Tennis Picks 2026 (Tuesday 10th February)

In the Monday Tennis Picks, I mentioned that this is a really busy week of tennis with some big events to be played, but finding selections on Tuesday have proven to be a little more difficult than anticipated.

There are plenty of matches scheduled, but the stricter approach taken that has led to a solid return in 2025 and a positive start to 2026 has to be applied.

With all of that said, there are two Picks from the matches to be played at the WTA 1000 event in Doha as the Second Round is completed.

The Monday selections are yet to be completed at the time of writing, but the numbers to start the week will be updated and placed in this thread on Tuesday morning.

Linda Noskova - 4.5 games v Varvara Gracheva: One of the more surprising names in the top 20 of the World Rankings on the WTA Tour is Linda Noskova, but the 21 year old is improving as a player. She did reach the Quarter Final at the Australian Open in 2024 and the Fourth Round at Wimbledon last year, but the majority of her better work has been done below the Grand Slam level and that does mean there are some big Ranking points to be earned with strong efforts at the Majors.

That did not go to plan in Melbourne last month when Linda Noskova was beaten in the Third Round, although she did make some use of the her Seeding for a third Slam in a row.

Strong runs in Asian events after the US Open helped the young player improve her World Ranking and Linda Noskova arrived in Doha twelve months after entering the tournament as the World Number 33.

A convincing First Round win will have given Linda Noskova some confidence and her numbers are solid on the hard courts, even if they are far from spectacular. Importantly Noskova has tended to beat those players she should and has won thirteen of the sixteen matches played against those Ranked outside the top 50 on the hard courts over the last twelve months.

The first serve has been a big weapon for Linda Noskova in the majority of her hard court matches, as it was in the First Round win over Maya Joint, and she will need to use that shot to keep Varvara Gracheva at bay.

Early losses to Elina Svitolina and Elena Rybakina have made it a slow start to the season for the World Number 73, but she has come through two Qualifying matches and beaten Laura Siegemund in the First Round here in Doha. The performance level in the three wins here have been impressive, but Varvara Gracheva would be the first to admit that this is a different kind of test and the fact is that she has struggled to compete with the top players on this surface.

A losing record against top 50 Ranked opponents on the hard courts is one thing, but the numbers have taken a serious dent when Varvara Gracheva has had to face a top 20 Ranked opponent over the last twelve months. The serve becomes a vulnerability, while the 25 year old has really struggled to make enough impact on the return to put any significant scoreboard pressure on those opponents.

This has ultimately made it very difficult to remain competitive and the biggest shots in this match up should be from the Linda Noskova side of the court.

The spread is set in a slightly awkward line for someone with Noskova's inexperience to cover- in the last twelve months, Linda Noskova has had twelve hard court wins against players Ranked outside of the top 50 which have been in completed matches (one a mid-match retirement win) and she would have covered this line seven times.

There are times when a loss of concentration can see Noskova throw away games or sets, but the key here is serving well enough to just get through a couple of sticky moments. If she can get enough first serves in play, Linda Noskova should be able to keep Varvara Gracheva under the cosh and she has shown she can return well enough against those lower down the World Rankings to really get after the serve she will face in the Second Round.

Karolina Muchova - 3.5 games v Tereza Valentova: There is always some kind of pecking order in tennis and two players from the same nation will be well aware of where they stand in that order.

18 year old Tereza Valentova is making her way into the WTA Tour and she has entered the top 50 of the World Rankings, while she reached the Third Round at the Australian Open last month before losing to eventual Champion Elena Rybakina.

This is still the early stages of her career and that has meant Tereza Valentova has had to win a couple of Qualifiers to earn her spot in the main draw in Doha. However, all credit has to be given to the teenager for winning those two matches before crushing her way past Alexandra Eala in the First Round.

Being comfortable in the conditions will give Valentova an edge, but she is facing a well known figure in Czechia tennis circles and a current top 20 Ranked player.

Karolina Muchova has a win over Elena Rybakina under her belt, but that was in Brisbane rather than Melbourne, while the only two losses suffered on the hard courts in 2026 have been against Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff. The World Number 19 was a comfortable First Round winner here in Doha and Karolina Muchova has long been a consistent force on this surface, as well as having all court skills that makes her a tough out on the clay and grass courts too.

The serve is an important weapon for Karolina Muchova, while she is someone who can get up to the net and show off some of her volleying skills.

The real test here is whether Tereza Valentova can produce the level needed to take on one of the better players on the Tour and someone she would likely have followed as she was getting closer and closer to turning professional.

Tereza Valentova has played three hard court matches against top 20 Ranked opponents over the last twelve months and all have ended in relatively comfortable defeats. Two of those losses have been against Elena Rybakina, while the other has been against Madison Keys, but Valentova has a dangerous first serve and it will be important for her to get plenty of those into play to try and put some pressure on Karolina Muchova.

Another test will be getting a bit more out of the return of serve, but the youngster is still learning and this could be another somewhat painful lesson.

MY PICKS: Linda Noskova - 4.5 Games @ 2.05 William Hill (1 Unit)

Karolina Muchova - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Weekly Update: 4-2, + 1.86 Units (6 Units Staked, + 31% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Hamzah Sheeraz vs Liam Williams (February 10th)

Domestic action will take the lead this weekend for Boxing fans and there are a couple of cards being run by Queensberry and Matchroom promotions.

Both events are taking place in London and it is the Queensberry card headed up by Hamzah Sheeraz and Liam Williams which is going to potentially take a young star to the next level. That will be the hope, but Williams will know that this is his last chance to try and get back into the mix with the elite fighters at Middleweight having come up short previously.

A number of young fighters are hoping to show they are ready for the next step in their careers, but overlooking opponents can cause a slip and that can slow down any progress being made.

While these fights are not of the level we were hoping to see next week, they are solid events and will certainly have fans tuning in to see how prospects are developing.

Hamzah Sheeraz vs Liam Williams

There are a couple of young prospects coming through who were born in Slough, but Hamzah Sheeraz fights out of East London rather than his birthplace like Adam Azim.

Last weekend Azim continued his rise and this weekend it is Hamzah Sheeraz who gets the chance to impress as he continues pushing up the Middleweight Rankings.

He was fortunate to get away with some foul play against Bradley Skeete in 2021, but that was a fight at Light Middleweight and Sheeraz clearly felt his best would be seen at the Division above. The move has been rewarded with four straight wins and there is no doubt that he has looked very strong as he continues to grow into his body.

This is another step up for Hamzah Sheeraz as he goes up against Liam Williams, who has fought for a World Title previously.

It is a last chance opportunity for Liam Williams who suffered back to back defeats to Demetrius Andrade and Chris Eubank Jr and the Welshman has had just three Rounds in the last two years. The defeat to Andrade was spirited, but Liam Williams was dropped four times by Chris Eubank Jr and there are clear questions about his punch resistance ahead of a bout with an opponent who hits very hard.

Nobody has heard the bell for the Sixth Round against Hamzah Sheeraz since he moved into the Middleweight Division.

