Blackburn Rovers vs Birmingham City: Best Bets

Blackburn – 11/8

Draw – 9/4

Blues – 39/20

Birmingham’s incredible run of 15 matches without defeat at St Andrew’s came to an end last weekend but Garry Monk’s men will try to get back to winning ways at the first possible opportunity.

A trip to Blackburn Rovers offers an ideal chance for a huge away win…

888sport customers can back the Blues at 39/20 to prevail at Ewood Park and the hosts are there for the taking.

Despite their strong home record, confidence is low after a difficult run of results and Birmingham will be quietly confident of a successful trip.

After back-to-back clean sheet victories, it was disappointing to see the Blues fall short at home to Bristol City.

Monk will have his side fired up for this encounter though as they look to edge closer to the coveted playoff spots – Birmingham are 6/1 to finish in the top six.

Three of the last five meetings between these two sides have ended in a draw and plenty of bettors will fancy the 9/4 for another share of the spoils.

Only Nottingham Forest (10) have drawn more games than Birmingham and Blackburn (both 9) in the 2018/19 campaign.

Lukas Jutkiewicz is due a goal and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the Blues star get his name on the scoreboard here.

At 11/5, he represents excellent value in the anytime goal scorer betting with 888sport. It won’t be long before he is back amongst the goals…

Both teams to score has landed in eight of Blackburn’s previous nine Championship games and 3/4 for more goals this weekend is a solid bet.

Rovers are strong on home turf but the Blues will see opportunities fall their way and this one is evenly poised ahead of Saturday.

39/20 for Birmingham to win at Ewood Park is tempting but opting for Monk’s side to avoid defeat at 11/25 in 888sport’s double chance market is the way to go.

Blackburn have saved their best efforts for home games and the Blues may need to survive an early Rovers onslaught.

Prediction: Blackburn 1-1 Birmingham (21/4)

Bet of the day: Both teams to score (3/4)

Outside punt: Lukas Jutkiewicz to score anytime (11/5)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The Premier League was at its dramatic best last weekend. We saw goals fly in, a shock defeat for the champions and it was all topped off with a Monday night thriller in the Marco Silva derby.

We are heading into the chaos of the Christmas schedule. Managers are rotating as they look to avoid the upsets we so often see at this time of year.

The Saturday after a European gameweek gives extra attention to the mid-table and relegation fighting sides. Here are a few thoughts and tips on the 3pm kick-offs…

CRYSTAL PALACE vs Leicester City

Crystal Palace have won just three league matches all season. The Eagles could slip into the bottom three with defeat here.

Roy Hodgson is a man under pressure, particularly after losing to 10-man Brighton and West Ham last week. They have scored four goals in seven home league matches this season – a record that must be improved to stand a chance of safety.

Leicester are a streaky team, as they have been since their title win. A decent run of form came to an end with a limp performance at home to Tottenham last weekend.

Claude Puel’s are ninth at the moment, winning this weekend could take them up to seventh, while defeat could drop them to the bottom of the mid-table pack.

The Foxes desperately lack cutting edge without Jamie Vardy. If he misses out as expected, Palace are a good price.

TIP: Crystal Palace to win @ 29/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Palace 2-0 Leicester (Priced at 19/2 with 888sport)

 

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs Burnley

It’s a return to the Premier League grind for Tottenham after their dramatic result in the Camp Nou.

Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to rest Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane against Leicester last Saturday paid off with a victory at the King Power and European progression.

The Lilywhites have been the underappreciated top five team so far this campaign and are strong favourites to cruise past struggling Burnley.

Burnley got a long overdue victory at home to Brighton last weekend. Sean Dyche’s team are out of the relegation zone, though they could be down in 19^th by Sunday evening. Unlike last season, the Clarets’ defence is leaky and looks incapable of stopping the top sides.

A European hangover is the only thing that will stop a Spurs victory. The hosts should win this easily.

TIP: Over 2.5 Spurs goals @ 3/4

PREDICTED SCORE: Spurs 3-0 Burnley (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

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WATFORD vs Cardiff City

Watford’s winless run was extended to six matches when they conceded a last gasp equaliser to Everton on Monday night.

