Premier League Darts Night 12 Picks 2026 (Thursday 23rd April)

Only five Nights remain in the Premier League Darts tournament before we reach the Play Offs and the pressure is building on those looking to push their way into the top four of the standings.

Jonny Clayton looked to be in a bit of a slump, but picking up the Night 11 win means he is back on top of the standings and almost certainly playing at the O2 Arena at the end of May.

There is an 11 point gap between Luke Littler and 5th place and you have to imagine he already has enough in hand to earn his spot in the Semi Final, although there may be some motivation in wanting to finish top of the regular season standings. How much could depend on how the 4th place position shakes up, but Littler is 5 points behind Clayton and needs some consistency over the final five weeks to close down the Welshman and ultimately overtake him.

The European Tour 5 event last weekend was won by Gerwyn Price and he is 3rd in the Premier League standings and likely a couple more Quarter Final wins away from earning his chance to win the trophy. That victory in Germany last weekend will have given Price a huge boost and he has been playing at a very high level throughout 2026, while having a few more days to recover from an illness can only be good news.

He has the momentum, but it feels like it is below Price that the race for the Play Offs really is taking place.

4th place is currently held by Michael van Gerwen, but his Quarter Final defeat on Night 11 means he is 3 points ahead of Luke Humphries, 4 points ahead of Gian van Veen and 5 points ahead of Stephen Bunting. That looks a decent gap, but there are plenty of points still to play for and the defending Champion, Luke Humphries, remains a danger even if he has yet to find the consistency that took him to the title eleven months ago.

Night 12 feels like an opportunity for the likes of Gian van Veen and Stephen Bunting on the other side of the draw to Luke Littler, but they have the two Welshman to deal with in the Quarter Final.

Instead it is Michael van Gerwen who looks to have the chance to extend his lead in 4th place with the 'easiest' of the four Quarter Finals to play, although he will be well aware that Josh Rock has raised his level significantly over the last month and who has been winning Quarter Final matches in the Premier League setting even as it has come a little late to really have the Northern Irishman pushing for a late inclusion in the Play Offs.

With the Premier League entering the final quarter of the regular season next week, this is a big Night for all involved.

Gerwyn Price to win & most 180s v Gian van Veen: Five losses in a row have just underlined the fact that Gian van Veen has not been at his best since his operation and he has lost some ground in the race for the top four in the Premier League.

An early loss last weekend means he heads to Liverpool with little momentum and the Dutchman could struggle to keep up with Gerwyn Price.

The Ice Man was out of sorts in Rotterdam having just returned from an illness, but his performance to win the European Tour 5 event suggests Price has more than recovered.

This is a player producing some very significant scoring and the expectation is that Gerwyn Price will win this match.

Th Welshman has been the much more consistent maximum hitter of the two and he can secure the Match Double in this Quarter Final.

Jonny Clayton to win & both players over 1.5 180s v Stephen Bunting: Last year, Stephen Bunting played a really poor Quarter Final in his defeat in Liverpool and you do have to imagine the emotions got the better of him.

In 2026, that experience should lead to a better effort from Bunting, but he may still come up short against Premier League leader Jonny Clayton who returned to form on Night 11.

Earning the Nightly win after three successive Quarter Final defeats will have just reignited the fire for Jonny Clayton and he played well in Germany last weekend before throwing in a poor match against Martin Schindler. Missing doubles proved to be the issue, but Clayton can bounce back by putting up another two points in the Premier League.

Stephen Bunting was not at his best in the defeat to Wessel Nijman in Germany, while he has been struggling for consistency in the Premier League in his bid to close in on the top four places.

Playing at home can be tough at times, but both players should contribute to the maximums being hit and it may be a match that Jonny Clayton can do just enough to edge through.

Michael van Gerwen to win & both players over 1.5 180s v Josh Rock: He has been playing well outside of the Premier League setting so it is not a major surprise that Josh Rock has begun to win games on Thursday nights.

Unfortunately for the Northern Irishman, he has yet to win back to back matches on the same night and that leaves him with a lot of work to do if he is going to make a surprise run through to the Play Offs.

Losing this Quarter Final will make it very difficult for Josh Rock to do that against the player currently occupying the last of those Play Off places, but he will not be lacking for any confidence when facing Michael van Gerwen.

After opening the season looking more like his old self, Michael van Gerwen has been struggling for consistency, but he has been doing just enough to keep the points ticking over. He was well beaten by compatriot Wessel Nijman last weekend in the Third Round of the latest European Tour event played, but van Gerwen will feel his steady kind of level may be enough to win this match.

Both are more than capable of putting a couple of maximums on the board, but it feels like the Dutchman may just do what he needs to earn a spot in the Semi Final, while adding two more key points to his tally.

Luke Humphries v Luke Littler: These two players have met three times in the Premier League and all have come down to a last Leg decider.

Luke Littler has won two of those, including last week in the Semi Final, and it is understandable that he has been set as the favourite.

However, over the last month, Luke Littler has not been operating at his very best and even the motivation to top this Premier League regular season standings may not be as high as some may think. Perhaps the altercation with Gian van Veen on Night 9 in Manchester has had some kind of impact on him and so there is an opportunity for Luke Humphries.

The doubling has really let Humphries down in the Premier League and his 37% checkout percentage is the worst of the top six.

Scoring has not been a problem, but you won't win many matches if you cannot double out when needed and it has proven to be costly.

However, he has at least played with more confidence when facing Luke Littler, even if coming out of the wrong side more often than not, and Luke Humphries may be able to make the underdog odds pay out here if he can just find some composure from somewhere to really start moving towards the top four in the defence of the title he won eleven months ago.

MY PICKS: Gerwyn Price to Win & Most 180s @ 2.75 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Jonny Clayton to Win & Both Players Over 1.5 180s @ 2.60 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Michael van Gerwen to Win & Both Players Over 1.5 180s @ 2.70 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Darts 2026: 53-79, - 15.88 Units (129 Units Staked, - 12.31% Yield)

Champions League Final 2018- Real Madrid v Liverpool (May 26th)

Champions League Final 2018- Real Madrid v Liverpool

I can't believe how many so called Manchester United fans are talking about 'wanting' to see Liverpool win the Champions League this weekend.

I can't imagine too many have actually been to see United play Liverpool and the way their European Cup success is used as a stick to beat us with else you would never think that is what you want let alone openly tell people.

I just don't get it.

Personally I have very little love for Real Madrid and was desperately hoping Bayern Munich beat them in the Semi Final as they deserved to but that was mainly because I also thought Bayern Munich had a 'better' chance of beating Liverpool of the two teams.

However it is what it is and while I think I am being overrun by the horrible feeling of inevitability this Liverpool run has had, I also believe in my gut that Real Madrid have enough to win the trophy on Saturday.

