US Open Day 15 Tennis Pick- Men's Final 2026 (Sunday 13th September)

It proved to be a fitting conclusion to the Women's tournament at the US Open as Elena Rybakina overwhelmed Aryna Sabalenka in the third set meaning the new World Number 1 is holding two Grand Slams from a fruitful 2026 season.

Beating Sabalenka to end her runs of successes in both Melbourne and New York City means Elena Rybakina can move into the top spot in the World Rankings with the full belief that she is the best player in the world.

Three Grand Slams have now been secured and Elena Rybakina has the potential to win many more, although the finel margins of her tennis means she can be vulnerable to upsets as proved to be the case at Wimbledon.

Despite that, Elena Rybakina is likely to enter three of the four Grand Slams to be played in the 2027 season as the favourite and she will have gained a lot of confidence from her year.

Of course it is not quite over with the swing through Asia followed by the WTA Finals and so there are still big prizes to be won and the end of year World Number 1 spot to be decided.

Before all of that, the US Open has to be completed in the Men's Singles Final and it looks a good one on paper.

It would be really good for American Tennis if Ben Shelton can win, and he is definitely the more likeable of the two competing, but Alexander Zverev has won a Grand Slam to break his duck and looks to be the right favourite.

Alexander Zverev - 1.5 games v Ben Shelton: The top Seed in the draw is looking for a second Grand Slam title in 2026 and he will also be looking to close out home hopes of seeing a first American male player win a Major since Andy Roddick did it right here at the US Open in 2003.

The Big Three had dominated the Grand Slams in that time, but American tennis has missed having a top player competing with those players since Andy Roddick retired and so there is plenty of pressure on Ben Shelton to end that long wait.

He is playing well enough to believe he can win the title here on Sunday, but Ben Shelton is going to be tested by the occasion and also has a really poor record against Alexander Zverev.

Losing all five Tour matches against this opponent is one thing, but losing as convincingly as he has and as often as he has makes this even tougher for Ben Shelton.

So not only is he trying to snap a long barren run for American tennis in the men's tournament, but Ben Shelton has to show how much he has developed since the losses have piled up against Alexander Zverev. None of those defeats have been this year, which will at least give Shelton the belief that he has grown so far to close the gap, but four of the defeats were in matches played in 2025 and the last two were on the hard courts.

Ben Shelton has improved on his returning part of his tennis, and that is going to be tested on Sunday.

In the five previous matches against Alexander Zverev, Ben Shelton has broken serve in less than 2% of return games played and that number becomes 3% when only factoring in the three previous hard court matches.

Not only has he only broken the Zverev serve once, but Ben Shelton has only forced a single Break Point in the last four matches and the top Seed has been moving through the Rounds thanks to the pressure exerted by the serve.

This could be key again in this US Open Final, especially as Alexander Zverev has found a way to get into return games against Ben Shelton and the French Open Champion looks the most likely winner in this match.

Alexander Zverev's overall performance in the Semi Final win over Karen Khachanov was not the most convincing, but he will feel relatively comfortable in the match up and it is all about managing the nerves.

If he can do that, Alexander Zverev can win another Grand Slam title, although a win for Ben Shelton may be great news for the sport as a whole.

MY PICK: Alexander Zverev - 1.5 Games @ 1.85 William Hill (2 Units)

US Open Update: 33-22, + 8.60 Units (110 Units Staked, + 7.82% Yield)

European Tour 13- Flanders Darts Trophy Day 3 Picks 2026 (Sunday 13th September)

As with most of the European Tour events played on the PDC Tour, we move into Day 3 at the Flanders Darts Trophy when the Third Round is completed during the Day Session and the trophy is decided in the Evening Session from the Quarter Final through to the Championship dart.

A good looking lineup has come together and that should mean another solid day of viewing for fans of the sport.

Ryan Searle v Chris Dobey: You know that Chris Dobey is going to bring some heavy artillery into this Third Round match, but his inconsistent results have come down to some poor finishing.

6/26 of the Doubles were hit in the Second Round win, but Dobey will know he needs to be a lot better to win a match like this one.

Ryan Searle produced another solid display, although he has also been lacking some consistency in his results of late.

However, Heavy Metal will feel he can at least match the scoring capabilities of Chris Dobey for long enough to earn chances in this Third Round contest and Ryan Searle may be a worthy underdog to back.

Gerwyn Price-Ross Smith over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100 checkout: The winner of this Third Round match could take plenty of confidence into the Evening Session and become very difficult to beat.

Gerwyn Price looked really strong on Saturday night, while Ross Smith has been enjoying his time on the European Tour for several months.

Both are very capable of piling up the maximums and this is another match where a big finish could be crucial in earning the momentum to push through to the Quarter Final.

It is not easy to pick a winner, but you would like to think this is a match that will last at least nine Legs and that should provide the time needed to give this match double an opportunity to be return to the winner's enclosure.

Luke Woodhouse v Damon Heta: The Australian has had two very good wins at this tournament, but Damon Heta has not needed his best form to beat Beau Greaves and Michael van Gerwen.

He is unlikely to get away with a low 90s average in this Third Round match.

Luke Woodhouse secured a very good win over William O'Connor on Saturday and has won a European title this season as he continues pushing up towards the top of the World Rankings.

The Heat can be very good, but Woodhouse should be the player with the most chances to win Legs and he can battle through to the Quarter Final.

Stephen Bunting-Nathan Aspinall over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ checkout: Big scoring and big checkouts were seen in both Second Round matches that were won by Stephen Bunting and Nathan Aspinall on Saturday.

They can round out the Day Session with a bit more of the same in what could be a match that needs at least nine Legs to find a winner.

If it goes as long as expected, the two players should comfortably get up to six maximums between them, while it could be a match swung by a big finish.

Both are very good combination finishers and so this match double looks a decent selection at odds against.

MY PICKS: Ryan Searle @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Gerwyn Price-Ross Smith Over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Woodhouse @ 1.72 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Stephen Bunting-Nathan Aspinall Over 5.5 180s & 1+ 100+ Checkout @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Quarter Final Picks: Ross Smith & Most 180s @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Nathan Aspinall & Most 180s @ 2.50 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Flanders Darts Trophy: 2-4, - 2.34 Units (6 Units Staked, - 39% Yield)

NFL Week 1 Picks 2026 (Wednesday 9th September-Monday 14th September)

Super Bowl LV is in the books and six months have passed in the off-season, which means it is time to go again in the NFL in 2026.

Last season was a strange one with so many of the top teams being held back as injuries piled up, while a number of those involved in the Playoffs can be considered as surprise contenders.

You'd have been hard pressed to find too many people tipping up the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots as the teams that would reach the Super Bowl and that means these teams will be playing under very different pressures in 2026.

Further to those two teams, you could argue that Divisional Winners Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars were all surprising teams to go along with Seattle and New England and all of those mentioned will have to contend with raised expectations.

Going into 2026, teams like the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals are some of the leading names that will look for a big bounce back season, especially if they can benefit from better health to key players.

