NFL Week 2 Picks 2025 (Thursday 11th September-Monday 15th September)

2024 finished with a winning record, and another Super Bowl successful Pick, and that keeps the positives going from this sport.

A look back twelve months also saw the likes of the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs identified very early on as potential Champions, and you have to believe both are going to be there or thereabouts even after contrasting fortunes from Week 1.

They meet in a Super Bowl rematch in Week 2, which could go a long way to telling us where each team stands in 2025.

As stated in the Week 2 thread from the 2024 season, overreactions and avoiding those after a single week of NFL action is so very important.

With that in mind, you do have to like the chances of the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens to have deep runs in the post-season, even after the Ravens had an epic collapse in the Week 1 meeting on Sunday Night Football. The Bills will believe there is much more to come from themselves too, but both teams are looking amongst the elite of the AFC along with the Kansas City Chiefs.

This time last year I did mention that the Los Angeles Chargers may need a season under the guidance of Jim Harbaugh before they were really ready to compete with the top teams in the Conference and the win over the Chiefs in Brazil will certainly have fans believing that this could be a special year.

Teams like the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals could be dangerous, although the latter still have significant problems Defensively and Bo Nix is yet to convince for the former at Quarter Back.

Over in the NFC, the Eagles looked solid enough and will only get better as the season moves forward.

They are expected to be challenged by the Washington Commanders within the NFC East, a Division that seemingly cannot find a repeat Champion, and the two teams that made the NFC Championship will feel disappointed if they are not to match that run at the very least.

You can only be impressed with the trade that the Green Bay Packers made to bring in Micah Parsons and this is a young roster with plenty of experience that may be ready to take the next step. Beating the Detroit Lions in Week 1 can only give them more confidence having struggled so much against the best teams in 2024, although the Packers have another significant test this Thursday that will offer more reasons to believe, or perhaps not.

Detroit will need to respond to what was a poor effort in Week 1, but this is still a roster filled with quality and they'll have plenty of motivation to get back into the Playoffs and try to attempt to reach the Super Bowl for the first time.

And you can never count out the Los Angeles Rams if they can keep Matthew Stafford healthy- this is a roster ready to win another Championship under Sean McVay and they were certainly the closest to upsetting the Philadelphia Eagles in the post-season last time around.

Both Conferences have a number of good looking teams, but the Eagles look like they are ready to repeat as long as they can keep the team healthy.

This time they may have to get through a different opponent though and the early lean is with the Baltimore Ravens, despite that disappointing defeat in Buffalo. The Fourth Quarter capitulation is a concern after Week 1, but that was the lean before the season began and the Ravens are still very capable.

Finally, before getting onto the NFL Week 2 Picks, a few words about the Miami Dolphins- in the lead up to the opener, this felt like a transitional season for the team and some even tabbed them up as being one of the worst teams in the NFL.

That wasn't really my thought, but the manner of the Week 1 loss to a pretty average Indianapolis Colts team is hugely concerning and there will be wholesale changes made it things do not improve, beginning with Week 2 and the home game against the New England Patriots.

It was a poor Week 1 for the NFL Picks with two selections made and both going down, but this is very early in the season and expect more selections to be made as we move into Week 2 and beyond.

Thursday Night Football looks a cracker this week and the first selection comes from that game with further Picks added in the coming days.

Washington Commanders @ Green Bay Packers Pick: You should never overreact to Week 1 of the NFL season, but there will be a few Green Bay Packers (1-0) fans feeling pretty good after the crushing win over NFC North rivals Detroit Lions last Sunday.

One of the big criticisms faced by this young Packers team in the 2024 season was an inability to beat the best teams in the NFL and so that opening win is going to feel pretty good.

They are facing another contender for a place in the Super Bowl, which is how Green Bay will feel about themselves, and Thursday Night Football sees the visit of the Washington Commanders (1-0). The 2024 season was one of the best in recent years as far as the Commanders were concerned, even if they were beaten pretty handily by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.

Expectations have been raised and there is a feeling around Washington that the team have a window behind Quarter Back Jayden Daniels in which to win a Super Bowl. They have made decent moves in the off-season to strengthen the team and the Commanders will be very pleased with the way the Defensive unit operated in limiting the New York Giants to just 6 points in Week 1.

However, Head Coach Dan Quinn and the rest of those staff members will be aware that the Green Bay Packers are a much more significant test for all involved.

Last year, the Commanders disappointed when it came to defending the run, but they have looked to make sure that is not the case in 2025 and the Week 1 performance was encouraging. They will take some heart out of the fact that the Packers Offensive Line were not able to really establish the run in the win over the Detroit Lions and the Commanders will be keen to see if Quarter Back Jordan Love can put this Green Bay team on his back.

The Secondary didn't allow Russell Wilson to do much in the Week 1 win, but again this is going to be a much stiffer test with the Packers having a deep core of Receivers to call upon.

Stopping the Packers will be challenging throughout, especially on the road, but the Commanders impressed with their Offensive Line last week and that will give them some confidence heading into this early opportunity to make a statement around the League.

However, there will have been plenty of people taking note of the way the Packers Defensive Line were able to shut down the Detroit Lions in Week 1, although one nuance here is that Jayden Daniels is very capable of tucking the ball and picking up big yards with his legs from the Quarter Back position. Jared Goff isn't a slouch, but Washington can game-plan for Daniels to make running plays and that could keep the Commanders in front of the chains, which will be very important considering an 'old enemy' is now playing for the Green Bay Packers.

Micah Parsons might not be on a full snap count, but showed the impact he can have on a game last week and the Washington Offensive Line were not able to offer a lot of time for Jayden Daniels last season. There were signs that the improvements have yet to kick in for the Commanders in the win over the New York Giants in Week 1 and so you have to feel some drives could be stalled.

Both teams are playing after home wins over Divisional rivals, but there has to have been more intensity for the Green Bay Packers as they looked to show everyone that they can beat good teams.

That may leave them a little short of the energy needed on Thursday Night Football with this being a short week and getting the hook over a key number is important.

Green Bay will be expecting to win, but the Washington Commanders come into this contest with plenty of belief too and it could come down to a late Field Goal, either way, to decide the winner and so the points on offer for the road team look worth picking up.

Los Angeles Rams @ Tennessee Titans Pick: The first thing you have to say is that this feels like a very 'square' kind of pick in backing the Los Angeles Rams (1-0) to extend their unbeaten start to the season. This is a team that have made some slow starts to new campaigns in each of the last couple of years, and the scheduling spot sees the Rams take on the Philadelphia Eagles following this non-Conference game.

However, the Rams should have the qualities needed to get the better of the Tennessee Titans (0-1) even in the early kick off time on Sunday.

Everything is not perfect- the Rams Offensive Line is a little banged up and they will need to make some adjustments up front with Steve Avila potentially missing out. They were not able to make consistent plays on the ground against the Houston Texans in Week 1, but the Titans Defensive Line may not be as strong as the one that their Divisional rivals are running out.

Denver were able to move the ball pretty well against the Titans on the ground and the Los Angeles Rams are expected to have more successes than last week, which can only be positive news for veteran Quarter Back Matthew Stafford.

He did enough to help the Rams win last week, but it is important for Los Angeles to keep Stafford upright and they can do that for a little longer if the team is playing in front of the chains. There are Receivers on this roster that can step up and make some big plays for Los Angeles and they can have more success than they did overall in the victory over the Texans.

The bigger question regarding this spread is whether the Tennessee Titans can be more efficient Offensively.

Cam Ward, the Number 1 Overall Pick in the last Draft, may not have had the best statistical game, but that was not down to poor Quarter Back play. Instead he was given very little consistent support by the players around him and Ward and the Titans will need to find a way to put him in a position to succeed.

Establishing the run against the Rams Defensive Line may be the plan, but Tennessee struggled against the Broncos and this Los Angeles team largely contained the Texans.

The bigger issue for Cam Ward was the lack of protection offered to him when he stepped back to throw and he could be under pressure from this Los Angeles pass rush. He will be throwing into a Secondary that just played CJ Stroud very effectively and it may be tough for Ward and his skill players to really get things going on this side of the ball.

Last season Tennessee were a really poor team to back against the spread, although they did cover in Week 1.

They are facing a Rams team that are 7-1 against the spread when set as the road favourite over the last three seasons and they were solid road winners in New England, New Orleans and New York last season.

As long as they are not thinking ahead to the revenge game against the Philadelphia Eagles, which does make this an obvious schedule spot, the Rams should be keen for a much stronger start to 2025 compared with twelve months ago and they can secure a victory here by around a Touchdown mark.

Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets Pick: These two teams were involved in the best two games in Week 1 of the NFL season, but with contrasting results.

