trafford.

Sevilla looked a mess against Liverpool and were beaten by Leicester City in the Second Round last season, while Porto are another team who are not of the standard of previous years and Manchester United beat Benfica twice in the Group Stage.

Shakhtar Donetsk looked very good in both matches against Manchester City in the Group, but they look a team that has a lot of energy early and then can be got at with a weaker defensive team than many out there. They will also be in the middle of a Winter Break and I would expect Manchester United to beat any of those four sides.

We will find out on Monday how the draw pans out and then the teams can drop their interest in the Champions League for a couple of months until February.


Now onto the Weekend Football Picks beginning at the London Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.


West Ham United v Chelsea Pick: The opening game of the Premier League weekend has big implications at the top and bottom of the table as 19th placed West Ham United host 3rd placed Chelsea.

The West Ham United performance against Manchester City will have been really encouraging for David Moyes and he will be looking for the same intensity when they return home to face Chelsea. The fans should be very much behind West Ham United against a rival, but the injuries in the squad are still hurting the home team.

Some key players may return this weekend, but they have a tough test against Chelsea even if the away team had a midweek assignment where a strong team drew 1-1 with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. That was a difficult game as Chelsea looked to secure top spot in their Group, and West Ham United have to try and take advantage of any tiredness that may be in the Chelsea squad.

However there is enough time for Antonio Conte to ensure his key players have enough rest to produce a big performance at the London Stadium. Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata are in strong form and a West Ham United team who have struggled defensively could be stretched again.

Even if some reinforcements return, West Ham United might be a little rusty at the back and the way Chelsea have been playing I do expect them to find the spaces to exploit The Hammers. Being at home means West Ham United have to be a little more attacking than they were at Manchester City and that may leave a bit more room for Chelsea to find the openings to create chances here.

The performance last week was huge, but West Ham United could have a tougher time on Saturday. I think Chelsea may be a little too good all around for them and that's even accounting for any tiredness that may have come out of the Champions League game against Atletico Madrid.

With the away record as strong as it is, I will look for Chelsea to keep that trending in a positive direction and back them to win by more than a single goal margin here. 2 of the 3 West Ham United home Premier League defeats have seen that happen, while the other saw The Hammers recover from 0-3 down against Tottenham Hotspur in an eventual 2-3 defeat.

While Chelsea haven't always been dominant away from home, they have scored goals and I expect they have the chances to clear the Asian Handicap.


Burnley v Watford Pick: You can understand why Burnley are the home favourites to win this fixture this weekend, but I can't be backing them at the prices when you think of how effective Watford have been away from home. I said the same thing when Watford visited Newcastle United recently and they crushed the home team 0-3 on the day, but I expect Burnley to have a much better effort against them this weekend.

In saying that, I do think Burnley will be challenged by a Watford team who have been blessed with goals away from home. They have continued their trend of scoring at least twice in every away game they have played in the Premier League this season when scoring three at Newcastle United, and I do think Watford can create chances against a strong Burnley defence.

However Watford have not looked great defensively for much of the season and they had conceded at least twice in 3 straight away games prior to the win at St James' Park.

Watford have only kept 2 clean sheets in the last 11 Premier Leagues and I think Burnley have created chances in their games to have opportunities in this one. The home team have been tough to break down at times, but there have been a few more holes in recent games and I do think Watford can help produce a better game than the layers may expect.

It is big odds for at least three goals to be shared out in this one and the way Burnley and Watford have played should mean there are the opportunities for that number to be hit again. The games at Turf Moor have been low-scoring this season which is a concern, but Watford's style of play should mean there are the chances to make the odds against quote for three or more goals look far too big and I will back that to be the outcome of a game that is pretty tough to read in terms of finding a winner.


Crystal Palace v Bournemouth Pick: This is a big game for Crystal Palace who have become tougher to beat under Roy Hodgson but would love to turn a few of their results from draws into wins. A late goal helped them beat Stoke City at Selhurst Park in their last game here and Crystal Palace have been stronger at home.

The lack of goals on their travels has been replaced by positive attacks at Selhurst Park where Crystal Palace have scored at least twice in 4 straight games. Defensively there is still work for Hodgson to do but the back to back clean sheets at Brighton and West Brom has to have given Crystal Palace a real boost in confidence in their bid to get out of the bottom three.

These are the kinds of fixtures Crystal Palace have to be targeting for three points and I do like their chances of doing that against Bournemouth.

Credit where credit is due says Bournemouth have been playing much better in recent weeks than earlier in the season and they are unbeaten in 3 away games in the Premier League. However there are still a few issues to iron out in the final third and now facing a Crystal Palace team who have been scoring goals freely at home might be a big challenge for The Cherries.

It isn't an easy game for Crystal Palace with more onus to attack at home than they have perhaps had away from home in the last ten days, but this is a team who have responded to that.

I think Crystal Palace can just get the better of Bournemouth in this League game and earn a vital three points that could help them out of the bottom three before Christmas.