This is the toughest test Sheeraz will have had in the weight class, but the feeling is that Liam Williams has been selected at a time when the belief is that his best days are behind him and the resistance may not be anywhere near it once was.

Unlike Chris Eubank Jr or Demetrius Andrade, it is unlikely that a young, hungry, fresher fighter is going to take a backwards step if he has Williams in trouble. With the power that Hamzah Sheeraz continues to display, this feels like an opportunity for him to really make a statement as he moves closer to the mandatory position in both the WBO and WBC organisations.

There is a real belief behind Hamzah Sheeraz and how far he can go as a professional and he looks to be in the right Division with the void at the top of the Middleweight Rankings. Janibek AlimKhanuly looks to be the man to beat, but Queensberry have seen him at close hand when Denzel Bentley faced him and there is a confidence that Sheeraz is the man that can unseat the Unified Champion in the next eighteen months.

Winning impressively will give Hamzah Sheeraz an opportunity to call out some of the bigger names in the Division and he has the power to get the better of a veteran that should not be that hard to find.

Inactivity is always a disappointment to see and that has to be the only negative against Anthony Yarde who has shown he is capable of mixing with the very best in the Light Heavyweight Division.

However, he has not really backed up his position after pushing Artur Beterbiev harder than most and this is only his second fight in thirteen months since that great effort.

Bigger fights are on the horizon if reports are to be believed- both Callum Smith and Joshua Buatsi have been linked with Yarde- and he should be able to win this very early against an opponent who has mixed in the Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight Divisions. There is a big gap for Marko Nikolic to bridge and that looks incredibly unlikely against a big hitting opponent.

Masood Abdulah should have too much for Qais Ashfaq in a scheduled Ten Rounder and the former has shown he has Stoppage power since turning pro.

Of course Ashfaq has shown his own amateur pedigree as a pro, but he has not been able to hold a shot and Abdulah could finish this without the judges to really make a statement to domestic rivals.

There is also a big fight at the domestic level between Sam Noakes and Lewis Sylvester and both bring unbeaten records into the contest.

Headlines will be made by someone who is continuing to stop opponents as Noakes has been doing, but he will be aware of the qualities that Lewis Sylvester will bring to the ring.

Expect a lot of movement from the underdog, but Sam Noakes has shown he has the punch power to break through opponents and he can finish this one before halfway and then turn his attention to the some of the biggest domestic names in the Division.

The Matchroom card being put out this weekend is not quite up to the same level as the Queensberry one, but Craig Richards is making a long awaited return to the ring.

He should be able to beat Boris Crighton and shake off some ring rust as Spider tries to get back into the mix in the thriving Light Heavyweight Division. Solid performances against Dmitry Bivol and Joshua Buatsi have not been built upon as Craig Richards should have done, but a return early in 2024 should mean a lot more activity from him going forward.

The headliner is Reece Belotti taking on unbeaten Liam Dillon and it feels like the last chance for the former to really fulfil the kind of potential many believed he had.

Three wins in a row offers him a chance to add the British Title to his Commonwealth Featherweight Belt and Reece Belotti is the favourite after beating an unbeaten opponent in his last fight.

Liam Dillon has had a couple of tight wins and may not have the pop to keep Belotti from trucking forward.

It should be a decent main event and the chance for Reece Belotti to put together enough punches to force a Stoppage.

MY PICKS: Hamzah Sheeraz to Win Between 1-6 @ 3.75 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Anthony Yarde to Win Between 1-2 @ 2.20 Coral (2 Units)

Masood Abdulah to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.66 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Sam Noakes to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.87 William Hill (2 Units)

Reece Belotti to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.87 Bet365 (2 Units)

Boxing 2024: 5-9, + 0.81 Units (21 Units Staked, + 3.88% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2024 (Saturday 10th February)

Another week on the Tour is coming to an end with the six tournaments being played all crowning Champions at the end of the weekend.

The Tour is making its way through the Middle East with a number of stops and that does mean some of the tournaments of next week are beginning on Sunday. The WTA Doha event is the first 1000 event on that Tour, while the ATP Tour has an event in Rotterdam which is the first 500 event of the season, although that will begin on Monday.

What it does mean is that some of the top players on the Tour should be in action and that is underlined in Doha where eighteen of the top 20 WTA players are scheduled to play.

Only Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula are going to miss out, but it is a deep tournament beginning on Sunday.

The hope is that there will be a decent foundation on which to build this month when the tournaments of this week come to a conclusion.

It has been a mixed week for the Tennis Picks through to this point, but the hope is a decent end can be produced to end with a positive number as we look to begin the slow ascent out of the Australian Open hole.

Beatriz Haddad Maia - 1.5 games v Daria Kasatkina: The long Second Round match did not have any impact on Beatriz Haddad Maia in her Quarter Final win over Ons Jabeur.

She was helped by an out of sorts opponent, but Beatriz Haddad Maia will be heading into this Semi Final with plenty of confidence.

A match against Daria Kasatkina will always be challenging considering the amount of balls that the World Number 14 will get back into play. However, it has been an extremely mixed start to the season for Kasatkina, even if her best win and performance was in the Quarter Final on Friday when she crushed Sorana Cirstea for the loss of just two games.

Daria Kasatkina has to expect a lot more resistance in this match and she has lost both previous matches against Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Both were on the hard courts in 2023 and all four sets were won by the Brazilian, which will give Haddad Maia a considerable mental edge.

This should be close, but you have to give Beatriz Haddad Maia the edge with her power and serve likely to be key on the faster surfaces.

Daria Kasatkina will have to serve well to keep herself from being put under pressure, but too many second serves will end up being attacked and Beatriz Haddad Maia should have enough to reach the Final in Abu Dhabi.

Grigor Dimitrov - 2.5 games v Karen Khachanov: The disappointing defeat at the Australian Open is the only negative on the Grigor Dimitrov resume in the early part of the 2024 season.

He has won a hard court title and Grigor Dimitrov will feel he should have won his match at the Australian Open when going down to Nuno Borges in an upset.

We have not seen Dimitrov since that defeat, but he has returned in Marseille and has won two matches in strong fashion which will give him confidence. He will know that he needs to serve well to win this Semi Final against Karen Khachanov, especially if the World Number 18 continues to serve as well as he has been in his own two victories at this event.

Both players will feel there is an area of improvement that can be made when it comes to the return of serve, but Dimitrov has the edge in that department.

Wins in all three previous professional matches against Karen Khachanov will certainly help Grigor Dimitrov believe he has the tennis to win this Semi Final. The last of those wins was in Shanghai and Grigor Dimitrov has won six of the seven sets played against the Russian.

In those previous matches, Grigor Dimitrov has a massive edge on the service numbers and he can get the better of Karen Khachanov in this good looking Semi Final in Marseille.

Karolina Pliskova - 3.5 games v Harriet Dart: After coming through the Qualifiers and making a run into the Semi Final in Cluj, Harriet Dart will be back inside the top 100 of the World Rankings when the new list is released on Monday.