Somehow, someway, the Buffalo Bills (1-0) were able to recover from a big Fourth Quarter deficit to edge past the Baltimore Ravens and ensure that the entire AFC East were not beaten in the opening week of the season.

Earlier in the day, the New York Jets (0-1) gave up a 60 yard Field Goal inside the final two minutes of the home game with the Pittsburgh Steelers and ultimately fell to a 2 point loss to former Quarter Back Aaron Rodgers.

Disappointment of losing aside, Head Coach Aaron Glenn will have been very happy with what he saw from his new team and especially Quarter Back Justin Fields. Doing the right things in one game is all well and good, but Glenn will be looking to see if that is the kind of standard the Jets will set for themselves all season.

They are back at home for the second week in a row and Justin Fields and the Jets Running Backs have to be pretty excited by what they may have seen on the film tape. The Jets Offensive Line ripped open some big holes against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and they will have seen Derrick Henry doing the same for the Baltimore Ravens before his Fumble turned the game on its head.

Now the Jets don't have a Running Back as good as Henry, but Breece Hall is very effective and can have a big game, while Justin Fields offers plenty of threat with his legs too.

Most impressive from Fields was the fact he looked pretty confident as a passer last week and he does have a couple of weapons on the outside that can help expose a banged up Buffalo Secondary.

The Jets will feel they can have successes with the ball in hand, but slowing down Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills will not be easy.

It had been a tough three Quarters for the Bills before Josh Allen and company found their feet, but this could be another test for them.

The Bills Offensive Line struggled to run the ball last week and the Jets opened the season looking pretty strong up front- James Cook could still be a big factor in the passing game, but he may not have a lot of room up front, although Buffalo will bring in the additional factor of having a Quarter Back that can move the ball with his legs.

Josh Allen was well protected in the win over Baltimore and he will need the Offensive Line to stand up to the pressure Aaron Glenn's New York Jets brought to Aaron Rodgers. If the team are struggling to establish the run, Josh Allen is still capable of throwing with success, but could be trying to do so under pressure even if he does seem to have a number of Receivers in which he keeps faith.

You do have to expect Buffalo to find a way to win this game, as they did in Week 1, but covering may be a different matter.

For starters the Bills are playing on a short week in Week 3 when opening up against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football, while you cannot ignore the emotions they would have put into turning things around in the win over Baltimore. With a banged up Secondary, the New York Jets may have just enough from Justin Fields and his Offensive unit to keep up on the scoreboard and this looks a lot of points to be giving to the home underdog.

It may need a late Offensive score to get within the number, but the Jets showed enough last week to believe they can keep the scoreboard ticking for long enough to ensure they earn the cover even if they are not able to win the game.

San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints Pick: Injuries, off-field issues and other factors meant the San Francisco 49ers (1-0) finished with the fewest wins in the NFC West last season and never threatened to make the post-season.

The Super Bowl window feels like it is closing for this group of players, but finishing in 4th place in the NFC West means the 49ers have been 'rewarded' with a very manageable schedule. Once you get into the Playoffs, anything is possible, and so the ambition remains for the San Francisco 49ers to make use of the the drop in standards from last season.

However, they will certainly need more luck with injuries and losing Quarter Back Brock Purdy and Tight End George Kittle at the end of Week 1 is a serious blow.

The 49ers earned the win over the Seattle Seahawks on the road, despite the poor misses from Kicker Jake Moody.

He has since been cut, but San Francisco will need backup Quarter Back Mac Jones to guide through the next month and keep the team competitive. With that change at the most important position in sports, the advanced line has dropped significantly, but the 49ers will have faith in Jones and the system he will be working within.

It also feels like the 49ers are benefiting from having to travel to the New Orleans Saints (0-1) who were beaten by NFC West rivals Arizona last week and with the Saints looking like a team that will be picking pretty highly in the next NFL Draft.

Derek Carr had to make a snap retirement decision and that has left New Orleans looking very short in that department and they struggled to compete with the Cardinals in Week 1.

Spencer Rattler earned the start at Quarter Back last week, but he is going to need plenty of help if the New Orleans Saints are going to earn the upset.

It is clear that Alvin Kamara remains a key player for the team, but he may not find it as easy to run the ball against this San Francisco Defensive Line and that is going to put a lot more pressure on the young Quarter Back.

If Spencer Rattler is left in third and long spots, it will be tough for the Saints to keep the chains moving against a 49ers Secondary that played well last week. San Francisco clearly have something to prove after the 6-11 finish last season and this is a unit that will take it upon themselves to try and give their team the best chance to win without the starting Quarter Back.

Mac Jones may not have lived up to his First Round selection, but he is experienced enough to believe he can lead the San Francisco 49ers while they wait for Brock Purdy to return. Forty-nine NFL starts are not to be ignored, even if Jones has not managed to reach the level of his rookie season in New England, and the game plan that will be put together will look to make the best of the situation for Jones.

Losing George Kittle is a blow, but the 49ers may feel they can have more success handing the ball to Christian McCaffrey against a New Orleans Defensive Line allowing 5.4 yards per carry last week.

Being in front of the chains should make things more comfortable for Mac Jones and he should be afforded the protection to get the ball out quickly and into the hands of the playmakers that are still on the roster.

An early Sunday kick off for the San Francisco 49ers is going to make things tougher, but the line has dropped significantly and the road team are perhaps not given enough credit, even as the road favourite.

Both teams could have some issues scoring, but the feeling is that the 49ers can control the Line of Scrimmage on both sides of the ball and ultimately Mac Jones is surrounded by more help than Spencer Rattler. That should show up in this game and the 49ers can came through with a win and a cover of the shorter line following Brock Purdy's injury.

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions Pick: Two NFC North rivals will be looking to bounce back from opening defeats when the Detroit Lions (0-1) host the Chicago Bears (0-1). Making this game perhaps even more important is the fact that both the Lions and Bears were beaten by the other two teams that make up the Division and so there is a fear of falling considerably behind already.

0-2 is no longer fatal when it comes to teams making the Playoffs, but also being 0-2 within a Division would make things all the tougher.

The Lions looked really poor Offensively in the defeat to the Packers and they will be going up against former Offensive Co-Ordinator Ben Johnson, who will know what to expect from his former team. However, the Lions may also feel that they are not playing a Defensive unit nearly as good as Green Bay have looked through the first two games of the season.

Jared Goff will be hoping the Detroit Offensive Line can bounce back from what was a poor opening game.

Losing Frank Ragnow in the off-season is clearly a blow, but there is still a lot to like about this Detroit Offensive Line and they can bounce back after the last outing. Opening up the running lanes for two very good Running Backs will only help Jared Goff, while the Lions will have taken note of how effective JJ McCarthy was in the second half as he helped the Minnesota Vikings turn things around at Soldier Field on Monday Night Football.

Chicago struggled to contain the run last week and the Detroit Lions can show a lot more on this side of the ball in this game.

If they can get back to what they have done best under Head Coach Dan Campbell, Detroit should establish the run and that should only make things easier for Jared Goff. He was under immense pressure in the defeat to the Green Bay Packers, and the Bears showed they have a decent pass rush in the loss to the Minnesota Vikings, but Jared Goff will not have to hold onto the ball for too long if his team are in third and manageable spots as expected.

Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears will also be hoping for better having struggled to move the ball with consistency, despite having a lead against the Vikings.

The Head Coach will know that this Lions Defensive unit is expected to be better after injuries decimated them last season and Detroit played pretty well on this side of the ball in the defeat to the Packers.

Caleb Williams was given time to make plays, but his Offensive Line will have to try and help the team establish the run with more consistency than what was seen on Monday Night Football. If the Quarter Back is behind the chains, Williams will have to make the right decisions when throwing against this healthier Secondary and to avoid turnovers, which could be fatal.

The Bears do have a decent record when visiting the Detroit Lions in recent seasons, at least when it comes to the spread, but they are facing an angry host.

Dan Campbell's record against the spread following a defeat is very impressive in his time with Detroit and his team have covered in the next game after a defeat ten straight times. They do have a big game coming up against the Baltimore Ravens, but this is a much more important game for the Lions and they should be able to get the better of their former Offensive Co-Ordinator with a win and cover of the line set for this Week 2 game.

MY PICKS: Washington Commanders + 3.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Los Angeles Rams - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

New York Jets + 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

San Francisco 49ers - 3 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Detroit Lions - 5.5 Points @ 1.85 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Week 1: 0-2, - 2 Units (2 Units Staked, - 100% Yield)

Boxing Picks 2024- Canelo Alvarez vs Edgar Berlanga (Saturday 14th September)

It has been a quiet time in the Boxing world in terms of level of fight cards being shown, but the quality level should pick up through the final quarter of the 2024 calendar year.