Javi Gracia’s side were expected to regress at some point, but crucially, the performances have still been good. With 21 points on the board, the Hornets are set for a season in mid-table, though they will be keen to halt this streak.

Cardiff’s home form has bumped them up to 14^th. Neil Warnock’s side have improved, but their troubles on the road have continued with five straight defeats.

The Bluebirds could be outclassed at Vicarage Road on Saturday as they face a talented Watford outfit.

The 8/13 price might seem a bit short for a team out of form but let’s not forget just how bad Cardiff have been on the road, though.

TIP: Watford to win @ 8/13

PREDICTED SCORE: Watford 2-0 Cardiff (Priced at 13/2 with 888sport)

 

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS vs AFC BOURNEMOUTH

Wolves’ slump was dramatically flipped on its head last week. A midweek win over Chelsea and an impressive win at Newcastle have put the Midlands club in 10^th, just four points off sixth-placed Manchester United.

This match is an opportunity to climb further up the table against one of the ‘best of the rest’ rivals.

Bournemouth benefited from a favourable early season schedule. Five defeats in six matches have pulled Eddie Howe’s team back closer to where we might expect.

They currently sit in that congested group of upper-mid-table teams and could return to sixth this weekend if results go their way.

Bournemouth’s defence has shown the fallibilities we have come to expect. They are always a decent bet to find the net, though, so both teams to score is the way to go.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 7/10

PREDICTED SCORE: Bournemouth 1-1 Wolves (Priced at 23/4 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

We are now well into December and the busy festive period is fast approaching.

All 20 top flight clubs will play at least six top flight fixtures between December 15th and January 3rd – it is a fantastic time of year to be a football fan.

Manchester City and Everton will get Saturday’s Premier League games underway in the lunchtime kick-off.

Pep Guardiola’s side fell short at Stamford Bridge last weekend and punters will be expecting a backlash from the defending champions.

Meanwhile, Fulham and West Ham will do battle in the evening fixture.

Our tip selection for this game has landed in each of the last five games and an exciting contest awaits at Craven Cottage. But we’ll get onto that encounter later…

For now, let’s start with Manchester City vs Everton. The Blues will look to get our tasty 7/2 double off to the perfect start in front of an expectant Etihad Stadium crowd.

Check out the latest Premier League betting odds with 888sport here ahead of the weekend!

MANCHESTER CITY vs Everton

Tipped to emulate Arsenal’s “Invincibles” and avoid defeat for the whole 2018/19 campaign, City came crashing down to earth last weekend.

Guardiola was full of praise for his side after the defeat but the defending champions must bounce back at the first time of asking.

The Blues have scored 30 goals in nine home games so far this season and the 3/4 on offer for City to notch over 2.5 here is a solid price.

Pep’s side put three past Everton at Goodison Park in their previous encounter and another comfortable win could be on the cards.

Good news for Everton: they’ve lost just one of their last six fixtures. Bad news for Everton: they’ve won just two of those – one against Brighton & Hove Albion and the other against Cardiff City.

The visitors will be looking to send out a statement with a positive result here. As of December 12th, the Toffees are out at 18/5 to win OR draw this weekend.

Everton have claimed a point from this fixture in each of the last two campaigns and Marco Silva will be hoping for a third successive draw on Saturday afternoon.

The Toffees have struggled on the road against England’s biggest clubs this campaign and this could get ugly for the visitors.

I fancy the Toffees to score but Manchester City will be too strong on home turf. The 31/20 for a home win with both teams scoring is the way to go.

TIP: Man City to win and both teams to score @ 31/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Man City 3-1 Everton (Priced at 17/2 with 888sport)

 

FULHAM vs WEST HAM UNITED

Fulham found themselves up against it at Old Trafford last weekend; the Red Devils scored four goals in a Premier League game for the first time since November 2017.

However, the Cottagers will fancy their chances against a hit-and-miss West Ham outfit on Saturday night.

Claudio Ranieri’s men are unbeaten in two home games since his appointment and plenty of punters will fancy the 9/5 available for a Fulham victory.

Aleksandar Mitrovic has been solid enough in attack, scoring seven goals in 16 league fixtures. He could be Fulham’s difference maker this weekend.

West Ham have won three on the spin but Marko Arnatovic’s injury will be a huge blow to Manuel Pellegrini’s side ahead of the busy festive spell.