This is a positive for a player who has not really pushed on as far as she would have liked, although earning a spot in the Final will be a big challenge for Harriet Dart.

She has taken advantage of what has been a kind draw and only one of the wins has been earned against someone Ranked inside the top 100. That win was against someone Ranked higher than Karolina Pliskova right now, although the Czech player may feel she is on the road back to a more natural place in the World Rankings.

Winning the tournament would see Karolina Pliskova head back towards the top 50 of the World Rankings as injury and a loss of form has seen the World Ranking slump.

Karolina Pliskova has dominated her last two opponents after a tougher than expected First Round win and the confidence has to have grown.

The serve has always been a big weapon for Pliskova and it looks to be working this week, which will give her a chance to contain the threat Harriet Dart brings to the court.

It has been the key difference in their previous two meetings on the Tour, including last year in the Middle East, and the expectation is that Karolina Pliskova will be able to show the tennis that took her to World Number 1 in getting past her British opponent.

Sebastian Baez - 2.5 games v Luciano Darderi: These two players met in the Second Round in Cordoba twelve months ago and both players have improved their World Rankings since that match.

Sebastian Baez is still Ranked considerably higher than Luciano Darderi as they prepare to face off for a spot in the Final, but the home favourite will have plenty of respect for a Qualifier who has won a lot of matches to get to this stage of the tournament.

Being the defending Champion and having won two matches here will show that Sebastian Baez is very comfortable in his surroundings.

However, he will have to respect Luciano Darderi who has beaten consecutive top 60 Ranked opponents without dropping a set. Both Sebastian Ofner and Yannick Hanfmann are not Ranked as high as Baez, but they are solid wins for the 21 year old Italian who is edging closer to a first appearance in the top 100 of the World Rankings.

Like many from his home nation, Darderi is a comfortable clay court player and he has been playing at a really high level this week. It makes him dangerous, but Sebastian Baez is no slouch on the red dirt and he was a straight-forward winner when these two players met last year.

This match should be closer, but Sebastian Baez can still earn a win and a cover.

MY PICKS: Beatriz Haddad Maia - 1.5 Games @ 1.90 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Grigor Dimitrov - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Karolina Pliskova - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Sebastian Baez - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 7-6, - 0.76 Units (26 Units Staked, - 2.92% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2023 (February 10th)

The positive results largely continued on Thursday, although I am disappointed that Beatriz Haddad Maia could not have served out her match on two occasions in the second set.

That meant a 2-1 day for the Tennis Picks rather than the sweep, but I was perhaps fortunate to get away with the Daria Kasatkina selection and so just pleased to come away with a positive return.

I have only one Pick from Friday and that comes from the last of the Abu Dhabi Quarter Final matches scheduled to be played.

Veronika Kudermetova - 1.5 games v Liudmila Samsonova: We are down to the last eight in the WTA 500 event in Abu Dhabi and six of the players remaining in the draw are going to be inside the top 20 of the World Rankings when the new list is released next Monday.

Both Veronika Kudermetova and Liudmila Samsonova are either going to be at career best World Rankings or close to career best World Rankings with a strong end to the event in Abu Dhabi and that brings plenty of motivation to the court. I expect both players to also look ahead and feel they can have a real impact at Grand Slam level, even if both Veronika Kudermertova and Liudmila Samsonova had disappointing Second Round exits at the Australian Open.

Veronika Kudermetova is a top four Seed in Abu Dhabi and that meant she earned a Bye into the Second Round where she was a strong winner over Elise Mertens. Things have been tougher for Liudmila Samsonova who has had to win two matches this week, while the lower Ranked Russian player needed almost two and a half hours to beat Barbora Krejcikova in the Second Round on Thursday.

Winning in straight sets is a bonus, and it feels like Liudmila Samsonova has the stronger first serve of these two players. However, I have to give an edge to Veronika Kudermetova when it comes to protecting the second serve and she has shown a little more authority on the return on the hard courts, which could prove to be a key to the outcome of this Quarter Final.

I have to give a lot of credit to Liudmila Samsonova and the form she has shown when facing top 20 Ranked opponents on the hard courts over the last twelve months and she does hold a 4-1 record in those matches in that time span. That clearly underlines the progress that has been made by Samsonova to reach a career best World Ranking, but Veronika Kudermetova has shown she has plenty of toughness when facing the best players on the Tour on this surface.

Veronika Kudermetova has also won the last two matches against Liudmila Samsonova, including a victory in their sole hard court match back in 2021 at Indian Wells. That slight mental edge could prove to be decisive when it comes to the critical moments in this set and I think Kudermetova can find a way to edge past her compatriot and reach the Semi Final here with a cover of the mark.

MY PICKS: Veronika Kudermetova - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 5-3, + 2.26 Units (16 Units Staked, + 14.13% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 3 Picks 2021 (February 10th)

The First Round at the 2021 Australian Open was completed on Tuesday and there have only been a couple of real upsets so far in the event.

I do think that will change before we get into the second week, especially as players will build confidence the longer they go into the tournament, while some of the match rustiness may take a little longer to shake off completely.

Personally I am not that keen on seeing too many early upsets as it can take away some of the potentially huge matches we will get to see in the second week, but it is also good for the sport to have some uncertainty to encourage more people to tune in.

It is early, but the positives will be the solid start made through the first two days at the Australian Open for the Tennis Picks.

That is something to build upon, but I have been doing this for long enough to know it won't be all smooth sailing through the remainder of the Grand Slam. Hopefully the winning record from Day 1 and Day 2 can be extended at the start of the Second Round matches which begin on Wednesday.

Bianca Andreescu - 4.5 games v Su-Wei Hsieh: It would have been emotional for her fans, friends and family, but Bianca Andreescu couldn't hide her own feelings after winning her First Round match in three sets on Monday. The 2019 US Open Champion has not played since the end of that season as injuries caused a setback in her career, while Andreescu wasn't feeling comfortable enough to travel during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 anyway.

Regardless it will like a year has been lost for Bianca Andreescu who was as high as World Number 4 at the end of 2019- the pandemic has meant a change in the way the World Rankings will be generated in the immediate future and that has actually benefited Andreescu who comes into the Australian Open inside the top 10.

It is important for the Canadian to take advantage of that and that means producing plenty of wins in a short space of time to prevent a significant fall down the World Rankings. Bianca Andreescu pulled out of the warm up tournaments for precautionary reasons which would have been a worry to those who support her, but Andreescu looked good in winning in the First Round and will be looking to back that up.

This will be far from easy against Su-Wei Hsieh who had shown little appetite to develop as a Singles player until a surprising run to the Fourth Round at the Australian Open in 2018. It was the best run the South Korean had produced in a Singles tournament at a Grand Slam for ten years and she had regularly been an early loser in the majors, but in more recent times Su-Wei Hsieh has shown she can been an awkward customer as a Singles player.

She may have dropped back to Number 71 in the World Rankings, but the win over Tsvetana Pironkova in the First Round underlines the ability of Hsieh to frustrate opponents. Her game is one which throws in many slices and changes in speed and variation to try and bamboozle an opponent, but I would be surprised if Bianca Andreescu is overly concerned by what she sees from the other side of the court.

