Australian Open Tennis Day 4 Picks 2026 (Wednesday 21st January)

Day 3 proved to be a little more difficult with the selections going 1-2, but the numbers are decent enough through the First Round.

The Australian Open will settle down from here with the Second Round played over two days and moving into a format much more familiar to the fans.

Of course it is nice to hear the majority of the top players have moved through the First Round, but the challenges will begin to get tougher and tougher.

Conditions have not been an issue so far at the tournament, but Melbourne does tend to get very hot and that will be an issue later in the week and early into next week- for now, most players should be comfortable, although the wind and potential rainy conditions late into Day 4 could be a factor.

After a couple of 'quieter' days, the selections from Day 4 can be read below with six Picks made.

Tommy Paul - 7.5 games v Thiago Agustin Tirante: Three years ago he made the Semi Final here in Melbourne and Tommy Paul was able to work his way through to the Quarter Final last year. He won his First Round match in the 2026 tournament with something to spare and the American looks good to make it through to the Third Round again.

Six months ago, Tommy Paul was inside the top 10 of the World Rankings, but he begins this event as the World Number 20 after a relatively quiet second half of the 2025 season.

A run to the Adelaide Semi Final in the warm up to the Australian Open will have given Tommy Paul some confidence and he should have the quality of hard court tennis to beat this opponent.

Thiago Agustin Tirante may be most happy on a clay court, but he is just outside of the top 100 of the World Rankings after putting a solid year on the board on this surface.

However, the majority of those matches on the hard courts were played at Challenger or Qualifier level and this is a significant step upwards in terms of level of opponent. The serve could be an important weapon, although Tirante is facing someone who has been able to get into return games very effectively on this surface.

Tommy Paul has produced some very solid numbers against players Ranked outside the top 50 over the last twelve months- he has not only held 91% of service games played in those hard court matches, but Paul has broken in 27% of return games and he will look to put the pressure on Thiago Agustin Tirante in this one.

The break percentage moves up to 33% when only focusing on matches against players outside of the top 100 and Tommy Paul can back up the First Round win with a similar margin of victory.

Frances Tiafoe - 4.5 games v Francisco Comesana: He was able to roll through the gears after coming through a tight first set in the First Round, but Frances Tiafoe will know that he needs to be a lot better if he is going to have a serious impact in Melbourne.

Four of the last five appearances at the Australian Open have ended in the Second Round, but Frances Tiafoe has to look at this match as an opportunity.

His World Ranking has been slipping over the last several months and there is a danger that Frances Tiafoe will not be Seeded at Grand Slam events to be played in 2026. He is the Number 29 Seed at the Australian Open, but another early exit and then a couple of poor months on the Tour would push Frances Tiafoe into a position where he could end up facing top names right from the outset in a Major.

After winning in straight sets, Frances Tiafoe is taking on Francisco Comesana.

Like many playing out of South America, Francisco Comesana will spend the majority of his time playing clay court tennis and his hard court numbers have been steady, but unspectacular. Over the last twelve months, Comesana has really had a tough time when drawn against top 50 Ranked opponents and his service numbers have not been nearly as effective as they would need to be on a hard court.

Francisco Comesana is not playing an opponent who has the most consistent return on the Tour, but Frances Tiafoe may be able to begin to exert his control on the match the longer it goes.

This is what happened in the First Round and the World Number 34 might just be able to produce something similar as he looks to overcome the same spread as faced against Jason Kubler.

Alexander Zverev - 6.5 games v Alexandre Muller: This is the fourth time Alexander Zverev and Alexandre Muller will be facing one another in the last eighteen months and the second time they will be meeting in a Grand Slam played on the hard courts.

At the 2024 US Open, Alexander Zverev was able to wear down this opponent and the World Number 3 should be in control of this Second Round match, even if he can sometimes be a little too passive in his play.

Some will criticise Alexander Zverev for the slow start made against Gabriel Diallo, but that was a tough First Round match and by the end he was cruising past the Canadian. This time he will be facing an opponent who is actually Ranked lower than Diallo and the match up should be one that keeps Zverev relatively comfortable.

Alexandre Muller is getting the most out of his talent and has to be credited for his World Ranking, while he upset home hope Alexei Popyrin in the First Round. That is a win that deserves plenty of respect in a hostile atmosphere, but the Frenchman struggles on the return of serve and that will always make big wins that much harder to come.

That has been the case in the previous matches against Zverev with just 14% of return games ending in breaks of serve.

However, the most recent match saw Alexandre Muller upset Alexander Zverev on the clay courts of Hamburg and that will give the underdog some belief.

He has been stronger on the clay courts compared with the hard courts and the switch onto this surface should favour the World Number 3.

There will be moments that Alexandre Muller can roll through his service games, but the best of five set format clearly favours Alexander Zverev. A similar match to the First Round could end up developing with Zverev beginning to get a read on the Muller serve and that was the case when they played on the hard courts of New York City.

Focus will be the key for Alexander Zverev- as long as he avoids some sloppy moments, he should be the better player and can eventually make sure that shows on the final scoreboard.

Francisco Cerundolo - 5.5 games v Damir Dzumhur: He helped produce one of the winners on Day 1 at the Australian Open and Francisco Cerundolo may be worth backing to do the same with a similar level of dominance in the Second Round.

The tennis produced is pretty eye-pleasing and Cerundolo is comfortable on the hard courts.

The World Number 21 did not drop a set in the First Round win and Francisco Cerundolo is going to be very confident with this match up against a 33 year old who has been struggling to stay in the top 50 of the World Rankings.

Damir Dzumhur is the current World Number 66 and he had lost both matches played before a First Round win over a Qualifier.

He had a pretty average year on the hard courts in 2025 and Damir Dzumhur has really had issues over the last twelve months when he has faced the stronger players on the Tour. In that time, Dzumhur has lost seven of nine matches played on the hard courts against top 50 Ranked opponents and the serve has been very vulnerable in those matches with just 68% of those games ending in a hold of serve.

Someone like Francisco Cerundolo will want to use his aggression to get on top of that serve and really put Damir Dzumhur under pressure.

That was the case when they met at the Paris Masters on an indoor hard court at the end of the 2025 season and Francisco Cerundolo broke the Dzumhur serve five times in a two set win.

There is no doubt that Damir Dzumhur will have his moments of putting Francisco Cerundolo's serve under a bit of pressure and that is partly down to the aggressive, front foot tennis that the Argentinian player likes to produce. That kind of style will lead to some mistakes and Dzumhur has found breaks in 24% of return games played against Cerundolo.

However, he is yet to beat the higher Ranked player because Damir Dzumhur has won just 50% of points played behind his own serve and he has been broken in 52% of service games played. This is a number that will keep anyone under pressure and Francisco Cerundolo looks ready to move through to the Third Round at the Australian Open behind another solid victory.

The First Round win means Francisco Cerundolo has won ten of the twelve hard court matches played against opponents Ranked outside of the top 50 over the last twelve months.

In those, Francisco Cerundolo has held 78% of service games played and broken in 25% of return games and he should be able to maintain his dominance over this opponent by covering the spread on his way through to the next Round.

MY PICKS: Tommy Paul - 7.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Frances Tiafoe - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 6.5 Games @ 1.61 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Francisco Cerundolo - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Victoria Mboko - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Elina Svitolina - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 7-4, + 3.80 Units (22 Units Staked, + 17.27% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 10 Picks 2025 (Tuesday 21st January)

The Quarter Finals are set to begin on Day 10 at the Australian Open and there is little doubt that the last match heading out onto the court is the one that most fans will be looking forward to seeing.

That doesn't mean the rest of the schedule can be ignored and there are players in the current World's top three who are looking to back up their Seeding by booking a spot in the final four.

The selections from Day 10 can be read below and there is also the update to the tournament totals after another decent day to keep the number ticking in a positive direction.