Expected Real Madrid Team: Navas, Carvajal, Marcelo, Varane, Ramos, Modric, Casemiro, Kroos, Isco, Benzema and Ronaldo

Expected Liverpool Team: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Robertson, Lovren, Van Dijk, Henderson, Can, Milner, Mane, Salah, Firmino

This might not have been the Champions League Final that many predicted back in August, but it has the makings of a good one when Real Madrid meet Liverpool.

Real Madrid have plenty of recent pedigree in the competition as they have won three of the last four editions of the Champions League. There have been some questions raised in the performances of Real Madrid to get through to the Final this season, but what they have displayed is plenty of experience at key times of matches.

They have also rode their luck in the last couple of Rounds and you have to feel that luck is going to run out on them at some point.

A team like Liverpool have the capabilities to create chances and score against this Real Madrid team with the front three using a lot of pace and movement to put Real Madrid in some difficult positions. They will be encouraged by the chances and goals scored by Juventus and Bayern Munich against Real Madrid and the general style of play employed by the European Champions should suit Liverpool who will have spaces to exploit on the counter attack.

Much will depend on how well Liverpool cope with what is a very good Real Madrid attack, especially having seen the English side struggle to deal with Roma in the Semi Final Second Leg

The first goal feels like it is going to be very important as it will allow the team who scores it to take their time and look for the counter attacking opportunities.

My gut feeling for weeks has been Liverpool are going to win the Champions League, but I do wonder how much that has got to do with me being a Manchester United fan and preparing myself for what feels inevitable.

However Liverpool have lost 2 of their last 3 Finals and they are playing a team who have coped with these situations better than most. Real Madrid have to use all of their experience and they will create chances against Liverpool, but there is that fear that they will finally be exposed defensively and punished by a Liverpool attack who are fine finishers.

Even then you have to lean towards Real Madrid on their experience and ability to win the big competitions which has yet to be matched by Liverpool. I think the latter will play their part and this could be a high-scoring game like the Final was last year, but like last year the reigning Champions may have a little too much know-how for their opponents.


At odds against I will look for Real Madrid to win this one and I won't be surprised if the fixture producing at least four goals on the night. While the usual stance is that Finals produce tense matches, I think these teams match up well and 3 of the last 7 Champions League Finals have produced at least four goals in regulation time.

MY PICKS: Real Madrid to Win @ 2.20 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Real Madrid-Liverpool Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.15 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekend Football Thoughts 2015 (October 17-19)

It was an another interesting week in the Premier League as domestic football returned following a two week break. Time has been of the essence this week and so I will get on with my few thoughts following the action this weekend.

Jurgen Klopp Takes Charge for the First Time for Liverpool

I was a little surprised by some of the reactions to Jurgen Klopp's first game in charge as if Liverpool had played so much better than they had in previous weeks under Brendan Rodgers.

I am not ragging on Klopp here, but I also think people are super-high on the German at the moment and that means he can do no wrong in the early stages of his time as manager. That is certainly good news for Klopp who will be given the time to establish his philosophy (listening to too many Louis Van Gaal press conferences) at the club, but I think the same problems that existed for Rodgers will apply in the coming months.

Namely Klopp will need some luck with injuries which have again reared their head at Liverpool- Daniel Sturridge missed out, while Danny Ings is a potential long-term casualty which leaves Liverpool short up front.

The return of Sturridge and Jordan Henderson for a prolonged period make Liverpool a much different team than the one that took the field at White Hart Lane and that will be key to how well the side do this season, regardless of who was going to be in charge.

The goalless draw at White Hart Lane was an impressive result on paper, but the key for Klopp will be to turn a few of these draws into wins and get Liverpool moving up the table.

My opening grade for Klopp has to be a 'B -' because I wasn't expecting Liverpool to win at Tottenham and it was a good result. In saying that, the performance was average so he gets a slightly above average grade because of the injuries Liverpool have to deal with too.

How Long Will Aston Villa Give Tim Sherwood?

A managerial change has been made at Sunderland, a team in the bottom three alongside Aston Villa, and that might have a few of the board members at Villa Park considering their own manager's position.

Another defeat in the Premier League has heaped the pressure on Tim Sherwood and I do think the game against Swansea City next weekend is a huge one for him.

It hasn't been that long since I said I have warmed to Sherwood and I do think he needs to be given time, but Aston Villa's League position isn't helping his cause and the fear of being cut off in the bottom three has to be playing a big part in the rumours.

You can't blame Randy Lerner considering the money that is going to be pumped into the Premier League next season and relegation could be very difficult for Aston Villa to recover from. They've been flirting with relegation for a few years, but there was a real hope that Aston Villa would be much higher in the League table this time around after it had looked like Sherwood had sparked some form.

Losing Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph has been tough, while the replacements still need time to gel, but I am not sure Sherwood will be given the time to oversee that. It is a big weekend for the manager and anything other than a victory might mean Sherwood is moved on and the likes of David Moyes, Garry Monk and Brendan Rodgers are targeted to get the club out of trouble.

Leicester City's Character Cannot be Questioned

On the one hand you might be worried as a Leicester City fan that your side keeps falling 2-0 behind in games, but on the other you'd be proud of the character that they have displayed to come back and recover points in those games.

The Foxes were at it again this weekend as Jamie Vardy scored twice to help them come from 2-0 down to earn a draw at Southampton and I have been very impressed with the character they have displayed through the season.

There has been no drop off from the form that carried Leicester City to safety at the end of last season even though Nigel Pearson was removed as manager and I think the players need to be given a whole load of credit for that. Claudio Ranieri has been smart enough to keep the 'Tinkerman' from interfering too much and Leicester City have responded.

How far can that character take them? I am not sure they can keep falling 2-0 down and think the fitness and belief will help them come back on a consistent basis. It would be a disappointment if Leicester City failed to finish in the top half of the table, although pushing on for a European spot through their League form is going to be difficult.

I wouldn't be surprised if they go deep in one of the Cup competitions though as this is a team that will be a pain in the backside for any in the country, especially knowing their focus can be completely on those Cup games. Later in the season the top teams need to balance Europe with their domestic schedule and that is where Leicester City, and the next team I talk about, potentially take advantage to give their fans a memorable 2015/16 season.

Potential for West Ham to Finish in the Top Six

West Ham United have had five away games in the Premier League and four of those have been at sides that currently occupy places in the top ten in the League table. Stunningly, West Ham have won all four of those games on their travels and they might be moving into the Olympic Stadium next season having secured their best League finish of the century.

The Hammers finished 5th in the 1999 Premier League season and while that still looks a big ask to match that final position, I really do think this is a team that can potentially do that.

It all will depend on whether they can find the right balance at Upton Park where they have won just one of their four home games in the Premier League.

