• Christian Pulisic is one of the most naturally talented players in the Premier League

  • The Chelsea and United States star has suffered a number of injuries over the years

  • Fans believe that the Pulisic injury record has impacted his progress at the highest level of the sport


Christian Pulisic has been blessed with immense talent – he is up there with the most skilful players in the Premier League, and quite possibly world football.

However, he is also very injury prone. The amount of Pulisic injury news updates coming out over the years is concerning for Chelsea and United States fans alike.

Football betting fans know all about Pulisic injury history issues and his fitness can be key to decision-making when looking at the latest sports odds.

Pulisic Injury Record:

When fully fit, Pulisic is a world class talent and Chelsea fans will be hoping for no negative Pulisic injury news as we enter the business end of the season.

If you look at Pulisic injury history, his chances of avoiding a setback are slim but the United States winger will be doing his best to avoid any serious injury.

Without further ado, it is time for soccer prediction fans to get stuck into our Christian Pulisic injury profile, starting with a look back at the Chelsea star’s injury record.

Christian Pulisic Injury History:

According to Transfermarkt, Pulisic has suffered nine different injuries since joining Chelsea in January 2019.

Pulisic has sustained a number of setbacks throughout his career but none worse than the torn abductor muscle that occurred in a training session in January 2020.

That issue kept him on the sidelines until June, making it the worst Pulisic injury on record. The American was forced to miss 12 crucial games in the second half of the season.

If you look back at his time at Borussia Dortmund, the Pulisic injury record doesn’t get any better – with 13 injuries impacting his influence at Signal Iduna Park.

While he was never ruled out for longer than 20 days, the number of injuries sustained by Pulisic during his time in Germany speaks volumes.

Christian Pulisic Injury Update:

The muscle injury that kept Pulisic out in November was just one of many setbacks for the Chelsea star but the latest Pulisic injury update is positive.

He is currently healthy and has been a pivotal figure for Chelsea in recent weeks, helping the club to climb the Premier League table and challenge in the Champions League.

There are always going to be concerns over Pulisic injury health updates but fans can take confidence from his general wellbeing over the past few months.

Pulisic will always be injury prone but the Chelsea medical staff have done a fantastic job at helping the American back to full fitness and the Blues are reaping the rewards.

Christian Pulisic Injury Status:

At the time of writing, Christian Pulisic is healthy and fit. He returned from a minor setback to play in Chelsea’s 1-0 victory away at Atletico Madrid having missed just one game.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed the latest Pulisic injury status in his pre-match press conference ahead of the club’s Premier League clash with Southampton.

The German said: “We have some issues with the calf of Pulisic, it’s nothing big, it just feels tight and a bit of a risk.”

Tuchel’s comments proved to be accurate as the American returned to the Chelsea starting line-up. Fans will be hoping that this is the last Pulisic injury problem this season…

Christian Pulisic Injury News:

Go to any football prediction site and search for Pulisic injury news and you are likely to see articles relating to the American’s poor injury record.

Pulisic injury news can be found at any respectable sports website – whether it relates to a minor knock or a long term Pulisic injury problem.

Some players are more injury prone than others and Christian Pulisic just so happens to be one of those footballers who pick up niggling issues here and there.

Fingers crossed we don’t hear about any more Pulisic injury news in the coming weeks. The Chelsea star is beginning to shine under Thomas Tuchel and he will be key to their chances of success.

Christian Pulisic Return Date:

While Pulisic is not currently injured, there are a number of ways to keep up with Pulisic injury return date information if/when the American is set to spend some time on the sidelines.

Firstly, follow Chelsea press conference news for the latest Pulisic injury updates. Tuchel is one of the best football managers at keeping fans informed on any important news and that is no different when it comes to Pulisic injury reports.

With so much history relating to Pulisic injury news, it is important to find the latest sports news and accurate football information.

‘When will Pulisic return from injury’ is the question that everybody wants to know – and that information will be readily available on football prediction websites ahead of upcoming fixtures.


*Credit for the main photo belongs to Clive Rose / Pool via AP*

March 8, 2021

By Alex McMahon

Alex McMahon Sport
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Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.

