Premiership Football Preview: Saturday 9th December

After the previous week's blanks, it was good to get a couple of results last time out with both Reading and Sheffield United showing that home form is crucial to Premiership survival. Sadly Tottenham and Fulham failed to live up to their promise and surrendered meekly to away defeats and knocked my draw bets for six.

And now to this Saturday:

Blackburn Rovers v Newcastle United, 3.00pm
Bolton Wanderers v West Ham United, 5.15pm
Liverpool v Fulham, 3.00pm
Manchester United v Manchester City, 12.45pm
Middlesbrough v Wigan Athletic, 3.00pm
Portsmouth v Everton, 3.00pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Charlton Athletic, 3.00pm
Watford v Reading, 3.00pm

Blackburn Rovers v Newcastle United

These teams come into the game with contrasting moods. Rovers suffered a last minute lapse at then bottom team Charlton whilst the Magpies came good at home to Reading with a second half turnaround albeit with the help of a suspect penalty decision but then Emre scored the late winner with a proper winning goal! Now, Newcastle need to turn up away from home. It won't be easy at Rovers who will give any team a good game at home and Bet365 offer a tempting 23/20 on the home win. They also offer 9/4 on the draw, as do VC Bet, and that looks the one to go for given Newcastle will have their tails up.

Bolton Wanderers v West Ham United

Bolton are on a shocking run of form with 4 points from a possible 21. West Ham are also looking shaky but do have talent to pull off a win if the circumstances are right. The draw at 5/2 seems decent yet I like the look of the 19/4 at Bet365 for an away win. If Bolton are going to lose at home, it will be during a slump like they are in. A small tickle is warranted here at those odds against a team in poor form.

Liverpool v Fulham

It is hard to see anything other than a home win here, for Liverpool are strong at Anfield whereas Fulham are not special away with their last two trips ending in limp defeats. The odds on Liverpool are squeaky so this is one to leave on value grounds.

Manchester United v Manchester City

We have reviewed this in detail elsewhere.

Middlesbrough v Wigan Athletic

Wigan are now demonstrating what made them a force last season even allowing for the capitulation at home to Liverpool. They followed that up with a solid away victory at West Ham so Middlesbrough won't relish their visit today. The Boro themselves tend to send different teams to the Riverside Stadium; it's a case of which one turns up. The odds on a draw are 12/5 at Totesport and this looks attractive.

Portsmouth v Everton

Pompey continue to be hard to beat at Fratton Park but it is likely they will face a stiff test when Everton come to the South Coast. It would be stiffer but Everton are suffering injuries to key midfielders and that may help Pompey to win the battle. The Toffees' form is indifferent and a narrow defeat would not be a surprise. Odds against of 6/5 seems decent for Pompey at Paddy Power and Skybet.

Tottenham Hotspur v Charlton Athletic

Will the last-gasp win by Charlton at home to Blackburn be the turning point in their season? Away to Spurs would be a good place to start but is Tottenham's fabled soft underbelly likely to be on show at White Hart Lane? Hard to say, but it is possible that the Addicks' slowly returning form might be enough to grab a surprise draw at Tottenham who themselves scraped home here against a poor Middlesbrough side in the week. 3/1 on the draw at Sporting Odds is value.

Watford v Reading

Reading let slip a lead at Newcastle in the week while Watford ground out a creditable goalless draw two days earlier at Manchester City. The two days' additional rest should give Watford a chance to regroup after that physically draining effort and perhaps will make life difficult for Reading. These teams played out a goalless draw in both of their Coca Cola Championship meetings last year but their fortunes have diverged this season. A physical battle is likely and a 0-0 draw would not be a surprise, nor a 1-0 in either direction. That said, on form alone, Reading are the more likely to come through with the 1-0 having done it several times already this season. Bet365 offer 13/8 on a Reading win and that seems good value with Watford rooted to the foot of the league with 10 points.

Betting Decision

3pts Draw – Blackburn v Newcastle 9/4
2pts Away win – West Ham 19/4
3pts Draw – Middlesbrough v Wigan 12/5
4pts Home win – Portsmouth 6/5
3pts Away win – Reading 13/8

Total Outlay 15 points

Ed note: A free £100 Bet Basket is on offer with Bet365

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