Expected to be side-lined until early 2019, Arnautovic will be sorely missed – though West Ham do have enough quality to cause problems for this struggling Fulham defence.

Felipe Anderson has started to come into his own in recent weeks, notching five goals in his last six Premier League outings.

The onus will be on him to create chances for the Hammers in Arnautovic’s absence and he is a decent bet at 23/10 to get his name on the scoreboard.

The best bet here though is for over 2.5 goals. As mentioned earlier, this has landed in each of the last five meetings between the two teams and 4/6 is an excellent price.

Viewers may be treated to an early Christmas cracker at Craven Cottage here.

TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 4/6

PREDICTED SCORE: Fulham 2-2 West Ham (Priced at 10/1 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

The Europa League is beginning to heat up. Some of the continent’s biggest clubs, namely Inter Milan and Napoli, will drop into Europe’s secondary club competition after falling short in the Champions League and the race to advance to the knockout stages is on.

Chelsea and Arsenal are both through to the next round but Celtic and Rangers are still in the fight to progress. It should be another nervy but exciting night of Europa League football on Thursday evening.

Without further ado, let’s get down to the tipping. According to 888sport’s Europa League betting odds, this four-fold pays at around 8/1. Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic are the headline act in our final accumulator of the 2018/19 group stages…

BESIKTAS vs Malmo

Group I is arguably the most intriguing ahead of matchday six. Both qualifying spots are still up for grabs and that is testament to just how competitive all four teams have been. This is going right down to the wire…

Besiktas will fancy themselves on home soil – the Turkish outfit have a formidable record in front of their own fans. Take the 4/7 for a Besiktas victory in this encounter.

Malmo claimed a 2-0 win over Besiktas back in October and punters will fancy the Swedish side to prevail. The visitors have lost just two of their last 16 away games in all competitions and they will be hard to break down.

A point won’t be enough for Malmo; they have to push for the victory. The away side could leave themselves exposed on the break and that brings the 4/5 for over 2.5 goals into play.

TIP: Besiktas to win @ 4/7

PREDICTED SCORE: Besiktas 2-1 Malmo (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)

 

Tottenham Hotspur lead Saturday's 11/1 Premier League best bets - click here for our top tips!

 

RAPID VIENNA vs RANGERS

Group G is also wide open ahead of matchday six and Rapid Vienna will be quietly confident of doing enough to secure second spot in the race to reach the next round.

The Austrian outfit have won three of their four Europa League games in 2018/19 and that may be enough to tempt punters to side with the hosts. At 13/10, Rapid Vienna are worth a second look in the betting.

Meanwhile, Rangers know what they have to do in order to reach the next round. Winning away from home in Europe is never easy but Steven Gerrard will have his side fired up for this one.

Punters fancying the Scottish outfit will be tempted by the 2/1 for an away win but the 3/4 for over 2.5 goals carries more appeal. This could be another entertaining affair under the Vienna floodlights.

TIP: Over 2.5 goals @ 3/4

PREDICTED SCORE: Rapid Vienna 2-2 Rangers (Priced at 23/2 with 888sport)

 

ARSENAL vs FK Qarabag

Already safely through to the next round, Arsenal could be forgiven for taking their foot off the gas. After all, Qarabag shouldn’t pose too much of a threat at the Emirates Stadium…

Unai Emery’s men will finish top of Group E after a solid campaign and the Gunners boss may wring the changes on Thursday night. A weakened Arsenal side should still be capable of scoring over 1.5 goals (7/25) though.

Qarabag are now playing for pride but the floodgates could open if Arsenal make an early breakthrough. The visitors have conceded 12 goals in their five Europa League matches so far this season.

Playing for nothing other than pride, Qarabag may relax and they could surprise us all under the Emirates Stadium lights on Thursday evening. Optimistic Qarabag backers can get 10/3 for the visitors to avoid defeat.

TIP: Over 1.5 Arsenal goals @ 7/25

PREDICTED SCORE: Arsenal 3-0 Qarabag (Priced at 13/2 with 888sport)

 

CELTIC vs Red Bull Salzburg

Not for the first time, Celtic have had to do things the hard way in Europe. Brendan Rodgers will be determined to lead his side to the Europa League knockout stages but victory won’t come easy here.