He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.

As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible. 
 

Alex McMahon
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  • Manchester United are one of the biggest and most successful football clubs in the world

  • Founded as Newton Heath in 1878, Man United are also one of the oldest clubs in English football

  • The Manchester United badge was not included on the club jersey until 1971


One of the most recognisable brands in football, Manchester United are one of the biggest football clubs on the planet.

The Red Devils have dominated English football in the Premier League era, winning a record 13 top flight titles under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson.

Man Utd Badge - Guide:

Manchester United are known all around the world and football fans from all four corners of the globe can point out the Man Utd badge in a line-up of crests.

You don’t need to be a football betting expert to describe the Manchester United badge, with the devils and famous ship at the forefront of the club logo.

https://www.888sport.com/blog/football-prediction

Without further ado, it is time to take a closer look at the history of the Man Utd club badge – and the various changes made to the Manchester United crest over the years.

Manchester United Badge History:

The initial Newton Heath crest is unrecognisable compared to today’s Man United badge. Designed in 1878 in the club’s inaugural season, the badge paid homage to the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway base.

Over the years, the club opted to release one-off a Manchester Utd badge to commemorate events, including the 1958 FA Cup final, the 1963 FA Cup final and the 1968 European Cup final.

The ‘modern’ Manchester United badge can be traced back to the 1960s, with the club including the iconic Red Devils logo on club programmes and scarves.

By the 1970s, the Man Utd badge had incorporated the devil on the logo. The 1973 change helped to propel the Manchester United crest into the modern era.

Since then, the club have made minor changes to the Man Utd badge in 1993 and then once again in 1998. The current Man United crest is one of the most popular football club badges around the world - prediction site experts will recognise it instantly.

First Manchester United Badge:

The original Man Utd badge was based on the logo of Manchester’s Coat of Arms, with the ship paying reference to Manchester’s trade history and the Manchester Ship Canal.

The heritage of Manchester revolves around the industrial revolution, and that is where the globe with bees originates from. The bees are synonymous with the wider city.

Meanwhile, the red rose worn by both the lion and antelope is the official symbol of Lancashire – which ties in with the city’s motto at the bottom of the crest.

Finally, the three stripes represent the three rivers that flow through parts of the city: the Medlock, the Irwell and the Irk.

The Man United badge traits are important to supporters even today, with fans referencing the River Irwell in one of their supporter chants.

Manchester United Badge Ship:

The city of Manchester has a rich history and heritage and the Manchester Ship Canal is a major part of the city’s success.

The Ship Canal helped Manchester to arrange trade and other business opportunities to other areas of the country during the industrial revolution.

Liverpool were one of the cities to oppose the project and that was a key point in fuelling the rivalry between the two regions – both on and off the football pitch.

Manchester United chose to pay tribute by incorporating the ship on the Man Utd badge, with neighbours Manchester City also including the ship on their club crest.

With both clubs now playing at the summit of world football, the Manchester Ship Canal is advertised across the planet on the Man United badge and Man City logo.

Manchester United Badge Devil:

Following the tragedy of the Munich Air Disaster in 1958, Sir Matt Busby opted to search for a new nickname for his team and the legendary football manager took inspiration from local rugby team Salford.

With their red kits, Salford had been branded as "Les Diables Rouges" on a tour of France, which translates to "the Red Devils". Not only did the colour scheme fit with the Man Utd badge theme, but Devils sounded more intimidating.

The club badge was officially redesigned in 1970 to incorporate the devil on the Manchester United badge and it is now synonymous with the Old Trafford side's crest.

Even the club's official mascot, Fred the Red, is based on the red devil and he can be seen donning the Manchester Utd badge around the ground on a home matchday.

Current Manchester United Badge:

Today’s club crest is very similar to the previous logo but with a stronger, clearer colouring and with ‘Football Club’ removed.

While this decision was met with criticism at first, it has helped transform the club into one of the sport’s biggest brands and the Manchester Utd badge is one of the most famous logos on the planet.