Changes have been made by those like the Buffalo Bills who have felt they have hit the ceiling under previous Head Coaches and they are very much one of a number of teams in Super Bowl or Bust mode. You could add the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers to that list!

As has been stated every year, making Super Bowl selections in September can look very foolish by December when injuries and other factors come into play.

The expectation is that it will be a season that is not as impacted by the kind of injuries we saw in 2025 and that should make it another memorable one.

If they can stay healthy, Baltimore Ravens look like a team that could go far, but they are another making a move from a long-term Head Coach like the Buffalo Bills.

Teams like the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans could grow having had Playoff experience, while this might finally be the season when a good looking Dallas Cowboys team can put it all together.

Much like some of the top teams in the NFL, 2025 was a disappointing year for the NFL Picks and so a bounce back is required for the pages as well as for those players heading to the field.

Picks from Week 1 will be added to this thread over the next few days with the rare Wednesday start to the season perhaps catching some unaware. There is a full round of games from Wednesday through to Monday and hopefully this is the start of a very good season both on these pages and across all the Stadiums that will be used heading towards Super Bowl LXI which will be hosted at Sofi Stadium.

Both Los Angeles teams will be hoping to be involved in that Super Bowl in the home Stadium, but the season will begin at the home of the defending Champions.

New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks Pick: Almost exactly six months have passed since the Seattle Seahawks crushed the New England Patriots at Super Bowl LX and the two teams will meet again in Week 1 of the 2026 season.

In a very rare situation, Week 1 will get underway on Wednesday rather than the traditional Thursday, but that is not going to be an excuse for either of these teams that have been retooled for another crack at the Championship.

Despite being the defending Champions, the Seattle Seahawks have to be extremely frustrated that all of the talk ahead of this season has been about NFC West rivals Los Angeles Rams. Big moves have been made by the Rams to try and get past Seattle, and the rest of the NFL, but the Seahawks beat them twice in three games last season and keeping hold of the majority of the Offensive unit has to be a confidence booster.

One who has departed is Super Bowl LV MVP Kenneth Walker III, but the Seahawks are still going to be confident they can run the ball effectively enough to open up the passing game for Sam Darnold at Quarter Back. That was certainly the case in the Super Bowl win, although the Seattle Seahawks will be hoping they have ironed out any lingering issues in converting drives into Touchdowns rather than having to settle for Field Goals.

There will be a confidence about Seattle thanks to the Offensive unit largely being kept together, but there has been a change in the Offensive Co-Ordinator position and that is something the fans may be feeling a little uncertain about. The previous Co-Ordinator, Klint Kubiak, is now the Head Coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, but Brian Fleury will not want to shake things up too much to ease the transition for the team.

The home team can keep this tough New England Defensive unit guessing about what is coming up, although the Patriots will feel they did enough to try and keep the team in the Super Bowl in February.

Instead the pressure will be on the New England Offense to show what they have learned from the huge struggles in the Super Bowl and that has included giving Drake Maye new weapons in the passing game. AJ Brown is the big player coming in from the Philadelphia Eagles and that gives the Quarter Back a legitimate Number 1 Wide Receiver, while bringing in Romeo Doubs looks a smart piece of business.

The Offensive Line has to be able to give Drake Maye time and it will be remembered that Seattle racked up six Sacks in the Super Bowl win.

All of that began from the fact the Seahawks Defensive Line shut down the run and forced Drake Maye into obvious passing situations, which also meant allowing the pass rushers to get out quickly and put the Quarter Back under pressure. The Patriots Offensive Line is healthier than it was in the Super Bowl, but an inability to establish the run could make this another tough experience for a team having to travel across the country for the road opener.

The Seahawks do have some injuries in the Secondary that can be exploited by the Patriots, but it is never easy throwing from third and long spots and Drake Maye will also be well aware of the pressure that is likely to collapse the pocket around him. The Quarter Back is likely to better than he was in the Super Bowl, but that may not be enough to bridge the double digit gap that the final scoreboard showed in February.

Super Bowl rematches in the following season have been won by the same team that picked up the Championship on nine of twelve occasions it has occurred and Seattle are very good at home.

New England should be better this season as a team, although unlikely to match the regular season record of 2025, but this is a very tough opener and a late play or two made by the Seattle pass rushers may end up being the difference on the day.

The Seahawks finished 8-2 at home in 2025 on the way to the Super Bowl success and they look capable of winning this one by around a Touchdown mark.

Los Angeles Rams vs San Francisco 49ers Pick: Much like so many other sports, the NFL are continuing to expand their appeal well outside of the North American borders.

In the last several years, it has become common place for the NFL to play a handful of regular season games in Europe with Germany and Spain added to the games played in London.

However, Week 1 will see two NFC West rivals travel around 8000 miles to Melbourne, Australia to open the 2026 season when the Los Angeles Rams 'host' the San Francisco 49ers. The game is going to be played in the morning as far as the local time is concerned, but that will keep this is kick off at around the usual Thursday Night Football time slot as far as those in the United States are concerned.

This is going to be another challenge for experienced Head Coaches who know that Week 1 can be a difficult game regardless, but adding the travel time to Melbourne only makes it that much harder to plan. Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have headed over a few days before Sean McVay and the Rams and it is a game that is going to be as much about acclimatisation as it is about the quality on the field.

Both teams made the post-season in 2025 and that underlines the strong units that both have, although the Rams are the favourites to win the Super Bowl having added Myles Garrett in a trade from the Cleveland Browns and then seeing Aaron Donald come out of retirement to play alongside the top Defensive player in the NFL.

Aaron Donald will not be travelling for this game, but the Los Angeles Rams still look really strong having retained the core of the Offensive starters and added that strength on the Defensive Line. They may be arriving in Melbourne for a short business trip, but the Rams are arriving in pretty good shape and good health is very important for any team that wants to win the Super Bowl.

Injuries have become an ongoing issue for this San Francisco 49ers team that has experience and strong units on both sides of the ball, but also an ageing team that may struggle to shake off those problems. Nick Bosa and George Kittle are returning after serious injuries from the 2025 season, but both are still pretty limited, while the 49ers Defensive Line may not be as strong as hoped in this Week 1 contest.

This could mean the 49ers struggle to prevent the Rams from finding a good balance in the plays being called on the Offensive side of the ball, while veteran Quarter Back Matthew Stafford continues to operate at a really high level. He is certainly not ready to hand over to the surprising First Round Draft Pick made by the Rams when selecting Ty Simpson and the likelihood is that Stafford has a very strong opening game.

San Francisco will be expecting plenty from their own Offensive unit this season as Brock Purdy returns at Quarter Back with a shiny new weapon in Mike Evans at Wide Receiver. However, the news that Ricky Pearsall will miss the season and Christian Kirk is ruled out of Week 1 will have really stung and may just make things a bit more difficult for the 49ers in what could develop into another shootout between these rivals.

Fans will not be happy that the Rams have given up home field advantage for this Divisional clash, but Los Angeles have lost three of the last four when hosting San Francisco, including last season. Three straight road wins over the 49ers suggests it will not be a massive problem for Sean McVay's team and they do deserve the edge as long as the plan to arrive as late as they are does not completely backfire.