6/4 is a solid price for a home win given their incredible European record at Celtic Park. The hosts have been solid enough in recent weeks and their ardent supporters could make the world of difference.

With top spot already secure, Red Bull Salzburg could field a weakened side for this clash. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see a few fringe players in action for the visitors.

The 27/25 for both teams to score is a decent bet. Salzburg have the quality to push Celtic close but the Scottish champions should be strong enough to get the job done.

TIP: Celtic to win @ 6/4

PREDICTED SCORE: Celtic 1-0 Salzburg (Priced at 8/1 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Come 10pm on Wednesday evening, the 2018/19 Champions League knockout stages will be set. The race to qualify for the last-16 is well and truly on…

The two Manchester clubs are in action on Wednesday night. Both are through to the next round but finishing top of their respective groups could be decisive in the draw. City need to avoid defeat at home to Hoffenheim whilst United’s route to top spot is trickier.

Let’s take a look at 888sport’s latest Champions League betting odds ahead of Wednesday’s games. At the time of writing, this four-fold is priced up at around 15/1 – fingers crossed for lots of betting success on the final group stage matchday this season.

AJAX vs Bayern Munich

Ajax have won their last 11 matches on home soil, including both of their Champions League group stage fixtures. The Dutch outfit will fancy their chances of making it a clean sweep at the Johan Cruyff Arena…

Plenty of punters will fancy Ajax to flourish against a sub-par Bayern Munich side, especially after picking up a point in Germany. 17/20 for the hosts to avoid defeat could turn out to be a huge price.

Bayern have failed to inspire confidence domestically this campaign; the Bavarians are nine points adrift of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table. Victory here is essential for Niko Kovac’s side as they look to build momentum ahead of the festive break.

For some, EVENS for Bayern to win a group stage game will be too good to turn down – and understandably so. This has all the makings of an exciting affair.

TIP: Ajax to win OR draw @ 17/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Ajax 2-2 Bayern (Priced at 19/2 with 888sport)

 

MANCHESTER CITY vs HOFFENHEIM

Newsflash: Manchester City ARE human. Pep Guardiola’s men fell short against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday night – and that defeat should serve as a timely reminder to City ahead of the busy Christmas period.

In some ways, Hoffenheim is the perfect match to get over that Chelsea hangover. Finding value for any City home game is tough but 3/5 for the Premier League side to notch over 2.5 goals is a decent bet.

The Bundesliga outfit gave City a stern examination in Germany and they should give this one a good go. With that in mind, an open and expansive encounter looks likely – this could be a great watch for neutrals.

Both teams to score looks like an absolute steal at 3/4. City’s defensive unit has started to concede goals in recent weeks and another relatively high-scoring affair awaits.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 3/4

PREDICTED SCORE: Man City 3-1 Hoffenheim (Priced at 17/2 with 888sport)

 

Shakhtar Donetsk vs LYON

A win for Shakhtar will be enough to see the Ukrainian side advance to the last-16 and that is what makes this one of the most intriguing matchups of the week. Some of Tuesday’s tips were hard to call but this is arguably more difficult.

The hosts let a two-goal lead slip in the corresponding fixture earlier in the campaign and it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Shakhtar start quickly again here. 17/10 for the Ukrainian side to take a lead into the break is a decent price.

However, I fancy Lyon’s class to shine through in the end. The Ligue 1 outfit showed plenty of quality in their two group games against Manchester City and an early goal should help to settle a few nerves.

Backing the visitors to claim three points outright is hard given Shakhtar’s record on home turf. With that in mind, 13/20 for Lyon to avoid defeat is still worth considering.

TIP: Lyon to win OR draw @ 13/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Shakhtar 1-1 Lyon (Priced at 13/2 with 888sport)

 

Valencia vs MANCHESTER UNITED

Valencia have little to play for if truth be told – their spot in the Europa League is already confirmed ahead of matchday six. That could spur the Spanish side on though as they look to continue their decent home form.

Under 2.5 goals has landed in four of the last five meetings between the two sides and this could be another uninspiring contest. 10/11 is a decent price for a low-scoring affair.