The last time Canelo Alvarez will be going out is always going to be a big occasion, although fans may have hoped that he would have faced someone with a lot more potential threat. You never know in Boxing, but this looks a mismatch and the only hope is that Canelo is ready to take on opponents with stronger resumes next year.

Of course he has done so much in the sport already that it is really up to Canelo what Canelo does.

Even the big money offered by Saudi Arabia is not distracting Canelo from his own plans, much to their frustration, and we should perhaps just enjoy seeing this legendary fighter while he is still willing to put it all on the line.

Any Pay-Per-View involving Canelo Alvarez is going to have a few big names on the undercard and this one is no different. It is going up against a big UFC event on the same night, in the same City, but Canelo remains a massive draw and there will be plenty of eyes on this one.

And we are now one week away from the big Riyadh Season card at Wembley Stadium headlined by Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

Canelo Alvarez vs Edgar Berlanga

Some fans may disagree, but Canelo Alvarez remains the King at Super Middleweight and he will be defending two of the World Titles that he has retained after dropping the IBF.

There is still a massive clamour to see Alvarez take on David Benavidez, but that fight seemingly holds little interest for the Mexican.

It is not a 'duck', but Canelo is clearly at a time of his career where he wants to fight who HE wants and not what the fans want. Those who support him still turn up in big numbers to any fight night headlined by Canelo and he is a huge favourite to make it five straight wins since losing to Dmitry Bivol in his attempt to win the Light Heavyweight World Title.

This feels like a mismatch and Edgar Berlanga is perhaps fortune to get the call.

You cannot blame him for taking the fight and Berlanga is young enough to recover, but the excitement around this Boxer has dropped considerably since he was stringing a long run of First Round Knock Outs together.

There is nothing on his resume to suggest Berlanga is going to have the qualities to cause an upset and the only question is whether he is going to be willing to go through the fire to try and turn things around. Recent Canelo opponents have looked happy enough to reach the cards and see that as something of a victory, but Edgar Berlanga and his team have been speaking about the desire to put it all on the line.

Once in the ring, plans can change very quickly, but the hope is that Berlanga will be true to his word.

In reality, he is not winning this fight without taking the risks and he is the naturally bigger man and has to try and impose that on this contest. He is not going to win this one on the cards, but pushing forward may just give Canelo an opportunity to end his run without a Stoppage victory.

The output from Canelo has certainly dipped, which is not a surprise at this stage of his career, but he still has the power to have Knocked Down each of his last three opponents. Pushing through the gears to find the Stoppage has been missing, but the hope is that Edgar Berlanga will not lose his intensity if he is put down and it may lead to Canelo showing the massive gap in levels between the fighters.

There are some big names on the undercard, although some of those Boxers are most certainly on the backend of their careers.

Erislandy Lara is still performing at a decent level though and he should have enough to keep Danny Garcia at arm's length in their chief support bout. The latter has had a very good career, but has been massively inactive, is going up in weight and might just have the pride left to reach the cards.

MY PICKS: Canelo Alvarez to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.20 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Erislandy Lara to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 2.37 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Boxing 2024: 25-43, + 10.41 Units (92 Units Staked, + 11.32% Yield)

College Football Week 3 Picks 2024 (Saturday 14th September)

An expanded College Football PlayOff is being played for the first time at the end of the 2024 season and so there is some uncertainty as to how things will shake up and what the PlayOff Committee will be looking for in terms of records.

The main feeling is that they will be willing to forgive a loss, but two losses might be much more difficult to ignore.

After results in Week 2, the likes of Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Michigan Wolverines have seen their scope for error narrow significantly. Out of the two teams, Notre Dame will definitely be feeling more of the pressure having lost to an opponent that had been given a four Touchdown start on the handicap.

Michigan's home blowout loss to the Texas Longhorns will hurt, but if Texas are as good as advertised, that could be a defeat that does not hurt the defending Champions as much as it might have done in previous years.

Having a bit more room for error does not mean teams are going to be less focused though and this is a Week 3 slate of games where some of the best teams will be looking to make statements before moving into Conference play. Big games are a bit more regular than previously at this time of the season and there are some 'rivalry games' to play as those lower down the Rankings look to play spoiler and this should be another good week of College Football to be played through Saturday.

A good return in Week 1 was followed by a disappointing Week 2.

It is a little frustrating, but at this stage of the season, teams are figuring things out and so are we as fans.

The hope is that a bounce back Week 3 can be found to get things back on track with the selections below.

Alabama Crimson Tide @ Wisconsin Badgers Pick: The new College Football PlayOff format was always going to leave a little more room for error than we have seen previously, while the Power 5 dropping into the Power 4 Conferences also makes it easier to bounce back from a defeat.

With that in mind, two unbeaten teams are preparing for a big non-Conference showdown and both the Alabama Crimson Tide (2-0) and Wisconsin Badgers (2-0) will be targeting a spot in the PlayOff come the end of the season.

A quick look at the upcoming games for both of these teams will underline the importance of maintaining the strong starts, although both can focus on this game knowing they are about to embark on a Bye Week to prepare for big tests. For the Alabama Crimson Tide that big test is another game against the Georgia Bulldogs, while the Wisconsin Badgers will be heading out on the road to face the USC Trojans, a new member of the Big Ten as Conference play gets underway for both teams.

The Nick Saban era may be over at Alabama, but the Crimson Tide have looked more impressive than the Badgers early in the season. However, this is a true road game and that is going be the first significant test faced by new Head Coach Kalen DeBoer and he will be well aware as to how quickly the knives will sharpen if the Crimson Tide are not able to reach the levels of standard set in the Saban era.

A talented team has been left for DeBoer and Alabama have a Quarter Back with a lot of experience in Jalen Milroe, especially after going through the ups and downs of 2023. The strong end to the season shows what Milroe is about, but overcoming the negatives is probably a bigger part of his development and the Quarter Back will be ready to show how far he has come against the best Defensive unit faced so far this season.

96 years have passed since Alabama last played in Madison, but they will be heading to town with a good looking Offensive Line and that is going to be key to their Offensive successes. In previous years the Badgers Defensive Line will have felt they can compete with any Offensive Line they face, but the two weaker opponents faced have managed to secure 4 yards per carry and the Crimson Tide will be looking to surpass that number.

Moving the ball ahead of the chains will make things that much more comfortable for Jalen Milroe, especially if the crowd noise can be taken out of the occasion and Alabama should believe they can have success on this side of the ball.

They will also feel pretty good Defensively as Wisconsin continue to try and find the consistency behind new Quarter Back Tyler Van Dyke.

There was a lot of excitement about bringing Van Dyke in as a transfer from the Miami Hurricanes, but he has not exactly been lighting things up through the first two games and this is going to be a huge step up in terms of the quality of Defensive unit he is facing. Tyler Van Dyke is yet to throw an Interception, but he has only a single Touchdown pass and it will become difficult for the Quarter Back if the Badgers are to become a little one-dimensional.

Running the ball against the Crimson Tide is not going to be easy for a Badgers Offensive Line which has only opened the door for 4.2 yards per carry against much lesser opponents. There is always a turnover with teams of the quality of Alabama as players move onto the NFL, but this Defensive Line looks to be coming together nicely and the Crimson Tide may be able to rattle Tyler Van Dyke when chasing him from third and long spots.

Winning on the road is never easy, especially not against other Power 4 Conference teams, but Alabama look very good and they can make a real statement ahead of the latest big clash with the Georgia Bulldogs. Having a Bye Week means Alabama can focus and they simply look much stronger than this Wisconsin Badgers team.

Once they can just become a little accustomed to the noise and begin to take the crowd out of things, Alabama should be able to pull away behind a strong Defensive effort. The only concern is that the Offense can be a little hit or miss, but Alabama should be able to establish the run and that should just open things up for Jalen Milroe to show he is ready for another outing against the impressive Bulldogs Defensive unit.

Oregon Ducks @ Oregon State Beavers Pick: The Pac-12 was left devastated after ten of the schools decided to move on, but there has to be some credit given to the likes of the Oregon State Beavers (2-0) and the Oregon Ducks (2-0) in insisting that their rivalry was not going to fall by the wayside. This may be the first non-Conference meeting between the Beavers and Ducks in a little over sixty years, but they will be playing for the 128th time and that is important to fans of both schools.

Some things have changed now that Oregon State remain a member of the Pac-12, which has just added four schools to their League, while the Oregon Ducks are now a Big Ten Conference member. One of those is that this is the earliest this rivalry game will have ever been played, while it is the first time the Beavers and Ducks are playing before November since 1945.