Coco Gauff - 4.5 games v Paula Badosa: The winner of this one will be expecting two time defending Australian Open Champion to be waiting in the Semi Final, but this is a tough Quarter Final for both Coco Gauff and Paula Badosa and deserves full focus.

It helps that they are going on before the other Quarter Final scheduled for Day 10 at the 2025 tournament and any match featuring two of the current top 12 in the World Rankings should bring in plenty of fans.

In the live WTA Rankings, Coco Gauff is pretty well set as the World Number 3, but Paula Badosa will almost certainly end the tournament as a top 10 Ranked player if she can reach the Semi Final. That brings extra motivation to the court for the Spaniard, who has had a difficult twelve months in terms of consistency and remaining healthy, but Paula Badosa is looking stronger on the court right now.

There wasn't much encouragement from the performances in the warm up events, but Paula Badosa has played well through the first four Rounds in Melbourne. The run includes a win over World Number 18 Marta Kostyuk, albeit in her toughest match of the tournament so far, and the Ukrainian is the highest Ranked player either of these Quarter Finalists have had to face.

It should give Paula Badosa confidence, but Coco Gauff is one of the stronger hard court players on the WTA Tour and the American looks to be peaking at the right time.

The first serve is very effective, when it lands, and Coco Gauff has the edge between these two players when it comes to the return. The key to the match may actually be the Paula Badosa second serve, which has been really well looked after at the Australian Open this year, and it may be the battle on those points that determines the direction of the match.

These players are very familiar with one another and this is the seventh match on the Tour with the most recent won in three sets by Coco Gauff on the hard courts of Beijing. The World Number 3's second serve has been exploited by Paula Badosa, but it is also telling that Coco Gauff has been able to really get her teeth into the Badosa service games and that may be the difference between them here.

Where Coco Gauff may expect to get a few more cheaper points behind the first serve, Paula Badosa may have to battle to protect her serve regardless of whether the first or second serve is in play. In that match in Beijing, Coco Gauff created 20 Break Points compared with 10 for Paula Badosa and the feeling is that the higher Ranked player can build scoreboard pressure in this Quarter Final too.

Credit has to be given to Paula Badosa for pushing that match in Beijing into a deciding set and she is a very capable performer on the hard courts.

However, the consistency of Coco Gauff may just prove to be too much and she may end up finding the breaks of serve that put her in a position to reach yet another Grand Slam Semi Final and with a cover of this spread too.

Carlos Alcaraz - 1.5 sets v Novak Djokovic: As soon as the draw was made for the Men's Singles event at the Australian Open, fans would have immediately have been thinking ahead to this potential Quarter Final.

Both Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz have produced some very strong tennis to make their way through the Australian Open draw with little fuss and that should mean there are no excuses at either side of the net when it comes to the final outcome of this big match.

Barring a win, Novak Djokovic is in danger of actually dropping in the World Rankings, but that is a number that no longer concerns the Serb. The only number of note for Novak Djokovic is 25 as he looks to move ahead of every single player who has played previously in numbers of Grand Slam titles won.

A ten time Champion in Australia, some believe this tournament and Wimbledon remain Djokovic's most likely places to add to his amazing Grand Slam total. He may believe differently, but Novak Djokovic has something to prove after failing to win a Grand Slam in 2024 and only making one Final over the course of the year, even if he did win Olympic Gold in Paris.

He has never been beaten on the hard courts by Carlos Alcaraz having won their two matches in 2023, but the 21 year old is getting stronger all the time.

Confidence is not an issue for Carlos Alcaraz who has made it clear how much he wants to win the Australian Open to complete his Grand Slam set and preparation looks to have been perfect for him. Wins have been achieved over Novak Djokovic in the very biggest spots- two Wimbledon Finals- but there is still a massive test in facing the former World Number 1 and especially here in Melbourne.

Last year Jannik Sinner swatted away the Novak Djokovic challenge in four sets in the Semi Final here at the Australian Open, but this match is expected to be much tougher for Carlos Alcaraz with Djokovic looking stronger than he did twelve months ago.

Both are serving at an incredible level in the tournament and there is no doubt the importance of maintaining those numbers, while Carlos Alcaraz may feel he has the edge as far as the return goes. That might be the difference when you look at the numbers at the Australian Open, but also a look at how Novak Djokovic has performed behind his strongest shot over the last twelve months on this surface.

Novak Djokovic only facing a top 10 Ranked opponent for the third time on the hard courts over the last twelve months and it should be noted that he has struggled on his return in the other two matches. That is obviously a ridiculously small sample from which to make sweeping statements, but the feeling is that Andy Murray has been employed as a Coach to perhaps help improve that.

Over the same time span, Carlos Alcaraz has played top 10 Ranked opponents nine times on the hard courts and he has won seven of those matches. The two defeats were at the Tour Finals when Alcaraz admitted he was suffering with some kind of illness, but overall he has shown himself capable of stepping up against the elite of the Tour and winning more often than not on this surface.

In those matches, the service numbers dip slightly, which is not a surprise, but Carlos Alcaraz has maintained a very strong return game.

This is a big Quarter Final from a mental point of view for the current World Number 3, but Carlos Alcaraz has shown he has the strength to pass the test and he may just do so in impressive fashion against a dominant former Champion.

Alexander Zverev - 1.5 sets v Tommy Paul: The World Number 2 Alexander Zverev has made his way through the Australian Open without too many issues and he will be quite glad with the way has worked out for him. Of course there are still tougher tests ahead, but the focus for Alexander Zverev will be trying to win this match without exerting all of his energy and then hoping Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz drag each other into a battle that lasts hours.

Overlooking Tommy Paul and believing the World Number 11 can be beaten without full focus would be a mistake, but Alexander Zverev should not lack focus having been beaten by this opponent in both previous matches on the Tour.

Both have been victories for Tommy Paul on the hard courts too, while he was Ranked at Number 66 and Number 39 when winning those matches.

He is a much more confident player in 2025 than he was in March 2022 when last facing Alexander Zverev and Tommy Paul has looked strong at the Australian Open after a battle to win his First Round match. After dropping the opening set in the Second Round, Tommy Paul has won nine straight sets in the tournament and he has dropped more than two games within any of those sets twice.

Tommy Paul will want to have a more consistent impact at the Grand Slams to really push on and this is just his third Quarter Final- he was a Semi Finalist in Melbourne two years ago and reached the Wimbledon Quarter Final last year, but it has been a chore for the American to merely make the second week at a Slam.

The level being produced by Tommy Paul is impressive and he is going to be dangerous if he continues to be as productive on the return as he has been in the tournament. Solid movement and an ability to turn defence into attack has made Tommy Paul one of the better return players on the hard courts, but he will be well aware of the kind of serving that Alexander Zverev is putting together at this opening Grand Slam of 2025.

The German has been dominant behind the shot, although he has been broken twice in each of the last two Rounds. Despite that, Alexander Zverev is winning almost 73% of the points played behind serve, which has led to 92% of service games being held and it could be that shot that contains the threat posed by the lower Ranked opponent.

It is a Quarter Final that looks like it will be a battle and the numbers produced by Alexander Zverev and Tommy Paul against top ten Ranked opponents over the last twelve months on the hard courts have been similar. The World Number 2 has been the better server in those matches, but Tommy Paul has been the superior returner and it does feel like the Alexander Zverev games will be where this match is one or lost.

If Alexander Zverev is serving as he has throughout this tournament, it could be tough for Tommy Paul who is perhaps not as battle tested as he would have liked. The American deserves a lot of respect for his abilities on the court, but the feeling is that Alexander Zverev may just edge some of the most important points with an ability to get out of a jam behind big serving and that can lead him through to the Semi Final with a win in likely four sets.