West Ham are up to 4th in the Premier League despite their home record and improving at Upton Park while maintaining these ridiculously high standards away from home might potentially see them as a dark horse for a Champions League place.

However, I think they will have a hard time to do that and improving the home form could instead lead to a top six finish. The problem for Slaven Bilic is he has found the perfect counter attacking tactics away from home which are much harder to employ at home where the space is restricted.

The 2-2 away draw at Sunderland, when West Ham were 2-0 down and fortunate to be in the game at half time, might suggest The Hammers will struggle with 'expectation'. These are the kind of issues that Bilic will have to fix if they are going to finish in the top six and remains the big questions to be answered around a West Ham United team that have had a magnificent start to the season.

Weekend Football Thoughts 2015 (September 26-28)

We have just about got through the first two months of the 2015/16 season and the domestic League tables are beginning to make sense now.

This week we will see a number of teams turn their attention back to the Champions League before what looks like a very big weekend of Premier League football and a true 'Super Sunday' for the neutrals to enjoy.

On with the stories that have come out of the weekend football.

Time for an Expanded Video Replay System?

I am sure I am not the only football fan out there that has been enjoying the Rugby World Cup which is currently taking place and it is a sport that has embraced technology to help get the decisions right.

I am not a big fan of going to the video for almost every little detail, I think the referees have to keep the human element in the game, especially as some of the rugby matches seem to last an eternity when the video is employed constantly.

So I don't think I would want technology to ruin the flow of a football game going forward with everything being checked, but it might be time for 'offside' decisions to be reviewed.

The three decisions in the Tottenham Hotspur-Manchester City game that the linesmen got wrong were almost inexcusable, with or without the video technology. Even if it was employed at the moment, the above image saw the linesman directly in line with Kyle Walker yet he still missed it which makes me wonder what exactly he was doing/watching and that has nothing to do with the video technology.

It's not close enough to give the linesman the benefit of the doubt like the Kevin De Bruyne could be argued for, and the later decision allowing Harry Kane's goal to stand was almost as baffling considering he was inside the box and the rest of the players, bar the goalkeeper, were clearly standing outside of the 18 yard line.

Some people will use the 'speed of the game' as an excuse, but the Kane goal came from a direct free kick so there was no 'speed' that could have affected the linesman decision, while the above decision was simply ridiculous.

My biggest concern with video technology has to be slowing down the game and just killing the flow that makes football exciting. Maybe a challenge system like that employed in the NFL or the professional tennis tours can be put into football, especially for these matter of fact incidents like an offside or a goal being scored but anything more than that and you know the Premier League will change a ninety minute game into one that lasts much, much longer.

Manchester United Finally Back on Top of the Premier League

Ever since the formation of the Premier League, Manchester United have been considered a title challenger or a team that will certainly spend time at the top of the Premier League. The earlier result at White Hart Lane on Saturday gave the club the chance to reach the summit of the Premier League for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson departed in May 2013.

Manchester United weren't going to miss that opportunity against Sunderland and a 3-0 win saw them move to a position fans were very familiar in seeing the side under Sir Alex Ferguson.

I can't deny that it was exciting to see the League table with Manchester United leading the way, but there is a long way to go for a title challenge to really develop.

Firstly I think Manchester United are perhaps a point short in what they should have earned from the opening set of fixtures, the two points dropped against Newcastle United the key. Of course teams will drop points in a competitive League like the Premier League so that isn't a big concern and it is all about finishing above 19 other teams no matter how the points are earned.

Second, I am looking forward to seeing where Manchester United are come November 1st.

Why? The next four Premier League games before that date sees Manchester United travelling to Arsenal, Everton and Crystal Palace while hosting Manchester City and it will give everyone a much truer picture of whether Louis Van Gaal can put a title challenge together.

If Manchester United are still on top of the Premier League on that date in a little over a months time, I will truly begin to believe they can win the title this season.

The Return of Daniel Sturridge comes at a Crucial Time for Brendan Rodgers

After a really positive start to the Premier League season, recent results had left Brendan Rodgers under serious pressure as Liverpool manager with rumours racing that they are looking for his replacement.

Injuries and poor signings haven't helped the cause, but the return of Daniel Sturridge might have come at a critical time for Liverpool and Rodgers.

It was Sturridge who scored twice to help the side beat Aston Villa 3-2 at Anfield on Saturday and finally having someone at the end of the creativity should have Liverpool moving in a positive direction. Sturridge is the best fit up front for what Rodgers is trying to do with Liverpool and his goals might have eased the pressure on the manager, but he has missed chunks of the last twelve months.

Keeping Sturridge fit might be the big link between Rodgers being in or out of the dugout at Anfield in the foreseeable future and I can bet the manager has no intention of making his striker available for the England European Qualifiers that are played in a couple of weeks.

This was always seen as a big week for Rodgers with the Merseyside derby ending it before the international break and Sturridge might just be the man to earn him a reprieve if the rumours of an imminent sacking were to be believed.

Callum Wilson's Injury could be a Major Blow to Bournemouth

When teams come up from the Championship, the hardest task might be finding a player that can consistently score the goals at the Premier League level that can help them avoid relegation.

It doesn't always work as Queens Park Rangers found out despite having Charlie Austin up front, but it is still a huge help for these promoted teams to have someone who they can rely upon.

Bournemouth looked to have their striker in Callum Wilson with some suggesting he might be in line for an England call-up, but unfortunately he suffered what looks like a long-term knee injury on Saturday.

Missing Wilson for considerable time will be a big blow to Eddie Howe and the next two months are critical for Bournemouth to find a way to keep churning out the results in his absence. Glenn Murray has experience at the Premier League level, but he doesn't have the pace of Wilson nor is he a player that wants to get behind the last line of defence by playing on the shoulders of defenders and so Bournemouth have to make some big adjustments.

The winter months are approaching and it could be some dark times for Bournemouth who have a difficult portion of their fixture list upcoming following the game with Watford next weekend. Losing Wilson through those months might be the catalyst to The Cherries slipping into the relegation zone and it will be a big task for Eddie Howe to get them out of trouble barring huge investments in the January transfer window.

I do enjoy the football Bournemouth try to produce, but that isn't enough to survive in the Premier League if there isn't much of an end product there without Wilson.

Can Barcelona Overcome Lionel Messi's Two Month Injury?

Unlike the Premier League in England, the Spanish Primera Division doesn't have the same level of competitiveness and that means any downturn in form from the likes of Barcelona or Real Madrid gives the other a distinct chance to win the title.

Atletico Madrid might have something to say about that considering they were Champions just two seasons ago, but really most people expect either Barcelona or Real Madrid to win the title in Spain.