In saying all that, make no mistake this game still matters plenty as the two unbeaten teams meet in Week 3 of the College Football season.

Oregon will be meeting a familiar name when they open their Conference play in two weeks time, but the focus is going to be on this one with an upcoming Bye Week meaning there are no distractions. The Ducks have not really impressed through their first two wins, but Head Coach Dan Lanning may also have been glad to see some of the character of his players to find a way to put wins on the board.

Dillon Gabriel does have to carry some big expectations on his shoulders and Oregon have already dropped a few places in the Rankings despite winning both games. One of the keys for Gabriel is that the Ducks Offensive Line is able to come together and find a way to open up consistent running lanes, although that is going to be challenging this week against this Beavers Defensive Line which has given up just 3 yards per carry.

They came into the season believing the Defensive unit is the real strength of the team and Oregon State have not let anyone down on this side of the ball. They will feel they can clamp down on the run in this one, and that should allow a fierce pass rush to pin back their ears and get after Dillon Gabriel at Quarter Back.

One of the other early issues with the Oregon Offensive Line has been the struggles to protect Gabriel when he drops back to throw and this is something that the Beavers can exploit as they look to come through as the big home underdog.

Controlling the clock will also be key for the Oregon State Beavers and you have to expect to see a lot of handoffs in this one, especially with the new look Oregon Defensive Line struggling to stop the run. Despite the level of opponent faced, Oregon have allowed 5.1 yards per carry and the Oregon State Beavers will feel they have the power up front to bully their rivals and make sure they stay in front of the chains.

Over the coming years, Oregon State's Offensive identity may change, but the power football approach looks like it could work in this rivalry game. New Head Coach Trent Bray has stated the importance of being able to run the ball and his Beavers team will certainly believe they can get the better of the Ducks Defensive Line to ensure they are throwing the ball out of manageable distance.

It should also be important to negate the Oregon pass rush and give Quarter Back Gevani McCoy an opportunity to make plays with his arm. Moving up from the FCS level is always going to be challenging, so McCoy will likely lean on the running game as the Beavers look for the upset.

All in all it feels like a big spread, especially if the Beavers can play up to the level expected Defensively. The Ducks should have the qualities to win with the experience at Quarter Back, but they have been beaten in their last two road games at Oregon State and it would be a real surprise if the road team is able to produce a blowout on the day.

The favourite has covered in three in a row in this rivalry series, including Oregon State winning as a home favourite two years ago, but this time the Beavers can make use of a three score handicap lead to ensure they remain competitive.

Texas A&M Aggies @ Florida Gators Pick: The Week 1 loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish certainly did not age well for the Texas A&M Aggies (1-1), but new Head Coach Mike Elko will be given time at the helm after back to back winning seasons with the Duke Blue Devils. He will know Texas A&M well and the demands this school have after being a Defensive Co-Ordinator here under Jimbo Fisher who was dismissed last year.

Time will be on his side, but the same cannot be said for the Head Coach prowling the other sideline.

Billy Napier had a strong end to his tenure as Head Coach of the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns, but back to back losing seasons with the Florida Gators (1-1) has put him on the hot seat. A Week 1 blowout defeat to in-State rivals Miami Hurricanes has only increased the pressure on Napier and an opening loss in Conference play may already have Florida making moves to identify a replacement.

Much is going to depend on the big Quarter Back decision coming up for Billy Napier and the Florida Gators.

Graham Mertz is the experienced Quarter Back, but did not excel in the loss to the Hurricanes before having to miss Week 2 with a concussion. In his place, DJ Lagway, the freshman, had 456 passing yards and 3 Touchdowns in the blowout win over Samford, albeit an overmatched opponent.

Fans won't care though and going back to Mertz and losing may prove to be enough is enough as far as the Billy Napier era as Head Coach goes. That is where the pressure is on the Head Coach to make the right decision as the SEC play gets underway, especially as whoever is playing at Quarter Back is going up against a decent Texas A&M Secondary.

The experience that the Aggies now have in the Secondary has helped, but the Gators may be encouraged to lean on the running game to just alleviate pressure on their Quarter Back, whoever gets the call. That will feel especially the case if they do go with the inexperience of Lagway, but there is a real hope that the Gators Offensive Line can help establish the run against an Aggies line that is allowing 5.2 yards per carry.

It has been a surprising underperformance early in the season and the lack of Sacks is a real problem for Texas A&M to address. Doing that here will be tough and the home underdog can certainly produce enough on this side of the ball to feel they can be very competitive.

The really poor Defensive efforts at the end of last season has sparked big moves in the off-season for the Florida Gators and there are some encouraging signs early in 2023. Everything begins up front and it will be strength vs strength with the Aggies trying to establish the run against what has looked a much better Gators Defensive Line.

It is a small sample of just two games and the Gators will feel this is the best run blocking Offensive Line they will have seen early in 2024, but the signs are encouraging enough. Containing the run, or at least containing it as far as possible, will force the Aggies to try and find the pass protection for Connor Weigman, who struggled massively in the defeat to the Fighting Irish.

This time Weigman will be throwing into a Secondary that has allowed some big yards through the air, but he will have to deal with the pass rush pressure that the Gators have been able to bring. Any time he is in third and long, Florida will feel they can rattle this Quarter Back and try and force a mistake that proved to be costly for the Aggies in the defeat to Notre Dame.

Games between these SEC rivals have been competitive and the last three have seen the underdog cover each time.

In fact the underdog has won all three of those games outright, including a Florida blowout on the road two seasons ago when they last met. That snapped a two game losing run in the series and having more than a key number of points in this one certainly makes the home underdog look the play.

Even a Field Goal loss would lead to a winning for the Pick and the feeling is that the Florida Gators can just cool down the hot seat under Billy Napier with strong play in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

UTSA Roadrunners @ Texas Longhorns Pick: Backing a team to cover a very big spread after a statement producing win is not ideal, but the Texas Longhorns (2-0) will want to build momentum towards their debut game in the SEC. Another non-Conference opponent is on deck so the Longhorns can return home without being too distracted having crushed the defending National Champions on the road in Week 2.

That comes after an impressive Week 1 performance and there will be plenty of fans out there that are highly encouraged by the balance shown by the Longhorns through two games. It is only two games, but beating up the Colorado State Rams and Michigan Wolverines will have gotten others to take notice and this is a huge test for the USTA Roadrunners (1-1).

Head Coach Jeff Traylor has done a fine job with the USTA Roadrunners and has compiled a 39-14 record at the helm over the last four years. They finished a really respectable third in the American Athletic Conference in 2023 having put together a 7-1 Conference record and the Roadrunners only just missed out on a third year in a row with double digit wins.

The reality in 2024 is that this going to be a tough season for USTA having lost so many key parts of the Offensive unit that impressed in 2023, while top players on the Defensive side of the ball also departed. The blowout loss to the Texas State Bobcats might just have served as a timely reminder of the challenges this team is going to face across the next few months and it might be a really tough day in the office for all in Week 3.

Inexperienced Quarter Back play is going to make things tough for the Roadrunners, while the Offensive Line is using a number of new faces and that has shown already. Little running room has been found for the most experienced players on this side of the ball and the USTA Offensive Line is going to find it very tough to push this Longhorns Defensive Line around.

It means pressure on either Owen McCown or Eddie Lee Marburger at Quarter Back, especially with a pocket that has been collapsing around them. For all of the early Texas successes, Sacks have not been forthcoming, but that could be resolved this week by keeping the Roadrunners in third and long spots and forcing the young Quarter Backs to hold onto the ball longer than they would want.

Decent yards have been piled up through the air by the Roadrunners, but those have been against much weaker units than the one they face this week. Once the backups come into the game, USTA may have more success throwing the ball, but even then the Longhorns are going to be a threat to turn the ball over as they look to back up the big win in The Big House.

The one uncertainty for the Texas Longhorns coming into the season was whether it would take Quarter Back Quinn Ewers a bit of time to find the chemistry with the Receivers that arrived in the transfer portal. One of the leading contenders for the Heisman Trophy, Quinn Ewers has shown he is very confident in his new playmakers, while the experienced Offensive Line will give their Quarter Back all of the time he needs.

We should see another big game from Ewers, while the Longhorns Offensive Line should also be able to find some seams up front for the running game to be established. Early form produced by the Roadrunners Defensive Line is encouraging, but facing the Texas Longhorns is a challenge like they have not been faced with and that should see the home team and one of the leading National Championship contenders dominate.

Even when Quinn Ewers is pulled from the game, Archie Manning can come in and keep the chains moving and it may lead to a huge win for the Longhorns.