If you removed the Manchester United writing, you’d know straight away that it is the Man United badge – and that is exactly what the club wanted.

A popular pick in weekly soccer prediction tips, Man United are the biggest football club in the world. Without a doubt, the current Man Utd badge does its supporters justice.


*Credit for the main photo belongs to Laurence Griffiths / Pool via AP*

 

March 8, 2021

By Alex McMahon

Alex McMahon Sport
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Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.

He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.

As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible. 
 

Alex McMahon
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  • There have been two FIFA World Cup trophies

  • Brazil hold the Jules Rimet Trophy permanently

  • France are the current holders of the FIFA World Cup trophy, after defeating Croatia in the 2018 final


The World Cup odds are surveyed even when the competition is years away.

Lifting the World Cup trophy is the pinnacle for any footballer. It might only come round every four years, but the World Cup is an ever-present topic of discussion among football fans.

https://www.888sport.com/blog/football-prediction

It’s an epic live betting event, one of the few sporting occasions which grasps the attention of fans worldwide.

Football fans live and breathe the World Cup, and timezone allowing, can commit a solid month of their lives to glued to their screens with matches played back-to-back.

As the best young football players ascend the ranks, journalists and football obsessives alike plot out their nation’s path to glory in years to come.

Predicting the next golden generation is a constant hobby of football fanatics, living in the hope of producing a team which can rival the majestic champions of years past like Brazil’s wonderful 1970 side or the tiki-taka mastery of Spain in 2010.

It might not be seen as often as other trophies, but the FIFA World Cup trophy is among the most recognisable in sport.

It brings joy to a nation in a way few other sporting achievements can – here’s everything you need to know about football’s greatest prize.

Jules Rimet

First of all, it’s important to acknowledge that there have been two World Cup trophies.

The first of which was the Jules Rimet, which was awarded to the World Cup winners from the first tournament in 1930 through to Brazil’s third triumph in 1970.

Originally named Victory, the trophy was named after Jules Rimet, the third president of FIFA. Rimet was head of the world’s football governing body from 1921 until 1954, and the first World Cup plans were laid out under his leadership.

Although he wasn’t always a popular figure, Rimet’s efforts with the World Cup earned him a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 1956.

The trophy which later carried his name was referred to simply as the World Cup or Coupe du Monde in the early years. Only in 1946, with three World Cups played, did the trophy get renamed.

Jules Rimet Trophy Design & Controversy

Designed by Abel Lafleur, the Jules Rimet trophy was made of gold-plated sterling silver. It sported a lapis lazuli base. For the 1954 competition, however, this base was replaced with a larger alternative to fit in more winners.

Standing at 14 inches high and weighing under four kilograms, the Jules Rimet trophy was delicate compared to many other pieces of major sporting silverware. For reference, the Champions League trophy is double the height.

The trophy itself featured a decagonal cup, held aloft by Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. It was not only historic for its involvement in various World Cups, either.

The Jules Rimet trophy was infamously stolen ahead of the 1966 World Cup, a story which shook the football-following world.

In the hands of Brazilian defender Hilderaldo Bellini in 1958, the trophy was held high in the air to allow photographers a better look – this move has been repeated by every Cup-winning captain since.

Rimet himself wanted any team which won the trophy three times to keep it permanently. Brazil achieved this feat in 1970.

Kept in a cabinet with bulletproof glass, the trophy was in Rio de Janeiro until December 1983, when it was stolen. Four men were convicted of the crime, though the trophy was never recovered.

The Jules Rimet trophy has never been seen again – the Brazilian Football Confederation commissioned their own replica in the 1980s.

New World Cup Trophy:

With a new trophy required for the 1974 World Cup, FIFA received 53 submissions. Silvio Gazzaniga won the gig, and he didn’t disappoint.

The trophy which football fans are now familiar with is 14.4 inches tall and weighs over six kilograms. It’s immensely valuable, of course, having been made of 18 carat gold and standing on a two-layer base of malachite.

Gazzaniga’s design represents two humans holding up the earth, fitting for a World Cup.