Losing Lionel Messi for up to two months could be a huge dent for Barcelona despite the form they ended last season. They have struggled to match that to open this season with Lionel Messi and having to do without their talisman might give Real Madrid the impetus to create a lead in the Division that will be tough to overturn in the second half of the season.

Real Madrid haven't exactly been in flying form themselves with injuries to key players in their squad perhaps hindering them from picking up momentum, but this is a great chance for Rafa Benitez to pull away from Barcelona. There is just one point separating Barcelona from Real Madrid and it will be interesting to see where that stands when Messi returns in early December.

United Corner- Manchester derby, Champions League and League Cup (September 27)

United Corner- Champions League Match Day 1, Manchester Derby, Capital One Cup and month ahead (September 27th)






Coming out of an international break is always tough for the bigger teams in the European Leagues as they are obviously filled with more talent than some of the other teams and that can lead to slow starts in the first League matches after those breaks. That is the only reason I can offer up for Manchester United's uninspired performance against Crystal Palace on September 14 as United lacked the tempo that has been a feature of their game over the years.

I honestly sat at Old Trafford that day and was not convinced of where United were going to find an opening until the Crystal Palace player was sent off at the end of the first half. Anderson was a major disappointment and there also seemed to be a fear from the two central midfielders to try and fizz the ball to the wide players who certainly had created room at times.

The final pass was also poor for the majority of the game, but three days later all seemed to be back to the level that was required. In the Champions League opener, United put in their best performance not just of this season, but going back a few months into the end of the reign of Sir Alex and the only negative was conceding two goals out of nothing.

There was tempo and pace that was missing days earlier and even Antonio Valencia was showing signs of some of his old form and I can't have been the only one that went into the Manchester derby in much better heart than I had thought I would after the performance on Saturday.


Unfortunately for United, they didn't get going at all in the Manchester derby on Sunday as the pace and power of Manchester City overran United and made them look a little old at times. It wasn't a freak result like the one City had at Old Trafford a couple of years ago and they were well worthy of the margin of victory with my personal opinion being that they did ease off after scoring the fourth as it was a case of job done.

Too many of the starting eleven under-performed and that isn't something you can afford in a game of this magnitude. I would be surprised if Ashley Young is given another League start in the next couple of weeks before the next set of international fixtures, especially with the return of Nani to the fold, while Robin Van Persie was another miss.

David Moyes was right in saying this was not the time to worry too much, even though it was a poor performance and he is right as City would have given any team in Europe trouble with the manner in which they played. However, I would be a little concerned with the ease in which some of their goals came as the midfield failed to track runners while Maruoane Fellaini has to learn that you can't switch off for a moment, but the big game against Liverpool at least allowed United to erase Sunday as soon as possible.


Obviously the big concern was that United would not get the desired result from the game against Liverpool on Wednesday night and the pressure on David Moyes would have increased, not necessarily from the fans that attend Old Trafford, but those who seem to ignorantly write stupid statements on the social networks and the media who need to fill the back pages.

When the team news was announced, I won't lie and say I wasn't concerned as Liverpool certainly played their strongest team while United made a number of changes, but the result was the most important factor of the night and that is what we achieved from the game. Liverpool may have felt hard done by as they did seem to create more opportunities, but the final ball let them down and there wasn't that much to separate the sides which is a testimony to the squad players United can call on.

It was announced after the game that David Moyes had made the best start to a Manchester United manager's career since Sir Matt Busby in 1946 as Moyes had overseen 5 wins from the first 8 games, a far cry from all the negative noise that came out after Sunday's result.


I do find it strange that so many so called Manchester United fans have been on David Moyes back to the extent that they have at times, especially considering I have sympathy for the start that he was handed in the Premier League.

Some will tell you that United picked up 7 points from the same fixtures against Swansea, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City last season, but it would be harsh to criticise Moyes considering the manner in which those points came last year. At Anfield, Liverpool had a man sent off in the first half, at City we had blown a 0-2 lead and were definitely looking the less likely to win that game so I think Moyes is probably only a point under a par performance.

The next six weeks are much more critical for Moyes though as United have games against West Brom, at Sunderland, Southampton, Stoke and at Fulham before the home game against Arsenal and I think anything less than 13 points from those five games would be a disappointment and would put United in a tough spot compared with the likely leaders by that point.

The Champions League fixtures make it tough for an inexperienced manager as to keeping the squad as fresh as possible, but the words of Ryan Giggs will help Moyes through that and I do think United are going to be in a much stronger position by November 2nd.


My last thought for this post: Please, please, please don't be that person that goes up to people to show how smart and savvy you are with the statistic that David Moyes has had a better start in his first 8 games than Sir Alex Ferguson.

Unless you're an idiot, that would hardly surprise you considering the state of the club in November 1986 compared with July 2013 so let's just leave that statistic in with the large pile of useless ones that people quote to prove a point.

United Corner 26th September (Liverpool Reaction, Capital One Cup, Tottenham Hotspur)

             This is a new 'corner' I have added to the blog that will be devoted to my first passion in life, Manchester United. I will publish this, on most occasions, on a Sunday evening where I will look back at the previous week, giving my take on results and upcoming fixtures.

All views expressed will be my own.


It has been eight days or so since I last wrote down anything to do with Manchester United, but it has been a successful eight days in terms of results even if the performances are not up to scratch.

It all began against Galatasaray last Wednesday night in the Champions League as they became the latest European side to come to Old Trafford and perhaps feel they deserved more than what they got from the game. Granted United had chances to kill the game off in the second half, but it was only when I got home to see the highlights of the game that I appreciated how good their chances were.

On another day, Galatasaray would have had an early penalty and that really would have tested our mettle. There was just nothing outstanding in the way we performed and it was a far 'flatter' performance than I expected considering the way we exited the competition.

Personally I put down the lack of urgency and emotion in the game due to the fact that Liverpool were next on the fixture list and at the end of the day the 3 points was all that mattered. Coming home I also heard that Cluj had beating Braga in Portugal so United should be looking to book their place, and hopefully top spot, by the time Match Day 4 is completed out in Braga.


As I said, I thought the lack of urgency was down to the fact we had Liverpool next on deck, but the performance was terrible in that game, even if the result was great.

I have been saying for a while that I wouldn't have been at all surprised if Brendan Rodgers had recorded his first win of the season against United- in fact, I woke up on Sunday morning with this terrible dawning that we were going to be beaten.

After a lively 5 minutes to open the game, we descended into a team that couldn't hold onto the ball and it seemed only a matter of time that Liverpool were going to get in front.. And then Jonjo Shelvey lost his mind!

In hindsight and after seeing countless replays, I realised that it was a harsh red card, but watching in live time it looked a nailed on red. He had already gone in pretty hard on Ryan Giggs and you could just see him throwing himself into the ball as Jonny Evans moved forward to get it.