This is a spread that will always allow the opportunity for a backdoor cover, but the Longhorns should be focused after being pushed by the Roadrunners two years ago in a 21 point win. In 2024, the Longhorns look stronger and the step backwards taken by the UTSA Roadrunners could lead to a much more convincing victory for Texas.

Colorado Buffaloes @ Colorado State Rams Pick: Some may feel that the Colorado Buffaloes (1-1) receive far too much attention for a team that has lost seven of their last eight games. The big loss at the Nebraska Cornhuskers dropped the Buffaloes to 1-1 last week, but as long as their Head Coach is Deion Sanders, people are going to be interested.

There are some genuine NFL stars in the making on the roster, but the second year in charge of the Buffaloes is still going to be a work in progress for the Head Coach. They finished with a 4-8 record in his first season and a 1-8 record in the Pac-12, while the move to the Big 12 is going present plenty of challenges of its own.

The Baylor Bears will be the first Conference opponent for the Buffaloes in Week 4, but this is a rivalry game and there were plenty of headlines made before the teams met in 2023.

In recent years, games between the Buffaloes and the Colorado State Rams (1-1) have been played away from the home of the latter. This time they will be hosting this rivalry game for the first time in almost thirty years and the Rams will not have forgotten the very close defeat to Colorado from last year.

A blowout loss to the Texas Longhorns in Week 1 would have stung, but the Longhorns look like a potential National Champion and the Colorado State Rams are not playing a team of that level in this rivalry. Bouncing back with a win in Week 2 will have been a jolt of confidence for the players, and it can only be a good thing that the Rams have as much experience on the Offensive side of the ball.

Running the ball is going to be important to this Colorado State team and the overall experience on the Offensive side of the ball is going to be important as the Rams look to control the clock. They will note that the Buffaloes Secondary can be attacked and being in front of the chains will give the Rams an opportunity to take a few more risks when going at Colorado.

There is also plenty of experience on the Colorado State Defense, which is important having faced the Buffaloes last year and knowing a bit more about what to expect. They are going up against a couple of Colorado players that are likely to be very high First Round NFL Draft Picks in Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, who continues to play both sides of the ball.

Shedeur Sanders has the talent to play at the next level, but the Quarter Back can only be as good as the Offensive Line and he needs to be protected. The Buffaloes Offensive Line have struggled to open up running lanes, which means they are under pressure when it comes to the pass protection from obvious passing down and distance.

There is no doubt that the Offensive Line is struggling, but the question for the Colorado State Rams is whether they can find the pass rush to rattle Sanders at Quarter Back. His numbers are decent considering he is throwing under duress almost every time he drops back, but neither Head Coach nor Quarter Back wants to take 56 Sacks like they did in 2023.

The start is not very encouraging, but if Sanders is given any time, he should be able to make plays against this Rams Secondary. That is perhaps the reason the Buffaloes have been set as the road favourites, but Colorado State may just feel their own experienced group on both sides of the ball can still be a big factor.

Last season the rivalry game was very closely contested and this is looking like it will be another one.

You cannot be overly excited about backing the Colorado Buffaloes to cover this many points when you think of their recent run of results and with the Colorado State Rams playing with revenge on their mind. The blowout loss to the Longhorns will have hurt, but the Colorado State Rams are not facing an opponent of that level and they can keep this one very competitive throughout with every chance of securing the upset outright.

Georgia Bulldogs @ Kentucky Wildcats Pick: SEC play gets underway for the Georgia Bulldogs (2-0) in Week 3 of the 2024 season and this is clearly a team with plenty to prove. One defeat prevented them from earning a spot in the College Football PlayOff last season and the Bulldogs look like a team that wants to prove it was a mistake to do that and stop this season from winning a third National Championship in succession.

This is a team that has looked strong on both sides of the ball and the Georgia Bulldogs have really enjoyed facing the Kentucky Wildcats (1-1) in recent years.

The Wildcats have already begun Conference play, but the embarrassing defeat to the South Carolina Gamecocks will have dented confidence. Losing by 25 points is tough in any situation, but Kentucky had been almost a double digit favourite on the spread markets, but fell way below par on the day.

Motivation to beat one of the top teams in the Conference and a leading National Championship contender should serve as inspiration for the Wildcats, but this is a very tough game for the hosts. They are going to be led at the Quarter Back position by Brock Vandagriff, a former Georgia Bulldogs player who transferred to Kentucky having failed to make the grade with Georgia.

That is going to give the Quarter Back plenty of reason to find his best football, but it has been a struggle for Vandagriff through the first two games. He really had a hard time against the Gamecocks in Week 2, and this is going to be a considerably tougher challenge against a team that has given up just SIX points all season.

One of the big problems that many felt the Wildcats would face this season was the Line work on both sides of the ball. We have seen the issues with the Offensive Line that has struggled to get their run blocking together, while offering Brock Vandagriff little protection and time in the pocket when the Quarter Back has dropped back to throw the ball.

Neither team that has played Georgia have been able to put up more than 142 passing yards and the Bulldogs are likely going to have their way with one of their former team-mates. Brock Vandagriff will be well aware of the kind of talent that will step up for Georgia this season and it could be another tough day in the office for a Quarter Back who had been recruited in College Football as a top prospect.

The key for the Wildcats is going to be how well their Defensive unit can stand up to this Georgia Offense.

The Defensive Line is where things all start for the Wildcats and they have been playing the run well in the firs two games, although there is also going to be a huge amount of respect for the team they are facing in Week 3. The experience of the Georgia Offensive Line could be key in helping the team at least keep Carson Beck and the Bulldogs in third and manageable spots on the field and that should give the favourite an edge.

This experience is also key in dealing with the Wildcats pass rush, while Carson Beck is considered one of the top NFL Draft options at Quarter Back. His decision to return to the Georgia Bulldogs was something of a surprise, but Beck is clearly focused and has already thrown 7 Touchdown passes.

Facing this Kentucky Secondary will not be easy, but Georgia have plenty of top play-making options for Carson Beck to target.

With a dominant record against the Wildcats, Georgia may come through this tough opening SEC road test with a very big win. They are capable of scoring plenty of their own points, but the importance as far as the spread is concerned is whether Kentucky can score enough points to remain in touch, which feels unlikely.

A Quarter Back with something to prove to a former team does make the Wildcats perhaps a little more dangerous, but they need to come on leaps and bounds from what we have seen so far this season. It could happen, but recent history between these SEC teams makes it unlikely and the Bulldogs can produce another big win before all focus turns to the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide.

MY PICKS: Alabama Crimson Tide - 15.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Oregon State Beavers + 16 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Florida Gators + 4 Points @ 1.85 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Texas Longhorns - 35.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Colorado State Rams + 7 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Georgia Bulldogs - 20.5 Points @ 1.83 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

North Texas Mean Green + 10 Points @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Ole Miss Rebels - 20.5 Points @ 1.83 Paddy Power (1 Unit)

Week 2: 2-4, - 2.26 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37.67% Yield)

Week 1: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2020 (September 14th)

A sometimes strange US Open came to a close on Sunday on a weekend when Naomi Osaka confirmed herself to be the next big thing in Women's Tennis and Dominic Thiem winning his first ever Grand Slam.

The two losing Finalists are going to feel they missed a big opportunity as both looked to be playing the superior tennis when seeing the finishing line come over the horizon, but Victoria Azarenka and Alexander Zverev have to find a way to move past the disappointment of the tournament. I do think it will be a harder task for Zverev as the German looked to be much closer to winning the title than Azarenka having served for it, but other players have recovered from a deep disappointment to go on and win Grand Slam titles.

That is what Alexander Zverev will be hoping for, but Naomi Osaka and Dominic Thiem will be enjoying their moment in the sun.

Both players deserve their successes over the last fortnight and I have to credit the tournament for being able to put together the event as they have, even if it was one that didn't completely avoid controversy.

At the end of the day the US Open have shown that the Tour is one that can operate even through the rising Coronavirus cases that we are seeing in Europe, although I am going to be interested to see how the French Open manage the fans they are planning to let into the grounds when that tournament begins later this month.

Talk of the French Open does mean preparation for the third and final Grand Slam of the season will already have begun by many players who played in clay court events arranged for last week. The Tour has the feeling of some normality as we enter a new week with a new tournament being played, but this is far bigger than how the usual schedule would be approached.

A Masters 1000 tournament being set to be played the day after a Grand Slam event has been completed doesn't usually happen as you can imagine, but the limited time between the US Open and the French Open means the Rome Masters had to be placed here.

That will give the top names some clay court matches under their belt and also mean they have a few days to rest before the third Grand Slam of 2020 begins. There is some uncertainty still around at these times, but hopefully there is more quality Tennis to come during a time I usually enjoy the most.