MY PICKS: Coco Gauff - 4.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Carlos Alcaraz - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 1.5 Sets @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 23-8, + 20.42 Units (59 Units Staked, + 34.61% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 8 Picks 2024 (Sunday 21st January)

Make no mistake, it is getting absolutely boring to start every day wondering whether the luck will ever change.

It says plenty that Tommy Paul would get to Match Points (x 2) to win the match in the fourth set and give the page a winning selection, but instead he misses out and another loser has to be placed on the record.

A lot of the British media will want to praise Cameron Norrie, but Casper Ruud has to be feeling absolutely sick that he was beaten in that match. After coming through a second set Tie-Breaker, having already dominated the Break Points that were created in splitting the first two sets, Casper Ruud took a break lead in the third set.

I wish I could say it was a surprise, but Ruud, who had faced just a single Break Point in the previous two and a half sets then decided it was time to start throwing away serve like it was going out of fashion.

One thing is getting things wrong, but another all together when momentum is lost within matches in the most unbelievable way.

If you're dominating on serve and have all of the momentum, it is hard to know how the match swings so wildly again, but that has been a feature of this tournament. How many times can I write about matches that looked to be moving exactly in the direction predicted, but then being blown wildly off course without any real idea as to why that has happened?

Players suddenly being unable to break, or throwing away serve having barely been threatened is impossible to predict, and it continues to be the absolute pits of a tournament as far as predictions go.

One remarkable factor I've noted is the amount of players I've picked who have lost the first Break and then gone on to lose the First Set. Even Hubert Hurkacz has to come from a set behind to win his match in four sets and you do have to wonder whether it is going to change.

You might think adjustments are needed if Picks have been wildly off the mark, but the reality is this tournament would have had a massively different look if not for the outrageous lack of luck that has been with those selections. You always need luck, no matter how much you can analyse a pick, but that has been missing by a wide margin and led to the worst Grand Slam result on these pages by a considerable distance.

Jannik Sinner - 6.5 games v Karen Khachanov: Memories of the way he wilted against this opponent at the US Open in September 2020 will not likely have faded, but Jannik Sinner is a considerably better player in January 2024.

He was the World Number 74 and Jannik Sinner had led Karen Khachanov 2-0 in sets, but won just two games in the next two sets before losing a final set Tie-Breaker. And Jannik Sinner will point out that he did beat Khachanov twice on the hard courts in 2021 to prove he has what it takes to win a big Fourth Round match at the Australian Open.

While Jannik Sinner has breezed through the first three Rounds without breaking much of a sweat, it has been harder work for Karen Khachanov. The World Number 15 has needed four sets in each of his three wins, but he is a former Semi Finalist at the US Open and Karen Khachanov reached the last four in Melbourne twelve months ago before losing in four competitive sets against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The serve is clearly a big weapon for Karen Khachanov and he is aggressive enough on the return to believe he can give any opponent difficulty. He took several months off after losing to Novak Djokovic in the French Open Quarter Final, and Khachanov returned at the US Open before embarking on some decent runs in hard court events played in the back end of 2023.

Karen Khachanov will feel the pressure is on Jannik Sinner, but he has found it tough to play top 20 Ranked opponents on the hard courts over the last twelve months. It also should be noted that Khachanov faced 17 Break Points compared with creating just 5 in his Third Round match and that level needs to be improved significantly when facing someone of the quality of Jannik Sinner.

The Italian has not had the consistent impact at the Grand Slam level that his talent should have done, but he should be fresh mentally and physically after coasting through the first three Rounds. It may have left Jannik Sinner a little undercooked with the level of opponent picking up significantly, but there is no doubting the qualities of a player that has a 19-6 record against top 20 Ranked opponents on the hard courts over a twelve month period.

Unsurprisingly the service numbers do decline against the best players on the Tour, but Sinner is still holding 85% of games played, which is superior to Karen Khachanov's 83% mark. The biggest difference is on the return with Jannik Sinner breaking in 23% of return games against top 20 Ranked opponents compared with 11% for his opponent.

In their two most recent matches, Jannik Sinner had a slight edge on the returning numbers, but that gap should have widened now. He can beat the 2023 Semi Finalist and he can cover this wide mark, even if the Italian needs four sets to move through to a second Quarter Final in Melbourne.

Andrey Rublev - 1.5 games v Alex De Minaur: We have not had a men's Australian Finalist at their home Grand Slam since Lleyton Hewitt finished Runner Up in 2005 and there has not been a home male winner since 1976. That means home representatives tend to play with a huge amount of expectation on their shoulders and it is Alex De Minaur who has to hold them all as the sole Aussie left in the men's draw.

The home crowd will definitely give him a lift and Alex De Minaur has started 2024 in strong form, which will have raised expectations. He has had little trouble moving through the first three Rounds, and he has reached the Fourth Round at the Australian Open for the third year in a row.

Jannik Sinner ended the run in 2022 and Novak Djokovic did that in 2023 as Alex De Minaur chases his first Quarter Final run in Melbourne. He did reach the Quarter Final at the US Open in September 2020, but De Minaur has failed to do that again and now faces an opponent who has regularly made the last eight at Grand Slams.

Controlling emotion is going to be key for Andrey Rublev, especially in what is expected to be an intense, electric atmosphere. He has to be aware that the fans are going to be very much against him, but Rublev has won seven sets in a row in the tournament, while he has won all seven matches played in 2024.

Andrey Rublev will be chasing a spot in the Australian Open Quarter Final for the third time in four years, while also looking to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam for the sixth time in seven outings. Consistency has kept him amongst the elite of the ATP Tour, although another significant test is likely to await as Rublev looks to reach a Grand Slam Semi Final for the first time.

Overlooking Alex De Minaur would be a mistake, but it is also unlikely.

The Australian has a winning record against Andrey Rublev, including being 3-1 on the hard courts against him. Two of those wins were back in 2018, but Alex De Minaur beat Andrey Rublev with minimum fuss on an indoor court in Rotterdam back in February 2023.

However, Andrey Rublev is likely to have picked up a lot of confidence from coming from a set down to beat De Minaur at the Paris Masters at the back end of 2023. It was an impressive win and one that may give Andrey Rublev a slight edge, mentally, in this big Fourth Round match.

The numbers are similar to open 2024 with both players serving really well and backing that up on the return of serve. Alex De Minaur has perhaps been the more composed when the Break Points have come up, while he has also had better successes when facing top 10 Ranked opponents compared with his opponent.

Andrey Rublev is just 1-7 against top 10 Ranked players on the hard courts, but it does feel like there is an inferiority complex when he has faced the likes of Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev. The numbers remain incredibly strong when facing players Ranked below him and that may give Andrey Rublev a narrow edge in this good looking Fourth Round clash.

You have to respect the fact that Alex De Minaur does tend to play up to the level of opponent and he has a 9-6 record on the hard courts over the last twelve months when facing a player Ranked higher than himself. However, the numbers do decline significantly and Andrey Rublev may do enough to come through in four or perhaps even five competitive sets.

Taylor Fritz v Stefanos Tsitsipas: Reaching back to back Quarter Finals at Grand Slam events for the first time may give Taylor Fritz plenty of confidence to take into the rest of the calendar year. This may not sound like the biggest achievement for someone who has long led the way for American men's tennis, but Taylor Fritz has struggled to put it together in the best of five set format.

The Australian Open has been a case of what might have been- Taylor Fritz lost to eventual winner Novak Djokovic in 2021 in the Third Round, but was the stronger player in the five set defeat. A year later he was beaten in the Fifth Set by Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Fourth Round and it is the Greek player who stands in his way again.

It has been a decent tournament for Stefanos Tsitsipas who has tended to play his best tennis in the first half of the season. He has reached eight Quarter Finals and all of those have been either at the Australian Open or French Open, while Tsitsipas has only made the second week twice in all of his appearances at Wimbledon and the US Open combined.