The performance didn't pick up much in the second half, but we did very well to turn the result around and it's a big one so we can't complain too much- I think tactically we made a mistake by playing Giggs in centre midfield (gives away far too much possession for my liking and positionally is awkward at times, sitting far too far ahead of Michael Carrick and letting their midfield have too much room behind him to run into). Nani had another forgettable game and is fast running out of chances with injuries potentially clearing up in the forward areas.


I have also finally made my mind up about Shinji Kagawa and I know most won't like it at all- I think he is an extremely clever player and he knows in his mind exactly what to do at the right time so all the decision making is generally good.

However, I think he definitely has a lack of pace for the position of the field he is expecting to occupy and he doesn't quite have the ability to beat a man- he would still be effective around better players (Nani being in idiot mode really isn't helping), but Kagawa doesn't address the need for someone to get the ball and move with it through the middle of the park, something I truly felt Moussa Dembele could have offered us.

At Dortmund, having someone like Mario Gotze alongside him would have got the best out of his game- I am not being critical of Kagawa, I am just not sure he has enough about to him to be playing in the role that United want him to although will be hoping he proves me wrong going forward.


The United end at Anfield covered themselves wonderfully well during the game, even if some Scousers were moaning about a rendition of 'Where's Your Famous Munich Song?'. Later we did hear reports that United were chanting 'Always the Victim', but surprisingly there was little coverage of the fact that 'aeroplane gestures' had begun the issue- I know you should be the bigger man when someone is taunting you, but it does seem to me that a lot of people in the media have an agenda about the United fans.

I even heard someone on the radio (think it was that idiot Danny Kelly from TalkShite) saying that he thinks the 'You Know What You Are' chant about Luis Suarez shouldn't be sung at grounds and people should be ejected for that from games- Funny thing though, no one mentioned the fact that Paddy Evra was loudly booed throughout the game when he had the ball for the horrible crime of reporting racism!!


I thought it was absolutely crazy that Fergie had decided to 'rest' Nemanja Vidic on Sunday... OK, I'll admit it, my first thought was 'I wonder what Vidic has done'.

It later transpired that the Captain will be ruled out for a couple of months with knee surgery- I know there were rumours that Vidic would have left Old Trafford this Summer just gone if he hadn't done his knee in last December, so now I have got to wondering whether United want to get him in tip top shape, give him six months of continuous playing time and then unload him next Summer.

Maybe Vidic himself feels he needs to get himself back to 100% to revitalise the interest that Barcelona and Real Madrid have had in him or maybe it is just simply that he really needed the surgery.

I don't know too much about all that, but I do know he will be a miss as Fergie wanted to get him and Ferdinand back together to provide some consistency for our defence after we have conceded far too many goals to open the season. Now Jonny Evans will get that opportunity to put a stamp on one of the centre half positions as he won't be under a lot of pressure from injured competition in the coming weeks.


Talking about injuries, wonder if the rumours about Antonio Valencia walking around in a protective boot are true?


The next few days will see United have a couple of home games in the Capital One Cup and the Premier League. Obviously we have had a good record in the League Cup in recent seasons, but we will be blooding some of the youngsters and also giving the fringe players a chance. Newcastle United should give us a tough test, especially if they play some of their stronger players, while a small crowd at Old Trafford that is expected don't really 'get up for' a League Cup game as they would for other evening kick offs.

We'll then have the much more important home game against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday where we could have the chance to take over at the top of the very early Premier League table. While they have regularly been three points at Old Trafford, we'll once again get to see Dembele against us and I hope we do a much better job shackling him than we did when he played us with Fulham earlier this season.

The Spurs game will really give us an indication of where we are as a football team as they are another with a midfield that could pose plenty of problems while Jermaine Defoe isn't missing chances. It will be a really tough game, but one that I would be pencilling in three points when it is all said and done.


Team I expect against Newcastle: De Gea, Michael Keane, Evans, Wooton, Buttner, Fletcher, Anderson, Powell, Welbeck, Hernandez and Henrique.

Team I expect against Tottenham: Lindegaard, Rafael, Evra, Ferdinand, Evans, Carrick, Scholes, Cleverley, Nani, Kagawa and Van Persie

A few thoughts from the last week in Football (April 21-22)

Title race is back on: I watched with disbelief and disappointment as Manchester United threw away a 4-2 lead against Everton with less than 8 minutes remaining at Old Trafford to drop 2 more points in the the title race and once again give Manchester City a real boost in the arm.


That means there are just 3 points between the teams with 3 games left to play, the first of which is the big Manchester Derby next Monday night.


It is very strange to see United playing in this manner once they had opened up an 8 point lead in the title race, but I think Sir Alex Ferguson will make sure he is all over his players for the next few days and make sure they are ready for the big game at City.


However, I still favour United to win the title as I do think they have the 'easier' matches on paper- I would expect United to beat Swansea at home (but then I was sure they would get the win over Everton) and then win at a Sunderland side that is struggling for goals.


On the other hand, City have a really difficult game at Newcastle United, especially with the latter fighting for a Champions League place and then face relegation threatened QPR that may still need the points- what are the chances of Mark Hughes getting his revenge on Sheikh Mansour and his cronies by preventing them winning the title on the final day of the season?


Sky couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome though, as they have a chance to over-hype the game- there is no doubt this is one of the biggest end of season clashes I can remember in a long time.


While it isn't quite the Liverpool-Arsenal game from the end of the 1989 season, it is obviously a match that can have a huge bearing on where the title is going to end up.




Wolves are gone, Bolton Wanderers are in big trouble: Wolves couldn't delay the inevitable any longer on Sunday as their relegation was confirmed from the Premier League, while the results at the weekend have made it that much more difficult for Bolton Wanderers who could only pick up a 1-1 draw against Swansea at the Reebok Stadium.


With QPR and Blackburn Rovers both winning, Bolton are now 4 points behind the teams in the safety zone, although they still have 5 games to play this season. However, it is the points that matter at this stage rather than the games in hand, and Bolton need to find a win in one of their next two games at Aston Villa or Sunderland.


It still looks really tight down the bottom though- Aston Villa are only 6 points clear of Bolton so a defeat for them tomorrow night will really up the pressure on Alex McLeish and for a young team that is suffering from a number of injuries.


There are some big matches yet to be played in the final weeks of the season, with none looking bigger than the Blackburn Rovers-Wigan Athletic game in two weeks time.




Harry Redknapp for England(!): Why are so many people quick to protect Harry Redknapp and blame Tottenham's lack of form on his links with the England job rather than poor management? As I have said all season, the team had a lack of depth not because Redknapp was not backed in the market, but because the manager continues to stock-pile midfield players without adding strength to his forward line nor his defence.