On Monday there are a number of First Round matches scheduled in the ATP and WTA event being played in Rome and I have a few selections from those matches. I should have fuller threads the remainder of the week, but in this thread I will write dow my Picks from the Monday offerings.

MY PICKS: Elena Rybakina - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Coral (2 Units)

Filip Krajinovic - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Marin Cilic - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Benoit Paire + 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2019 (September 14-16)

The first international break of the season has come to a close and the time before the next one in October feels like a critical period to really see the campaign for clubs begin to take shape.

By the time the October break comes around, the Premier League clubs will have all played 8 games domestically and those involved in European competition will have played a third of their Group games in a bid to move through to the Knock Out Rounds.

We also move through the Third Round of the League Cup and I do think the reassessment of what clubs are expecting from this season will be made in that October two week break. I also think it can be a critical time for clubs to make decisions about their managers and which direction their teams are going, while others will be looking to get through the two week break despite the pressure that comes about making changes.


It is a big month for my team Manchester United and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with some very difficult games coming up in the League. I think the Europa League Group is one they should negotiate without too many issues, but the League games coming up look very difficult on paper and the manager could be under big pressure if United can't pick up the kind of number of points expected.

I will be putting out a few more thoughts on United before the European games coming up this midweek.


The first month of the Football Picks were not as productive as I would have liked- some of it was down to bad luck, others down to poor selections. The new month will hopefully begin to turn things around and that begins with this weekend selections followed by the Fantasy Football thoughts for GameWeek 5.


Liverpool v Newcastle United Pick: The opening Premier League game of this weekend coming out of the international break is from Anfield where Liverpool will be expected to make it five wins from five in the League.

You don't always know how a team will react out of an international break with the short turnaround between players arriving back from all over the world and getting onto the field in this League game. It would still be a big surprise if Jurgen Klopp is not picking his strongest team even with a Champions League game coming up this week and I think that is a Liverpool team that will have too much for Newcastle United.

Steve Bruce might not have been the first choice of many of the fans of Newcastle United, especially not to replace a much loved manager in Rafael Benitez, but a win at Tottenham Hotspur and a home draw with Watford has got the team moving in the right direction. He has also shown signs of making Newcastle United tough to beat like Benitez had done, although his team are lacking some quality and I would fear for them at Liverpool if they were to concede early in this one.

The biggest question mark about Newcastle United is whether they have enough goals in the side and I think that is going to be a problem this weekend. Even a backup goalkeeper that Liverpool have to continue to use may not make much of a difference with the feeling that Newcastle United are going to sit deep and try and frustrate their opponents for long periods.

Newcastle United don't have a very good record here in recent seasons and last season they crumbled to a 4-0 defeat. Liverpool are creating enough chances to think they are going to be pretty comfortable on Saturday again and I think they can cover this big Asian Handicap, even if they have not been at their best defensively.

In the two home games played Liverpool have looked very threatening and I think an early goal in this one would allow the floodgates to be opened much like what happened to Newcastle United when they visited Norwich City last month. I can't deny this is a big Asian Handicap for any team to cover in the Premier League, but Liverpool have managed to win 9 of their last 21 home League games by at least three goal margins.

That might have been a bigger number if not for a late goal conceded to Arsenal in the last fixture here. Newcastle United can be a very stubborn opponent and last season only Liverpool managed to win by this margin against them, but Norwich City looked to have exposed what can be a soft underbelly and an early Liverpool goal could lead to a very one-sided fixture on Saturday.


Brighton v Burnley Pick: On paper this may not be a fixture that leaps off the page as one that could be featuring a lot of goals, but there has been enough about both Burnley and Brighton in the opening month of the season to think that is not going to be the case on Saturday.

Graham Potter's approach for Brighton might not have been rewarded with too many points from the last three League games, but they have been a touch unfortunate. There were enough chances created to beat West Ham United, while the home defeat to Southampton was very much down to being reduced to ten men in the first half.

All teams could struggle at Manchester City, but Brighton gave a good account of themselves and they should have scored there. Defensively there are one or two questions that come with a more positive style of football, but Brighton should be able to create chances against this Burnley team.

On the other hand Burnley have also been unfortunate and created enough in their first four games to believe they can give Brighton plenty of think about too. Ashley Barnes has been a player in form and Burnley have scored in four of their five games played in all competitions this season.

It does look like a game that should see both teams having chances to score, which was the case last season too. The one concern is that there is a slight lack of quality in the final third which can be an issue for both Brighton and Burnley, but I think the approach taken by the former's manager Graham Potter will ensure an open game is produced, one far more than what would have been expected when Chris Hughton was in charge at the Amex Stadium.

Both teams have only scored in one of Brighton's four League games so far, but the underlying stats suggest it should have happened in more than that and I will back both teams to hit the net in this one.


Manchester United v Leicester City Pick: Periods of sloppy play have really cost Manchester United in the first month of the new season and that has put Ole Gunnar Solskjaer under some pressure to start producing better results. Missed penalties against both Wolves and Crystal Palace have seen the club drop at least three points, while a dominant first half at Southampton was not followed up as another two points slipped away.

While the underlying statistics say Manchester United have been a little unfortunate, I do think there is a vulnerability about this team even with the additions of Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James.

It says something that those are three of the better performers at the club through the first month of the season, but Manchester United are going to have to step up their levels with a more difficult set of games coming up. First up is this home game against a Leicester City team who will be full of belief after remaining unbeaten through August and who have already drawn at Chelsea in the League.

Brendan Rodgers does want his team to get forward and create chances, but they are also still happy to sit back and counter with the pace of James Maddison and Jamie Vardy a real threat for opponents to deal with. Counter attacking is what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants his team to thrive upon too though and I do think this could be a match in which both teams are standing off one another at times.

The onus is on Manchester United to win the game, but that will play into the Leicester City hands and so finding the right balance is going to be all important.

I do have to say both teams have actually defended pretty well for the most part in the early stages of the season and the team that has the cleaner overall performance could edge to the three points. Mistakes are going to be crucial to determining the outcome, but even then this does not feel like a game that will be featuring a glut of goals.

5 of the last 7 between these clubs has produced three or more goals shared out, but last season it took two goals in the final seven minutes to get to that number in their meeting at Old Trafford. Since Leicester City returned to the Premier League, 2 of their 5 games here have ended with two or fewer goals shared out and I think this is going to be a tight affair on Saturday too.

Manchester United are beginning to look potentially short of numbers at the back, especially if Aaron Wan-Bissaka can't be passed fit, but I think the two defences will still have a strong showing on the day. Backing under 2.5 goals at odds against looks to be the play here and that is going to be my selection as I hope Manchester United can get back on track with a home win.


Sheffield United v Southampton Pick: This looks a weekend in which I feel comfortable making a number of plays, but one fixture I can't really get a good grip on comes from Bramall Lane.

Both teams scoring would not surprise me and I can see all three results being a possibility, but I don't really know how to feel about either of these teams just yet.

Sheffield United work very hard and have shown considerable heart to come from behind a couple of times already this season to earn points. Southampton have been a team who have been playing better than their results with chances being created and I think it is a match that I will sit back and take note of the way it develops.

With other options out there, I am moving past this fixture.


Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace Pick: Over the last twelve months Crystal Palace have been a very effective away team in the Premier League and they finished the 2018/19 season with the sixth best away record in the Division.

The style of play employed by Roy Hodgson has been very effective against the top teams as the results have shown. Since the beginning of the 2018/19 season, Crystal Palace have won at Manchester City, Arsenal, Wolves and Manchester United, while they have earned a draw at Old Trafford in that time too and narrowly been beaten at Liverpool in a game they took the lead in.

This makes Crystal Palace a dangerous opponent for Tottenham Hotspur who have not looked at their best in the first month of the season. Defensively there have been some real question marks about the performances, but Tottenham Hotspur have been decent enough going forward and I do think the close of the European transfer window will settle this squad down.

Christian Eriksen has to be more focused on the immediate future with Spurs and I also think the likes of Jan Vertonghen will be back in the centre of defence to help a team who have conceded in each of their opening four games. There are still some problems for Tottenham Hotspur to deal with, especially in those defensive areas, but I think a more settled squad can produce a good performance before the Champions League returns during the week.

To be fair to Tottenham Hotspur they have created chances in the majority of their games and it is only a poor defensive performance that has let them down. They did beat Crystal Palace here a few months ago so they won't be intimidated by the very strong record The Eagles have at some of the top clubs over the last several months, while most would have seen that Crystal Palace were a touch fortunate to win at Old Trafford.

If Crystal Palace defend very well they could frustrate their hosts, but I think teams have found opportunities against them and even the return of James Tomkins may not be enough to change that immediately. With that in mind I think Tottenham Hotspur will have a little too much for them on the day and I would not be surprised if they matched the margin of victory they had against Crystal Palace in the first game in this Stadium.