Su-Wei Hsieh's hard court numbers have been pretty average over the last thirteen months and in normal circumstances I would have expected Bianca Andreescu to be asked to cover at least one more game than the mark set for this Second Round match. That is taking into consideration the lack of competitive tennis the favourite would have been able to play, but Bianca Andreescu has some very strong numbers on the hard courts before the injury and she looked pretty good on Monday.

The big question will be how Andreescu is feeling the day after her first competitive match for fifteen months, but the opportunity in a Grand Slam to play every other day should help. In their sole previous meeting Bianca Andreescu was able to serve well enough to keep Su-Wei Hsieh under the cosh and I think she will be able to do that here.

Expect some good looking rallies to develop between two players that have most of the shots in their lockers, but I think Bianca Andreescu continues her comeback run with a good, solid win in the Second Round.

Marketa Vondrousova - 4.5 games v Rebecca Marino: You can't win a Grand Slam in the first week of the tournament, but you can go a long way to losing it if you spend unnecessary time on the court. That would be the negative view of Marketa Vondrousova's First Round win over Rebecca Peterson, but the Czech lefty looked on the brink of exiting the tournament before fighting back and turning things around having been a set and a break down.

She is a former Grand Slam Finalist having come up a little short at the French Open in 2019, but at 21 years old the best years are clearly in front of Marketa Vondrousova. This is the fourteenth Grand Slam that Vondrousova will be competing in, but she has only been beyond the Second Round twice and the development of a clearly improving player should see her improve that record across the board in the near future.

It can begin at the Australian Open this year and only injury has curtailed some of the obvious improvement that Marketa Vondrousova was making on the Tour. She missed the remainder of the 2019 season after a First Round exit at Wimbledon and the Covid-19 outbreak meant 2020 was far more uncertain for a player recovering from injury than for most others.

Getting more out of the first serve is important for Marketa Vondrousova if she is going to take significant steps on the hard courts, but this is a player who has more to come. I think she should be able to display some of the talent in this Second Round match and Vondrousova has tended to get the better of those players outside of the top 100 in the World Rankings when playing them on the hard courts.

In the Second Round the lefty takes on Rebecca Marino who is making a second comeback to the Tour- burnout was the reason Marino quoted for taking extended breaks from the Tennis Tour and at 30 years old she is perhaps more mature to deal with the pressures that are heaped on the shoulders of players. It also means it is a long road back for Marino who is outside the top 300 in the World Rankings, but this has already been a productive tournament with three Qualifying wins to enter the main draw and winning a First Round match.

Those have come against players much lower down the World Rankings than her opponent in the Second Round and the Canadian has historically struggled against top 50 players on the hard courts having produced a 3-12 record in those previous matches. Rebecca Marino has a decent serve which could give her a chance to put some pressure on Marketa Vondrousova, but the Canadian will need to make sure she gets plenty of first serves in play to keep that pressure on for long enough to earn the upset.

At this stage of her career I am not sure Rebecca Marino will be able to do that for long enough and it could see Marketa Vondrousova pull away after a competitive beginning.

Rebecca Marino just hasn't been used to playing at this level for a long time and it should mean a solid returner like Marketa Vondrousova is able to find the breaks of serve to cover the handicap set for this Second Round match.

Venus Williams - 4.5 games v Sara Errani: Two veterans meet in the Second Round in Melbourne having battled through tough First Round assignments. Venus Williams was the favourite to see off Kirsten Flipkens and moved through the gears in the second set to do so, while Sara Errani upset a Seeded opponent in three sets having dropped the first one.

The last time Venus Williams and Sara Errani met on the Tour came at the US Open in 2014 and it was a pretty remarkable match which saw the first two sets split with both winning 6-0. The Italian beat Venus for the first time that day in a final set tie-breaker and snapped her losing run to this opponent, but in the years since it is the seven time Grand Slam Champion who has kept her level relatively high.

Over the last fifteen months there have been signs that the best days are irreversibly gone, but Williams has played pretty well in the small sample of matches in 2021. The serve is no longer the weapon it once was, but Williams might be playing with some confidence after winning her First Round match and she is certainly not being matched up against a player in supreme form.

Sara Errani has won three Qualifying matches to enter the Australian Open, but she has fallen out of the top 100 in the World Rankings these days. The return of serve is the key for Errani, especially as her own serve has been extremely vulnerable throughout her career and even more so in the latter stages of it.

The competitor in Sara Errani has shown up when she has played against the better players on the Tour, although the numbers on the hard courts against top 100 Ranked opponents has shown that Errani has struggled behind the second serve in particular. Much of this match is going to depend on how much Sara Errani can get into the Venus Williams service games and whether she can use her defensive skills and energy around the court to extract mistakes from her older opponent.

Venus Williams has had some disappointing losses over the last thirteen months, but the draws have largely hindered her too with confidence perhaps not where it once was. The narrow loss to Petra Kvitova in the warm up to the Australian Open shows Venus Williams might still be able to produce enough quality to tennis to win a match like this one and the American should be ready for what she is going to face having played Kirsten Flipkens in the First Round.

I would not be surprised if there are a few breaks of serve in this match, but the majority should land in favour of Venus Williams and even the competitiveness of Sara Errani may not be enough for the veteran Italian to stay in touch with her throughout this match.

Novak Djokovic - 9.5 games v Frances Tiafoe: A number of the high profile players competing at the Australian Open looked very strong in the First Round, but the level of competition increases the further you go into a Grand Slam. Novak Djokovic will be well prepared to face that situation though and he will be very happy with his level after completely dismantling the Jeremy Chardy game in the First Round.

Novak Djokovic didn't give up a single break point and managed to break serve six times against an opponent he has dominated throughout their careers. Things will be different in the Second Round as he prepares to take on a young, athletic American in the form of Frances Tiafoe for the first time.

There is a lot to like about the Frances Tiafoe game and he does have the confidence that comes from a relatively easy First Round win, although the numbers suggest there is work to do if he is going to fulfil the potential he has. To really kick on from his Number 64 World Ranking, Frances Tiafoe has to develop across the board with his serve and return numbers being pretty average on the hard courts on which he would have grown up.

It is hard to make a case for the upset considering Tiafoe is just 3-15 against top 10 Ranked players on the hard courts and is 1-6 in Grand Slam matches against those opponents. He has held fewer than 70% of his service games in those Grand Slam matches and Frances Tiafoe is going to be more than a little aware of the kind of returning Novak Djokovic will be able to produce and especially so on the Melbourne courts on which he has thrived in his career.

If Novak Djokovic serves even close to the levels he was producing in the First Round it is going to be very difficult for Frances Tiafoe to compete over the best of five set format. Last year at the US Open Frances Tiafoe was dismantled by Daniil Medvedev, although he played a much closer match against the top Russian here in Melbourne.

However it was a day when Frances Tiafoe needed the inches to go his way and I think that is what he will need to even be competitive in this Second Round match. In the coming years Tiafoe might be operating at a higher level than he is at right now, but his serve is vulnerable and someone like Novak Djokovic is not going to want to spend more time than necessary on the court and the return game could lead to another comfortable win.