The other factor people continue to overlook is the lack of a 'plan B' for when things are not going right for the team, all factors that are highlighted in International tournaments when games come thick and fast.


He has also allowed Gareth Bale to play without fear of retribution if he fails to perform, letting the winger get away with thinking he can drift wherever he wants on the football field, usually to a lack of effect.


Bale's own constant self-comparison with Cristiano Ronaldo has been tolerated when someone should really be sitting him down and warning him how far he is from that consistent performances the former Manchester United play provides- the fact Bale is allowed to constantly talk about potential moves to Barcelona or Real Madrid (he wouldn't get near either team in my honest opinion) is another issue that could potentially divide a dressing room.


All of these questions should be left at the door of Redknapp, but far too many are blinded by achievements which, while good, are vastly over-rated.




So Roy Hodgson has as many wins at Anfield in 2012 as Kenny Dalglish: I know Liverpool are going to be playing their second Cup Final of the season next month against Chelsea in the FA Cup, but surely this has to be considered a season when the club has regressed.


Alan Hansen said recently that Liverpool had become a 'Cup team' and I think he has pigeon-holed his former club in the exactly correct way.


The Reds are 8th in the Premier League table, but there has to be a real fear that they will not even finish in the top half of the table, a far cry from the expectations of a battle to finish in the Champions League places and a lot of the blame has to fall at Kenny Dalglish's door, although you wouldn't hear a bad word said about the manager from the fans.


To think they are now 37 points behind the leaders Manchester United and only 23 ahead of the Wolves team that props up the rest of the table should put it all into perspective for how bad a season this has actually been for Liverpool.




How did Sergio Aguero not win an award in the Player of the Year categories he was nominated in?: I had Sergio Aguero as an absolute shoo-in to win the Young Player of the Year award as I thought the main award would go to Robin Van Persie, but I am more than a little surprised that he didn't get it.


Kyle Walker was given the Young Player of the Year award and, while I recognise he has had a very good season, I think it's a little disgraceful that Aguero was not given it, despite powering Manchester City's title race with his goals in the absence of Carlos Tevez.


So many times we have seen a foreign import come into the Premier League and really struggle, but 22 League goals later and I think Aguero has proven he can more than handle what the League brings.


I would have also had the Argentine in the Team of the Year (he missed out on that to Van Persie and Wayne Rooney), but I could understand that a little more considering the goals of the two players that did make the team.




My Team of the Year in the Premier League: So we got the Team of the Year in the Premier League earlier this week and I have to say I don't think there was much wrong with the team at all.


I think the only changes I would have made would be to bring in Jose Enrique for Leighton Baines at left back, and Clint Dempsey for Scott Parker (but I really don't rate Parker as highly as others do)

Recapping the Weekend Football (March 2-4)

A huge win for Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur to keep the gap to only two points from Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title: Where else can I begin with the fantastic result, if not performance, that United produced from White Hart Lane on Sunday afternoon.


I felt Tottenham were the better team in the game right up until the point they conceded to go 0-2 down, but they didn't really create too much in the absence of Gareth Bale and Rafael Van der Vaart.


United did ride their luck a little too as the referee could easily have awarded Tottenham the opening goal when Emmanuel Adebayor was penalised for handballing before putting the ball in the net. That incident did spark some debate as to whether it was a legal goal or not, but I am of the belief that the striker didn't deliberately handball and the goal should have stood... The bottom line is if United were not awarded the goal in a similar manner when playing, I would be furious with the referee so I have to accept it both ways.


David De Gea also made a magnificent save at 0-1 from a deflected effort and I like the way the Spaniard is beginning to fit into the team after a tough start.


The result could be pivotal this season as United have now negotiated their toughest part of the remaining schedule and I do think there is a chance that they could be leading the table by the time the second Manchester Derby rolls around on April 30th. Manchester City have some tough tests before that game, while United should really be looking to drop no more than 2 more points in the next 8 games.


Football can be funny though, but my expectations have increased with momentum seemingly on the side of the Champions.


Liverpool need to buy a centre forward in the Summer market: All the positives from winning the Carling Cup were forgotten on Saturday afternoon as Liverpool failed to capitalise on the chances they created against Arsenal before being sucker punched with minutes left on the clock.


That leaves the club 10 points behind Arsenal and very unlikely to reach their aims of making it back into the Champions League next season.


Kenny Dalglish has already spent a vast sum of money at the club and he cannot afford to make another 'Andy Carroll-esque' mistake in the Summer as the club clearly need a centre forward that can score 20 goals a season.


Luis Suarez looks like a player that can be a real handful, but his finishing is hit or miss, while I truly do not rate Carroll a bit. The side have created plenty of opportunities at Anfield all season, but failure to find the net with any consistency has cost them.


There are still too many average players in the squad, but buying someone who can score goals consistently would have covered a number of deficiencies this season and will give them an extra step of turning a number of draws at Anfield into wins.


As I was growing up, Liverpool always seemed to bring through strikers who could do this, from the likes of Ian Rush through to Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen... What they would give for someone of that ilk to be found to spearhead their attack in the future?


Andre-Villa Boas Sacking: I was a little surprised that Chelsea decided to pull the trigger on removing Andre-Villa Boas before they were knocked out of the Champions League and the FA Cup. I think Chelsea are being run in a terrible way with the owner getting his hands far too dirty and it is ridiculous that they decided to pay Porto 13 million for AVB's services only to remove him nine months later.


The players at the club consider themselves untouchable, certainly those who have allegedly played their part in getting the Portuguese man sacked, and that is never going to see a club progress in the correct manner.


You just don't imagine Manchester United being run in this manner, so the Chelsea team need a strong manager to take over and clear some of the 'characters' from the dressing room that are causing more problems than solutions as they get older.


We have seen players being tolerated when they are performing, but the ones at Chelsea are not good enough or doing well enough to be allowed to get away with this as it seems they are now responsible for the third manager in a row being fired.


Who comes in next will be very interesting- I personally am very surprised that Abramovich doesn't go all out and offer Guus Hiddink all he wants to bring him back to Stamford Bridge considering the success he has had in his first stint here and the fact that the players seem to respect him. I don't think Jose Mourinho will come back after his experiences when he was at the club, while Pep Guardiola is another unlikely candidate.


Rafa Benitez would make sense considering his record in the Champions League, the one competition Abramovich wants to win, but this is fast becoming one of the worst jobs to take with the lack of time being given to managers.


Wigan are in deep trouble: I was disappointed to see Wigan lose so comfortably to Swansea at home at the weekend and I think they are in big trouble now despite only being 2 points from safety.