Backing Tottenham Hotspur to cover the Asian Handicap is my selection.


Wolves v Chelsea Pick: This is a big Premier League game for both Wolves and Chelsea as two teams who have made slow starts to the new campaign look for some momentum. A big month is coming up before the next international break with a couple of European fixtures to be negotiated and Nuno Espirito Santo and Frank Lampard would love to ease some of the pressure by helping their teams earn the three points here.

It is going to be an interesting game as neither team has defended as well as they would like, but both have also shown they can score goals. That should show up on Saturday out of the international break and I do think the layers are underestimating the chance of seeing at least three goals shared out.

That was how the corresponding fixture ended last season and I think the way Chelsea have been playing this season will contribute to that being the outcome here. Frank Lampard does want his side to get forward and create chances, but that has left them vulnerable the other way and it is not surprise that 4 of Chelsea's 5 games under Lampard have ended with at least three goals produced.

Wolves games have not seen as many goals before the game at Goodison Park, but there have been chances for teams and they have struggled for clean sheets. This is a team who do enough to create opportunities for themselves though and I would not be surprised if both teams score here with the 1-1 scoreline perhaps the one that worries me the most.

I don't think either team will be happy with that result, so I am expecting to see both Wolves and Chelsea looking to be positive for much of the ninety minutes. Only a Paul Pogba penalty miss prevented the Wolves game against Manchester United hitting at least three goals and that is not going to put me off in backing there being at least three goals in this one.

I mentioned ahead of the game against Manchester United that Wolves had been involved in a lot of high-scoring games against the top six teams last season and that would have continued if Pogba had scored his penalty. This is a fixture where both teams look capable of scoring while not being the most convincing at the back and I think the odds against quotes of seeing at least three goals is a big price and one that can't be ignored.


Norwich City v Manchester City Pick: The late afternoon Premier League game comes from Carrow Road and if Daniel Farke continues to ask his Norwich City team to play in the style they have been for the first month of the season, it could be a very entertaining game.

However it is also a style that Manchester City will be very good at exploiting and I really don't think this is going to be anything but an away win. Manchester City have been creating chances for fun in the opening weeks of the season and only a very lucky Tottenham Hotspur team have avoided conceding at least three goals and also escaping without being beaten.

The Champions have scored five times at West Ham United and three times at Bournemouth in wins away from home in the Premier League and they have created wide openings in all of their fixtures so far. The international break can snap some of the momentum created with the players coming back from far and wide, but this is a deep squad and the likes of David Silva, John Stones and Gabriel Jesus have been at home preparing for this fixture.

Aymeric Laporte's injury is a big blow for Pep Guardiola as the one defender he relied on the most. I do think that leaves Manchester City short of cover and perhaps even a little short of quality in defensive areas, but they will make do and the manager is not someone who is going to use the injury as an excuse considering Kevin De Bruyne missed a large chunk of last season and Manchester City still won the domestic treble.

One thing the injury does do is give Norwich City an opportunity to contribute to this fixture and they have shown they can create chances in their first four League games despite playing two of the top four from last season. In the weeks ahead there might be a real possibility to start racking up the points, but for this fixture I would say it is going to need a super effort to be very competitive which is about as far as I think Norwich City can go.

I do think the home team can play a part, but Manchester City should have enough quality in the final third to really open up this Norwich City defence missing two key performers. It might turn into a high-scoring game in which both score, but my edge goes to Manchester City and I will back them to win a game featuring at least four goals shared out, a number that has been hit in all four of their Premier League games so far.

Norwich City have been beaten 4-1 at Liverpool and 2-3 here by Chelsea so goals should be in the offing on Saturday. I can't really back Manchester City to cover this Asian Handicap as they will need to win by at least three goals to earn a full payout, while Norwich City don't defend well enough to believe they can stay within that number with any confidence either.

Last season the large majority of Manchester City away games did not feature as many as four goals shared out, but I do think the loss of Laporte might leave them a touch vulnerable at the back. That is especially the case against an attacking Norwich City team and in the first game without Laporte's influence in the team and so backing the Champions to win a high-scoring game is the play.


Bournemouth v Everton Pick: The first of the live Sunday offerings from the Premier League comes from the Vitality Stadium and you have to believe this is going to be a game that does feature goals.

It might be a surprise to say that about any Everton away game considering they have yet to score on their travels in the Premier League and 5 of the last 6 away League games have featured two or fewer goals shared out. Even then it would be a massive surprise if they can't create good chances against this Bournemouth defence which has been decimated by injury and who have given opponents massive opportunities in each of their four Premier League games played so far this season.

Those chances are a major reason Bournemouth are set as the home underdog, but I couldn't back Everton to win considering their lack of goals in away games. They might get one or two here this weekend because of the porous defence the hosts have been playing with, but I can't be having Everton as a favourite.

Everton have not won a League game here with 2 losses and 2 draws in the 4 games since Bournemouth were promoted. And for my criticisms of Bournemouth defensively, this is a team who have been still looking productive going forward, one that has scored in all of their Premier League games played this season and who will have noted the problems Wolves caused Everton two weeks ago.

While Marco Silva's men have looked good defensively for the most part, they are far from watertight as the Wolves game underlined. Watford, Aston Villa and Wolves all have had decent openings against Everton and Bournemouth have a system which does produce attacking returns.

3 of the 4 League games between these teams hosted by Bournemouth have featured at least three goals and I will back that to be the outcome of this one.


Watford v Arsenal Pick: When you think of Arsenal playing Watford you do tend to believe the underdog has a big chance of an upset because they are a bogey team for The Gunners, but since returning to the top flight it is Arsenal who have won 6 of their 8 meetings in the Premier League.

The side have a very good record at Vicarage Road too and I do think Arsenal are looking a tempting price to win here.

The only factor that is hard to really put a value in is the return of Quique Sanchez Flores who takes over from sacked Javi Gracia for his second spell as manager of Watford. In the 2015/16 season Flores took Watford to 13th in the Premier League table and to the FA Cup Semi Final, but that was not enough to save him from the chop by the notoriously impatient Pozzo family.

He clearly impressed enough to be given a second run at Vicarage Road but his Watford team were beaten heavily by Arsenal in both League games in the season he managed the club. Quique Sanchez Flores did lead Watford to an upset at the Emirates Stadium in the FA Cup, but he is coming into a side that have been struggling defensively and with little time to work with players between the return from international duty and this game kicking off on Sunday afternoon.

Arsenal should be much more settled and they have a front line that looks like it will provide plenty of goals in the months ahead. They have been creating chances for fun and it is making up for some of the defensive vulnerabilities that continue to be displayed by the Champions League chasing club.

Ultimately I do think the Watford defensive problems are far grander of the two clubs at the moment and that can be the difference on the day. It should be a tight game with Watford trying to impress a new manager, but I think Arsenal will edge to the three points and they are at just a good enough price to be worth backing this weekend.


Aston Villa v West Ham United Pick: The final game of the Premier League weekend comes on Monday Night Football as Aston Villa try to win their second League game of the season. It looks a big test in front of them against a West Ham United team who had been in fine form going into the last international break.

Manuel Pellegrini has to be very happy with the way West Ham United have bounced back from the opening day hammering at the hands of Manchester City. They have won 3 straight games in all competitions and The Hammers have been creating plenty of good goalscoring chances in their wins over Watford, Newport County and Norwich City.

They will continue to take an attacking approach to this fixture as West Ham United look to be one of a number of clubs chasing a top six or seven finish which will come with a potential European berth. So far the quality in the final third is hard to ignore and West Ham United will certainly pose problems for an Aston Villa defence still finding their feet at this level.

James Chester could be back in time for this fixture which will be a boost for Dean Smith's men, but he might be a touch rusty so West Ham United will feel they have the players to exploit any vulnerabilities left in the home team.

Aston Villa have some decent players of their own who have made a mark at the top level of English Football. However losing Trezeguet to suspension is a blow and I do think they are still struggling with the right balance needed to win games in the Premier League.

They do have a good home record against West Ham United with 3 wins from the last 5 hosted at Villa Park, but the latter are the team who have played better through the first month of the season. In fact West Ham United have won 4 of their last 5 away games in all competitions and being able to back them on the Asian Handicap in an essential 'Draw No Bet' market looks to be the play.