Melbourne should enjoy a really good show and one that the Los Angeles  Rams can win with a cover of this handicap number set.

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts Pick: No one will ever downplay the successes under Head Coach John Harbaugh, but the Baltimore Ravens may also have felt the team had lost some freshness after missing out on the post-season last year.

They decided to move on from Harbaugh after more than a decade since the last Super Bowl win and the challenge for the new Head Coach is finding a way to help Lamar Jackson and the Ravens produce the best Football in January. Since winning the Super Bowl in the 2012 season, the Baltimore Ravens are just 4-7 in Playoff games and Jesse Minter will be getting the opportunity to build on what John Harbaugh left behind.

Better health for the Quarter Back will be important, but the Ravens will also need someone to step up in the Receiving corps to give Jackson somewhere other to look than at Mark Andres and Zay Flowers. The latter has only just been cleared to play in Week 1, while Baltimore will still lean on the Offensive Line and look to establish the run to open up the passing game.

Running against the Indianapolis Colts was a challenge for teams last year, and so it may be up to Jackson at Quarter Back to try and help establish the ball on the ground.

If he can do that, the Ravens will feel they can make enough plays to push the ball through the air and they are facing an Indianapolis Colts team that are under pressure after capitulating down the stretch in the 2025 season. The Colts opened at 7-1, but finished the season with a losing record and missing out on the post-season, although that was largely down to losing the starting Quarter Back to injury.

Daniel Jones had been revitalised in moving to Indianapolis, but he will be looking to show all that he has recovered fully from the achilles injury that cost him significant time last season. The Quarter Back is very happy with the Colts, but Michael Pittman Jr will not be around to throw to and Daniel Jones is going to be very comfortable leaning on Jonathan Taylor and the run game.

Indianapolis can take confidence from the way Jonathan Taylor ripped through the Los Angeles Chargers, who had Jesse Minter as Defensive Co-Ordinator, while the Ravens are going to be missing their best run stopper. The Colts are almost certainly going to be looking to run the ball as often as they can and keep the pressure away from Daniel Jones as he eases back into competitive action, but they will be confident they can do that.

This is an early chance for both of these teams to show they can improve on 2025 and reach the Playoffs in 2026 and the expectation is both are going to look to grind this out on the ground.

Questions have to be asked about Daniel Jones and his health, but the Colts have to feel they can run the ball perhaps more effectively than the Baltimore Ravens and that makes the points they are receiving feel very appealing.

Baltimore could blow past the line if Lamar Jackson has one of his better games, but the Indianapolis Colts can run the ball effectively and keep Jackson on the sidelines for long enough to perhaps pull the upset.

Atlanta Falcons @ Pittsburgh Steelers Pick: The AFC North has long been headlined by John Harbaugh and the Baltimore Ravens and Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers, but both of those teams are under new Head Coaches in 2026.

Mike Tomlin may not have been able to add to the Super Bowl won in 2008, but he did finish up his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers by avoiding having a losing season in any of the nineteen that he was Head Coach of the team.

However, the poor recent Playoff results had frustrated the fans and so Tomlin is out and Mike McCarthy comes in as he is reunited with Aaron Rodgers as his Quarter Back.

Mike McCarthy is perhaps fortunate to have been given this opportunity and he can be thankful to Rodgers, but he has big shoes to fill. The Head Coach and the Quarter Back have to be grateful for the moves the Steelers have made to bolster an Offense that did not operate as well as the team would have hoped.

Michael Pittman Jr and Rico Dowdle have both been signed to give the Steelers new weapons, but the hope will be that the Offensive Line has developed well enough to create more room for the team to pound the ball on the ground. Everything good for this team will come by running the ball and giving Aaron Rodgers a chance to make quick throws, while also opening up play-action opportunities to attack teams down the field with Pittman Jr and DK Metcalf.

Pittsburgh will be confident they can push the ball on the ground against the Atlanta Falcons Defensive Line, even the revamped line, and that may allow Aaron Rodgers to have another strong Week 1 performance.

Like the Steelers, the Atlanta Falcons have a new Head Coach in Kevin Stefanski and this is a team that will be expecting to challenge for a post-season spot having improved from seven wins in 2023 to eight in 2024, but then failing to improve that mark last season and missing out on a Playoff spot through various tie-breakers.

They play in the relatively weak NFC South, although the Falcons are going to begin this season without Michael Penix Jr at Quarter Back.

Tua Tagovailoa has been signed, but looked out of sorts in the pre-season and that has meant the Falcons have decided to go with Cooper Rush in the opener. He played for the Baltimore Ravens last year and started a couple of games, which also means being familiar with the Pittsburgh Steelers and what they want to do, but Cooper Rush may simply be asked to hand the ball to Bijan Robinson and look for the Running Back to dominate the touches.

Cooper Rush does have some very solid Receivers to target when he does step back to throw, but the question will be whether he will be given enough time by the Offensive Line to allow those routes to develop.

Pittsburgh will look to get after Rush and see if they can force mistakes from the Quarter Back.

You also have to wonder if the Week 2 game against the Carolina Panthers will be a potential distraction for the Atlanta Falcons and the Pittsburgh Steelers may be able to come out with enough intensity on both sides of the ball to earn the win and cover.

Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers Pick: A losing record was enough for the Carolina Panthers to win the NFC South and earn a spot in the Playoff, but it is the performance against the Los Angeles Rams in the post-season that will give the fans confidence to take into 2026.

The NFC South remains wide open and the Panthers will be encouraged by the improvement of Bryce Young at Quarter Back after looking like he was going to be a player that would not live up to his hype in the pros.

There is some real talent on the Offensive side of the ball, although the Offensive Line will have to show they have improved if only to give Bryce Young more time when he steps back to throw. More consistency out of the Quarter Back position is going to be needed for the Panthers to earn another go at the Playoffs and Bryce Young will have a chance to show what he can do in Week 1 when taking on the Chicago Bears.

The Chicago fans will not be happy to hear about the owners pushing for the team to move to Indiana, but the Bears are the NFC North Champions having earned eleven wins last season. The Bears will feel they should have beaten the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round of the Playoff, but there is also a huge amount of excitement about what this team can do over the next few months.

Caleb Williams had almost 4000 passing yards to go with his 27 Touchdown passes and just 7 Interceptions in 2025 and the Bears have a franchise Quarter Back that has set some high targets for himself this season.

Chicago's Offense is well-balanced, which makes them tough to stop, although the Bears are going to need the Defensive unit to step up if they are going to progress in the months ahead. They will certainly be confident in putting a balanced attack together against the Carolina Panthers Defensive unit and Caleb Williams may be given enough time to dissect this team, even on the road.

Winning road games is never easy in the NFL, but the Chicago Bears may have the firepower to pull clear in this one.

The Bears have won seven of the last eight in this series with the Carolina Panthers, including a blowout win in 2024.