Huddersfield Town v Brighton Pick: There is much on the line when Huddersfield Town and Brighton meet in the Premier League on Saturday and both clubs will be looking to this fixture as an important one to earn three points which could be vital come the end of the season.

Neither side has been in great form of late but both Huddersfield Town and Brighton have to be feeling more confident with the opponent in front of them.

Huddersfield Town have been stronger at home than away from home all season and this is a team who have found enough in the final third to win games at the John Smith's Stadium. Much of that depends on a strong defensive performance and a high level intensity, but it won't be easy against a Brighton team who have looked more comfortable at the Premier League level.

Goals are an issue for Brighton too and I do think this will be a close game with little between them. However I also think Huddersfield Town are a big price to win the fixture considering how they have performed at home and I do think they are capable of finding a way to three points in this one.

I don't think Brighton will make it easy, but the lack of recent goals is a concern and a small interest in Huddersfield Town to win this one is worth taking. The Terriers have got the better of teams they have hosted that are currently outside the top 6 and while I respect the fact Brighton have recently won at Swansea City, I do think Huddersfield Town can do just enough to match the win they had over Brighton last season in the Championship.

Huddersfield Town are a big price, but I would keep stakes to a minimum in this one with the team suffering 4 straight losses in the League.


Tottenham Hotspur v Stoke City Pick: Recent results have not been good enough for Tottenham Hotspur who had big ambitions coming into the season, although there has been a clear difference between Premier League and Champions League results. Some of the chances being missed by Tottenham Hotspur have been disappointing which would have resulted in more points on the board, but the next week is huge for them.

In that time Tottenham Hotspur host both Stoke City and Brighton at Wembley Stadium before visiting Manchester City and you have to think anything less than two wins from two at home will be a disappointing return.

Defensively there are questions for Mauricio Pochettino to answer as Toby Alderweireld's absence has hurt the club. With Davinson Sanchez also out of contention, Tottenham Hotspur have struggled for clean sheets and the lackadaisical starts have really hurt in the Premier League of late.

Tottenham Hotspur have won none of their last 4 Premier League games and in the last 3 they have been behind by the 13th minute. That is a tough place to start and Pochettino has to be demanding a much better start to this fixture.

It does feel like Tottenham Hotspur have a chance to produce a big result to give them some momentum following the Champions League win over APOEL. They are facing a Stoke City team who have been inconsistent to say the least and who have conceded the second most goals in the Premier League this season.

Stoke City have also struggled against the top clubs with heavy defeats to Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool already this season with the one exception being a 2-2 draw with Manchester United. All of those losses have come by at least three goal margins and Tottenham Hotspur are definitely better than they have shown in the last couple of weeks.

With the mental baggage Stoke City have been carrying after 3 consecutive 4-0 losses to Tottenham Hotspur, I will look for Spurs to get back on track with the Premier League with a win by at least two goals on Saturday.


Southampton v Arsenal Pick: This is a big game for Arsenal to try and get back on the horse after the way they were beaten in the home game against Manchester United last weekend. It certainly isn't going to be an easy game for Arsenal who have been pretty dominant at the Emirates Stadium but not travelled half as effectively.

There is plenty of talent in the Arsenal squad, especially in the forward areas, but they have lost more than half of their away Premier League games which makes the odds on quote for a win at Southampton look remarkably short.

The Saints are a team who can get forward effectively with the pace in the final third and Charlie Austin is back amongst the goals. That is important for Southampton who are likely going to employ plenty of counter attacking in this fixture, even at home, while Southampton will be looking to make use of Austin's aerial ability against an Arsenal backline which is far from secure.

Last week showed how vulnerable Arsenal can be when teams are able to put an effective counter attack together and I can see Southampton looking to do the same with the likes of Nathan Redmond and Dusan Tadic capable of finding the creative passes to unlock Arsenal.

On the other hand I also think Arsenal will pose problems with a strong front three able to create chances like they did against Manchester United. A similar level of performance is expected to create more goalscoring opportunities for The Gunners and I would expect a little more composure in front of goal as well as the fact they are not faced by David De Gea leading to more goals.

The early kick off can lead to a slow build in these fixtures, but Southampton and Arsenal both will feel they can create chances against the other. The poor Arsenal away record makes it difficult to completely trust them here, although I am leaning towards the away side picking up three important points here.

However the better option may be picking there being at least three goals in this one. That has happened in 2 of the last 4 Southampton home games in the League and had been in 3 away Arsenal games before the 0-1 win at Burnley in a game that had plenty of chances in it.

3 of the last 5 between these clubs at St Mary's have also ended with at least three goals shared out and I will back that to be the outcome of a fixture where the two teams look to have enough in the final third to create enough chances to get to that number.


Liverpool v Everton Pick: The Merseyside derby is part of a big day of Premier League football on Sunday and both Liverpool and Everton will be coming into the fixture with the confidence of producing wins in recent games.