Stefanos Tsitsipas will always get a lot of support in Melbourne from the local Greek community and he has used that to fuel him to three Semi Finals and one Final at the Australian Open. Twelve months he came up short against Novak Djokovic, like many others, and the three wins on the board in the tournament will have given him plenty of confidence.

He was perhaps a little fortunate to see off Jordan Thompson, but the other two wins have been largely stress-free and the experiences of winning big matches in Melbourne may give him the edge over Taylor Fritz. The fact that Stefanos Tsitsipas has won three of the four previous matches against Fritz, including one here, will increase his belief and he has yet to be beaten on a hard court by this opponent.

Of course Taylor Fritz should believe in his own ability having really been the better player in the five set loss to Tsitsipas here, while he beat this opponent on his favoured clay courts in Monte Carlo last year. The two losses were very early in the career and the American has dominated his last two opponents in the draw after a tough opener when Taylor Fritz needed to go the distance.

Playing against top 10 Ranked opponents on the surface has been difficult for Taylor Fritz over the last year, but this is a decent enough match up for him.

Much depends on serving well and putting Stefanos Tsitsipas under pressure as Jordan Thompson did in the Second Round and we have seen enough from Taylor Fritz to believe he can do that. That was key to pushing Tsitsipas all the way in their previous Australian Open match, although winning will mean Taylor Fritz has been stronger when the Break Points come his way.

He was wasteful in the Third Round win and cannot afford to do that against the stronger players on the Tour.

Taylor Fritz has had the edge when it comes to the return numbers on the hard courts, but this should be another tight, competitive match between the two players.

The chances should largely fall in favour of Taylor Fritz and he may have a bit too much for Stefanos Tsitsipas, who has only just returned after injury. Jordan Thompson showed the blueprint for a big server to beat Tsitsipas, but Taylor Fritz has a bit more quality in his all around tennis compared with the Australian and that can see the lower Ranked player move into the last eight.

MY PICKS: Jannik Sinner - 6.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 1.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Taylor Fritz @ 2.20 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Mirra Andreeva - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Aryna Sabalenka - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 14-38, - 52.12 Units (104 Units Staked, - 50.12% Yield)

NFL Divisional Round PlayOff Picks 2023 (January 21-22)

It has been one of those weeks where life takes over and that means this thread is simply focusing on NFL Picks from the four Divisional Round games in the PlayOffs.

I think it could be a favourites weekend as you will be able to read below.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City Chiefs Pick: One of the biggest PlayOff comebacks has helped the Jacksonville Jaguars (10-8) reach the Divisional Round of the post-season. Backing that up will be the challenge for Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the team after the young Quarter Back recovered from a horrendous start against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Super Wild Card game last week.

It was Trevor Lawrence who led the recovery, but the four Interceptions thrown in the first half left the Jaguars chasing the game against the Chargers.

Doing that against the Number 1 Seed in the AFC would be a much taller mountain to climb for the Jacksonville Jaguars as they prepare to visit the Kansas City Chiefs (14-3), a team who have had two weeks to prepare for this game. Everyone knows how strong Andy Reid has been as a Head Coach with time to set his team up for a game and the Kansas City Chiefs are very experienced in the PlayOffs.

This should mean any lead is managed better than the Los Angeles Chargers managed in the Super Wild Card Round and the Kansas City Chiefs piled up some huge numbers in a double digit win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the regular season.

They have nor provided much bulletin board material despite the big win over the Jaguars and Patrick Mahomes believes he is facing a much stronger team than the one he carved up before. However, I do think Mahomes is playing at a strong level and his Offensive unit have plenty of weapons even though they moved Tyreek Hill in the last off-season.

Some of the explosiveness has gone, but there are still some fast Receiving options here, while Travis Kelce could have a really strong game. The Chiefs are capable of establishing the run, but Head Coach Andy Reid seems to get board of that game plan and that should mean another gram watching Patrick Mahomes slinging the ball around the field.

It certainly helps that Patrick Mahomes is capable of moving around in the pocket to buy himself time when pressure has come, while the Offensive Line have also played really well. I think we will see the Quarter Back finding his skill players down the field and the spread is very going to come down to whether the Jaguars can pick themselves from an emotional win and go again.

This is never easy, especially not against a rested Number 1 Seed, but I do think Trevor Lawrence will have some success.

The Quarter Back could get some support from Travis Etienne running the ball and that will open things up for Lawrence as he looks to secure another upset in the PlayOffs. Establishing the run will also slow down the Kansas City pass rush and offer Trevor Lawrence the chance to use play-action to get into a position to take his shots down the field.

You have to credit how both of these Defensive units have played down the stretch, but I do think Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs can pull away for another big PlayOff win.

They piled up huge numbers against the Jaguars in the regular season and won by double digits despite giving the ball away three times and also allowing Jacksonville to secure an onside kick.

Those extra possessions did not help the Jaguars stay with the Chiefs and I think a cleaner effort from Kansas City should put them in a position to avoid any backdoor cover.

I don't think Trevor Lawrence will begin this game as poorly as he did the Super Wild Card Round game, and I do think the Jaguars are fun to watch on this side of the ball. The Kansas City Chiefs have not really been a team that have been successful covering the spreads in each passing week, but they look capable of finding the plays to do that here.

New York Giants @ Philadelphia Eagles Pick: Two wins in the regular season has given the Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) the mental edge over their NFC East rivals the New York Giants (10-7-1). Beating any team three times in a single season is tough, but the rested Number 1 Seed in the NFC are the clear favourites to beat this rival once again.

The two week break for the Philadelphia Eagles looks to have come at a good time and they look so much healthier than they did before Week 18. Jalen Hurts is the obvious name when it comes to players with improved health, but the return of Lane Johnson is huge for the Offensive Line and I do think the Eagles will come with a real statement to make.

They will have to respect the New York Giants who deservedly upset the Minnesota Vikings in the Super Wild Card Round, although both of those teams are not as good as hyped up. New York are playing well, but this is a significant step up in level of competition and they were pretty well beaten when hosting the Eagles in the regular season.

You cannot read too much into the Week 18 game as the Giants were resting starters and the Eagles looked to take their foot off the gas when holding a big lead.

With the team looking strong, Philadelphia should be able to move the ball against the Giants Defensive unit, despite the improvement made by the latter. Having Jalen Hurts back at Quarter Back makes the rushing attack that much more effective for the Eagles and I do think they will be able to keep the team in third and manageable spots throughout this game.

Receivers like AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith give Jalen Hurts tremendous players to throw to and Dallas Goedert is another threat- with the Quarter Back capable of running out of the RPO, the Eagles should have the balance to keep the chains moving and having the Giants second guessing what to expect.

That puts all the pressure on the Offensive unit to try and keep the New York Giants competitive and Daniel Jones is coming off an appearance that is likely going to make him a very rich player in the years ahead. He does have a healthy Saquon Barkley behind him, but there is no doubt that the Giants are facing a much more confident Defensive team than the one they beat in Minnesota.

Perhaps New York will try to run the ball through Jones and Barkley, but this Eagles Defensive Line has been refortified and I think they will want to test the Quarter Back and his makeshift Receivers and see if they can keep the Giants in this Divisional Round game.

Once again the Giants cannot expect Daniel Jones to have the passing lanes he had last week against the Minnesota Vikings and throwing against this Philadelphia Secondary from obvious passing positions or situations is very difficult. The Eagles produce a fierce pass rush and they have some top players in the Defensive Backs positions to back up the rushers up front by locking down the Receivers facing up against them.

Daniel Jones will make some plays, but the Eagles should have a bit too much overall on both sides of the ball and they can pull away for a win and a cover.

I have to acknowledge how well the Giants have played in Philadelphia in recent years and they are 5-1 against the spread in their last six visits. They could easily secure the backdoor cover if the Eagles begin playing prevent Defense late in the game, but I like the Number 1 Seed to make a statement and win this one by double digits.