The two Divisional Winners from 2025 will both be confident, but the Bears have that slight edge and the more consistent Offensive performers, which can be the difference in Week 1. Mistakes made by the Quarter Back can be costly and Caleb Williams is likely going to have the cleaner game than Bryce Young and that can see the Bears come away with a victory.

MY PICKS: Seattle Seahawks - 3 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Rams - 3.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Indianapolis Colts + 3.5 Points @ 1.81 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Pittsburgh Steelers - 5.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Chicago Bears - 3 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Philadelphia Eagles - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Dallas Cowboys - 2.5 Points @ 1.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Boxing Picks 2025- Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford (Saturday 13th September)

It has felt the Boxing world has been in something of a freeze in anticipation of the main event in Las Vegas this Saturday, although the summer months have been more active than previous years.

Canelo vs Bud is a Super Fight, even if the two combatants are past their prime- they are still considered amongst the best pound for pound fighters in the sport and the winner is going to be given some big opportunities over the next twelve months to further their legacy and increase the bank balance.

Even the losing fighter may be afforded some opportunities, but you have to imagine that said fighter could also consider retirement.

This is a big weekend in other parts of the world too- the main event may be in Las Vegas, but Naoya Inoue faces a real challenge on Sunday and the Lewis Crocker vs Paddy Donovan rematch for a World Title in Belfast is going to provide an intense atmosphere on Saturday evening, UK time.

For Boxing fans, this is the kind of weekend that should be appreciated and enjoyed with some solid fights across several hours and it should be the beginning of some solid looking cards to take us through to the end of the calendar year.

Canelo Alvarez vs Terence Crawford

When this fight was first rumoured, my feeling was that Terence Crawford would be ready to 'shock the world' by moving up a couple of weight classes to beat the Undisputed Super Middleweight Champion.

However, the expectation was that this was not going to be a view shared by many.

To my surprise, the Terence Crawford bandwagon has been picking up steam ever since the fight was made official and there has been little reason to pull back on the selection.

You have to have a huge amount of respect for Canelo Alvarez and all that he has achieved in the sport- he is the naturally bigger man in terms of the weight class, and having just two defeats in a sixty-seven fight career against Floyd Mayweather and Dmitry Bivol will give his fans plenty of belief that the Mexican is ready to beat another contender.

Carrying the extra weight is going to be an issue for Terence Crawford, but he physically matches up to Canelo Alvarez.

Bud is also the older fighter, even if he is less battle worn, and you cannot ignore what has looked obvious slippages in Canelo Alvarez' performances over the last couple of years. The win over William Scull was particularly poor viewing earlier this year, although Canelo can at least point to being more active than Terence Crawford who is having just his second fight since July 2023.

The last time we saw Crawford in the ring, he was not exactly lighting it up and that was at Light Middleweight, but his footwork is going to be an advantage in this fight.

It may all end up boiling down to a simple fact- can Crawford take the punches and power that Canelo Alvarez will deliver?

A couple of years ago it may have felt different, but there is little doubt that Canelo's activity has dipped within fights and that is where Terence Crawford can use his footwork and Boxing IQ and skills to do enough to put the Rounds in the bank.

Earning a Decision win over Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas has always been an extra challenge- there are a number of fights where it has been almost unanimously felt that the Mexican King has been given a kind verdict, most notably in the Gennady Golovkin trilogy and the Erislandy Lara bouts.

Even Dmitry Bivol's win over Canelo looked much more comfortable than the final 115-113 scores handed in by all three judges and you do have to wonder if any close Rounds will automatically be handed to Alvarez.

That is not to say it is going to be a fix, but the old saying of a 'good big one beats a good little one' might be on the minds of the judges when there is little between the fighters and so leaning with the Boxer they expect to be dictating is almost human nature.

The more Terence Crawford pushes to make it clear he has won the Rounds, the more chance of Canelo Alvarez landing something big, but the unbeaten American is someone who seems to know when to turn it on and off within fights.

It would be a real surprise if either fighter is Stopped, but the feeling is that Terence Crawford will outwork Canelo Alvarez for long enough to be given the Decision. Both fighters are likely to come out with some caution and it could be a slow burner, but there is a pride about both Canelo and Bud and that should see them exchanging plenty of leather once they have worked out some of the movements of the other.

This has all of the hallmarks of being a brilliant fight, even if both are past their best, and it is hard to rule out Terence Crawford from earning the upset.

My gut feeling is that Terence Crawford will find a way, but inactivity is an issue and we won't really know how that, and the added weight has affected his preparation until the two fighters are in the ring.

Canelo Alvarez has tended to find a plan that has helped him come through close fights, but this is his toughest test since the loss to Dmitry Bivol.

It is a Super Fight and the best play may be going with the gut feeling that has been in place since it was first rumoured and that is Bud Crawford finding a way, most likely on the cards.

Instead of a three day build towards the main event in Las Vegas, as was touted by the promoters when the big fight was first announced, there is a decent enough undercard put together.

It features fighters that could potentially be pushed into main event or higher profile fights going forward, especially with the links to Riyadh Season, and so there are big opportunities at play.

Serhii Bohachuk has raised his profile over the last twelve months and is expected to earn revenge over Brandon Adams, the sole loss on his record. However, it is not easy to know how the fight will develop considering the toughness of the veteran, although ultimately you have to believe Bohachuk will have his hand raised.

The interest may be in a couple of the crossroads fights featuring unbeaten opponents who will be looking for a big opportunity for the winner.

Callum Walsh and Christian Mbili are the favourites against Fernando Vargas and Lester Martinez respectively and both could overpower the Boxer coming out of the other corner.

It just feels like Walsh and Mbili have been building their records in better company compared with the opponent they are facing and that could show up- both of these fighters have a real belief that they are set for some big opportunities over the next twelve to eighteen months and they can prove that by impressing some of the biggest financial backers in the sport.

Lewis Crocker vs Paddy Donovan II

There was a huge amount of controversy attached to the first bout between these two rivals which was ended with a punch thrown by Paddy Donovan after the bell.

He was well on his way to winning the fight, but that late punch was deemed a Disqualification-worthy effort, and Lewis Crocker maintained his unbeaten record.

The fight now moves from The SSE Arena to Windsor Park and more has been put on the line with a World Title awarded to the winner in the Welterweight Division.

Lewis Crocker insists he will be better, but it is hard to imagine him closing what looked a considerable gap to Paddy Donovan in the original bout.

Some talk has been around that Crocker was having issues in the build up to that one, but Paddy Donovan looked stronger and the better Boxer and this time he will be looking to really make sure he leaves with the victory and the World Title. It should mean a cleaner fight from Donovan as he puts the pressure on Lewis Crocker and he should be fired up to make a statement.

Paddy Donovan can do that inside this Stadium in what should be a fiery atmosphere and the exclamation point will be securing a Stoppage, one that cannot be taken away this time.

The first fight between Crocker and Donovan was memorable, but there is a rematch on the undercard that will have fans salivating.

Tyrone McKenna Stopped Dylan Moran in two absorbing Rounds back in December and they will run it back.