The designer of sport’s Holy Grail described his creation: "The lines spring out from the base, rising in spirals, stretching out to receive the world. From the remarkable dynamic tensions of the compact body of the sculpture rise the figures of two athletes at the stirring moment of victory."

Following the 1994 World Cup, a plate was added to engrave previous winners of the tournament. This plate is replaced after every World Cup to rearrange the layout of the previous world champions.

Unlike the Jules Rimet, FIFA has tweaked its regulations so the new trophy cannot be won permanently. The World Cup winners are given a bronze, gold-plated replica.

Jules Rimet Trophy Winners:

  • 1930 – Uruguay

  • 1934 – Italy

  • 1938 – Italy

  • 1950 – Uruguay

  • 1954 – West Germany

  • 1958 – Brazil

  • 1962 – Brazil

  • 1966 – England

  • 1970 – Brazil

FIFA World Cup Trophy Winners:

  • 1974 – West Germany

  • 1978 – Argentina

  • 1982 – Italy

  • 1986 – Argentina

  • 1990 – West Germany

  • 1994 – Brazil

  • 1998 – France

  • 2002 – Brazil

  • 2006 – Italy

  • 2010 – Spain

  • 2014 – Germany

  • 2018 – France

World Cup Betting:

The best players, world-beating stadia, elite managers and the best football pundits gather for the World Cup every four years.

Just like any knockout competition, it’s difficult from a betting perspective. Poor refereeing decisions or a freak performance can change the course of World Cup history.

While shocks are common, though, it’s rare that an outsider has lifted the World Cup, and many of the dominant footballing nations have never lifted the trophy.

Portugal and the Netherlands have not lifted either trophy. England have been crowned world champions only once.

The 2022 World Cup is wide open. France are among the favourites after their glory in 2018. England, the Netherlands and Germany are all stacked with talent. Argentina and Brazil will, as always, be competitive.


*Credit for the main photo belongs to Pavel Golovkin / AP Photo*

March 1, 2021
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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

Sam Cox
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  • The Scottish Open is a snooker tournament, first played in 1981

  • Having previously had various different names, the tournament has not always been hosted in Scotland

  • Mark Selby is the Scottish Open reigning champion


Snooker betting odds attention might be focused on the World Championships, Masters and UK Championships, but committed snooker bettors will have a keen eye on tournaments throughout the season. One such high-profile event is the Scottish Open.

Regular visitors of snooker betting tips pages will be well aware of the Scottish Open’s turbulent history. It’s a much newer event than the iconic Triple Crown competitions, though that’s not to say it lacks prestige.

https://www.888sport.com/blog/football-prediction

World number ones and world champions aplenty have battled it out for the Scottish Open crown. Three-time world champion Mark Selby is the current Scottish Open holder, having won the event in 2019 and 2020.

The biggest names, those atop the snooker world rankings, have enjoyed success at the Scottish Open, but it has been come and gone from the snooker calendar.

Operating under different guises, in an array of locations, it clearly is not on a par with snooker’s Triple Crown events.

That’s not to say it’s irrelevant in a year of snooker, though. The Scottish Open has provided fans with some spectacular moments and many memorable matches, none more so than the epic 2017 final between Neil Robertson and Cao Yupeng.

Here’s everything you need to know about Snooker’s Scottish Open, including the history of the tournament, its various locations, potential winnings and past winners.

Scottish Open History:

To really understand the history of the Scottish Open, it’s important to emphasise that the current name is a relatively modern change.

First played in 1981, it was known as the International Open and it was a non-ranking event when Steve Davis beat Dennis Taylor in the final.

It became the second ranking event for 1982. Still known as the International Open, Tony Knowles was the second champion in the 1982-83 season before Davis went back-to-back in 1983 and 1984.

The first name change came in 1985. Sponsorship saw what we know as the Scottish Open become the Matchroom Trophy

This title remained for only one year as sponsorship changed once again – Cliff Thorburn was the one and only champion of the Matchroom Trophy.