Stan Wawrinka - 1.5 sets v Marton Fucsovics: Recovering from injury and picking up some solid results has helped Stan Wawrinka move back inside the top 20 in the World Rankings, but he is someway away from the form that took him to Grand Slam wins in Melbourne, Paris and New York City. A solid win in the First Round will be encouraging for Stan Wawrinka, but he is going to need to be a little better when facing Marton Fucsovics who reached the Fourth Round last year.

Both players are solid hard court players but they operate in different ways to lead to successes- Wawrinka is the stronger server, but Fucsovics is the superior returner and I think that will lead to a good looking match as both players look to impose their game on the other.

A couple of wins in the preparation tournament for the Australian Open will give Stan Wawrinka further confidence and he is also benefiting from the fact that Marton Fucsovics had to play a long, tough match in the First Round that saw the Hungarian out on the court for over four hours.

It wasn't a really hot day on Monday, but it is still really difficult to recover from the length of time spent on court even with a day between matches. Much will depend on whether the energy will be sapped from the serve and Marton Fucsovics has had some troubles when facing Stan Wawrinka in the past.

These two players have met four times before and it is Stan Wawrinka who holds a 3-1 lead with the more important factor being a 3-0 lead on the hard courts. In each of the last three hard court matches between the players, Wawrinka has improved his returning numbers and he does have the edge when it comes to break percentage between the players.

The numbers have actually been pretty close despite the lead held by Stan Wawrinka, but I think the extra time spent on court by Marton Fucsovics will also be a factor in this match. When it comes down to it, both players will know that Wawrinka has tended to play the big points better than Fucsovics and I think that will lead to the higher Ranked player to come through in three or, more likely, four sets.

Emil Ruusuvuori - 1.5 sets v Pedro Martinez: Two young players who are Ranked in the 80s meet in the Second Round of the Australian Open and there are some major Ranking points on offer for the winner. Pedro Martinez upset Yoshihito Nishioka in the First Round, while Emil Ruusuvuori needed five sets to beat veteran Gael Monfils to get into this match and the biggest question for the latter may be how he responds to a long match.

He is young and I would expect the recovery to be strong for Emil Ruusuvuori who has the makings of a player that will be operating much higher up the World Rankings sooner rather than later. The Finnish player is also beginning to pick up his level when playing in the main ATP tournaments having had a really strong record in developmental tournaments and I do think he is going to feel pretty good about the match up.

The opponent is another young player looking to make his way on the professional Tour and Pedro Martinez has had some up and down moments when playing on the hard courts. In particular the serve has been vulnerable at this level and we saw some signs of that in the First Round win over Nishioka despite the fact he won the last three sets in that match 6-1 each time.

In 2020 Pedro Martinez held only 69% of the service games played on the hard courts, although he still managed to produce a 2-3 record in the five matches at main ATP level. All three defeats came against players that were Ranked inside the top 30 and I think that has to be respected, although Martinez has not had much joy playing against Emil Ruusuvuori.

These players have met twice before, once on the hard courts and once on the clay courts, and it is Emil Ruusuvuori who won both matches. It is perhaps no real surprise that Pedro Martinez has had some success in the return aspect in both matches, but Ruusuvuori has broken serve in 50% of the return games played and that is very hard to ignore.

It is harder to ignore when you think of some of the issues Martinez has had in protecting his serve on the hard courts and I am not too concerned that Emil Ruusuvuori only spent an extra hour on the court in his First Round win compared with his opponent in the Second Round. The feeling is that the Finn is the stronger hard court player and he can back that up by winning this match in three or four sets.

MY PICKS: Bianca Andreescu - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Marketa Vondrousova - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Venus Williams - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Novak Djokovic - 9.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Stan Wawrinka - 1.5 Sets @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Emil Ruusuvuori - 1.5 Sets @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Taylor Fritz @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Adrian Mannarino @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Alize Cornet + 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Bernarda Pera - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Elena Rybakina - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Australian Open 2021: 13-9, + 5.22 Units (44 Units Staked, + 11.86% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2020 (February 10th)

Much like the Australian Open, the first half of the latest set of tournaments proved to be very difficult for the Tennis Picks, but things were much better at the conclusion of the events being played in Cordoba, Montpellier and Pune.

A strong end to the week added some more profit to the start of the 2020 season and that can only be a good thing to have three weeks of Tennis Picks and ending with a profit each time.

It is a new game beginning on Monday with five tournaments running this week from Asia, through to Europe and onto North and South America. At this time of the season I do have to factor in travel time for players on the Tour and how they are scheduled to play, especially early on in tournaments when jet-lag is perhaps a real issue.

For most I think the sensible decisions will have been made in terms of tournament selection- the majority of players involved in Cordoba are likely to move on to Buenos Aires for the latest stop on the South American Golden Swing. The two tournaments being run by the WTA this week are not too far away from the Middle East where back to back big events are played in Dubai and Doha, although some of the players involved have been playing Fed Cup this past weekend and may need to adjust to the stops in Hua Hin and St Petersburg.

This week we also have the first ATP 500 event of the season in Rotterdam which has regularly brought together some top names from the Tour and the only event that really looks out of place is the relatively new New York Open. Only four players inside the top 50 of the World Rankings are due to play in New York this week and the majority of that field will likely head to Delray Beach next week so it makes sense for those involved to try and pick up some important Ranking points from what looks a pretty wide open field.


In this thread I will add the Tennis Picks from the Monday First Round matches that will be scheduled at all of the events being played. Usually this is one of the quieter days as many tournaments will carry Qualification matches over before really getting their main draw matches going on Tuesday.

I have also updated the season totals below following the completion of the tournaments played last week.

With events being played across four continents, some Picks will have to be added once the market has been formulated for the matches as was the case last week in Cordoba.

Let's hope for another positive week to keep the solid start to 2020 going and back up the 2018 and 2019 season profits.


Pablo Carreno Busta - 1.5 games v Adrian Mannarino: It has been a long time since Pablo Carreno Busta would have decided to take in a hard court tournament over clay court events being played at the same time, but that is the case in February. Instead of heading down to South America for their 'Golden Swing' leading into an ATP 500 event later this month, the Spaniard is out in Rotterdam having been beaten early in Montpellier last week.

Overall the hard court numbers over the last twelve months have been decent from Carreno Busta on this surface and actually stronger than the numbers he had produced on the hard courts. However it has to be said for the majority of his career he has been little more than a better than average player on the hard courts and so it remains a surprise that he would play in Europe rather than South America.

In saying that Pablo Carreno Busta is going to need to improve his return game if he is going to make it worth his while playing in indoor hard court tournaments. So far in 2020 it has been the return which has let the Spaniard down, but he might be able to have a little more joy when facing Frenchman Adrian Mannarino who has opened 2020 with a 1-4 record and was also beaten early in Montpellier last week.