Since that contest, McKenna has been through another tough fight when being Stopped by Harlem Eubank, but he will be very confident that he has too much for this rival having shown that in the first bout.

You have to believe Dylan Moran will take some confidence from the number of times McKenna was dropped in that defeat to Eubank, but his own chin has shown a 'weakness' which his rival was happy to point out BEFORE the first win.

Another firefight could be in store, but one that Tyrone McKenna can come out on top.

There is also a decent looking Super Middleweight fight on the undercard and there seems to be little love lost between Caoimhin Agyarko and Ishmael Davis.

However, it feels the layers have got it about right with Davis going in as a narrow favourite and he should do enough to beat the home fighter on the cards.

MY PICKS: Terence Crawford to Win @ 2.60 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Christian Mbili to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 2.75 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Callum Walsh to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 3.25 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Paddy Donovan to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.66 Bet365 (2 Units)

Tyrone McKenna to Win by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.83 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2025: 19-56, - 32.93 Units (94 Units Staked, - 35.03% Yield)

College Football Week 3 Picks 2025 (Saturday 13th September)

The expanded Playoff format in the world of College Football does offer some more room for error for the very best teams in the nation, but it still feels like some are teetering on the edge of a cliff if they are to lose a second game in Week 3.

Teams playing in the SEC know that non-Conference defeats could be tough to shake off if they were to lose to a couple of the top contenders within the Conference, while others, like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, will see their schedule as being too weak even if they make a run following a second defeat.

The Playoff Committee have made it clear that they like to see more competition and that will mean not punishing a team for a loss to another top team and so there are some bigger, more important non-Conference games scheduled than ever before.

Week 3 is also bringing together teams from within Conferences that are looking to make an early statement and the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville is going to be really fun to watch.

While we do have some very good looking games in Week 3, there are also some teams being asked to lay big spreads and that means there is a pressure to impress before moving into tougher parts of the schedule.

It all adds up to what should be another fun week around the nation with games being played across several time zones on Saturday.

Factors meant there were no College Football Picks in Week 2, but the idea is to bounce back in Week 3.

After a good start to the season, Week 1 proved to be something of a headache with some late plays moving against the selections.

Hopefully the upcoming slate of games can help turn things back around.

Oregon Ducks @ Northwestern Wildcats Pick: The first season in the Big Ten Conference went as well as the Oregon Ducks (2-0) would have hoped as they won the Championship with an unbeaten record. That included wins over the likes of the then defending National Champions Michigan Wolverines as well as Ohio State and Penn State, but the season might have felt underwhelming when beating in the College Football Playoff as the Number 1 Seed.

That defeat was against the aforementioned Buckeyes in a rematch, a team who would go on to win the National Championship, and so motivation is high within the Oregon camp.

They have reloaded effectively and new Quarter Back Dante Moore has shown the benefits of sitting behind Dillon Gabriel and learning the Offensive plan last year.

Oregon are clearly a team on a mission and the blowout win over the Oklahoma State Cowboys will have certainly gotten the attention of the rest of the loaded, competitive Big Ten, as well as the very best teams across the nation.

The Ducks do not have to face Michigan or Ohio State in the regular season this time around, but they will want to keep the momentum behind them ahead of a rivalry game against Oregon State next week before closing out September with a road game at the Penn State Nittany Lions, the team that came into the season as the third favourite to win the Conference.

These are big challenges for the Ducks, but they will not want to overlook Northwestern Wildcats (1-1) in what is a very early start for Oregon.

It is the first true road game of the season, even if Northwestern are currently playing in a couple of homes while renovations continue at their real Stadium, and the early start is expected to offer some challenges. Head Coach Dan Lanning is not looking for excuses though and he is going to be hugely encouraged by what he has seen from the Ducks early in the season.

The Wildcats finished last season with a 4-8 record having overachieved in Head Coach David Braun's first season in charge, and they have already been well beaten by the Tulane Green Wave. A tough schedule suggests the Wildcats will do well to surpass the two Conference wins earned last season and they have lost starting Running Back Cam Porter to a season-ending injury.

Trying to establish the run would have been a plan for the Wildcats if only to give the Defensive unit a chance to rest and recover, but that would have been challenging even if Porter had been able to suit up.

All of the pressure could be on Quarter Back Preston Stone, who threw 4 Interceptions in the loss to the Green Wave, and he is almost certainly going to be put under pressure by the Oregon pass rush when throwing in this good looking Secondary.

Stopping the Oregon Ducks is going to be hugely challenging judging by what this Offensive Line has been able to do and Northwestern's Defensive Line have not really been very stout up front. Dante Moore's main task early on will be to hand the ball off to any of a number of Running Backs and allow the Offensive Line to punish the Wildcats on the ground, which in turn will open up his passing lanes as the game develops.

The Offensive Line have not only opened up big holes for the rushing plays, but they have kept the pocket clean for the Quarter Back and the limited Wildcats pass rush is not expected to rattle Moore.

It should mean another big win for the Oregon Ducks, who have outscored the first two opponents by 46 and 66 points respectively.

Blowouts on the road are much tougher to achieve, but Oregon did win a couple of road games by 35 points last season and they may reach that kind of margin in this one against a Wildcats team expected to have another year of difficulties.

Last season Northwestern finished with a 1-3 record against the spread as the home underdog and only a sleepy performance from the Oregon Ducks is expected to allow this game to be close.

Wisconsin Badgers @ Alabama Crimson Tide Pick: This may only be the start of the second year in charge of the Alabama Crimson Tide (1-1), but Kalen DeBoer may struggle to hold onto his job if his team lose to another non-Conference opponent in Week 3. They bounced back from a really poor performance against the Florida State Seminoles to beat UL Monroe, but expectations are always huge around Alabama and missing out on another College Football Playoff will likely spell the end of DeBoer's time as Head Coach.

The chances of reaching the Playoff will depend on how Alabama go the rest of the way, although it is very difficult to see how they would recover from a second defeat this early in the season. In two weeks time they have to travel to Athens to play the Georgia Bulldogs and the likes of Tennessee, South Carolina and LSU are still on deck.

We are yet to see how the loss to the Seminoles will stack up, but losing to the Wisconsin Badgers (2-0) might be harder to explain away with the visiting team just 14-13 under the guidance of Head Coach Luke Fickell.

The Badgers have yet to be tested in the 2025 season, but are expected to be without starting Quarter Back Billy Edwards Jr, even if he is looking to travel with the team. Instead the focus will be on Danny O'Neil who has experience as a starter with the San Diego State Aztecs, but who will rarely have been up against anything that closely resembles the Alabama Defensive unit.

They shut out UL Monroe last week after underperforming against the Seminoles and the Crimson Tide Defensive Line will certainly feel they can win at the Line of Scrimmage against this Badgers Offensive Line. This time they are not facing a dual-threat Quarter Back and so Alabama can play the game with a bit more confidence up front and force Danny O'Neil to try and beat them through the air.