Despite his struggles in 2018/19, Jose Mourinho is still Jose Mourinho and United will pick up the odd shock result here and there. They defeated Juventus in Turin and another away triumph could be on the cards.

With a huge Premier League fixture against Liverpool ahead, Mourinho could rest a few players here. However, this has ‘smash and grab’ written all over it and 19/10 is massive for a team of United’s calibre.

TIP: Man United to win @ 19/10

PREDICTED SCORE: Valencia 0-1 Man United (Priced at 17/2 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

Offering two days of pre-Christmas racing action, The International returns to Cheltenham Racecourse next Friday and Saturday.

The International meeting regularly showcases top-class race jumping and often gives us some pointers to The Festival itself.

Friday’s card features the finale of the Crystal Cup and it is also Christmas Jumper Day if you are so inclined.

The Saturday is an equally enthralling day with the key race being the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup.

Friday Highlights

Tiger Roll is just one of the headline names on day one of The International at Cheltenham.

The eight-year-old, fourth behind Josies Orders over the Cross Country course on his seasonal return at The November Meeting, is entered for the £35,000 Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase.

Gordon Elliott has also entered Grand National third Bless The Wings and Lamb Or Cod, while Ballycasey could line up for Ireland’s champion Jump trainer Willie Mullins.

Enda Bolger, who has won this contest a record seven times, has two entries- Josies Orders, and My Hometown, a recent winner at Punchestown.

The Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase is the final leg of the Crystal Cup (https://crystalcup.org) which will lend itself to plenty of overseas horses taking part.

Coo Star Sivola (Nick Williams), winner of the Ultima Handicap Chase last season is aiming for another major scalp in the £60,000 CF Roberts 25 Years Of Sponsorship Handicap Chase.

Entries for the three and a quarter-mile contest also include Robinsfirth, who took the race 12 months ago. The nine-year-old, trained by Colin Tizzard, then missed the rest of the season through injury.

Joe Tizzard said of the chaser: “Robinsfirth had a little bit of heat in his leg last season but was back in full work at the start of the term and is in good form.

“The owners – Christine Knowles & Wendy Carter – like going to Cheltenham, so he may run there next week. He is ready to run and will enjoy the soft ground.

“He is a chaser with plenty of ability but he is a bit fragile.”

Other interesting entries contenders include this year’s BetVictor Gold Cup scorer Rock The Kasbah (Philip Hobbs) and the 2017 Ultima Handicap Chase runner-up Singlefarmpayment (Tom George).

 

Click here for our TOP TIPS on Saturday's big race - the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup!

 

Saturday Highlights

Frodon heads the weights on 11st 12lb for the £130,000 Caspian Caviar Gold Cup, run over an extended two and a half miles on day two of The International at Cheltenham.

Frodon, who took this race as a four-year-old in 2016, ran a gallant race under top-weight on his latest start when finishing runner-up to Baron Alco (11st) in the BetVictor Gold Cup .

Baron Alco has been raised 6lb to a rating of 152 and is bidding to become just the fourth horse in history to win both the BetVictor Gold Cup and Caspian Caviar Gold Cup in the same season.

Baron Alco’s trainer Gary Moore is also saddles the JLT Novices’ Chase third Benatar (10st 11lb), who finished fourth in the recent Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot.

Moore said: “I have been very pleased with Baron Alco since the BetVictor Gold Cup and the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup is his big target now.

“He is 6lb higher in the handicap and whether or not he can cope with that will depend on what else turns up on the day. If it is a similar sort of race to the BetVictor Gold Cup, I don’t think 6lb would stop him.

“Having said that, I am well aware the way he ridden last time was an advantage because he was kept out of trouble in what was an incident-packed race, and there was probably a couple of hard luck stories in behind.

“The ground all comes the same to him. He is in amazing horse with a great attitude and he will go on anything bar extremes.”

Also entered is Guitar Pete (9st 13lb), who stayed on to take third behind Baron Alco last month. The Nicky Richards-trained gelding gained his biggest success over fences when he won last year’s Caspian Caviar Gold Cup by two and three-quarter lengths.

Day two of The International also features the £140,000 International Hurdle, a leading trial for the Champion Hurdle at next March.