However I think it is a long shot to think all of Everton's problems have magically vanished since Sam Allardyce arrived and they simply have not faced a team as good as Liverpool in that time. Wins over West Ham United and Huddersfield Town in the Premier League have seen Everton move away from the bottom three, but it is a completely different test heading to Anfield to take on a Liverpool team scoring as many goals as they have been.

Sam Allardyce is an under-rated manager when it comes to the tactical approach and I do think he can make Everton a little tougher, but he will also need time for his approach to really gel with the players. While it has looked good so far, Everton are still a team that lacks pace and defensively I am not sure they are good enough to soak up all of the pressure they will face on Sunday.

Allardyce will want to frustrate the home fans for as long as possible, and he did oversee a Crystal Palace win at Anfield in the latter stages of last season. However that Crystal Palace team had been under his guidance for a number of months by that point and it is going to be very difficult for Everton to nullify all of the threats Liverpool can call upon.

It would be a surprise if the four attacking players who tore apart Spartak Moscow are all not given another start in this one and the key for Everton will be to try and remain in the game in the first half. That is when Liverpool are at their most dangerous, especially the first thirty minutes, but all of the defensive injuries and lack of pace Everton have in the backline is hard to ignore.

I am expecting Liverpool to continue riding the momentum of recent games and they have beaten Everton in 3 of the last 4 at Anfield. All of those wins have come by at least a two goal margin and I think Liverpool will prove to be too good in this one too and I will look for The Reds to cover the Asian Handicap.


Manchester United v Manchester City Pick: The first Manchester derby of the season is a huge game for the two clubs involved and you have to think the majority of neutral fans out there will be in the unfamiliar position of wanting Manchester United to win this fixture. A Manchester City win would put them in firm control of the Premier League title, but a win for Manchester United may just give the fans a real title challenge in the months ahead.

The suspension of Paul Pogba is a huge blow for Manchester United, but there has to be encouragement from the recent Manchester City performances. Instead of sweeping away all competition in style, Manchester City have been pushed by Huddersfield Town, Feyenoord, Southampton and West Ham United and needed late goals to win all of those games.

Manchester City do have the ability to wear down opponents with their possession football and constant pressure trying to force mistakes from opponents. With David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne running the show it can be tough to contain Manchester City, but Manchester United have shown they have the ability to defend effectively when playing up to their level.

They will have to be better than they were at the Emirates Stadium last week when only a man of the match performance from David De Gea allowed Manchester United to leave with the three points. The counter attacking side of things was very efficient and Manchester United know they will get chances against this Manchester City backline, but giving up the same kind of chances they did against Arsenal will not be good news for the hosts.

I do think Jose Mourinho will play the three at the back system he has used in the last couple of away games at Watford and Arsenal. With Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young also looking to match the full backs I can see Manchester United using the likes of Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera to keep the pressure on David Silva and De Bruyne and prevent those two picking the passes that have unlocked defences.

It will be a tough test without Paul Pogba, but the likes of Anthony Martial, Jesse Lingard and Romelu Lukaku will give Manchester United a threat on the break. Defensively it will be all about concentration from the centre backs, but Manchester United are capable of doing that and I have to say I am really surprised that Manchester City are such strong favourites to win here.

I think it is hard to argue against Manchester United being a stronger defensive unit than the likes of Huddersfield Town, Southampton and West Ham United so I do think the Jose Mourinho tactics can work. The key will be to make sure the counter attack is as effective as it has been against Watford and Arsenal over the last couple of weeks and doing that should give Manchester United opportunities to hurt Manchester City too.

This is bound to be a tense game and I do see Manchester City having plenty of the ball and a lot of that will be around the 18 yard box, but Manchester United have the players to earn what would be considered the 'upset'. I will simply look for Manchester United to get a result here of any kind as Manchester City look short to win here in my opinion.

The first goal is going to be critical, but Huddersfield Town and West Ham United have managed that against Manchester City of late. If Manchester United can do the same, Jose Mourinho does know how to get a result and I will back the home team with a start on the Asian Handicap.

MY PICKS: Chelsea - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.82 Bet365 (2 Units)
Burnley-Watford Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.30 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Crystal Palace @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Huddersfield Town @ 2.75 Boyle Sports (1 Unit)
Tottenham Hotspur - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Southampton-Arsenal Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Liverpool - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Manchester United + 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.78 Bet Victor (2 Units)

December Update: 7-12, - 3.79 Units (30 Units Staked, - 12.63% Yield)

November Final: 30-26-1, + 8.10 Units (107 Units Staked, + 7.57% Yield)
October Final: 35-41-2, - 7 Units (152 Units Staked, - 4.61% Yield)
September Final: 28-30-3, + 2.06 Units (115 Units Staked, + 1.79% Yield)
August Final: 30-34, - 5.63 Units (108 Units Staked, - 5.21% Yield)

Season 2017/18 Update: 123-131-5, - 2.47 Units (482 Units Staked, - 0.5% Yield)