Wisconsin's Offensive Line may feel they can give O'Neil some time in the pocket, but he is going to be throwing from third and long at times and against an Alabama Secondary that is looking very strong.

It may be tough for the Badgers to move the ball with consistency, but they will be motivated for a big performance having been thumped by the Crimson Tide in Madison last season.

Much like Alabama, the Badgers will look to try and win on the Line of Scrimmage when they are on the Defensive side of the ball and try and force the pressure onto Quarter Back Ty Simpson of the home team. In recent years the Crimson Tide Offensive Line have been big and strong though and you have to believe that they can get something going on the ground.

Easing the burden on Ty Simpson is important, as is the fact that he will have one of his top Receivers back when Ryan Williams is expected to be have passed through the concussion protocol. He looked to be growing into the game against Florida State before putting in a big performance against ULM, and being in front of the chains should make the play-calling that much more comfortable for Simpson to execute.

You have to believe the Crimson Tide will show their qualities in this one, especially as the hosts, and they have been a decent home favourite to get behind.

This is a big spread, but with two weeks coming up to prepare for Georgia, the Crimson Tide can leave it all out on the field and they can put a thumping on Wisconsin for a second season in a row. A couple of turnovers will help, and the feeling is that the Defensive unit can make enough big plays to offer up some short field opportunities, which will ultimately allow the home team to pull clear of the spread set.

Central Michigan Chippewas @ Michigan Wolverines Pick: It was a really disappointing season as defending National Champions and the Michigan Wolverines (1-1) are trying to bounce back from a defeat at the Oklahoma Sooners in Week 2. They finished with an 8-5 record in 2024, but the Wolverines were the last team to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes and the fans will be demanding they find a way to earn a spot in the College Football Playoff this time around.

Losing to the Sooners stings, but the Michigan Wolverines do have a schedule that will give them a chance to prove they are worthy of having a spot in the twelve team Playoff later in the year.

Michigan have a big game coming up at the home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, but the defeat last week should have refocused the team, even if Head Coach Sherrone Moore is serving the first of a two game suspension. He will be watching on and looking for a reaction from his team.

The Wolverines look to be facing a good opponent in the Central Michigan Chippewas (1-1) who are in the first year under a new Head Coach having finished 4-8 last season. The blowout loss at the home of the Pittsburgh Panthers is a reminder that it will take time to learn the methods of Matt Drinkel, a Head Coach who wants his team to run the ball and set things up from there.

It was a real problem for the Chippewas in that defeat to the Panthers and they are not expected to have a lot of joy going up against this Michigan Defensive Line. Despite the defeat last week to the Sooners, Michigan played well on this side of the ball and they have the strength and power up front to close down the running lanes and force Central Michigan to take to the air.

Rod Moore could be back to play some snaps in the Secondary after a serious injury suffered last season and that is going to be a boost for the Wolverines. They are also facing a Central Michigan team giving all of their Quarter Backs a chance to impress and the Wolverines should be able to contain much of the Offensive threat over the course of the four Quarters to be played.

This game also gives the Wolverines a chance to open up the playbook Offensively as they look to find some rhythm on this side of the ball.

The Offensive Line should be able to have their way against the Chippewas Defensive Line and that is going to open things up for the Michigan Wolverines and their young Quarter Back. The likelihood is that Michigan will rip off some big gains on the ground and that should really give Bryce Underwood an opportunity to show why he was so heavily recruited ahead of his College career.

Bryce Underwood found it tough against the Sooners, but this is a much weaker Secondary and the Quarter Back should be playing from manageable field positions.

This is the biggest spread that Michigan will have faced since Jim Harbaugh returned to the NFL, and they failed to cover as a 20+ favourite on two occasions last season. The Wolverines also failed to cover as a big home favourite in the win over New Mexico in Week 1, but the Chippewas were well beaten by the Panthers and could struggle to stick with the angry hosts in Week 3.

Western Michigan Broncos @ Illinois Fighting Illini Pick: Four teams made it to the College Football Playoff out of the Big Ten Conference last season and all won double digit games. The exception was the Illinois Fighting Illini (2-0) who had a 10-3 record after winning the Bowl Game, but losses to Penn State, Oregon and Minnesota in the regular season meant missing out.

However, the Fighting Illini have moved into 2025 with a lot of confidence having returned so many starters from last season on both sides of the ball.

Two crushing wins to open this season has only built the confidence further and Illinois did impress in the victory over the Duke Blue Devils last week.

The biggest test for the Fighting Illini is not to overlook the Western Michigan Broncos (2-0) ahead of a big Conference opener against the Indiana Hoosiers.

For as long as the Illinois Offensive starters are playing, the Fighting Illini should be comfortable moving the chains. The Offensive Line is expected to set the table for the rest of the team by opening up some big lanes on the ground against what has been a struggling Western Michigan Defensive Line and this should also mean Quarter Back Luke Altmyer is able to build on what has been a very good start to the season.

The experienced Quarter Back had 22 Touchdown passes to go with 6 Interceptions last season and he has begun this year with 6 Touchdown passes without throwing a single pick. With the team expected to be moving the ball on the ground, Altmyer should be given a bit more protection and the Fighting Illini should have a comfortable day Offensively and keep the points ticking over as they have in the opening two games.

After struggling in the opening defeat to the Michigan State Spartans, Western Michigan's Offensive performance was stronger in the Week 2 defeat.

However, this is another step up for the Broncos Offense which is not very experienced and it will be tough to pick up the yards on the ground as they were doing in the loss to North Texas. This week they are facing an Illinois Defensive Line that has been very strong in the opening couple of games and it will put pressure on Broc Lowry or Brady Jones when they are playing out of the Quarter Back position.

As teams have been chasing points against Illinois, there has been some successes had against this Secondary, which will also be happy to give up some yardage with big leads to protect. However, we have not seen much from the Broncos passing game to believe they can sustain drives and failing to run the ball efficiently will also mean having to face this Fighting Illini pass rush that has been very good.

Illinois are not a team that have been used to being favoured at home over the last twelve months, but they have a 2-1-1 record against the spread in that setting, including covering in Week 1. This is a big number, but the Offensive performances will certainly encourage Fighting Illini backers, as will the fact that the Broncos are just 2-4 against the spread as the road underdog since the beginning of the 2024 season.

MY PICKS: Oregon Ducks - 27 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Alabama Crimson Tide - 20.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Michigan Wolverines - 27.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Illinois Fighting Illini - 27.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Auburn Tigers - 24.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

USC Trojans - 20.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Texas Tech Red Raiders - 23.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Iowa State Cyclones - 21.5 Points @ 2.00 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Week 1: 1-4, - 3.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 62.80% Yield)

Week 0: 2-1, + 0.75 Units (3 Units Staked, + 25% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (September 12-14)

I always felt the six weeks between the end of the 2019/20 Premier League season and the start of the 2020/21 would fly by, but even then the new season has snuck up on me in the same way the NFL season has done.

With the European competitions being completed in August, it did mean the Premier League offered Manchester City and Manchester United the chance to have an extra week to prepare for the season and that means those two teams along with Burnley and Aston Villa are not going to be in action this weekend.