The Eagles are rested and looking healthy as they bid for a Super Bowl run and I think they can open their post-season with a solid win in the Divisional Round before hosting the NFC Championship Game next week.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Buffalo Bills Pick: This is officially going to be the game most remember for the first between Joe Burrow and Josh Allen after the really emotional way the regular season game had to be curtailed. Damar Hamlin is on the long road to recovery after suffering on the field late in the season, but the Cincinnati Bengals (13-4) and Buffalo Bills (14-3) will be focusing on trying to reach the AFC Championship Game having won tighter than expected home games in the Super Wild Card Round last week.

This time the teams will be meeting Buffalo where snow could potentially be a factor on Sunday. Conditions are cold as expected, but it should not be too windy and I think both Quarter Backs will be confident that the passing game will be able to operate as they would like.

As we have come to expect in the post-season, the running attack is the key for any team and I think that is particularly important for both teams in what should be the best game of the weekend.

Opponents have tended to allow the Bills running lanes in a bid to quieten down the passing attack over the course of the season, but that has not really worked that effectively. Establishing the run opens things up for the pass and Josh Allen is a Quarter Back who is happy to take what the Defensive schemes give him and he is capable of getting the ball out of his hands quickly, or pick up First Downs with his legs.

The Bills should be able to run the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals, who are a middling run Defense, and they have players capable of breaking a big play or two on the ground. This should make things a little more comfortable for Josh Allen, especially as the Quarter Back has been a little more generous with his throws of late with key Interceptions leaving points on the board.

Josh Allen will also have a little more time in the pocket if his team are in third and manageable and that is also really important considering some of the pass protection breakdowns we have seen in recent games. Scrambling away from pressure will help, but third and manageable opens up the passing options and the Buffalo Bills should be able to move the ball through the air against this Cincinnati Secondary, especially with the skill players Buffalo have.

I expect Buffalo to have Offensive successes, but it may be a little more difficult for Joe Burrow and company. In the limited time on the field in their regular season game, Burrow and the Bengals were moving the ball pretty well, but injuries to the Offensive Line have decimated this unit and that is very difficult to overcome, regardless of how good your Quarter Back and skill players may be.

Once again the Bengals are going to be facing a Defensive Line that have clamped down on the run and forced teams to try and beat them through the air. It is unlikely that either Joe Mixon or Samaje Perine are able to have a lot of joy pounding the rock behind this makeshift Offensive Line and that could make things very dangerous for the Bengals.

This is also where the injuries on the Offensive Line means the depth of the Bengals is tested and being in third and long and hoping the pass protection holds up is going to be a huge challenge for Joe Burrow and the team. Von Miller may not be around, but the Bills still generate pressure up front and they have enough players on the Defensive Line that will feel they can break into the backfield past the second string Offensive Line players in front of them and put Joe Burrow under immense pressure.

An increasingly healthy Secondary is also capable of locking down Receivers with the pass rush getting to the Quarter Back and I think this could be the end of the line for Cincinnati.

No one will doubt this is a big line considering what we have seen from Joe Burrow in his time with LSU and Cincinnati, but the Offensive Line looks broken and that makes it very hard to imagine the Bengals having any consistent success. They don't have the same Offensive balance as the Buffalo Bills are likely to have and I think the home team will be able to win this by around a Touchdown mark.

The Bills have not been a very good home team to back of late, but the sharp money looks to be behind them and I will back Buffalo to reach the AFC Championship Game, which will either be hosted by the Bills or played on a neutral field if Kansas City win on Saturday.

Dallas Cowboys @ San Francisco 49ers Pick: For the first time in the NFL PlayOffs, we will have had a Monday Night Football game in Super Wild Card Round- the question we all have to find out the answer to is how will a team react to what is ultimately a short week between PlayOff games?

The Dallas Cowboys (13-5) are the team facing that situation as they head to the San Francisco 49ers (14-4) for this Divisional Round game on Sunday afternoon. Last season it was the 49ers who upset Dallas as the road underdog, but this time they are favoured at home and San Francisco benefit from having two days more preparation time than the Cowboys.

A win at Tampa Bay was impressive, but the Buccaneers have not performed well throughout the 2022 season and this is a significantly tougher test for the Dallas Cowboys. Now they have to face a 49ers team coming in off a blow out and one that has won eleven in a row since a Week 7 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Brock Purdy has come in and managed the Offensive unit well enough, although all the credit has to be given to Head Coach Kyle Shanahan who has made sure his young Quarter Back is being put in a very strong position on the field. The 49ers are not asking their rookie to throw into tight windows, but simply getting the ball out of Brock Purdy's hands as quickly as possibly and making sure the skill players are in space to pick up plenty of yards after the catch.

This is going to be the toughest Defensive unit that Brock Purdy has seen in his short time in the starting role at Quarter Back, but I do think the 49ers match up pretty well with the Cowboys overall. Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell have been very good at establishing the run behind this strong San Francisco Offensive Line and I expect those two Running Backs to get plenty of touches in this one.

Out of the two, Christian McCaffrey also provides a threat leaking out of the backfield, while Deebo Samuel is another the 49ers will use to carry the ball as they use a lot of misdirection to keep Defensive Lines guessing.

Moving the ball this way should make it easier for Brock Purdy to get the ball out to his Wide Receivers and I do think the San Francisco 49ers will find a way to get things moving against a strong Dallas Defensive unit.

There should also be a confidence in the Dallas Offensive unit after Dak Prescott's huge game in Tampa Bay- the Quarter Back was rarely bothered after the first couple of series and Prescott will be looking to pick up from where he left off.

However, Dak Prescott and the passing game is really sparked by the ability of the Cowboys to run the ball and this is going to be the pressing concern for Dallas on Sunday. The Buccaneers Defensive Line is one that is in the middle of the pack when it comes to stopping the run, but there aren't many better than the 49ers and I do think they can find a way to clamp down on Ezekiel Elliot and Tony Pollard.

The latter is likely to be important as a safety blanket in the passing game, but Dak Prescott playing behind the chains is going to be a tough challenge for a Quarter Back who has been guilty of plenty of turnovers before the win over Tampa Bay in the Super Wild Card Round.

This will mean the Cowboys Offensive Line is going to be dealing with the huge amount of pressure that San Francisco can get up front, but Prescott has to be encouraged by one or two holes that have been evident in the 49ers Secondary. The problem is trying to exploit those from third and long situations and I think the game plan run by Dallas is going to make it difficult for them to have any consistent success and especially not on a short week.

Turnovers are going to be a huge part of any NFL game, but those are magnified in the PlayOffs and I do think Dak Prescott is likely to make more mistakes than Brock Purdy. The 49ers have been well coached and will put their Quarter Back in a stronger position overall and this should make the difference in the big game on Sunday.

San Francisco are 12-2 against the spread in their last fourteen home games, while the Dallas Cowboys are just 4-9 against the spread when playing on Sunday following a Monday Night Football outing.

Despite the win over Tampa Bay, I cannot ignore the fact that Dallas have not been as strong on the road and in outdoor conditions and I think it will lead to a late drive that sees San Francisco win and cover this line.

The Cowboys did beat San Francisco on the road when they last met in a game hosted by the 49ers in 2017, but that's not really going to be relevant to the players on Divisional Round Weekend in 2023.

A narrow win for the 49ers over Dallas last season in the PlayOffs is a game that could be on the mind of those involved on Sunday and I think a narrow San Francisco win and cover is most likely, possibly with a late Dak Prescott Interception making the difference on the day.

MY PICKS: Kansas City Chiefs - 9 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Philadelphia Eagles - 7.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Buffalo Bills - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

San Francisco 49ers - 4 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Australian Open Tennis Day 6 Picks 2023 (January 21st)

Day 6 at the Australian Open sees the completion of the Third Round and we will be set for the business end of the tournament.