MY PICKS: Liverpool - 2.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Brighton-Burnley Both Teams to Score @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester United-Leicester City Under 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Tottenham Hotspur - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)
Wolves-Chelsea Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester City & Over 3.5 Goals @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Bournemouth-Everton Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Arsenal @ 2.05 Bet Fred (2 Units)
West Ham United 0 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)

August 2019/20: 14-17-2, - 8.78 Units (64 Units Staked, - 13.72% Yield)

Fantasy Football (GameWeek 5)

I have to say that so far my Fantasy Football campaign has been a little better than average overall, but GW4 proved to be a solid if not spectacular week.

On most occasions I would be happy with the 59 points earned two weeks ago, but I have missed on my Captain for a fourth week in a row and that has to be a source of frustration.

Price changes are again being a real pain in the backside with my decision to pick Xande Siva to make up the fifteen seeing him lose 100K in value. I am not sure how someone with a small ownership is losing money while a player like Anthony Martial remains very high even after over 40,000 players removed him from their squads two weeks ago.

I was one of those and my decision to bring in Manuel Lanzini looks a solid one even if returns were minimal last time out.

Liverpool's first clean sheet in the Premier League was the foundation for the points last time out, but the big contributor was Youri Tielemans who I did keep faith in despite a slow start to the season. My decision to bring in Harry Maguire has proved to be a poor one with 3 points earned from two matches, but I am not going to compound that by keeping him in the squad this month, while Che Adams continues to get into strong positions but has yet to convert those into goals for Southampton.

I am keeping the faith with Adams at least through two more games, but any more failures and I think I will have to think about making a move and accepting he is not going to bring in his pre-season form to the higher League level he is now competing at.

At least not while he is sitting in my squad anyway.

Ahead of GW5 I am going to identify some teams I am looking to get behind over the next four weeks before the next international break and others I am perhaps going to steer clear of.

Next week I will look at a few more individual players as I did in the first three weeks of the season, but I think coming out of the international break and looking at how the next four weeks can shape up for teams is a better plan for this week and something that can aid in transfers that can be made.

Teams That Could Provide Clean Sheets to Get Behind

Burnley- they have had a very difficult opening month of the season, but Burnley have impressed from a defensive standpoint for the most part.

This is a team that are not giving up too many chances and with Brighton, Norwich City, Aston Villa and Everton to come before the next international break, I think they could provide some defensive recruitments for those looking for differential makers.

Everton- there will be many with Everton defenders and I do think they are worth holding onto at the moment. Manchester City visit Goodison Park this months and they do have a difficult game at Bournemouth, but a home game with Sheffield United could produce returns.

They also have some decent fixtures out of the next international break so I would not be overly concerned by the four goals conceded in the last two games.

Tottenham Hotspur- defensive performances have not been great, but Tottenham Hotspur should improve with the European transfer window closed. Home games against Crystal Palace and Southampton as well as trip to Brighton in the next four weeks could be a good chance to get back on track at the back.

Teams That Might Be Worth Avoiding For Clean Sheets

Manchester United- the underlying stats haven't been bad and it has got to the stage where the Official Website wanted to make that clear.

However games against Leicester City, West Ham United, Arsenal and Newcastle United prior to the international break and then Liverpool out of that break means I want to steer clear of an injury hit club.

Liverpool- I have two defenders from the club and I would keep them through GW5 with a home game against Newcastle United to come. However later this month Liverpool face Chelsea and Sheffield United away from home and then host Leicester City and the Alisson situation will determine whether I want to keep doubling up on the leaders at the back.

Leicester City- this is a team who have been performing well defensively even though they only have a single clean sheet. However games away from home at Old Trafford and Anfield and a home one against Tottenham Hotspur might mean the stats are not backed up on the scoreboard for a while.

Teams That Could Produce an Attacking Return

West Ham United- there is some real value in the West Ham United players at the moment considering the form they have shown in the last month in the final third.

Games against Aston Villa, Manchester United, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace suggests they can keep it going.

Chelsea- this is much to do with the value in the Chelsea starters at the moment. Both Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham look like they are set in the first choice eleven for Frank Lampard with only potential Champions League involvement holding them back in the Premier League.

Lampard does like his team getting forward so games at Wolves and at home to Liverpool don't concern me in terms of the goals Chelsea could score. After that they look to be hitting a very productive portion of their schedule too.

Bournemouth- ever since they have been promoted to the Premier League Eddie Howe has made sure his team have been positive with their attacking approach.

Everton, Southampton and West Ham United face Bournemouth this month and I would expect this team to be involved in some high-scoring games so their attacking players could be worth bringing back into squads that have lost faith in them.

Burnley- like I mentioned from their defensive standpoint, Burnley have some decent fixtures coming up after a difficult August. Ashley Barnes will be the main focus of attention, but there are other players here who could return at a decent value.

Teams I Fear for in the Final Third

Manchester United- as a fan of this great club it is hard to see them in both sections to avoid this month. Injuries are hurting the team and some tough games are coming up.

Only Daniel James can really be picked at the value, but the other prices on the attacking players suggest there is better choices out there.

Wolves- a mixed set of games and this is a team who have yet to show any real consistency in the Premier League. I do rate Wolves as a team, but there may be better options out there with teams who don't play Chelsea and Manchester City over the next month.

GameWeek 5 Team

There are some really good choices that can be made to reshape squads coming out of the international break and I imagine there will be plenty using their Wild Card after tough starts to the season.

I am not panicking with my team selection yet and I do think I can shape it to my liking with the weekly transfers rather than having to make wholesale changes.

My one transfer this week has been used to replace Harry Maguire with James Tarkowski- I mentioned the good set of fixtures coming up for Burnley compared with Manchester United and saving the 500K just means more money in the bank for when bigger moves need to be made.

I selected Tarkowski ahead of Matt Lowton despite being 500K more expensive as the centre half can be a real threat from set pieces for Burnley. That would make up for any goals being conceded and I also think he is far more secure in the starting eleven than Lowton.

Overall I am pretty happy with my team and this week the 3-5-2 formation picked is making use of all of the investment made in the midfield players I have in the squad. My front line has yet to really return the kind of points I would have liked, but I am keeping faith in Southampton and Bournemouth for at least a couple of weeks.

My GW5 team can be seen below:

Ederson- Norwich City are going to cause problems for Manchester City as they will for most visitors to Carrow Road this season, but the City goalkeeper remains my first choice goalkeeper even through the Aymeric Laporte injury.

At this moment I would say he is almost the only guaranteed Premier League starter for Manchester City, especially in the back five.

Virgil Van Dijk- Liverpool earned their first clean sheet of the season two weeks ago and I think they have to be favoured to make it two in a row against Newcastle United.

Andrew Robertson- he has actually lost 100K in the official game as the attacking returns have not been produced at a time when Liverpool have not had too many clean sheets. However like his defensive partner Van Dijk, I would not be surprised to see Robertson end with back to back clean sheets.

John Lundstram- effectively a midfielder choice for Sheffield United as they host a Southampton team that can struggle for clean sheets.

Youri Tielemans- I hate playing those players who are facing Manchester United, but Youri Tielemans had a very good game two weeks ago. He is also facing an injury hit opponent.

Manuel Lanzini- as I have mentioned, West Ham United could be ready for some big attacking returns and Manuel Lanzini is a key player for them. I am hoping the international duty with Argentina has not meant he needs a rest, but playing on Monday this week will help recovery time.

Raheem Sterling (VC)- I have got my Captain wrong in four weeks in a row, but I am once again off the Raheem Sterling bandwagon. He should have chances against Norwich City who have been defensively poor, but I do see a situation where he is not given the full ninety minutes after double duty for England.

Champions League games begin this week too so Sterling might be given a chance for a rest at some point which may limit returns.

Bernardo Silva- lots of players have lost faith in Bernardo who has only started two of the four Premier League games this season. However he remains a big part of Pep Guardiola's plans and scored two weeks ago which may spark his season.

Sadio Mane (C)- a home game with Newcastle United should give the Liverpool front three many opportunities to get on the scoreboard. Sadio Mane might also be ready to make a statement after showing real frustrations with partner Mohamed Salah in the win over Burnley.

Che Adams- I am losing patience with Che Adams, but Southampton's main striker is still getting some very good chances. He has to take one soon if he is going to maintain his spot in the Southampton starting eleven and my own squad.

Time is running out but a game at Sheffield United and at home against Bournemouth should be the final chances for Adams to turn his season around.

Joshua King- he is the penalty taker for Bournemouth and the next three weeks look like a very good chance for King to get his season moving. Everton have not defended as well as they would like and have conceded at least twice in back to back League games.

Bench- Michael McGovern, James Tarkowski (I have brought him into my squad for the long-term, but this week I have better options in my starting eleven), Caglar Soyuncu (I would not be surprised if Leicester City were able to keep a clean sheet at Old Trafford against injury hit Manchester United, but other options are more appealing), Xande Silva.