Last year’s race saw the recently retired My Tent Or Yours edge out The New One and Melon in a thrilling finish.

The Tom George-trained Summerville Boy is looking to get his season back on track on Saturday afternoon.

Having finished last season on a high after narrowly beating Kalashnikov in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, the six-year-old made his reappearance in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle.

However, he proved no match for his rivals that day and toiled home last of four.

Birmingham City vs Bristol City: Best Bets

Blues – 11/10

Draw – 9/4

Bristol City – 5/2

Birmingham have responded well since losing the Second City derby, notching back-to-back wins over Millwall and Preston North End. Garry Monk’s side will fancy their chances as they look to make it three wins on the spin this weekend.

11/10 for the Blues to claim another three points in front of an expectant St Andrew’s is a solid price. Birmingham haven’t lost on home soil since March 2018 and Monk’s men will take some stopping against an inconsistent Bristol City outfit.

 

Now ninth in the Championship table, a win here could see Birmingham move to within one point of the playoffs. Once again, the 5/4 on offer for over 1.5 home goals is worth snapping up.

The Blues have scored 14 goals in their last five Championship games at St Andrew’s and fans will be hoping for another convincing victory. Birmingham will be encouraged by their recent record against Bristol City; they’ve won three of the last four meetings.

If you’re looking for a goal scorer, look no further than Che Adams. At 9/5 to get his name on the scoresheet, Adams is available at a HUGE price with 888sport. The Blues star has five goals in his last three home games and Adams could flourish again this weekend.

Strike partner Lukas Jutkiewicz is Birmingham’s top scorer so far this campaign with 10 goals to his name and he will have one eye on the Championship Golden Boot. 888sport’s latest enhanced wincast is for Jutkiewicz and Blues to win at a very tasty 7/2.

Birmingham have the bit between their teeth right now and Bristol City may find this tough going. The visitors have won just two of their previous seven Championship away games and Monk’s side will head into this contest full of confidence after such an impressive run on home soil.

Prediction: Birmingham 2-0 Bristol City (9/1)

Bet of the day: Over 1.5 Blues goals (5/4)

Outside punt: Che Adams to score first (9/2)

Wincast: Lukas Jutkiewicz score and Birmingham win (7/2)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

THEY'VE SORTED out Spurs - now they are Gunning for United.

Unai Emery’s new and improved Arsenal mean business. Sunday was their statement win. The north London derby demolition of their fierce rivals to extend their winning run to 19 matches and prove that they really are the real deal.

Now Arsenal head to Old Trafford, where Jose Mourinho has no Arsene Wenger to wind up in a bid to deflect from his own deepening crisis.

Common sense finally prevailed at the Emirates last season. Wenger accepted the inevitable and fell on his sword.

Emery has since re-energised his under-achievers to vindicate the Wenger Out Brigade. The Arsenal board must now be wondering why they hadn’t grown a pair sooner.

Could United take their lead from their erstwhile title rivals?

They may be left with some thinking to do on Wednesday night if Emery replicates the manner of Sunday’s spectacular win over Tottenham.

After Mauricio Pochettino’s men had fought back from a goal down to lead at half time, the Arsenal boss sent out his second striker, Alexandre Lacazette, along with Aaron Ramsey. Both would go on to help leave the Gunners’ fierce rivals in pieces.

Emery changed his system three times during the game, all the while making the most of his attacking options. All the time motivating his side and the club’s fans to fight Tottenham as one.

They’ll take that fight to Old Trafford and it will be fascinating to see just how Jose Mourinho responds. Surely after spending so much cash, with so many outstanding options in his final third, surely he won’t park the bus (again), will he?

Alexis Sanchez may be “injured” but in Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba and Anthony Martial United have the players to fight fire with fire.

Should they lose then it is hard to know where Mourinho goes from here. It’s early December and United are a staggering 16 points behind leaders Manchester City.

They are eight points off fourth-placed Arsenal and only the bottom five clubs have conceded more goals.

In United’s last four games they’ve been outclassed by City, outfought and largely outplayed by Crystal Palace, scraped an injury-time winner against Young Boys and stared down the barrel before escaping with a point from Southampton.

The football is poor while morale at the club and among fans is at rock-bottom.