Upsets continue to be seen throughout both draws, but that should make for an exciting end to the opening Grand Slam of the season with a number of players 'expecting' to win the title.

As we move further into the draw, the quality of the matches should also continue to improve.

The Tennis Picks from Day 5 were largely successful and once again the numbers are moving in a positive direction.

There is still a lot of work to do to have a winning event, but I am happy with the way the opening week has gone as long as I can round off with another productive day on Saturday.

Novak Djokovic - 6.5 games v Grigor Dimitrov: There is an obvious concern with the Novak Djokovic hamstring issue that was seen in the Second Round and something that had been a problem heading into the Australian Open, but the nine time Champion in Melbourne has remained in the tournament. That is more than some of the other players around him that have also been affected by injury problems and Novak Djokovic will have had a day of rest to try and manage his condition.

The draw is only going to get tougher from here on out and Novak Djokovic will next be faced by Grigor Dimitrov.

The veteran of the Tour has opened 2023 playing in superb form and that includes Grigor Dimitrov taking Stefanos Tsitsipas to three sets at the United Cup earlier in the month. He has completely overrun the two opponents played at Melbourne Park, although Dimitrov will know full well of the challenge in front of him having lost nine of ten matches played against Novak Djokovic, including all six played on the hard courts.

Grigor Dimitrov has found a way to be competitive at times and that is not a surprise considering the talent he has, but Novak Djokovic has dominated the numbers overall and only the hamstring complaint will potentially hold back the former World Number 1.

Any hopes of an upset may depend on how well Grigor Dimitrov serves- he has only faced a single Break Point in the tournament and has yet to drop serve, which has contributed in freeing up the arm when it comes to the return. Serving as well as that against Novak Djokovic is a huge challenge for any player considering the Serb is arguably the best return player of all time, and in their head to head matches it has been the return that has put Dimitrov under immense pressure.

Like his opponent, Novak Djokovic has yet to drop serve this week too and he won the tournament in Adelaide while losing his serve just three times. This is a completely underrated part of the Djokovic game and I think he will put himself in a position to secure a good looking win as long as his hamstring holds up.

I think he will manage it well enough to do that and Novak Djokovic has held 88% of his service games played against Grigor Dimitrov on a hard court compared with the 69% mark for the Bulgarian.

Over the last twelve months, Grigor Dimitrov has found the top 10 Ranked players too hot to handle on the hard courts and his numbers have reflected that having produced a 1-4 record against those opponents on this surface. He has suffered some pretty one-sided defeats in that time and his return has not been good enough to put pressure on the best players on the Tour and I think something similar will occur in this Third Round match.

Novak Djokovic's fans will be concerned with his injury and how he will manage it, but he has shown in Australia before that he has almost superhuman powers of recovery and mental strength to overcome physical challenges and still win this Grand Slam title. I think he takes another step towards a tenth Grand Slam title in Melbourne with a strong win against a talented opponent who has not really reached the level many would have predicted for him.

Roberto Bautista Agut - 5.5 games v Andy Murray: I am 0-2 on Andy Murray matches this week, although I am still not sure how he managed to fight back from two sets down and beat Thanasi Kokkinakis in the Second Round. That match lasted almost six hours and finished at a ridiculous time in the early hours of Friday morning and I simply do not know how Murray will be ready to compete in the Third Round.

One match alone lasting that length of time would be hard enough to deal with, but 35 year old Andy Murray with a metal hip needed almost five hours to win his First Round match. Some players won't have spent almost eleven hours on the court through the first week and I think it is a mammoth challenge for Andy Murray to prepare physically and emotionally for this match.

He is playing a veteran who also needed to fight back from two sets down in the Second Round, but Roberto Bautista Agut managed to turn things in his favour and win that match in under three hours. The win over a Qualifier has continued the Spaniard's strong start to 2023 and Roberto Bautista Agut remains a consistent threat, which is going to test Andy Murray's resolve to the fullest.

While he could play aggressive tennis against Kokkinakis and Matteo Berrettini, rallies could be much longer and gruelling against someone like Roberto Bautista Agut and I think that is going to be too much for Andy Murray to handle.

These two actually met here in Melbourne in 2019 in the First Round just days after Andy Murray hinted at retirement and it was Roberto Bautista Agut who came through in five sets in a match that lasted over four hours. The Spaniard blew a two set lead that day before rallying in the Fifth Set, but Roberto Bautista Agut has dominated the two matches they have played against one another since then and should have really won that match in Australia in 2019 in much more straight-forward fashion.

In the three matches beginning with the Australian Open meeting in 2019, Roberto Bautista Agut has won 95% of the service games played against Andy Murray compared with 65% for the British player. He beat Murray in straight sets on an indoor court in Basel a little over three months ago and I do think the consistency and the willingness to spend as long as he needs on the court will make this a step too far for Andy Murray.

This is a big handicap mark for Roberto Bautista Agut to cover and I would not have been touching it at this line if Andy Murray had not had other factors going against him. He looked shattered at the end of the Second Round match and I am not sure there is much left in the tank to push the World Number 25 for long enough to stay with him.

Even the additional time of being placed on the Night Session may not be enough recovery time for Andy Murray and I will look for Roberto Bautista Agut to end his run in Melbourne for the second time in five years.

MY PICKS: Novak Djokovic - 6.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Roberto Bautista Agut - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Holger Rune - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Alex De Minaur - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)

JJ Wolf - 1.5 Sets @ 1.66 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Tommy Paul - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Karolina Pliskova - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Shuai Zhang - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Aryna Sabalenka - 5.5 Games @ 2.20 Bet365 (2 Units)

Marketa Vondrousova - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 22-16, + 5.56 Units (76 Units Staked, + 7.32% Yield)

Australian Open Tennis Day 5 Picks 2022 (January 21st)

It has been one of those days when I have not really had the time to write out a fuller post for the Australian Open Day 5 Picks as I would have liked.

Instead you can see my selections from the Third Round matches to be played on Friday below.

I have also updated the tournament totals after the most inconsistent day of the Australian Open as far as the Tennis Picks go anyway.

MY PICKS: Lorenzo Sonego - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Gael Monfils - 7.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Pablo Carreno Busta - 1.5 Sets @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Karen Khachanov + 6.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Barbora Krejcikova - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Victoria Azarenka - 4.5 Games @ 1.95 Coral (2 Units)

Madison Keys - 4.5 Games @ 1.70 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Australian Open Update: 23-13, + 12.30 Units (72 Units Staked, + 17.08% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (January 21-23)

This is the last really short turnaround in the Premier League this season and that limited gap between two rounds of Fantasy Football rounds can be massively unhelpful.

More on that later, but beforehand you can see my Picks from the latest round of games to be played.


Aston Villa v Watford Pick: When teams separated by a relegation side are meeting in any League it is going to be a big game and it is no different in the Premier League when Aston Villa in 18th place host Watford in 17th place. Games are beginning to run down now and so both teams will understand the importance of the fixture and a tense evening could be in the offing at Villa Park.

Tense is one thing, but neither Aston Villa nor Watford have to have a lot of belief in the way they have been defending to think they can sit in and perhaps play for a point. In all honesty a point is not the greatest result for either club who will see games like this one as very important to earn the three points that can begin to build a significant gap to the bottom three.

Aston Villa have been decent enough going forward even without Wesley to lead the line and they will feel they can get something from this Watford defence that has offered up one or two big chances per game.

However Watford have also looked a lot better going forward since Nigel Pearson took over as manager and an in-form Troy Deeney will feel he can bully Aston Villa much like he did in the home win over them at the end of December. It was Deeney's missed penalty that cost Watford the three points in the goalless draw with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, but the overall performance was very good and keeping those levels up will make them hard to beat.