Even then, there are eight Premier League matches to come this week and, importantly, the Fantasy Football Game is back with GW1 ready to go.

I have a few thoughts about the opening week of the season which you can read below once I put down my thoughts as to how the weekend Premier League games will go.

Fulham v Arsenal Pick: After a very short off-season the Premier League is back in action on Saturday as Arsenal make a relatively short trip across London to take on newly-promoted Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Both of these clubs enjoyed plenty of success at Wembley Stadium last month as Fulham earned their spot in the top flight through the Play Off Final just days after Arsenal won the FA Cup. The Gunners have also won the Community Shield in the national Stadium a couple of weeks ago and the Mikel Arteta era is beginning to take shape with some interesting signings made.

A couple of youngsters may take over in key defensive positions, but keeping Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looks to have been the crucial piece of business done this off-season. Signing Willian will give the squad some experience too and Arsenal have produced some big results under their Spanish manager.

However there are some questions about a team that only won 4 of 19 away Premier League games last season. The Gunners have to be much stronger than that if they are going to bridge the 10 point gap that existed at the end of last season between Arsenal and the Champions League spots and the improvement has to be shown right at the beginning of the 2020/21 campaign.

I do think Arsenal have the attacking players to make hay at Craven Cottage where they have enjoyed visiting in recent times. There are a number of members of the squad who would have been involved in the 1-5 win on this ground a little under two years ago and I do think Fulham have a squad that looks short of the quality needed to survive, at least at this point.

Scott Parker will believe he has the time to still bring in the players that can make the difference for Fulham, but I do think they will find it difficult to contain a team like Arsenal who have pace and quality in the final third.

You do have to wonder how players will cope with what has been a very short time between seasons, but both of these groups should come into the fixture with confidence. I think that could produce a decent game of football even without the fans and I believe that Arsenal will edge a high-scoring fixture.

Fulham were decent here in the Championship, but the step up in class is likely going to be telling for much of the season barring some real quality being signed before the end of the transfer window. Any signings to be made might be accelerated forward if Fulham struggle on Saturday and I do think Arsenal win a fixture featuring at least two goals.

Crystal Palace v Southampton Pick: These two teams are both trendy picks for the new Premier League season- the form shown since the resumption of play means plenty are tipping up Crystal Palace for relegation and Southampton for a top half finish and perhaps even a push for Europe.

Roy Hodgson is a very strong manager and he will extract all he can from the Crystal Palace squad, but much is going to depend on whether he can find a consistent path to goal from somewhere. That is never easy, but Crystal Palace have signed players to try and produce in the final third, although the key for the club is holding onto Wilfried Zaha if possible.

Zaha has been linked with a move away and while the transfer window is open there is going to be a fear that he will finally get his wish.

That uncertainty won't help the Crystal Palace squad which had lost 7 straight Premier League games before a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur. Now they have to take on a Southampton team who had the 4th best record in the Premier League after the three month suspension of the season came to an end.

Southampton have not really strengthened the squad as much as they would have liked, but there is quality available to Ralph Hasenhuttl. The Austrian manager has gotten plenty out of his players in the squad and a rejuvenated Danny Ings provides the end product to the strong football played by The Saints.

This is a team that have loved playing away from home with 9 wins from 19 games on their travels in the League and Southampton have won 3 in a row on this ground. The injuries at the back will make Crystal Palace vulnerable to the upset here and there are plenty backing Southampton to secure the three points here.

It is early in the season though and I do think Crystal Palace are a team that need to be respected thanks to a manager who will make it hard to break his team down. However, I do believe Southampton could have a very good season and I will get behind them on the Asian Handicap which will return the stake in the event of a draw.

Liverpool v Leeds United Pick: It wasn't much fun being a Manchester United fan in a season in which Liverpool and Leeds United had as much success as they did and both clubs will believe they can follow on the 2019/20 campaign with a successful 2020/21.

Liverpool can go into the season as English Champions for the first time in thirty years and they will host Leeds United who have had sixteen years outside of the top flight.

While the hosts will be looking to repeat, the expectation around Leeds United means the fans are hoping to do more than merely survive at this level. With Marcelo Bielsa in charge there is a feeling that Leeds United could even push for a top half finish, but much is going to depend on Rodrigo and whether he has the goals to push Leeds United forward.

This is a very big test for Leeds United against a very good Liverpool team who were not playing as poorly as the results would suggest back in June and July. There was a slight drop off in intensity, but Liverpool were still creating chances and their front three should be rested and ready to compete in this opening weekend fixture.

The absence of Jordan Henderson hurt the side more than expected though and he looks like he could be missing for this fixture. That will offer Leeds United encouragement as will playing in front of an empty Anfield, but even then there is a big step up of class for the visitors to deal with.

We know Bielsa will have Leeds United very well prepared, and that does make them dangerous, but I think Liverpool will be ready to show that the end of last season was just a blip and not an extended issue for the squad to deal with. It should be a good football match with both looking to get forward and cause problems for the opponent, but Liverpool should have a little too much quality when all is said and done.

West Ham United v Newcastle United Pick: Two clubs with fan bases who can sometimes have unrealistic expectations meet on the opening weekend of the 2020/21 Premier League season- both David Moyes and Steve Bruce will likely snap your hand off if you gave West Ham United and Newcastle United a 17th place finish at the end of this campaign, but fans expect the clubs to be operating much higher up the League table.

Mike Ashley was almost finally out of the club, but Newcastle United remain in his control and that means another difficult season is likely in front of the club. Steve Bruce did a fine job for the club last season, but his football is not always appreciated and Bruce has yet to truly win over the fans.

David Moyes is another manager whose football is not always appreciated, but his West Ham United team did end last season in fine form and that will be encouraging to him.

However, things are clearly not going smoothly at the London Stadium judging by captain Mark Noble making his feelings known about the sale of Grady Diangana. Bids have been made to improve the squad, but at the moment West Ham United are going into the new season with what they have.

That is a slight concern for the fans, but West Ham United do have some quality players in the squad who have perhaps underachieved. If Moyes can get those performing to the level they can reach, then West Ham United should feel good about their chances when it comes to avoiding the drop to the Championship.

Newcastle United have had a decent window and bringing in the likes of Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson are decent signings on the budget on which they are operating. Last season Steve Bruce showed he can make his team more than the sum of their parts and there is some pace and quality in the final third which could cause problems for opponents.

However, the defence is vulnerable and even more so without Martin Dubravka keeping goal and I think that is where the home team might have the narrow edge. West Ham United should have won at St James' Park back in July having twice led on the day, and I think being at home will give them more of an opportunity even without the fans in attendance.

It is the first game of the season though and opening weekend results can be a little eye-catching. The home team should be good enough to earn the points here, but the Asian Handicap may be the best approach to this fixture.

West Brom v Leicester City Pick: The first 'Super Sunday' Premier League fixture of the season comes from The Hawthorns as newly-promoted West Brom host Leicester City.