The following four events went relatively smoothly. Back under the International Open name, the event was won by Neal Foulds in 1986 before Davis won three years in a row. There was a brief two-year hiatus after Davis’ 1989 title.

Back for 1992-93, the International Open had sponsorship from Sky Sports. Played at a new venue and at a different time of year, the event was played every year from 1993 until 1997.

In 1998, the International Open was no longer. Now called the Scottish Open, the event was beginning to look like what 21st century snooker fans know it as.

Once again, though, the tournament was tweaked in 2004. Jimmy White won what was called the Players Championship that year, which was the final event on the tour.

Sky opted not to renew their contract, however. A lengthy hiatus resulted. The Scottish Open did not return until 2012-13, when it was revamped as a minor-ranking tournament as the fifth event of the European Tour.

In 2015, snooker chief Barry Hearn announced the Scottish Open’s permanent return. It was back for the 2016/17 season as part of the Home Nations Series.

With six wins from eight finals appearances, Steve Davis is the most successful player in the history of the event. Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby and John Higgins are the only other players to have won the tournament more than once.

Scottish Open Location:

The International Open began in Derby. Steve Davis and Tony Knowles won their titles at the Assembly Rooms, before the competition shifted north to Newcastle Upon Tyne and Eldon Square.

Just like Derby, Newcastle only retained the event for two years before a change was once again in order. Trentham Gardens in Stoke hosted the Matchroom Trophy and International Open for five years.

Stephen Hendry won as the tournament transported south to Plymouth in 1993. John Parrott and John Higgins won the two years in Bournemouth, then Higgins claimed his second title in Swindon.

The event moved north of the border in 1998. Aberdeen’s Exhibition Centre was the venue. This remained the case until 2003 – the Royal Highland Centre in Edinburgh was host in 2003, but Glasgow was the host city for the Players Championship in 2004.

The one-off minor-ranking event in 2012 was held in Ravenscraig before a return to Glasgow from 2016 onwards.

Scottish Open Prize Money:

The Scottish Open has a total prize money of £405,000. This is the same as the other Home Nations Series tournaments, and there’s a potential £1,000,000 prize on offer for any player who wins all four events in the same season.

The Scottish Open winner receives £70,000. This is under half of what the winner of the World Open pockets, and £30,000 lower than what losing semi-finalists land at the World Championships.

Scottish Open Winners:

  • 1981 – Steve Davis

  • 1982 – Tony Knowles 

  • 1983 – Steve Davis 

  • 1984 – Steve Davis 

  • 1985 – Cliff Thorburn

  • 1986 – Neal Foulds

  • 1987 – Steve Davis 

  • 1988 – Steve Davis

  • 1989 – Steve Davis

  • 1993 – Stephen Hendry

  • 1994 – John Parrott

  • 1995 – John Higgins

  • 1996 – John Higgins

  • 1997 – Stephen Hendry

  • 1998 – Ronnie O’Sullivan

  • 1999 – Stephen Hendry

  • 2000 – Ronnie O’Sullivan

  • 2001 – Peter Ebdon

  • 2002 – Stephen Lee

  • 2003 – David Gray

  • 2004 – Jimmy White

  • 2012 – Ding Junhui

  • 2016 – Marco Fu

  • 2017 – Neil Robertson

  • 2018 – Mark Allen

  • 2019 – Mark Selby

  • 2020 – Mark Selby

Scottish Open Betting:

Whether a sports betting expert or looking for betting odds explained, the Scottish Open is a popular tournament with gamblers around the snooker-following world.

As always, there will be familiar names atop the odds. There were a handful of upsets at the 2020 edition, but it’s rare to see an underdog make it all the way to the final.

Since the tournament’s reinstatement, all of the winners have had career-best rankings in the top five in the world. The 2020 final showed was a rematch of a long-running rivalry between Selby and Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Of course, it’s always important to look at recent form when making Scottish Open betting decisions

This could be particularly important if a player has enjoyed success at the English and Northern Ireland Opens – how will that impact their Scottish Open performance?


*Credit for the main photo belongs to Aijaz Rahi / AP Photo*

March 1, 2021
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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

Sam Cox
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