The visitors are actually the slight favourites here, but Aston Villa have won 5 of their last 9 games here in all competitions and played well enough at Brighton to deserve respect. It does feel like a fixture that could easily end up 2-1 either way and the chances that both teams have been creating and allowing in recent games makes backing over 2.5 goals look the play.


Bournemouth v Brighton Pick: All the signs are pointing to Bournemouth being a prime relegation contender, but one win on Tuesday will shift the entire mindset of this club. That is what makes this a difficult fixture to predict and especially more so when you think of how poorly Brighton have travelled for much of the season.

The Seagulls are also coming off a disappointing 1-1 home draw with Aston Villa and they are very much in the relegation dogfight too.

So while I can understand why Brighton are favourites, I don't think their away form makes them a team I would want to back. On the other hand Bournemouth look short of confidence and have been decimated by injuries which makes them unappealing and I do think there are better options out there this midweek.


Crystal Palace v Southampton Pick: Both Crystal Palace and Southampton have to be pretty happy with the way their seasons are shaping up in the Premier League and both will believe they can win a fixture like this one.

Both put in big efforts on Saturday as Crystal Palace fought back for a point at Manchester City at the same time as Southampton were blowing a 2-0 lead over Wolves in an eventual 2-3 home defeat.

The short turnaround is a concern and both managers have accepted this is the last really difficult moment of the seasons for them when the fixtures come thick and fast. Crystal Palace will have ten days off after this game and then will soon join the first ever Winter Break in the English top flight, but the injury list is a long one and Crystal Palace have been struggling to turn draws into wins.

At the same time they have been very difficult to beat so there is a challenge for the in-form Southampton team who had won 5 of 6 before their 2-3 loss to Wolves. The Saints have won 3 in a row away from home and they have been scoring plenty of goals in recent games on their travels which makes them an interesting favourite here.

Add in the fact that Southampton have won on their last 2 visits to Selhurst Park and I think the visitors will have their backers, but Crystal Palace won't roll over for them. Roy Hodgson's team are well set up, and they have found goals even through their injury crisis and 4 of their last 5 Premier League games have ended with both teams finding the net.

That happened the first time these teams met this season and I can see that being the outcome of this one too.


Everton v Newcastle United Pick: The 1-1 draw at West Ham United might not have been the perfect result for Everton, but this is a team that continues to create chances and produce a lot of shots on goal under Carlo Ancelotti. Some will point out back to back 1-0 home wins as a sign that Everton are doing things in a different way, but they have created a lot of chances in both games against Burnley and Brighton and only a lack of composure in the final third has prevented Everton from winning by wider margins.

They should continue to create chances against a Newcastle United team that put in a huge effort to see off Chelsea on Saturday. Steve Bruce is finally being respected by the fans and this is a team that has proven they can be a stubborn one to face whether you visit them or host them.

Wolves found that out as they had to settle for a 1-1 home draw with Newcastle United despite having the majority of chances on the day. A stubborn team like The Magpies can't be allowed to hang around and build confidence one they dig in so the onus is on Everton to take the game to them.

I do think Newcastle United can cause one or two problems of their own, but the short turn from Saturday to Tuesday does work against them. They put in a big effort against Chelsea and the squad is already plenty stretched and I think Everton can take advantage even if both Richarlison and Gylfi Sigurdsson are absent again.

Everton have a good recent home history against Newcastle United and I think they can beat them here. They've created enough chances to believe they can win in a game featuring two or more goals and that is the play even if the last two games here have both ended 1-0.


Sheffield United v Manchester City Pick: The Premier League title race might be over if we are being realistic, but Manchester City can't allow malaise to set in if they are going to have a big season over the next several months. Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he expects his team to keep performing and putting points on the board, and I do think there are going to be one or two players who are going to have to prove to the manager that they can be a part of the long-term project here.

This is far from an easy game for Manchester City who beat Sheffield United 2-0 at home last month, but in a fixture where the visitors had plenty of good chances of their own.

Sheffield United have bounced back in their last 3 games during which time they have won twice and they are a team who will look to play their football against this vulnerable Manchester City defence.

On the other hand it will be difficult to contain Manchester City too considering they have scored two or more goals in 8 away games in a row. This is a team who create a lot of chances, but who have been let down by their poor defensive record and I think that may show up in this one too.

Manchester City have only had 2 clean sheets in their last 12 away games and that should give the home team an opportunity. It is almost impossible to imagine Manchester City failing to score so backing both teams to score looks the way to go with this one.


Chelsea v Arsenal Pick: The big Premier League game on Tuesday evening comes from West London as two clubs who will still be hoping to finish in the Champions League places meet for the second time this season.

Arsenal will be looking for revenge having blown a 1-0 lead against Chelsea in the eventual 1-2 defeat last month at the Emirates Stadium. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's absence is a bitter blow for Arsenal who have created chances under Mikel Arteta, but who have continued to struggle defensively.

Those issues at the back can be exploited by Chelsea even if they have perhaps struggled for consistency in the final third. Frank Lampard has been frustrated by the missed chances his team have had in recent games and there is talk of reinforcements being brought in to aid what is a very young squad of players.

Tammy Abraham has shown he can lead the line for Chelsea, but he is being asked to play a lot of minutes and I think it would help if Lampard was convinced by his other options. Christian Pulisic is injured which means Chelsea are relying on players to find some consistency that have yet to show they are there yet.

However Chelsea do create chances and I think they will be able to do that against this Arsenal team. The first goal will be key for Chelsea to prevent them from being bogged down as has been the case in some games at Stamford Bridge this season.

Chelsea have won their last couple of games here and Arsenal have struggled to turn draws into wins away from home. The Gunners haven't lost too many games of late, but they have not been at their best as they are getting used to a new manager and system. Being without their biggest goal-threat is a real blow too and so backing Chelsea to win a game featuring two or more goals looks an appealing play.


Leicester City v West Ham United Pick: It is one thing for Leicester City to have lost a bit of form after what was a tremendous run a couple of months ago, but even then it is hard to believe they would lose games to Southampton and Burnley once they took the lead.

In both of those Premier League games Leicester City have scored the first goal, but both times they have been on the wrong end of a 2-1 defeat. The defeat at Turf Moor was largely down to the Jamie Vardy missed penalty while the teams were level at 1-1 in the second half, but the manager has to be frustrated with the slight loss of confidence which is leading to bad decisions.

Leicester City were the better team on Sunday, but failures in the final third coupled with some defensive mistakes means they have suffered consecutive losses. At least the teams below them have not really been able to take advantage so Leicester City remain firmly in control of one of the Champions League places on offer in the Premier League, but Brendan Rodgers will want to get the Premier League back on track before heading into two important Cup ties away from home.

They have struggled in recent home games with a single win in their last 5 at the King Power Stadium, but facing West Ham United should give Leicester City a chance to bounce back. The Foxes don't have a very good recent record against their visitors at home, but Leicester City will have noted the amount of chances West Ham United have continued to give up and I think they can exploit those.

David Moyes will accept his team are just short at the moment with key injuries hurting them, while he also will want to put a stamp on this squad during the upcoming Winter Break. The really busy period of the season is behind them which means Moyes can work on the system in training, but this game might come at the wrong time for that.

West Ham United have been in decent form under David Moyes, but this is a tough place to play. They might cause one or two problems for Leicester City considering the lack of confidence in the home ranks, but I believe Brendan Rodgers will get a reaction from his team who can't continue to be as loose in the final third as they have been in recent games.

The home team will likely need to score at least twice to win this fixture on current form and I think they can do that.


Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City Pick: There has been some good play from Tottenham Hotspur in the final third in recent games, but the lack of clinical finishing has been hurting them in the last couple of fixtures.

A home loss to Liverpool and a goalless draw at Watford means Tottenham Hotspur have yet to score a League game since Harry Kane was ruled out until April. It will be a major concern for Jose Mourinho, although I am sure he is going to be pleased with the clean sheet earned against Watford thanks to a Troy Deeney penalty miss.