The bottom line is the team does not score enough goals and can't stop conceding, not really the best combination when it comes to trying to survive in the Premier League. Dave Whelan made it clear in public on a radio phone-in that he was not satisfied with the level of performance from the side and the pressure is definitely on the side to earn some positive results and pull themselves out of trouble.


This pressure will only increase if they do not pick up at least 6 points from their next 4 League games at Norwich City, at home against West Brom, at Liverpool and at home against Stoke City. The reason is they then face the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City, Newcastle United and the ever improving Fulham in April with a serious chance of them being cut off from the safety positions come May.


I like Roberto Martinez, but I just don't see them having a miraculous escape this season if they don't start picking up points beginning on Saturday at Carrow Road.


March Update: - 2.1 Units

February Final: + 11.54 Units

January Final: + 0.28 Units

Things we Learned from the Weekend Football (December 10-12)

I haven't done one of these for a while due to being away and the busy nature of working at the same time as keeping this blog going.

It was another interesting weekend in the Premier League when the title race was reignited, while the teams at the bottom are all jockeying for position and trying their best to avoid the cursed 'bottom of the table at Christmas' position.

The next few weeks are full of football with this being the quietest week we will see until the middle of January. Below are a few thoughts from the weekend football that has just passed:

1) Manchester City are still the right favourites for the Premier League title: The win for Chelsea has at least put a little bit of interest back in the Premier League title race after it had looked like Manchester City were going to run away with the lead.


While they will be disappointed with the defeat at Stamford Bridge, it did take a bit of luck for the home side to grab the win when City were not awarded what looked like a clear penalty while leading the game 0-1.


It will be interesting to see how they react to this defeat, but their next set of fixtures are not the most taxing in my opinion as they face Arsenal (H), Stoke City (H), West Brom (A) and Sunderland (A)... It is entirely possible that their lead at the top of the table is extended after those games.


2) Phil Jones has all the makings of a Centre Midfielder... For now at least: I said when United signed Phil Jones that I expected him to make more appearances as a Centre Midfielder than a Centre Defender- partly that was down to the two centre halves United had and partly because of what I had seen from his time at Blackburn Rovers.


Jones has the drive and box-to-box ability that gives him different abilities than the midfielders at Old Trafford, while I have not been as convinced as the pundits about his performances at centre back.


I find Jones is very much like David Luiz in the fact he comes out with the ball and can find himself in very poor positions positionally when playing at the back.


I expect Jones will be able to learn his trade at the back under the tutelage of some of the players at United, but for now I would keep him in positions like centre midfield and right back where his drive and stamina can be a real strength for the team.


3) Liverpool need to find more goals if they are to finish in the top 4: Liverpool earned a 1-0 win over QPR at the weekend and remain 5 points off the pace set by the sides in the top 4. However, the lack of goals in the side has to be a worry considering they have scored just 18 goals in 15 League games this season.


The Reds have really struggled at home, failing to score more than 1 goal since a win over Wolves at the end of September and they are in need of bringing in another striker who can finish off the number of chances they are creating.


Luis Suarez is a real handful up front, but he could be facing a long suspension if a couple of charges brought by the FA find him guilty, while the Uruguay striker only scored his first goal in 8 games at the weekend.


Andy Carroll has really struggled to justify the ridiculous fee paid for him and I think the likes of Craig Bellamy and Dirk Kuyt are not likely to get the number of goals required for this team to finish higher than the 6th they managed last season.


4) Robin Van Persie is the best striker in the Premier League: The Dutchman has been in fine form this entire calender year, and he has really improved by adding the simple goals to the great ones he was known for scoring.


His strike at the weekend was absolutely sublime and was deserving of winning any game, but I think Arsenal are going to find it tough to keep hold of him this Summer.


Van Persie is 28 and will surely be wanting to win the big trophies now as his career starts coming towards its conclusion. He has not extended his contract and the rumour is that he has already agreed in principle to sign for Manchester City.


5) Bolton Wanderers are in big trouble: Bolton Wanderers have found themselves in a tough position as we move into a crucial period of the season and they are 5 points behind Wolves in the final relegation spot.


A disappointing 1-2 loss at home to Aston Villa at the weekend has begun to increase the pressure on Owen Coyle who has never replaced the loss of Daniel Sturridge and Johann Elmander who left in the Summer.


I think all Trotters fans out there will know a lot more about their future position as a Premier League club as 2012 ticks around- the team face Fulham (A), Blackburn (A), Newcastle (H) and Wolves (H) in the coming two weeks and anything less than 6 points could spell a lot of trouble for the side.


6) The Championship remains a tough Division to predict: You can see why managers and fans always talk about how tough it is to move out of this Division which remains one where any team can beat any other on any given day.


It is telling that there are only 15 points between 6th placed Leeds and 22nd placed Nottingham Forest while any team that gains a couple of wins in a row or loses a couple of games in a row can move a team up and down the table.


It is no surprise that almost every season a team bursts through the pack to make it in to the Play Offs and can cause a surprise or two when they get there.


The only thing that seems certain in this League so far is that Coventry City, a Premier League team up until 2001, are going to have a long season trying to survive from their current position of 13 points from 21 games, leaving them 7 points from the safety zone.

Things Learned from the Weekend Football (August 27-28)

A bit later than usual due to my covering of the US Open outright picks and daily picks, but these are my thoughts from the weekend football:

1)Where else to start but Manchester United 8-2 Arsenal: This looks more like a baseball score than it does a football match as United completely and utterly destroyed the Gunners.


I think there is much more to say about Arsenal than there is to say about United. The goals scored by Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young were very good, but the defending of the away side would have looked embarrassing on the Hackney Marshes on a Sunday morning.


The most apt comment I heard following the match from a fellow United fan was 'how could Arsene Wenger allow the Invincibles to become this'- when looking back at that team that remained unbeaten, it was hard to imagine ANY of the starting XI on Sunday being able to break into it.


I know Arsenal have had injuries, but since selling both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri I don't think it is reasonable to say they were missing enough players to justify the scoreline from Sunday. Alex Song, Thomas Vermaelan and Bacary Sagna would have made a difference, but it has been clear to most Arsenal fans throughout the Summer that they needed reinforcements.


Wenger tried to be clever with the media in suggesting both Fabregas and Nasri were not going to be sold, but did anyone really believe that? And if we didn't believe that, HOW have Arsenal not had replacements lined up?


It seems it will be a busy couple of days in the transfer market for Wenger, and this could be the ultimate test of his management at the club- get these wrong, and it would not be a great surprise if Arsenal decide to move on without him next Summer.


I personally think Wenger deserves a chance to get things right at the club, but his stubbornness may already have cost the club a place in the Champions League next season.