Adrian Mannarino has a lefty serve which is always going to make him a little awkward for other players to deal with. Ultimately it is not as strong a serve as he would like though and it is a part of his game which can be attacked even when someone has been out of form on the return of serve as much as Pablo Carreno Busta has.

His return can be a strong part of his game though and I do think Mannarino will cause problems against the Pablo Carreno serve. Much is going to depend on which one of these players can get more out of what has been the stronger part of their game so far in 2020, although you have to believe there is more room for improvement for Carreno Busta on his twelve month numbers on the hard courts.

I do expect to see a close match, but my lean is towards Pablo Carreno Busta finding a way to have the better of the contest. Three sets being needed would not be a massive surprise, but Carreno Busta can still find a cover as the slight favourite going into this First Round match and I will look for him to do that.


Roberto Bautista Agut - 2.5 games v Marton Fucsovics: Winning one Qualifier has earned Marton Fucsovics his place in the main draw in Rotterdam this week as he continues to move back towards his career best World Ranking which was achieved eleven months ago. Earning a spot in the main draw has also continued a strong beginning to the 2020 season for Fucsovics who reached the Australian Open Fourth Round last month.

He will need to keep that going if he is going to upset Roberto Bautista Agut who has also made a very strong start to 2020. Unlike Marton Fucsovics, Bautista Agut may actually feel like he missed an opportunity to have a much better Australian Open than his Third Round exit turned out, but overall he has also looked like he has come into the season in fine form.

The Spaniard has played really well in the first month of the season, although you do have to be a little wary when a player has had a couple of weeks away from the Tour. That should not be a major issue for Bautista Agut considering Marton Fucsovics has only played the one match since his defeat to Roger Federer in Melbourne two weeks ago.

Marton Fucsovics has made a strong start to 2020, but his numbers have not been as strong as the results may indicate. He has been very good at taking the break point chances when they have come their way compared with 2019 and that is shown by a very minor increase in points won against serve leading to a lot more breaks of serve than it did last season.

Over the last twelve months Marton Fucsovics has been winning 60% of points behind serve and 40% on the return of serve which are fairly average numbers on the hard courts. I would expect someone like Roberto Bautista Agut to take advantage especially as his serve has tended to be a lot stronger than the one the Hungarian brings to the table.

The Spaniard has also been the more consistent return player on the hard courts and I expect that will show up on Monday in this First Round match. It could be a good looking match, but Roberto Bautista Agut looks like he could be the stronger player on the day and I will look for him to come through with a cover of this line.


Maria Sakkari - 3.5 games v Vitalia Diatchenko: The Fed Cup was played this past weekend which meant the WTA Tour had a short break between the end of the Australian Open and the start of the events this week. Both events being played this week have put together some solid fields and this one in St Petersburg will have a number of local favourite performing.

One of those is Vitalia Diatchenko who came through the Qualifiers to take her place in the main draw. She is heading back towards a career best World Ranking, but Diatchenko will also know there is a big step up from beating two players Ranked outside the top 100 and now having to compete with a player on the brink of cracking the top 20.

Maria Sakkari is perhaps better than her numbers may indicate and she has reached a career best Number 21 in the World Rankings having made the Fourth Round at the Australian Open. I still can't ignore the fact that Sakkari has some pretty average hard court numbers over the last couple of seasons, but the small sample from 2020 has suggested she could be improving.

The return game does need improving if the Greek player is going to beat the best players consistently and perhaps win some major titles, but her serve is decent and gives Maria Sakkari a chance. She has finished with a losing record on the hard courts in 2018 and 2019 which is a real issue, but the seven matches played in 2020 have seen slight improvement in the percentage of points won on both the first and second serve.

That is going to be key for her to stay in front of Vitalia Diatchenko who has struggled to protect her serve when it comes to main Tour events on the hard courts. The Russian has a 4-24 record on the hard courts when playing top 100 Ranked opponents and she has been beaten in thirteen straight matches in that situation.

These two players have met twice before on the hard courts and it is Maria Sakkari who has won both matches including in Adelaide last month. The Greek player dominated on serve that day and only a failure to take her chances on the break points made the match a little closer than it actually was.

Maria Sakkari should have the majority of chances in this one and I think she will be able to come through with a cover in this First Round match.

MY PICKS: Pablo Carreno Busta - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Roberto Bautista Agut - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Maria Sakkari - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Pablo Cuevas - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Steve Johnson @ 2.10 William Hill (2 Units)
Marcos Giron - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Season 2020: + 19.30 Units (197 Units Staked, + 9.80% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2019 (February 10th)

It has proven to be a decent, but not a spectacular week for the Tennis Picks.

The conclusion of the week comes on Sunday as the Fed Cup ties are completed while the Finals of the three ATP tournaments are also scheduled to be played.

Next week we move onto the first really big events outside of the Grand Slams with an ATP 500 tournament being played in Rotterdam, while the WTA Tour sees some of the biggest names in the sport competing in Doha. The tournaments in Doha and Dubai are big ones on the WTA Tour in February before both Tours meet up to play back to back Masters events at Indian Wells and Miami to complete the hard court season in the first half of the season.

Any selections from the ATP Cordoba event or the Australia-USA Fed Cup tie will be added to this thread on Sunday.


MY PICKS: Aryna Sabalenka - 5.5 Games @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Simona Halep @ 1.95 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Daniil Medvedev - 4.5 Games @ 2.20 Bet365 (2 Units)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Guido Pella - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Madison Keys @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 14-10, + 4.96 Units (48 Units Staked, + 10.33% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2018 (February 10th)

I am very much in the midst of 'man flu' which has left me achy and irritable, but I will survive I'm sure.

It does mean I am lacking a bit of energy to get my thoughts down for the Semi Final matches from the three ATP events that are coming to a conclusion this weekend before the first ATP 500 event in Rotterdam begins on Monday.

Friday started poorly, but it rounded out much better and hopefully Saturday can push on with these selections.

MY PICKS: David Goffin - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Stan Wawrinka - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Albert Ramos-Vinolas - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 4-1, + 4.92 Units (10 Units Staked, + 49.2% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks 2018 (February 10-12)

The Champions League and Europa League Knock Out Rounds begin this week and that means this is the time of the season when you have to begin considering the amount of rotation managers will decide on to keep players fresh for plenty of big games ahead.

At the moment you would think all of the top managers involved in both domestic and European matters are not going to look too far ahead, but it does pose the question as matches come thick and fast with the FA Cup next weekend and plenty of football to cram in before the final international break of the season in around five weeks time.

Keep an eye on press conferences and try and read between the lines about what managers are saying in the lead up to the weekend games, while team news will also be important when making your selections.

I don't have the luxury of waiting for team news for the picks on the thread and this is my selections for the weekend games to be played in the Premier League from Saturday through to Monday evening.

On Monday I should have the Champions League selections ready for the four ties to be played this week and I will add any Europa League Picks on Tuesday and Wednesday.


Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal Pick: The North London derby opens the Premier League weekend fixtures from Wembley Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

It is a big game between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal with the battle for the top four places in the Premier League heating up. Both teams earned positive results last weekend against Merseyside opposition as Arsenal hammered Everton at the Emirates Stadium before Tottenham Hotspur earned a solid 2-2 draw at Anfield on Sunday.

That means it is Tottenham Hotspur who are 4 points clear of Arsenal going into the final North London derby of the season. A win for the home team will almost certainly mean Arsenal have to pay full attention to the Europa League if they want to get back into the Champions League, but a win for Arsenal will open a big chance to reclaim their place in the top four of the Premier League having slipped out for the first time in a generation last season.

There is plenty of talent going out onto the field on Saturday and I think it will be a fascinating watch with both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal having a lot of attacking threats to pose against the other.

I do want to give the edge to Tottenham Hotspur in this fixture as they are playing in more familiar surroundings, although Arsenal have experienced a lot of success at Wembley Stadium in recent years to feel comfortable enough too. However I think the Tottenham Hotspur defensive shape is better than Arsenal's which should mean the Tottenham Hotspur attackers find a little more room for success in the final third.

Arsenal's away form has been very poor this season considering the standards the top teams in England have been setting. That is the main reason they are 5 points off the top four, and Arsenal have lost to both Liverpool and Manchester City away from home in the Premier League this season.

They did earn a draw at Chelsea in both the Premier League and League Cup, but Arsenal have been in poor form recently which has seen them lose at Bournemouth and Swansea City. Compare that to Tottenham Hotspur who have won 5 of their last 6 home Premier League games and have beaten Manchester United in their last League game here.

Tottenham Hotspur have also won 2 of their last 3 home League games against Arsenal and they led in the other game which was drawn 2-2. The Tottenham Hotspur players look to be playing with a little confidence in their last couple of games against teams in the top four and I think they can underline their status as the current top team in North London with a win over Arsenal at odds against.


Stoke City v Brighton Pick: Any Premier League game between teams in the bottom half of the table have huge ramifications at the moment with very little separating 12th placed West Ham United and 19th placed Huddersfield Town.

Both Brighton and Stoke City are occupying one of those places between The Hammers and The Terriers and both Chris Hughton and Paul Lambert will recognise the importance of the fixture.

There have been positive signs for both clubs over the last couple of weeks and even the 2-1 loss at Bournemouth last week for Stoke City came in a game where they had the chances to win the points. Now they return home where they have had back to back clean sheets under Lambert and picked up 4 points from a possible 6.

That will give Stoke City confidence to earn the points on offer on Saturday as Brighton have continued to struggle for goals away from the Amex Stadium. On the other hand, Brighton remain strong defensively for the most part and they will look to make life difficult for Stoke City, while recent draws at Newcastle United and Southampton show that Brighton can earn a positive result here.

I don't think there will be much between the teams, but I do think Stoke City have a little more in the final third which could prove critical to the outcome of the fixture. Brighton have to be respected having shown toughness away from home all season and so I will back the home team, but on the Asian Handicap which returns half the stake in the event of a draw.

I just feel Stoke City have gone back to basics defensively which can at least limit what Brighton are able to do, but it will come down to whether the home team have the confidence in the final third to take their own opportunities. Stoke City have been creating chances in their 3 games under Paul Lambert which will offer some encouragement to their fans and I think the home team will secure a narrow victory.


West Ham United v Watford Pick: It looks like the West Ham United injury list is beginning to clear up a little bit at the same time as Watford have to continue playing with limited resources after a deep injury list shows little sign of improving.

However Watford had a huge confidence boosting win over Chelsea on Monday night and that will give the players a shot in the arm after they had shown signs of slipping back into a relegation battle.

Losing Troy Deeney to a suspension would be tough to take, but Watford will feel they can play with a little more freedom at the London Stadium now they have put a little more distance between themselves and the bottom three.

That could make Watford dangerous even though they have struggled mightily on their travels in the last couple of months. Goals have been an issue for them after a fast start away from home, but Watford will feel they can create chances on Saturday against a West Ham United team who have been having some difficulties defensively.

On the other hand West Ham United have also shown they can continue to create chances even without the likes of Marko Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini pulling the strings for their team. The last 8 West Ham United games in the Premier League have seen both teams score and that is something that could easily continue this weekend with the way they have struggled defensively and now facing a Watford team who don't do a lot of clean sheets.

While a point will keep things ticking over for West Ham United, I doubt that is something David Moyes will settle for considering the fixtures still to come for The Hammers. Both teams should be able to produce chances in this fixture and the last couple of games between West Ham United and Watford in East London have produced fireworks.

My concern for Watford is they have not scored in 4 of their last 5 away games in all competitions and potentially have Deeney ruled out on Saturday. However the performance against Chelsea on Monday night should have given them a huge boost and I will look for at least three goals to be shared out by these teams this weekend.


Manchester City v Leicester City Pick: There won't be a lot of love lost between Manchester City and Leicester City on Saturday when they meet in the Premier League. Manchester City have to be frustrated that they were not able to sign Riyad Mahrez, but the Leicester City decision to reject the bid has basically seen Mahrez go on strike.

That means neither team will have his services on Saturday in the Premier League but I imagine the Leicester City players will be highly motivated to show they can compete with Manchester City and show Mahrez what he is missing.

However Leicester City have not played well without one of their key players and have lost at Everton and drawn with Swansea City since Mahrez has walked away from his team-mates. There is still some pace which can cause Manchester City problems and Leicester City will look to counter attack against a team who can show defensive vulnerabilities at times.

Recently Leicester City played really well at Stamford Bridge in a goalless draw and they also led at Anfield before losing 2-1 to Liverpool, but this may be an even bigger test for them. Manchester City have looked very good in recent weeks and 11 straight home wins means they come into this one with plenty of confidence even after drawing 1-1 at Burnley last weekend.

The side dominated that game and it is hard to think Manchester City will be as complacent in front of goal as they were that day. At the Etihad Stadium Manchester City do take their chances and they have scored three or more goals in 6 of their last 7 here in all competitions.

The layers have got the Asian Handicap right on the money for this one and I do respect Leicester City for their performances at the big clubs so far this season. Claude Puel has made Leicester City tough to beat, and I do think they can frustrate Manchester City for some time but eventually the pressure is likely to tell.

Backing Manchester City to win by either two or three goals looks at odds against looks a decent price to me. Only 1 of their last 14 games at home have been won by more than a three goal margin, while 4 of their last 5 home Premier League games have been won by two or three goal margins.

With Leicester City showing some toughness away from home, I would be surprised if they are completely overrun by a Manchester City team missing the likes of Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus. However I do think Leicester City will have some difficulties containing the home team and I will look for Manchester City to win by one of those margins at odds against.


Huddersfield Town v Bournemouth Pick: There is a triple header of live games from the Premier League on Sunday and both Huddersfield Town and Bournemouth may have circled this fixture as one they can win.

Out of the two teams, Bournemouth have really picked up their form in recent weeks which has moved them into the top half of the Premier League table. Back to back wins over Chelsea and Stoke City will have given Bournemouth a lot of confidence and they head to a Huddersfield Town team who have lost 5 straight Premier League games as they have slipped into the bottom three.