Arsenal have responded favourably to a new broom and the balance between a lack of sentiment and sensible man-management.

The longer United’s poor run continues, the more pressure will be on the likes of Ed Woodward to either follow the Arsenal lead or risk seeing the club slip further into oblivion.

 

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

December is the month for gift giving and the Premier League schedulers have given fans a proper present here. Four of England’s top six will be in action on Wednesday night – read our match preview for Manchester United vs Arsenal here.

Away from that Old Trafford encounter, there are plenty of Premier League fixtures to get stuck into. Everton are the main act in our 10/1 four-fold according to the latest 888sport odds…

Burnley vs LIVERPOOL

Burnley are without a win in seven Premier League games and the Clarets faithful will be fearing the worst ahead of this clash. The hosts have scored in just three of those games…

Sean Dyche’s men are languishing down in the relegation zone and Burnley will need plenty of luck to stand any chance of picking up a positive result here. 19/20 for over 0.5 Clarets goals may be the tip from a Burnley perspective.

Jurgen Klopp might have just about calmed down after Sunday’s Merseyside derby winner over Everton. Liverpool fans will be hoping that their side can build on Divock Origi’s last-gasp goal…

After 14 Premier League games in 2018/19, the Reds are still unbeaten – an incredible feat. Plenty of punters will fancy Liverpool at 7/10 on the -1 handicap on Wednesday night.

Burnley’s form is concerning and Liverpool will be smelling blood. Take the 19/20 for the Reds to win comfortably without conceding a goal at Turf Moor.

TIP: Liverpool to win to nil @ 19/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Burnley 0-2 Liverpool (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

EVERTON vs Newcastle United

A moment of madness from Jordan Pickford cost Everton dearly in the Merseyside derby on Sunday evening but the Toffees will be confident of bouncing back at the first time of asking.

Everton have lost just three of their last 21 Premier League home games – an excellent run to say the least. Marco Silva’s men are a solid pick at 11/20 to claim three points at Goodison Park. 

Newcastle had won three on the spin before falling short at home to West Ham on Saturday afternoon. The Magpies will be looking to get back to winning ways after that disappointing defeat.

Rafa Benitez will have his troops fired up for this visit to Merseyside. 4/6 for Newcastle to score over 0.5 goals is worth a second look – the away side have the quality to create a few chances.

Everton have ‘won to nil’ against Newcastle in each of their last five meetings. The Toffees seem to have their number and I fancy the 7/10 for over 1.5 home goals on another positive night for Silva’s men.

TIP: Over 1.5 Everton goals @ 7/10

PREDICTED SCORE: Everton 2-1 Newcastle (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)

 

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS vs CHELSEA

Wolves have lost five of their last six Premier League games – their only point during that run surprisingly came against high-flying Arsenal.

The Molineux faithful won’t be expecting a win in this fixture but a positive result could be on the cards. 11/10 for Wolves to avoid defeat represents solid value if you fancy Chelsea to slip up on Wednesday night.

Chelsea’s unbeaten run is over but the Blues are still in contention for a shock title triumph. It would be some achievement if Maurizio Sarri can get Chelsea over the finishing line in his maiden campaign in English football.

Eden Hazard has been simply sublime this season and the Belgian could be the difference in this clash. 13/10 for the Blues star to get his name on the scoresheet is a solid price.

Taking everything into account, opting for both teams to score at 41/50 may be the best bet here. It should be an entertaining contest under the Molineux floodlights…

TIP: Both teams to score @ 41/50

PREDICTED SCORE: Wolves 2-2 Chelsea (Priced at 13/1 with 888sport)

 

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR vs Southampton

Mauricio Pochettino’s side were on the wrong side of the result in Sunday’s north London derby but this is the ideal opportunity for Tottenham to get back to winning ways.

Spurs are still on the cusp of the top four and plenty of punters will expect the hosts to run riot against managerless Southampton. The 7/5 available for over 2.5 Tottenham goals should be snapped up.

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Saints threw away a two-goal lead against Manchester United – more dropped points from a winning position was enough to see Mark Hughes lose his job at the helm.

Expecting Southampton to prevail would be foolish. With no new manager bounce as of yet, 47/20 for the visitors to win OR draw is a little short. This could get ugly for the Saints…

With almost every sign pointing towards a Tottenham victory, that’s the way we are going to go. 3/4 for Spurs to take a lead into the break is a decent price.