Slaven Bilic's men almost backed their way back into the Premier League from the Championship having failed to win any of their last 4 games to give the likes of Brentford and Fulham an opportunity. That does mean the team perhaps does not come into the new season with the same kind of momentum as some other promoted clubs do, while West Brom still need to address the main problem of looking like a squad that does not have enough goals in them.

Being at home should give West Brom a chance to get off to a good start, but we are still without fans and this Leicester City do have quality despite their poor end to the 2019/20 campaign.

The 3 losses in their last 5 Premier League games means Leicester City missed out on a return to the Champions League, but Brendan Rodgers will have been reminding his squad that they achieved their goal of returning to European Football. The absence of James Maddison did hurt Leicester City down the stretch, but the England international may not be available this weekend either and that is a concern.

Leicester City have not won any of their last 8 away games in all competitions but they were playing better than the results would suggest. There looks to be a continuity with the squad that should see them have another decent campaign even though Ben Chilwell has been moved on, and I think Leicester City do have more goals in their squad than West Brom.

Neither team ended the last season in the manner they would have wanted, but a new campaign comes with new hopes and dreams and I think Leicester City will edge to the three points at The Hawthorns.

Tottenham Hotspur v Everton Pick: Both Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti are shaping their respective Tottenham Hotspur and Everton squads up to their liking and that does mean there is a greater sense of expectation around them.

After missing out on the Champions League, Tottenham Hotspur have to be looking to push their way back in alongside the elite of European Football, while Everton will be hoping to be the 'best of the rest' and challenge for silverware and a return to any European competition.

There is an excitement around both squads with some of the new faces arriving to freshen things up and I do think we could see a decent game on Sunday afternoon. The short turnaround between seasons is going to be a challenge for every club to deal with, but it may also mean some of the players can get off and running quicker than they may do in usual seasons.

When these teams met after the resumption of the Premier League it was a very poor game of football that ended 1-0 in favour of Tottenham Hotspur. However, the home team look in a healthier place now and Everton have brought in some quality that could make them much more competitive even against the better teams in the Premier League.

The midfield reinforcements should offer a lot more protection for Everton this season and I do think James Rodriguez will add some quality to the forward line along with Richarlison. However new signings can take time to bed in and that is where Tottenham Hotspur have a little more continuity in their squad that can see them edge to the points here.

It should be a much better game than the one we saw here in early July, but Tottenham Hotspur managed to do enough to earn the three points on that occasion and I think they can do the same here. With a fully fit squad to choose from, Jose Mourinho can lead his team to a good start to the season and the fixtures over the coming weeks are certainly in Tottenham Hotspur's favour too.

Sheffield United v Wolves Pick: It was a game of limited chances when Sheffield United hosted Wolves in early July and I do think we could see something similar when they meet on the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.

Chris Wilder and Nuno Espirito Santo have to be given a lot of credit for the organisation of their respective teams and they won't have moved too far away from their principles.

I do think the loss of Dean Henderson will hurt Sheffield United as Aaron Ramsdale is simply not the same level of goalkeeper and that may make The Blades a little more vulnerable. However, Wolves are coming in off a long season and the squad is missing key players having sold Matt Doherty and lost Jonny to a long-term injury.

Both clubs are not going to be lacking for effort, but creating chances against the other is going to be a difficult challenge. I do think both Sheffield United and Wolves could be dangerous from set piece situations and that might be the best way to break open this fixture, but chances may be difficult to come by in open play and that could mean goals are at a premium.

We saw a couple of tight and competitive fixtures when these two teams met in the League last season and I do think we will see more of the same. There was a more open feel to the fixture at Molineux, but I imagine this one to follow the patter of the fixture played at Bramall Lane in early July and that is both teams looking to be well organised and hard to break down.

The layers have shortened the price of one, or both, of these teams failing to score on Monday, but it may still be the best way to approach the fixture. Some may want the small interest in a 1-1 correct score to cover the selection as that looks the most likely score if both teams do find the net.

Brighton v Chelsea Pick: The final game of the opening weekend of the Premier League comes from the Amex Stadium where Brighton and Chelsea actually played a friendly in front of a limited crowd in the last couple of weeks.

This time there will be no fans inside the Stadium and I do think the new look Chelsea team might have too much attacking threat for their hosts to cope with.

That is no disrespect to Brighton, but Graham Potter's style does mean they are a little more open and they simply do not score the same amount of goals as those teams at the top. Since the resumption of the Premier League Brighton have lost home games to Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City and they conceded at least three times in each of those defeats.

Now they have to face another team that finished inside the top four of the Premier League table and the only real doubt around Chelsea is how quickly some of the talented players they have purchased will settle in. I don't doubt Ben Chilwell, but the likes of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz are coming in from outside of England and it can be an eye-opening experience for youngsters that have not dealt with this League before.

Even then I do think Werner and Havertz will have a big impact on this Chelsea squad, while the return of Christian Pulisic is a huge boost for Frank Lampard. The American looked to playing at a very high level before an injury in the FA Cup Final, but he is not expected to miss time and looks to be a key threat for Chelsea who will provide the chances for Werner.

A deeper looking squad should have too much attacking intent for Brighton who will try and get forward. They might even have some success against this Chelsea backline which will look similar to the one that started games last season, but I would think Frank Lampard's men will find their way into the final third effectively and can eventually break down Brighton.

The fixture here did end 1-1 last season, and Brighton played well on the day. However, I think this Chelsea team is much improved and I believe they win fairly comfortably ahead of a big League game against Liverpool to come next weekend.

MY PICKS: Arsenal & Over 1.5 Goals

Southampton 0 Asian Handicap

Liverpool - 1.5 Asian Handicap

West Ham United - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Leicester City - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Tottenham Hotspur

Sheffield United-Wolves Both Teams to Score- NO

Chelsea & Over 1.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 1

Unbelievably we are just hours away from the Official Fantasy Football game to be live once again with GameWeek 1 of the competition starting on Saturday.

The season is scheduled to be a very tight one which means it is going to be difficult to manage our Fantasy squads as much as it is going to be for the managers in reality. Through to the end of January it feels like the top clubs will be playing twice a week barring the international breaks in October and November and that is likely going to mean heavy rotation especially as the vote came back to restore the maximum of three substitutions per game rather than the five subs that were allowed following the resumption of the Premier League in June.

While I am planning on keeping my main chips in hand until the second half of the season when they can have the biggest impact, I do think there is a chance that my first Wild Card of the season will be used sooner rather than later.

That is mainly down to the fact that the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City are not in action on the first weekend and they have some very good looking assets that would usually have been part of the squad.

At this stage I don't think it would surprise anyone to learn that I am still making vast changes to my squad, but I will say there are four names that I would think are almost certainly going to be selected in Week 1.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Timo Werner are those names and I do think it would take a real change in my approach to see any of those dropped with the deadline just hours away.

Teams I do think are worth getting behind early in the season are Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Southampton and I would love to get through the early weeks without taking a hit to my total.

Chelsea are another team that look to be benefiting from their early fixture list, but like many I think I will be looking at various options right up until the 11am deadline.