Jose Mourinho will be looking for his team to build on the point at Watford when they face bottom club Norwich City who have looked like a team destined for a return to the Championship. Daniel Farke's men did beat Bournemouth on Saturday which will give them a huge boost in confidence, but even then they are 6 points from safety and looking like a very weak away team.

Norwich City are one of the poorest teams I have seen visiting Old Trafford in some time and they were beaten 4-0 by Manchester United. They have lost 3 of their last 4 away games in the Premier League and I do think Tottenham Hotspur can get back to winning ways in the League for the first time since Boxing Day.

Backing the home team to cover the Asian Handicap is a little dangerous considering their lack of form, but I think Tottenham Hotspur should have too much for this Norwich City team. Defensively Spurs are struggling, but I think they will make better use of the chances they create in this one and I will back them to secure the three points with a relatively comfortable win.


Manchester United v Burnley Pick: This is a big moment for Manchester United as the tension builds around the club with the fans unhappy with the continued abuse of the way things are run. It is clear that this is a commercial juggernaut rather than one that is focused on winning on the field and the likes of the Glazer family and Ed Woodward are going to continue to hear voices of dissension.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants the fans to get behind the team and not to become divided with the owners again, but the manager has some questions to answer especially after the injury suffered by Marcus Rashford. The decision to play him against Wolves looks negligent at best and it is going to cost Rashford the majority of the remainder of the campaign which should also hit Solskjaer hard.

Failing to get back into the Champions League will be a massive blow to the current manager and others have found their time ended at Old Trafford when missing what looks the most basic of asks.

Being without Rashford looks like it could prevent Manchester United doing that, but they have to bounce back on Wednesday when hosting Burnley who are off a big win on Sunday. Sean Dyche's men had a big second half reaction to come from behind and beat Leicester City, although they did need a Jamie Vardy missed penalty to edge to the important three points.

There are still concerns defensively and Burnley have allowed teams to create too many chances against them which can be exposed by Manchester United who have won 4 of their last 5 at Old Trafford. Again losing Rashford hurts, but there is enough attacking talent to get on top of a Burnley team who have been hammered at Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea over the last few weeks.

Burnley do have a decent record at Old Trafford in recent seasons with 3 draws in a row here- in fact Burnley have been leading 0-2 in each of their last two visits and Manchester United have scored injury time levellers on both occasions.

Manchester United will be vulnerable having had confidence dented in the defeat to Liverpool, but I think they can bounce back at home. They should create enough chances to win the game and it should be enough to cover the Asian Handicap as long as Manchester United can get their noses in front in this one.


Wolves v Liverpool Pick: The Premier League title race is all but over, although Jurgen Klopp will be looking for his side to try and secure that trophy in record time which will then give Liverpool a chance to attack the other Cup competitions they are involved in.

I hate to say it, but Liverpool can cement their place in history if they can defend their Champions League title in a season where they can match Manchester United's stunning efforts in 1999 when winning the real treble.

That has to be a focus of this group of players and Liverpool are showing little mercy to their floundering title challengers by continuing to rack up the wins. At times they have rode their luck, but earlier this season they were showing a sign of Champions by winning games when things were not breaking for them.

Both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur did have some glaring openings against Liverpool without troubling the scoreboard and that has to be a slight concern for Jurgen Klopp. Wolves did the same when these teams met at Anfield last month and this is a team off a confidence boosting 2-3 win at Southampton as they recovered from 2-0 down.

Of course Nuno Espirito Santo will know this is a much tougher game for his Wolves team, but they are also about to enter a ten day break and that should mean all of the players give their all. Motivation won't be lacking as they look to become the first team to beat Liverpool this season and I do think the performance at Anfield is encouraging enough to believe Wolves can cause problems.

Keeping Liverpool out looks a long-shot though and the best play may be backing both teams to hit the back of the net in this one. If Anthony Martial showed more composure when through on goal, Manchester United would have done that and Tottenham Hotspur had at least two gilt-edged chances to score in their own loss to Liverpool earlier this month.

The 6 clean sheets in a row will be a boost for Liverpool, but both teams should have the chances to hit the back of the net on Thursday.

MY PICKS: Aston Villa-Watford Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Crystal Palace-Southampton Both Teams to Score @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)
Everton & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.95 Coral (2 Units)
Sheffield United-Manchester City Both Teams to Score @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Chelsea & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.15 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Leicester City & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.70 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Tottenham Hotspur - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.94 Bet365 (2 Units)
Manchester United - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.06 Bet365 (2 Units)
Wolves-Liverpool Both Teams to Score @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

January 2019/20: 2-6, - 8.78 Units (16 Units Staked, - 54.88% Yield)
December 2019/20: 16-14, - 0.58 Units (60 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)
November 2019/20: 9-16, - 12.66 Units (50 Units Staked, - 25.32% Yield)
October 2019/20: 16-14-2, + 6.14 Units (62 Units Staked, + 9.90% Yield)
September 2019/20: 13-9-1, + 8.82 Units (46 Units Staked, + 19.17% Yield)
August 2019/20: 14-17-2, - 8.78 Units (64 Units Staked, - 13.72% Yield)

Fantasy Football GameWeek 24

The first Double GameWeek of the season is ready to go for those of us who play Fantasy Football and the two teams who will be involved are Liverpool and West Ham United.

I had already begun preparation for that by bringing in Roberto Firmino to join Sadio Mane, and there will be plenty ready to use their Triple Captain card this week. I am not one of those with the week between games meaning there could be some rotations in the squad especially with a FA Cup game sandwiched in-between, although I do expect two largely strong teams to be picked.

Players like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson and the front three will all be well backed I am sure, but I do think those could be rotated which makes the Triple Captain chip one I am going to keep in hand.

Unsurprisingly one of my two transfers this week are going to be used to bring in a third Liverpool player. The injury to Marcus Rashford means I can't bring in a second West Ham United player (I don't want a striker from their team considering the fixtures), but I had to change Rashford at the high value he is.

The player I have targeted for Rashford is Troy Deeney who has been in hot form for Watford, a team scoring plenty of goals for Nigel Pearson. He is on Penalties for his team and the next three games are favourable for the English striker and means I can shore up other areas of the squad in February.

The second choice might surprise as I have gone with Alisson to replace Paulo Gazzaniga- my thinking here is that I am going to have to spend a transfer to replace him by the time the next GameWeek rolls around and I want to make changes to the midfield options by then, while I also believe the Liverpool goalkeeper is about as secure a choice you can have along with Virgil Van Dijk in the backline for both Premier League games to be played.

Of course I am not overlooking how well the two full backs have played and how much of an attacking return they can offer as well as defensive points, but for the long-term health of my squad the replacement of Tottenham Hotspur's goalkeeper seems better especially with Hugo Lloris likely to return soon. It is a decision that leaves plenty in the bank to upgrade the likes of Pablo Fornals in the next GameWeek too.

My GameWeek 24 Team

Alisson- plays twice within this GW.

Serge Aurier- home game against Norwich City.

Harry Maguire- home game against Burnley, although potential of being partnered by Phil Jones is not very encouraging.

Caglar Soyuncu- another team playing at home as Leicester City host West Ham United.

Sadio Mane (C)- easy choice with two games to be played, although I held off activating the Triple Captain chip.

Kevin De Bruyne- a huge influence in the Manchester City midfield.

Jack Grealish- continues to be single handedly trying to pull Aston Villa out of the bottom three.

Pablo Fornals- doesn't seem to be in David Moyes' plans, but plays twice this GW.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin- home game against Newcastle United and scored twice against them earlier this season.

Troy Deeney- in form and also the Watford penalty taker.

Roberto Firmino- brought in a couple of weeks ago for this DGW.

Bench- Michael McGovern, James Ward-Prowse, John Lundstram, Federico Fernandez