TIP: Spurs to be winning at half-time @ 3/4

PREDICTED SCORE: Spurs 2-0 Southampton (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*

December has arrived and that means the start of a busy Premier League fixture schedule. It could be a huge month at both ends of the table and Tuesday’s four games will set the tone for what should be an exciting festive period.

Without further ado, let’s get down to the Premier League betting tips. West Ham lead our 10/1 accumulator ahead of Tuesday’s top flight action…

AFC BOURNEMOUTH vs HUDDERSFIELD TOWN

Bournemouth’s campaign has gone pear-shaped in recent weeks. The Cherries have lost four on the spin after an excellent start to 2018/19.

To be fair, three of those four defeats came against top six clubs. With that in mind, the 7/10 available for a home victory looks a decent price considering the quality in this Bournemouth squad.

Huddersfield have shown plenty of heart and courage over the last month or so. David Wagner’s side have lost just one of their previous four Premier League matches.

The 6/5 for Huddersfield to avoid defeat isn’t the world price in the world. The Terriers are heading in the right direction and a positive result could be on the cards.

The selection has landed in Bournemouth’s last four games AND in two of Huddersfield’s last three fixtures. 4/5 is a solid price for both teams to score yet again.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 4/5

PREDICTED SCORE: Bournemouth 2-1 Huddersfield (Priced at 6/1 with 888sport)

 

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION vs CRYSTAL PALACE

Brighton have lost just one of their last nine Premier League games on home soil and Chris Hughton’s side will fancy their chances ahead of the visit of Crystal Place on Tuesday night.

The Seagulls were excellent value for their win at Huddersfield last weekend and plenty of punters will be tempted by the 37/20 available for a home triumph in this clash.

Crystal Palace picked up four points from their two fixtures against Brighton last season and the Eagles will be quietly confident of notching another positive result here.

7/4 for Roy Hodgson’s side to build on Saturday’s win over Burnley is a good price. We could see Palace return to their best form in the near future and that might be enough to secure three points.

Both teams to score has landed in the last two meetings between these sides and that is the way to go here. At 26/25, the selection is well worth sticking in an accumulator.

TIP: Both teams to score @ 26/25

PREDICTED SCORE: Brighton 1-1 Crystal Palace (Priced at 5/1 with 888sport)

 

WEST HAM UNITED vs Cardiff City

West Ham produced the perfect away performance against Newcastle United last weekend, scoring three goals to stun the St James’ Park faithful.

With just two wins from seven home league games so far this season, the Hammers will be desperate to claim three points in what is a very winnable fixture. Over 1.5 home goals is a very appealing 4/6.

Cardiff have started to string a run of results together in recent weeks but the Bluebirds have picked up just one point from six Premier League away games in 2018/19.

However, given West Ham’s struggles on home soil, this could be the perfect opportunity for Neil Warnock’s side to prevail. 27/20 for the visitors to avoid defeat is worth a second look.

Taking everything into account, siding with the Hammers to silence their home doubters is my top tip here. 8/13 is a solid price given Cardiff’s poor run on the road.

TIP: West Ham to win @ 8/13

PREDICTED SCORE: West Ham 2-0 Cardiff (Priced at 7/1 with 888sport)

 

Watford vs MANCHESTER CITY

A run of four games without a win has seen Watford drop down the Premier League table, though the Hornets are still clinging on to a top half spot ahead of this encounter.

Watford have been hit and miss this campaign and the hosts will be desperate to put up a good showing here. 8/11 for over 0.5 home goals is worth considering despite their recent woes.

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Meanwhile, City will be quietly confident of notching a seventh successive league victory – the Blues are superior to Watford in every department.

Pep Guardiola’s side have scored 11 goals in their last two trips to Vicarage Road and the 11/10 for City to score three or more on Tuesday night represents solid value.

However, the 17/20 for the visitors to score in both halves might be the best way to go. This could be another convincing performance from the best team in the country.

TIP: Man City to score in both halves @ 17/20

PREDICTED SCORE: Watford 1-3 Man City (Priced at 9/1 with 888sport)

 

*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*