2) It is far too early to put Liverpool down as potential Champions, but they are going the right way: I don't think Liverpool are ready to break their 21 year run without winning the League this season, although I was more than a little impressed with their performance in the win over Bolton at the weekend. The team looks to be settling down nicely for Kopites, but I think the game against Sunderland at the start of the season is more an indication of why they will not win the League this season.


In all honesty, I think Kenny Dalglish's aim this year was to return to the Champions League and Arsenal's problems suggest there will be a chance to grab the 4th place available for English sides.


Luis Suarez looks a handful and Steven Gerrard is yet to play a game this season. However, I still think they need defensive reinforcements although the signing of Sebastien Coates looks a decent one.




3) Chelsea should break the bank to get Luka Modric: Once again, the Chelsea midfield looks pedestrian at best against a side that should not cause too many problems and it was only the introduction of Juan Mata that gave the side an additional cutting edge.


I have no doubt the attackers will get the goals IF they are given the service and so I would do everything to buy Luka Modric, a player that will keep the midfield ticking along. The likes of Ramires and Frank Lampard just do not have the capabilities that a Modric will give the team, especially if Roman Abramhovic has real ambitions of winning one of the two top prizes this season.


With Modric and Mata, Chelsea can prevent a Manchester duopoly- without, I can't see them being creative enough to win the title or the Champions League.




4) Manchester City are the real deal: I was very impressed with the ruthlessness of City at the weekend as they literally took every chance they created in dismantling Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane.


The fluid, interchanging football of David Silva, Samir Nasri and Sergio Aguero will cause most teams plenty of problems, while Edin Dzeko looks like the striker that couldn't stop scoring at Wolfsburg.


They still have other options like Adam Johnson, James Milner, Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez and look more than set to go close in both the Premier League and Champions League this season.


Personally, I cannot wait for October 23rd.




5) Blackburn look in a bit of trouble: If Saturday represents the type of luck Blackburn will enjoy this season, they are worth punting on to be relegated.


After missing not one but TWO penalties, Everton were controversially handed one of their own to somehow steal all 3 points at Ewood Park.


Steve Kean may be looking for a new job sooner than later considering the owners expectations of a European berth.




With August drawing to a close, I will not be making any more punts on the football until September so below is the end of month results:

AUGUST FOOTBALL PROFIT/LOSS: 31-29, + 7.94 Units

Things Learned from the Weekend Football (August 13-15)

It was so good to have something fun to watch on Saturday afternoons as the Premier League returned to action- it has been a long couple of months without football and I am just glad it is all back up and running.

So what have I learned from this weekend's football:

1) Manchester United still need to improve away from home: This might sound funny considering United won at the weekend, but they looked like they were a little short of ideas in the 2nd half after dominating the opening 35 minutes of the game.


After only winning 5 of 19 away from home last season, it was good to see United start with a win, but I still think we will learn a lot more about them in their next two trips to Bolton and Stoke.




2) Sergio Aguero could be a real difference maker for Manchester City: The Argentinian could not have asked for a better debut for his new club after scoring 2 goals and setting up yet another in the 4-0 win over Swansea.


For a long period it looked like City were really missing Carlos Tevez as they struggled to create real openings, but the arrival of Sergio Aguero midway through the second half changed the whole attacking philosophy of the side and he looks like a player that can make a real difference.


If City sign Samir Nasri too, they could be a real danger this season.


3) Liverpool are going to find things tougher with the new expectations of them: A lot of Liverpool fans came into the new season with huge expectations of their side, but I think the team may still struggle when they are expected to win games without the freedom of being so far behind in terms of points as they were since Kenny Dalglish came back to the club.


They did play well in the first half against Sunderland but couldn't put their opponents away yet this was a game they would most likely have won in the second half of last season when the pressure was off the side.


There are still some big issues in defensive positions for the team and I still think a top 4 finish would represent a good season for this side.




4) Wigan are in for another relegation scrap: I can't help but think this side is going to struggle again this season as they have lost some creative talents like Tom Cleverley and Charles N'Zogbia and they don't strike me as a team that will score enough goals to make survival a straightforward task.


Roberto Martinez has kept doing a very good job in tough circumstances at the DW Stadium, but the next two weeks already look big for the Latics as they visit Swansea and then entertain Norwich.




5) Referee's inconsistencies need to be rectified: I am sympathetic as to how tough the job referees have, but the inconsistencies that blight their performances need to be resolved quickly as it infuriates managers and fans alike.


We have had the early bookings for 'diving', a policy that disappears as the weeks go by and more and more players get away with it, while it seemed unbelievable that Kieron Richardson was not sent off for tripping Luis Suarez when he was through on goal.


Mike Jones was the ref during the West Brom-United game and he had a poor performance in terms of consistency. He booked Ashley Young for an accidental trip that had Sir Alex Ferguson confused, but then allowed James Morrison to get away with an identical challenge just minutes later that had Fergie shaking his head- that kind of inconsistency is so frustrating.


Jones also allowed West Brom to resort to tactics I haven't seen since the early 90's when Leeds and Wimbledon decided to pummel Peter Schemeichel, but surely David De Gea should have got more protection from some of the second half challenges he received. Would Stoke have been allowed to get away with the robust challenges? I think not- inconsistency!!

Saturday 13th August Football Picks (English and Scottish Premier League)

Finally... After 2 loooong months, football is finally back in its finest form as the English Premier League returns to action. After all the riots that broke out up and down the country over the last week, it will be nice to be able to sit down and be entertained for 90 minutes and forget about all the crap... well unless you have a ticket for Ewood Park to see Blackburn play Wolves (sorry Blackburn and Wolves fans).

It is always tough to predict how teams will react at this stage of the season as new signings are blooded and different teams will be at different stages of the return to full match fitness. For that reason alone I would not launch myself into a 2 footed tackle (my fault for following Rio Ferdinand's Twitter page) and dive into big picks.

Instead, I have had a look through the Saturday coupon and picked out the following matches:

Liverpool v Sunderland (http://www.goonersguide.com/football-pick-11300-Liverpool-v-Sunderland.htm)

Fulham v Aston Villa (http://www.goonersguide.com/football-pick-11306-Fulham-v-Aston-Villa.htm)

Newcastle United v Arsenal (http://www.goonersguide.com/football-pick-11301-Newcastle-United-v-Arsenal.htm)

Inverness CT v Rangers (http://www.goonersguide.com/football-pick-11317-Inverness-CT-v-Rangers.htm)

You can either just skip to the bottom of the post for my picks or read my full thoughts at the links provided in the brackets


MY PICKS: Liverpool win to nil @ 2.50 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Fulham @ 2.20 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)
Newcastle United-Arsenal Under 2.5 Goals @ 2.05 Pinnacle (1 Unit)
Rangers win to nil @ 2.38 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)


AUGUST FOOTBALL UPDATE: 3-4, - 2.1 Units