There have been some problems for Huddersfield Town defensively which have put the team under more pressure, but they have also shown they can be more effective going forward against those teams in and around them. That may not be where Bournemouth stand now, but David Wagner is likely to have a very positive approach to this fixture especially if he really believes Huddersfield Town can survive in the top flight.

Huddersfield Town will feel they can get after a Bournemouth team who have looked vulnerable defensively, but they will also be put under pressure by a team who have shown attacking intent.

Bournemouth have scored at least twice in 6 of their last 7 games in the Premier League, while they have only kept a single clean sheet in their last 13 League games. Recent Huddersfield Town games have also produced goals and 3 of their last 5 at home have featured three or more goals and I think the layers could be caught out with their odds against quotes for at least three goals to be scored on Sunday morning.

You have to think Bournemouth will play the same way they always do under Eddie Howe while I believe Huddersfield Town will take a few more risks in this one with a vital three points on the line. If it is 1-1 late in the game then I wouldn't be surprised if both teams settle for a point, but I think there is enough reason to back at least three goals to be scored at a big, appealing price in this one.


Newcastle United v Manchester United Pick: The second of the live games in the Premier League comes at the end of an emotional week for Manchester United fans around the globe.

The 60th Anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster was remembered on Tuesday, but the players have had plenty of time to recharge the batteries with seven days off between Premier League games.

The fixture at St James' Park is a big one for Manchester United who have been set the goal of finishing 2nd in the League table by manager Jose Mourinho. The top four battle looks like one that could go down to the wire so Manchester United can't afford too many slips with the resumption of the Champions League meaning games will be coming thick and fast in the weeks ahead.

This week is a better one for Manchester United as they won't be back in action until next Saturday in the FA Cup and they have been playing very well away from home which is why they come in as strong favourites. 5 wins from 6 away Premier League games is a very good return, but Manchester United saw that run snapped last time out as they were beaten comfortably at Tottenham Hotspur.

Manchester United will feel they can get back to winning ways when visiting a Newcastle United team who have struggled to turn draws into wins in recent weeks. They have led against Burnley and Crystal Palace but barely held on for draws, while Newcastle United have not won any of 8 home games in the Premier League.

The pressure could be on if two of Stoke City, Swansea City or Huddersfield Town have won home League games played before this one kicks off as that would mean the fans are behind a team inside the relegation zone. It could easily see them turn on Mike Ashley again, while the players have struggled to create a lot of chances in games which is going to be underlined in a fixture like this one.

Rafa Benitez will look to make Newcastle United tough to beat and well organised which could be a problem for Manchester United. However special players like Alexis Sanchez and Anthony Martial can break down those teams as shown when Manchester United won 0-1 at Burnley and a strong defensive shape of their own should give Manchester United the edge.

Newcastle United have hosted Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester City in the Premier League and lost a couple of those games. They weren't blown away in any of those games with Benitez making sure Newcastle United were tough to beat and I can see another tight defeat here.

Manchester United haven't been scoring a lot of goals in recent weeks so I can't imagine them winning by three or more goals. You can back Manchester United to win by one or two goal margins which come together to give you an odds against quote and I do like Manchester United to do that here.

I considered backing Manchester United to win to nil at a very big price, but Newcastle United can be dangerous going forward from set pieces and so simply looking for Manchester United to record a narrow win at odds against is appealing.

Only 1 away League win has come by more than a two goal margin, so I will dutch one and two goal margins of victory for an odds against quote on the Manchester United win here.


Southampton v Liverpool Pick: The last of the triple header live games from the Premier League comes from St Mary's as both Southampton and Liverpool search for key points at the bottom and top of the Premier League respectively.

It should be a decent game of football with both teams arguably better going forward than they have shown defensively. Southampton have both scored and conceded in their last 7 home Premier League games and they will feel their best chance of upsetting Liverpool is to get after a vulnerable defence that has conceded plenty of goals on their travels.

The key will be finding the balance between attack and defence as Southampton won't want to leave too many spaces for a pacy Liverpool front line to exploit. That has been tough for Southampton at times, but they have drawn with the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at St Mary's in recent weeks to suggest they can challenge Liverpool.

I also do have to wonder if Liverpool are hitting a poor patch of form like they did twelve months ago around this time of the season. They have had 1 win from their last 4 games in all competitions and looked outclassed by Tottenham Hotspur in a 2-2 draw at Anfield last Sunday.

However they continue to pose some danger going forward and Liverpool are a side who have scored plenty of away goals throughout this season. I think they will still have a little too much for Southampton in this Premier League game with the way the home team have been playing recently although I can see a few goals being shared out too.

8 of the last 9 Liverpool away games have featured at least three goals shared out and they have been on the winning side more often than not. With Southampton both scoring and conceding in a number of League games in a row at St Mary's, I do think backing Liverpool to win a game featuring at least three goals is a big price.


Chelsea v West Brom Pick: The last time Chelsea played West Brom resulted in a comfortable win for Chelsea at The Hawthorns and saw West Brom decide to sack manager Tony Pulis.

With the pressure on Antonio Conte, there is a feeling that a West Brom win on Monday night in the Premier League may see Chelsea decide to sack their own manager and make Conte the third straight manager to win the Premier League title and be sacked before the end of the next season.

Recent Chelsea managers have also seen West Brom accountable for them losing their job at Stamford Bridge, but I would expect to see a reaction from the Chelsea players on Monday. While it feels as though they have given up on their manager like they did to Jose Mourinho, generally they have been tougher at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea should be well rested for this game having been given a few days to rest by the manager.

Chelsea had a long unbeaten record at Stamford Bridge come to an end in the 0-3 defeat to Bournemouth last time out here, but they are facing a West Brom team who have hit a couple of bad results. West Brom are also under immense pressure with a 4 point gap to safety at the start of the weekend and that could easily look a lot worse by the time this game kicks off.

That will mean the away team are also under a scrutiny to perform and that makes this a tougher game to get a read on.

The Asian Handicap looks right on the mark with a case that can be made for both teams, although I did consider taking West Brom with the start knowing the way Alan Pardew will have them lined up.

However the better option may be backing both teams to score- West Brom have shown a little more in the final third in recent games under Pardew and they will believe they can create chances against a Chelsea team who have conceded seven goals in 2 Premier League games.

Chelsea will also have their chances as they are likely to have Olivier Giroud leading the line in a system that suits their players a little more than when Eden Hazard is in a false nine position. As positive as some of the West Brom attacking play has been, this is a team who have conceded plenty of goals under Pardew and backing both teams to score at odds against looks a very appealing price.

MY PICKS: Tottenham Hotspur @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)
Stoke City - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.87 Bet365 (2 Units)
West Ham United-Watford Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester City to Win by 2 or 3 Goals @ 2.22 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Huddersfield Town-Bournemouth Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.30 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester United to Win by 1 or 2 Goals @ 2.02 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Liverpool to Win & Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.60 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Chelsea-West Brom Both Teams to Score @ 2.05 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)